What's the procedure if I refuse induction?

[DairyNips]

I am 27wks pg with dc3. I went two weeks 'over' with ds1 and ds2 and was induced both times.

I really would like to avoid induction this time as it'll be my last birth and I would like, just once to go in to labour naturally without being prodded and poked and injected etc etc

The hospital I will give birth at is 60 miles away. There is a midwife led unit here but it's only for 'low risk' cases.

I'm wondering what will happen if I get to 42 weeks again and they start wanting to induce me. As I understand it, if I refuse they will then monitor me daily. I'm a little worried they will do the monitoring at the hosp 60 miles away although would hope they'd just do it here..

Any advice would be welcome, thanks

Interesting. Both times I reached 42 weeks I felt pretty comfortable, certainly not as if birth was imminent. I tend to have quite neat bumps.

With ds1 I had had a bit of a show and some mild practice contractions the day I went to be induced. Looking back I think of they had left me alone it wouldn't have been much longer.

I was told that I was mildly contracting the morning of my induction. In retrospect I should have then asked for a rethink and a couple more days to try go into labour naturally. I went into a very quick, intense labour after the first pessary and it makes me feel like my body was doing its own thing naturally and became overstimulated. But I can't really find out if that makes sense medically as nobody would really explain to me. I got the feeling that they don't want to elaborate for fear of being found at fault. The maternity ward sister did say that I would never be induced again- I didn't understand if that was because of the EMCS or because of how my body reacted.
nappymaestro ditto for excellent Apgar, perfect baby. The only thing was that his skin is dry. But i don't think his dates were wrong, he just wasn't working to their timetable. I guess he didn't get the memo

Also excellent Apgars here

Just saw this thread....I know just how you feel DairyNips as my mom had my sister and me at 3 weeks overdue (albeit 30 years ago) and I ran very overdue with my first baby....aside from the fact I have an irratic menstrual cycle so can never be exactly sure of my dates, I feel like I am predisposed to be pregnant for longer than the average woman. With my daughter I resisted induction at 42 weeks and had to go to the hospital for 30 minutes of fetal monitoring daily. They also gave me a scan at the 42 week mark, which showed all fluid levels, placenta flow and baby were perfect. Finally I was induced at 42 + 5 when my blood pressure went up (although my bloods and urine were fine), probably b/c I was so stressed at that point! I suppose I could have continued to resist induction as the bp was elevated but not really high but at that point the doctors who had been agreeable so far made me feel to not go through with induction would be negligent and I agreed.

I'm now 9 days overdue with my second baby and hoping beyond hope as you are that things just take a natural course. I have a second sweep tomorrow and if I again hit the 42 week mark am likely to go down the daily monitoring route provided all looks well with baby. At my first sweep earlier this week I was told all looked favorable and the baby might come that night but there has been no subsequent action and I've tried all the tricks.

Good luck to you, it's comforting to know in some ways that there are some of us that "cook" our babies a bit longer.

In terms of pushing back about the initial induction date, I did my research as you are doing and had to take a fairly hard line with the consultant at 42 weeks as she went on about the risks and would have happily induced me. It's such a personal choice to wait but as I was able to get the monitoring and scans I wanted it made it easier to resist, though I did have to push for these.