Sweeps/induction question-a nervous first-timer!

[Northernexile]

I've been lurking for a little while, and this is my first post. I'm hoping someone can give me a bit of reassurance!

I am a couple of days overdue with DC1. At my hospital appointment yesterday the Doctor offered me a sweep. Although she said she could feel the head, she said she wasn't able to perform the sweep as my cervix was still too closed. Felt a bit down about this as I assume this means that this child is wanting to stay put for a while yet. They have also now booked me for induction on Tuesday if nothing happens before then.

I'm a little nervous about induction and was hoping to go as naturally as possible, perhaps using the pool, and can now see this going out the window! Bearing in mind my obviously unripe cervix, does anyone with more experience think I have any hope of going into labour spontaneously over the next five days, or should I just resign myself to induction now? Any help/advice gratefully received!

I was in the same situation as you and in my case I was 10 days overdue both times and cervix was high and closed. I ended up having an induction. Yu never know though as things change very quickly. It's just a waiting game which is so frustrating isn't it?

Thanks nevercan- once you were induced did things move along pretty quickly or were you waiting around for days at the hospital?

Hi northern, I have also been in your situation twice, both DDs induced, and at the beginning of the induction cervix was also unripe. However both times the gels they gave me worked well and my waters broke spontaneously then labour proceeded as normal. DD1 was born at 5pm the next day after induction began (11 hours after waters going). DD2 born at 8.30pm the same day- 1 hour after waters going!

In my case induction was a happy and successful experience, I hope if it comes to it it will be the same for you. Good luck!

BTW stay as active and upright at possible when being induced, I walked miles seemingly around the hospital!

Oh thanks debka, you have made me feel better!

Sorry but I was stuck in hospital for 4 days while they tried to induce me which was soooo boring lol

Oh God! Think I may fling myself out of the window if I have to wait that long! Must remember to pack a few books....

Hi Northern,

How overdue are you? And how overdue will you be when you get to the proposed induction date? Just wondering because you said you were a couple of days overdue now and inductio booked for Tuesday, so does that mean you will only be 7 or 8 days overdue by then? Just asking because that seems a bit soon to be inducing someone (in my area you are offered induction from 12 days overdue), but don't know if different areas have different times.....

I was induced at 40+14 (much to my disappointment) and had actually gone in at 40+13 to be induced but changed my mind. Like you, I wanted everything natural, in a midwife-led unit (which you are only allowed to go into if you are less than 14 days overdue, and can't go there if you have been induced in hospital) Previously, I had had 4 sweeps which resulted in a bit of spotting and cramping, but nothing else. It only took one gel to get things going for me (but I question whether I would have gone into labour naturally anyway being so overdue). I got the gel at 11am, began feeling tightenings at around 5pm, and by 10pm was contracting quite hard. DD was born at 10am the following morning (23 hours after receiving the gel) - 15 days overdue!

What I wanted to say was that you shouldn't be forced into anything. Remember that once you have the first lot of gel, you are stuck in hospital until you give birth. For me, this was quite scary because I had always wanted to go into labour at home, hospital seemed a bit clinical. I was also on a shared ward, so was contracting whilst the others were asleep and the horrible midwife sent my DH home because there were no private rooms available and it was after visiting hours! I am sure every hospital is different though, and maybe they were just really busy when I was there. Maybe these are things you could check with your community midwife to see if she knows what it will be like? So it was the hospital conditions more than induction itself that I didn't like.

I was told that if the gel was enough to get things going and everything with me and DD was fine, I would be allowed to use the pool if one was available (which there wasn't). So you would at least be able to stick with that part of your birth plan if you decide to go down the induction route.

5 days is a really long time!! So please don't be disheartened. Anything can happen, at any time! If your midwife offers you more sweeps, give them a try! Long walks are good (I always had to take DH with me though, as had visions of my waters breaking 2 miles from home!), bouncing on an exercise ball, and..... cough .... sex (I know it's the last thing on your mind, but there really is evidence to suggest it can help...!) I think there is something in clary sage oil that can help too, but I would seek advice before trying that.

