40 week appointment tomorrow, induction questions

[pixie04]

Any suggestions on how to approach this?

I'm having my 40 week appointment tomorrow, I'm expecting to be offered or to be able to request a sweep, which is fine but I'm also expecting to be offered an induction date. I'm thinking of refusing at this stage. My worries are:

I'm small, 4ft 10", if I don't go into labour without medical intervention ie gels and further methods then I think I may be too small to pass him.

I'm planning a homebirth, so in the hope that he hasn't grown bigger than I can pass then I'd like to be able to have him at home all being well and I don't know if arranging an induction at this point could make a difference to that.

Lastly I'm scared that by accepting an induction I could be setting myself up for a lot of intervention to no avail and potentially an EMCS. I would prefer to hold out while all is fine but if things change re asses then.

Do I bother discussing all this with MW tomorrow, or do I just say no thanks can we review next week? These thoughts are in my head but I'm not really overdue yet am I so don't want to start worrying and being monitored ect when right now there is no need.

Xmas, you've been having aches and pains on and off. They will have been doing something. Even though there isn't much progress to be seen consider them doing preparation work so that once you do start proper you will already be part way there.
Also, you are not yet 42w so no real need to consider induction unless you are told that it would cause your baby a problem not to. Perhaps book for induction for a date 42w+. You could always cancel if you change your mind but you would then have something to focus on if you don't. Plus there is a good chance that your baby will arrive before then anyway. One of mine arrived six hours before I was due to for admission.

Good luck :)

xmasmummytobe do what YOU want to do. if you want to hold off then do so. Natural induction methods DON'T work - otherwise no-one would be induced for going over! As you're not 42 weeks yet, you're still within the realms of normal pregnancy (and for you, normal pregnancy may be 43weeks, who knows) so don't feel you have to be induced, and if you want to wait then make it clear to the MW that you won't accept an induction date and do not want to discuss it further and that you want expectant management as per NICE guidelines.

If you choose induction, then that's your choice. Many, many women accept assistance in getting things going and for most of those, it's safe.

Follow your heart and perhaps stop trying 'natural' methods. You might find that even these attempts 'failing' are stopping you relaxing enough to just go into labour on your own :)

Women of small builds can give birth to babies easily, women with bigger hips can struggle. It is very unlikely that your pelvis is too small to allow your baby to pass through.

choca will PM you as I don't want to take over yet another thread (as I have a habit of doing!) and I don't think OP would find it useful given she's under pressure to induce!

Thanks for the replies, sorry for the whinge, just getting myself worked up. After managing to go back to sleep for a couple of hours the plan is to stick to my guns and refuse induction this Friday but agree to be reviewed on Tuesday which will be 40 + 14. Apart from some back pain nothing is too uncomfortable. All the tightenings, braxton hicks and period pains I've been getting have been going on for weeks now so I don't feel like it's anything.

I guess it's all the pressure that's getting to me, constant stream of texts and calls wanting to know when its out, isn't it dangerous now, shouldn't they induce me blah blah blah. It's really hard to politely explain things to well wishers without just telling them to fuck off and leave me alone.

Flisspaps I think you're completely right about natural induction methods, it's just leaving me over analysing every twinge and tightening. It doesn't help that the MW's keep suggesting these things every time I'm seen but I guess they like to make women feel like we can do something rather than just sit and wait. I'm happy to just sit and wait though.

xmasmummytobe If you have FB, you may find this link makes for a handy status

And if you feel like telling nosy well meaning callers to fuck off, then do so. It'll make you feel a million times better. Or record an answerphone message telling them you've not had the baby yet, you will call when you have and you'd be grateful if people could stop calling to ask.

I'd say no thanks, we'll review next week, so that next week the MW doesn't turn round and say 'Oh but you said X last week'.

By 40w he's as big as he's going to get. I think (but can't be certain) that babies often start to lose a little weight after about 40 weeks. Remember women very rarely grow babies they cannot birth naturally, and if he is too big for you to birth spontaneously at home, then he's going to be too big for you to birth vaginally in a hospital following induction anyway.

