(when) would you through in the towel??

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I am 42 + 3 with my first baby. Had a sweep yesterday and have been doing expectant management. All scans and ctg scans have come back fine. I have been diagnosed with a slight excess of amniotic fluid. Baby happy and active and estimated weight now of about 9lbs! I know about risks with placenta etc, as well as risks of induction (i.e. no risk free option!)

Spoke to the consultant yesterday who said it might be time to 'throw in the towel' and book for an induction. They have provisionally done this for Wednesday, but they said I can cancel if I want to. I really want to go into natural labour and am wondering if I am just a '10 month mama' and trust my body to take its time or let them intervene?

What have you done / would you do??? I would really appreciate experiences on this one asap!!

ooh, excited about snotty damp pants this morning (TMI sorry!!) (is this a show? No blood). Going in tonight for a pessary after putting them off for 24 hours.... risk increases after 43 weeks I guess.

Could the snotty pants signal a slow start all on my own????? (hope so)

I recently had to be induced, resulting in an EMCS - but I'm glad I did, as my DD looked like she was apparently trying to backflip out of my pelvis, and I would never have given birth naturally. They also suspect that I may have a unicornuate uterus, as there's something not quite right with the shape of it.
I had DD1 naturally, although she was back to back and had to be pulled out with ventouse - so there were no indicators of any problems with my latest child.
They tried 2 pessaries - nothing happened, and my cervix just refused to dilate despite getting tightenings. Even when I had the syntocinon drip, and the contractions really kicked in, my cervix still wasn't dilating as well as it should have been, and the baby was getting distressed. That's when they whipped me to theatre.
I know alot of people resist induction, but for me, it was all about trusting the system and the professionals. I didn't particularly like the idea of induction, and my body did not want to go into labour, probably due to the position of the baby. I don't like hospitals and wanted a HB too. In all fairness to the hospital, they were brilliant, and I found that I trusted them every step of the way, as they clearly explained everything.
Recovering from an EMCS is no walk in the park, but I'm just grateful to have my beautiful baby here safely, and I don't feel shortchanged by the experience. From my 2 labours, it would seem that I am one of those women who don't have straightforward experiences!
I guess you just have to do what feels right for you - induction exists for a reason, but some babies just seem to come later on their own too.
Good luck - bet you can't wait to meet your baby! x

Completely up to you but I would go for expectant management/monitoring and refuse induction. Some babies cook longer. Any signs of distress, I'd go for induction but otherwise...
My midwife has delivered a baby at 43 weeks before now (she's independent though).

Am now in hospital. Midwife did a sweep tonight and she said bishops score has gone up to 6..... So I don't need a prepping dose of tonight. Cervix 2-3 centimetres dilated. Hopefully my body is beating them to it..... Crosses fingers :)

Maybe you could go home tonight and come back in the morning for the first dose? Fingers crossed for you here.

Well I went in to labour on my own on Wednesday and had baby girl by 1:30am thurs.

Blimey 8lb 5, back to back, ridiculously fast progress gas and air didn't touch the sides, had diamorphine, epidural, needed sntocin to help push through the epidural, presentation and size, plus drop in babies heart rate meant epesiotomy and ventouse. Basically pain was so bad at 5cm couldn't not push, midwife said position of baby was tricking my body into irresistible pushing urge which was risking cervix getting swollen by being pushed against. She looks like a little innuit with mop of hair and pointy ventouse head. Got delivered onto me then held by daddy while I conked for a bit. Then fed for 45 mins while DH fed me tea and toast.

I guess the moral of my story is everything I was scared of happened despite natural onset of labour and I didn't even care. I was so scared of drip and it was fine with epidural. Sorry posting in phone in new mum daze.

Our midwife told us that the best way to induce labour is via love making ( the last you will get for a long time) and to stay lying down for as long as possible afterwards. Good luck, and i hope you have an easy labour. x

Congratulations on your lovely not so little girl! So delighted for you and glad birth turned out not too bad.

Congrats!

I was going to regale you with the birth of my 11 lb DS at 42+6....but no need now!

Enjoy your little girl x