I've just posted this on the due in Jan thread but I thought I'd put it here as well in case it helps anyone else.
Sweetkitty ? what can I say? Maybe you?ve gone today ? I hope so! If anyone knows what you?re going through, believe me, I do! Finn was born eventually at 40+14 and I am now an official expert on induction and cervical favourability after 7 attempts with prostin gel and an ARM/syntocin drip. If you want to ask me anything at all, please do ? or CAT me?
I think you would be fine to wait a bit longer ? my hospital policy is 40+13 if no other problems. You would give yourself the weekend to go naturally, plus you might become more favourable for induction. Remember I went home twice, once 10 days over and again 13 days over ? if I hadn?t had the section the next day both me and baby would have had a couple of hours monitoring on the antenatal day unit. Personally I was happy as long as he was moving loads. I?m not very good at links but type ?bishops score induction? into Google and you will get loads of info ? basically it is a pelvic score relating to engagement of head, length/dilation/effacement/softness etc of cervix ? it need to be anterior rather than posterior - ask your mw/drs what they have given you every time they examine you ? it should be 9 to be favourable for induction ? mine never got past 4 with the gel! If you can get to 6/7 you can have your waters broken and a syntocin drip put up (you need to be a little dilated/baby's head down for them to reach the waters safely - although despite this the senior reg did it for me on the labour ward at 1 cm - did I need a lot of gas n air!). Obviously these policies might be different for your hospital but it gives you an idea. After 6 gels, any further decisions had to be made at consultant level. Remember though, I am a medical freak! It is very rare for a multipara with previous normal deliveries to have failed induction.
With ds1 my waters broke at 10-11 days over and I went into labour a day later ? no induction.
With ds2 I was 13 days over, had several prostins over a couple of days which worked.
With dd I was 12 days over, had ONE prostin and went to 5cm in an hour!!!
With ds3 ? well read the birth announcement!
So who knows?
Advice to cope ? don?t get too excited at any twinges ? you get false prostin pains that do bugger all in terms of dilating your cervix. You?ll know when you?re in real labour. (beware, the prostin stings your bits rather, but it does pass, they virtually do a sweep every time they examine you).
Save your energy ? what will be, will be, relax ? it could take more than a day?.or two?! They will monitor you and baby before and after every gel (also assess your cervix) and will be cautious not to over-stimulate your uterus.