You won't know either way until you're actually in the throes of labour so my view is you may as well stay at home and try to labour naturally until such time as you or the midwives feel the time has come for some aid, rather than going in just in case he is big, being induced and accepting intervention only to find that actually, you could have birthed him without induction anyway.

xmas you already know the dilemma i had so i wont repeat it, but if it helps at all here's what happened for me -

Had a total of 4 sweeps, last one on Christmas Eve. Was told i was 1-2 cm dilated with a posterior cervix, but no need for pessary. When i went back in for induction on Christmas Day they said they could break my waters but it would be uncomfortable - i prepared myself for the worst but actually it was no more painful/uncomfortable than the sweep. They set the drip up straight away - a small dose to start then gradually increased it so that contractions built steadily. Once the contractions were intensifying the midwife suggested i have the epidural which i had opted for as pain relief. It was great, i could feel thecontractions but wasnt overwhelmed with pain. Had a top up 2 hours later, MW checked me while i had a catheter fitted and discovered i had gone from 2cm to fully dilated in that time so was ready to deliver! Pushed her out in 35 minutes, tiny tear, no stitches, baby moved into right position just at the right moment. So none of my worries about too much intervention materialised and i have a beautiful baby to show for it i know i'm very lucky but i hope it helps to hear a positive story.

Flisspaps love that link, seriously considering using it. I really appreciate your response and you are quiet right, MW said pretty much the same thing to me today.

Grohlsgirl Thank you so much for sharing that with me because it made me cry to think that it could still all go well.

I've been pretty pathetic feeling sorry for myself. Even MW picked up on me looking weepy and said it may do me a bit of good to have a good cry and feel a bit vulnerable just to let it all out and let my hormones settle.

The plan of action is see MW at 40 + 13 for a sweep and then start monitoring from 40 + 14. MW recommended considering induction at + 14/15/16 rather than waiting until the baby becomes distressed. She basically said if it's going to work it'll work and if it's not at least I'll know we tried everything for a natural labour. She's been massively supportive, said she's happy to argue my dates if I'm still adamant but thinks there will be a point next week that either myself or the baby need something to start. She really made me feel so much better about it all.

Your MW sounds wonderful, and rather sensible. Considering induction at +14/15/16 is not the same as definitely accepting it, but you know that it is there as an option if it is needed/wanted, but hopefully her support and good sense are helping you feel a lot more relaxed about the whole thing.

Feeling sorry for yourself can be 'a sign' as it can be linked to hormonal changes. It can of course also be down to feeling sorry for yourself because you are worried that you are going to find yourself in a place you don't want to be in and that is perfectly understandable.

I used that link as my FB status for the whole two bloody weeks after my EDD and will use it this time as well if necessary. Have added 10 days onto my EDD this time though (which actually turned out to be my EDD by my LMP rather than by the dating scan anyway) which hopefully will buy me a few extra days without the bloody annoying phone calls this time round

Feeling much better about things today. I am considering adding days onto my EDD if we are lucky enough to have DC2. Friends and family panicking that baby hasn't arrived by 40 weeks makes it so much more stressful. I showed a friend the fb status link and she thinks it's great, she went to 42 weeks and feels my pain. The community MW's in my area are amazing, I really take my hat off to them. The hospital staff I've encountered however are not so great, perhaps that's where my nerves lay!

Thinking of you!

If you are still waiting, have you thought of trying to get some form of relaxing treatment rather than focusing on trying to kick things off? My doula arranged some reflexology for me when I was overdue. It did bugger all to kick of my labour, but it did really relax and re-energise me. A good late pregnancy back massage, or a foot massage, might do a similar job.

I feel your pain. I went to +8 and +9 with mine, but the +9 felt like forever because I'd been having intense braxton hicks and cramping since 37 weeks. I had an attempted sweep at +7 and my cervix was too far back even to reach and it was intensely painful (I find smears excruciating too, something about how I'm built, so don't panic about that bit). I was holding back floods of tears through the rest of the appointment I was so deliriously tired, in pain and fed up. That night, I had the best night's sleep I had had in weeks and felt great the next day. My contractions started that day (DD2 born morning of +9 after about 10 hours).

