Ok <<deep breath>> please can anyone come and talk to me about hospital and induction?

[QueenOfFlamingEverything]

So for anyone who has missed my self pitying other threads, I am now 40+16 with DC2. Was intending to have another homebirth as DD1 was born at home with no problems but this baby is staying put, it seems.

So, I am now thinking about induction. This is very distressing and scary to me, obviously I will do what is best for my baby but I had hoped so much that it would not come to this and the baby would be born soon and it just isn't happening. I have been going for monitoring and there doesn't seem to be any problem with me or the baby but I just don't know how much longer I can take. I feel like everything has been on hold for so long now. I have been taking it one day at a time but its making me so upset, dreaming at night of having my baby and then every morning waking up and still nothing.

I'm finding it very hard to balance the relative risks now as well, so few women go beyond 42 weeks that there isn't much information out there about what is really best after that time.

What happens when you are induced then? Will DP be able to stay with me the whole time? How much privacy are you likely to get, or will we be sat waiting for things to happen on a ward? How do I get over the feeling that my body is failing me and my baby? Will I ever stop fucking crying over this?

Good luck QOFE will be thinking of you tommorrow and hoping for a prompt transfer to a delivery room, a quick labour and a lovely healthy baby

Agree about meconium in the waters. My DS had this and he was not taken to SPecial baby unit either. They are trying to scare you as you have been a naughty girl letting the pregnancy go this far. F**k them. God I get so angry at that. I reckon my third baby was well baked and was probably even overdue more than they thought. I had no idea when I concoeved and given he was 10lb 3oz my suspicions are probably right.

Yes it pisses me off too that they start trying to make you feel bad for letting pg go so far, when you might have disagreed with their dates in the first place and been ignored.

I had a pretty good idea of when DS1 was conceived and the consequent EDD. LMP (actually m/c dates) meant the EDD was put at a few days later. When I had the 20 wk scan the EDD was moved later still. A scan at 34 weeks said his femurs were size of 40+weeks yet EDD was not brought forward.

DS1 was 9lb9oz and 13 offical days late - IME about 16 or 17 or more days late. He hadn't inhaled meconium.

Thinking of you xx

Oh good luck, ds3 (dc4) was born at home 3 hours before i was due to go in for induction, so there is still time!

It will be ok, all of mine have been way over and never had any problem with meconium. Ds3 had meconium stained waters, but mw said that was normal for post-dates babies, and nothing to fret about.

Hope it all goes well (and ideally that you go into labour tonight). Remember, if you are getting contractions at all tomorrow, you can still stay at home, you're not duty bound to have the induction!

Queen the chances are you will go into labour tonight! I was 1-2cm dilated with bulging waters at 40+14, they wanted to induce but I opted for another sweep instead, and went into labour that night. If you haven't had a sweep since Friday (if I'm reading that right) it could be worth another go tomorrow morning? Then induction later in the day if it doesn't work?

Remember it is your choice, if you really don't like it you don't have to do it.

Best of luck!

Yes, fuck 'em. You've done nothing wrong by waiting for your baby to come naturally, don't let anybody make you feel that you have. I know they implication is that if your baby has inhaled meconium it is because you've not been a sensible girl and done as you're told but you know that's not true, for goodness sakes. You've been perfectly sensible.

I know what you mean about it being completely counter intuitive to be by yourself on a ward so create your own little cocoon- i-pod/ relaxation CD on, curtains drawn and forget about the world. Your body is so ready to do this, it's just your baby that needs a nudge.

Have mentioned on the other thread but my dsis's induction (I was her birth partner) was great. She needed the gel as no dilatation but it was quick and smooth and, pessary aside, seemed completely natural.

I can't remember if I read it here but one women argued about the conception date with the hosp as if she agreed with their date it would have meant her husband has somehow managed to impregnate her from the other side of the world. They wouldn't budge either.

I was induced with ds1 at 42+3.

I was admitted to the antenatal ward at 8pm, booked in and then monitored for about 30 minutes.

I had a pessary about 9pm, monitored again for about 30 minutes and DH had to leave at 10pm.

An hour or so later I got some niggles so asked for some painkillers, these didn't seem to help so I put on my TENS. About 1am the mw ran me a hot bath which I gratefully wallowed in, topping up as necessary.

I was watch-less and so had no idea how regularly my pains were coming. When so asked a while later if I was ok, I decided that I wasn't so "hopped out ?!" to be examined. I was 9cms!!

They called DH and transferred me to delievery suite at about 3.45am.

DS was born at 4.45am and I used gas and air during the delivery

I too had feared the worst, but had a pretty good time of it really.

Good luck op.

xx

Hope you go into labour soon.
I went to 40+15 and went into labour whilst sitting waiting to be induced on the ward.
There's still time yet!

Good luck with whatever happenes.

Oh and by the way, DS was born 40+16 and there was no meconium in the waters.

Thank you everyone

I am still nervous but gradually getting my head round it. I am hoping very very hard that they decide to break my waters and so DP will not be sent away to wait.

I am also still holding out a teensy bit of hope that the baby will decide to arrive overnight as if that happens I will just call the community midwives out here.

I know I can still change my mind but tbh I feel a lot more settled knowing what we are intending. The last 18 days have been the loooooongest ever... I do agree with the dates they are using though, I am certain there is no confusion over that.

Get thee to bed and have a quickie, will increase the chances of it happening

Think you'll be too busy today to see this but best of luck :)

How's it going this morning?
Hope things have started to progress now.
Good luck!

Wishing you all the very best QOFE, x

Hope everything has gone okay Queen and your induction wasn't traumatic and you are now hugging you gorgeous baby.

Just popped on to see if there was any news! Hope everything went smoothly and that you are now cuddling you gorgeous baby!!

Popped in for any news.

Update here!