And remember - your body, your choice. You have to weigh up what best for you and baby, and go with what feels right. I talked induction over with DH and that helped me make my mind up as to what I wanted to do. He helped keeps things in perspective for me.

Wishing you the very best of luck when the time comes! Take this time to relax and enjoy your last couple of days before you become a mummy :)

xxxx

Hi Highlander,

Thanks for all the info and advice. I will only be 7 days over on Tuesday. The consultant basically wants me in as the baby's growth seems to have levelled off and they think it's on the small side (although the are estimating it at around 7lb, which sounds pretty average to me!), although everything else seems to be ok. I suppose I don't feel like I know enough to be able to argue with them, but I did feel like 7 days was quite quick to be going in for an induction, hence me hoping it gets moving itself in the next few days. I just can't see it happening though- I think the little blighter is quite happy where he/she is!

I did have my heart set on the MLU which looks fab, so I was a bit disappointed, although It's no biggie in the grand scheme of things I suppose! I might give my community midwife a call though and see what she thinks too.

Definitely give the community midwife a call - mine was fab and she really helped me to make my own decisions, rather than a consultant "telling" me what was best (in fact, she warned me saying they will bombard you with statistics etc as sometimes they want to work around their own schedules, rather than your baby's, IYSWIM)

You are right, it is no biggie in the grand scheme of things. However, you need to relax into things when labour starts, the calmer you are the "easier" it will be :) I think that was my problem with it all, I lost control very early on because I hadn't really engaged with the whole idea of induction / being in hospital for the whole labour (especially at the beginning with DH being made to stay at home!!!). If you get your mind set before you go in, I think it will be much easier.

7lb does sound like a normal weight! The day before I was induced, the midwife predicted only 6.5lb for my DD! But they weren't worried. When she was born she was 7lb 5oz. However, if baby's growth has levelled off, then maybe there is good reason to go ahead with induction. Have you been told how engaged the head is? Does your bump feel like it has dropped at all? Although they are not definite signs, if the baby is sitting a bit lower than it has been then perhaps that might indicate things will start progressing before Tuesday :) xx

Try accupuncture first-my accupunturist seemed to have good results in getting thinsg moving.Doesn't work every time but worth a try.

you don't have to be induced. you can refuse and should be offered a scan to check all is well with the baby and placenta - if so then there will be no reason to rush and induce.

if there is concern about baby's growth and doctors strongly recommend induction for the health of your baby then obviously that's the priority.

I was in similar position to you but they booked me in for induction at plus 9 but I went into spontaneous labour at plus 7. I really wanted a home birth so was desperate to get things going. I had acupuncture and reflexology and sex twice in a week and did lots of walking. Not sure which one worked or if all of them did but def feel the alternative therapy did work. I am due 7th march and have booked myself in for reflexology 1st march and told dh to get ready for some action from the 1st!!!

My consultant was quite pushy too and gave me scary stats so I did agree to go ahead at plus 9 but was so happy I didn't need it.

Thanks for the tips everyone. Hadn't heard much about the alternative therapies but they might be worth a shot too as well as walking/sex/pineapples/curries :o

Highlander- I think my bump has dropped a bit in the last few days. The head is down but not fully engaged from what I have been told. Haven't had so much as a BH twinge or anything though so far so I don't have much to go off in terms of getting an inkling that things are getting started. The consultant seemed happy enough with the heartbeat, placenta etc when she scanned me yesterday, so maybe I should dig my heels in and see if I can get the induction put off until the end of next week.

I think they are useless as predicting weight to be honest. They kept harping on about dd being "huge" (11lbs +) at 36 wk scan and I was induced at 37 wks to find she was 7lb 8- still a bit large for preterm but not a whopper - I had to go out and buy smaller everything after I had already brought big everything!!!

My induction was very long and difficult but then I was earlier than you, I think a lot depends on how ready you are to pop. I'd hang on as long as you can and avoid induction if you can!

Hi Northern, just wondering how you are getting on? Hopefully you are cuddling a new baby by now..... And if not, I hope you are feeling OK and informed enough on your choices about induction xx

Just popping to point out that highlander01 is not me