I keep name changing, I am OP and xmasmummytobe. Now 40 + 12/13 today and no signs. I did have a couple of reflexology sessions, they were really nice, if anything they took the swelling down on my feet a treat! Have also been burning oils and bathing ect, gentle walks and am now bouncing on a ball. Most of the self induction stuff is really quiet relaxing but the anxiety about how things may go, if I will or won't go into labour is just winding me up. I've started doing yoga breathing to get myself off to sleep at night otherwise I just lay awake thinking things over and over.

Baby is still wriggling about plenty, so he is fine and I don't feel too bad. Seeing MW tomorrow for 3rd sweep, I am interested to know if the last vicious sweep has progressed anything. Today I'm re packing my hospital bag, if I go in for induction Tuesday/Wednesday then I may be there longer so figure I'll pack more than the basics so I can feel comfy. Don't think homebirth is on the cards anymore unless I go into labour today or tomorrow, feels unlikely.

How is everyone else?

Homebirth is only off if you go for induction, if you go past +14 there's no reason for you to still not stay home

I'm hoping that we'll have some progression for tomorrow's sweep and we'll be able to carry on waiting. It's with my HB midwife and she's really positive about it so fingers crossed. Just trying to keep myself a bit distracted by sorting bags ect and hoping that by excepting what I fear most things may just kick off on there own.

My mum's first she went 14 days past her due date, gave birth to my older brother the day prior to induction so I'm hoping I'll be the same.

Happy New Year by the way

Good luck stillwaitingforbaby. I am in exactly the same boat: 40+12 today (accordingly to a VERY recently revised EDD) and still clinging on, but only just - booked in for a wretched induction first thing tomorrow. Had twinges today and tried not to get my hopes up too much. Like you, my baby is still wriggling around and seems fine, but friends & family are increasingly frantic that he is still in there!

Ok saw MW this morning, baby is now back to back . The MW wasn't confident that at this stage he'd be able to turn back into a good position, I think he's managed to get back to back since Wednesday so he better bloody find a way of getting back to belly!

I've agreed to go in tomorrow morning with a view to being induced, will be monitored and position checked first before agreeing anything. My cervix has actually closed from 2cms at last sweep down to 1cm dilated. still 2cms long so not thinned out a all but is now facing down instead of backwards. They're planning a slow induction, starting with gels ect and MW explained could take 48 hrs. I prefer it that way, no rush. I don't feel so scared of it now, not fed up being pregnant I just feel in my heart that he isn't making his own exit and I don't want to wait too long when he and I may both be knackered and not up to going through induction. Not what I planned but so tired of all the anxiety and worry.

Good luck for tomorrow, stillwaiting. Hope it all goes smoothly and you are holding your baby in your arms this time tomorrow :)

Good luck hope it all goes smoothly, it's worth it in the end

Thanks feeling a little excited now X

stillwaiting its like my story all over again!

I have everything crossed for a smooth labour for you, however it happens - it's almost time to meet your wee one! Got a lump in my throat thinking about it, come back and tell us how you got on (when you get chance or the inclination!)

Best of luck stillwaiting - here's hoping either for you to have dilated a bit more overnight and/or for you only to need one pessary to get things going remember every second, however painful, is one second closer to meeting your baby

Sorry for bumping, just wanted to let anyone know who's interested that my baby arrived last week Thursday 5th Jan at 40 + 16. We just arrived home from the hospital last night.

Unfortunately everything I feared about induction happened (2 lots of gel, drip, over contracting, baby in distress twice, 2 days of labour, forceps and finally EMCS under GA and a weeks stay in hospital with both of us on anti bs) but actually it wasn't that bad at all in reality and I felt pretty proud of myself for going through it all and having my gorgeous baby boy at the end.

I can't praise the staff at my local hospital enough, they were extremely supportive and really did their very best to give me a good birthing experience. Everything was taken step by step, we were very informed and confident in what was happening.

Hope everyone else who was over due with me has their babies in their arms. X

Congratulations....& well done. You should feel very proud of yourself! Sounds like you did everything possible to give you baby the best start in life.

For what it's worth I went 14 days over, induction very similar to yours & ended up with forceps. I look back on it as a positive experience though & have healed very well.

Congratulations on your baby boy
Sorry to hear things didn't quite go as planned/hoped for but you sound very positive about it all