Advice regarding induction

[lots33]

Hi

Well I'm 40 plus 11 now and was due to be induced today.......so I went to the hospital and due to 'staffing issues' was monitored for half an hour and told to return tomorrow.....which is OK but I am not sure there will be a change tomorrow. the midwife states that there are real staffing problems and 5 women waiting for inductions since Tuesday, no room on labour ward etc. I am due to bypass pessaries etc due to high risk VBAC, I am due to go straight onto the syntocin drip to see if I dilate this time with the view of a fairly low threshold before EMCS is considered.....

So if anyone has any observations /advice/experiences to share I would be very grateful! Although induction doesn't appeal, I am anxious about going much further than I am now and my consultant did not want me to go on any longer so seems strange that it's now OK due to staffing issues! I know (and understand) that lots of people want to go longer than term plus 14 to see if they labour naturally but I am too anxious for that and tbh would just feel safer now for my baby to be out or at least en route! I am not sure how to proceed/what to say if I return tomorrow to be told to leave again. If it's relevant, I was living in a different area when I had my DS and they have not accessed my notes they are relying on what I have told them.

The only good news is that I asked for another (fourth) sweep and am now 2cm dilated but nothing has happened since the sweep so am not holding my breath!

Thanks everyone.

yes, I understand you are anxious, my DS2 was induced only on 41 +13!
yes the 42 week "rule" is what I know as well and you are wise to want to bring it on!
some ideas regarding that :
if your waters haven't broken it is safe to have sex, sperm will help soften cervix further. (sorry DH, you were there to start it off, please finish the job!)

no pineapples as they can give you the runs, but try eating things that give you nice bowel movements (curry or some prunes) - it supposed to stimulate womb, don't ask how...

you can try going up and down the stairs or crawling on all fours or squatting - some people swear by these, I'm not sure, still something to do....

my personal favourite recommendation is to eat tiramisu - I had a few spoonfuls and within 5 mins my waters broke!

regarding what to say, you must ask to get another monitoring and to check how much cervix is dilated! if 3cms you can ask waters to be broken rather than the gel thing.
. as it's Friday tomorrow the next day to induce would be Monday probably, so if that's over 42 weeks they should induce you really, so take your bags!

Thanks mum of 6.

I am already on prunes etc but like the tiramisu plan!
Will def try more stairs too. The sperm is not an option, in same sex relationship otherwise would!

Hopefully they 'll break my waters, midwife said she could have but wouldn't as no space on labour ward and they won't give me gel only syntoncin due to vac. Thanks for all your advice.

You could look up breast/nipple stimulation as it releases oxytocin, which is the same hormone that stimulates your uterus into contracting. If I remember correctly, you have to do it for quite a while but it must be worth a try! good luck.

Well they must be happy with the health and wellbeing of both you and your baby, otherwise they would have kept you in or transfered you to another hospital.

Nipple stimulation, or clitoral stimulation will release oxytocin. Or you could see if you have an experienced reflexologist or acupuncturist who would do a treatment on you.

Fingers crossed that you start contracting very soon and can avoid induction altogether!

A similar thing happened to me. I went in to be induced due to waters being gone for 48 hours. I didn't really want to but they insisted it was an emergency, high risk etc so I went. No bed on labour ward and I am 3cm dilated so stuck on antenatal ward for 12 hours until a bed is free. By then am in labour anyway and a bit about the way that when they want me to do something I have to do it right now but when they are meant to do something it can wait.