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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Anyone refused induction and willing to share their experiences please.

41 replies

YesIveNameChanged · 30/12/2012 17:17

That's just it really. I was induced with my first baby and it was awful. I'm now 40+1 and have told my midwife several times I wont be induced purely for being overdue. However I'm seeing her on Wednesday and wondering how girded my loins need to be for a confrontation. Will I have to see a consultant?

I'm happy to agree to monitoring at 12 days overdue even though I know NICE guidelines say 14 days, but I'm not sure what else to expect in terms of who I have to speak to etc.

Also did any of you have a point in your own mind that you would have been willing to be induced? Not necessarily for medical reasons but more because you felt at that point you would have given it your best shot and it wasn't going to happen without some help? (hope that makes sense)

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

quoteunquote · 30/12/2012 17:37

Do listen to them, and do what is safest for baby(and you)

I know that being induced isn't pleasant, but do what every get a health baby to you,

and don't do anything risky it just isn't worth it.

Original poster

YesIveNameChanged · 30/12/2012 18:10

I don't intend to do anything risky, any hint that anything isn't as it should be and of course I'll agree to whatever my baby needs; however my experience last time was so awful I'm not prepared to go through it again based solely on dates alone.

OP posts:

MB34 · 30/12/2012 18:17

I refused an induction as I had a healthy pregnancy with no problems at all. My mw was happy for me to do this as I said I would only consider other options beyond 40+14. I felt this was reasonable as a lot of literature says a 'normal' pregnancy is 37 to 42 weeks.

I had to see a consultant at 40+10 who tried to blackmail me into being induced by saying my baby would die past 40+14!! I agreed to being observed daily from 40+12 and said I would decide anything else at 14 days over. She offered me a sweep but I refused as it would've been my first and I didn't know her! To show willing though, I asked my midwife to do a sweep the same morning. My DS was born, healthy, 25 hours later !

OP, I would say to do what you think is best, don't let anyone push you into doing what you don't want to do unless there are valid reasons. I know I wouldn't have been happy being induced before 14 days over as I had been having hypnobirthing sessions and wanted to do everything as natural as possible. Of course if there had been a risk to me or my DS I would have put my faith in the medical professionals and taken their advice. As it happens I had a textbook pregnancy so I (and my mw) didn't feel there were any risks.

LaCiccolina · 30/12/2012 18:20

I have point blank refused to have or even attempt an induction after a traumatic time in 2010. Our hospital was nationally held up as below standard and I really don't know how else to put it but murdered at least two women. Their stories were national at the time. I ended up emcs after 4 days and the care was shocking. The papers barely knew too be honest.

This time if I go into full blown birth immediately fine, if not I'm elcs. I've been adamant since finding out preg. It's been tough but I've googled and researched and argued/discussed with midwifes/ consultants. It's finally been accepted and agreed too.

I'm at the same hospital because its been so heavily watched by all officials. I figure hopefully it's now so watched its actually good. My GP agrees and anecdotal evidence leads me to think its safe.

I've refused sweeps induction of any sort and all counselling. It's pref elcs, unless as I say I randomly fully dilate and dd2 pretty much appears. Good luck. Of course u can refuse whatever u wish just research what u do want and be determined but accepting of medical knowledge. U don't wZnt to put urself in danger.

StarOfLightMcKings3 · 30/12/2012 20:33

No. I refused induction and any discussion about it for my last 2. I told them that if the baby was at risk at any time I would agree immediately to a c/s.

I refused ALL induction including sweeps as I experienced a sweep without consent with my first.

StarOfLightMcKings3 · 30/12/2012 20:42

Quote, I was refusing induction FOR the health of my baby.

ChristmasPickles · 30/12/2012 20:55

I would refuse anything up until 42 (unless baby was shown to be at risk).

I really don't understand this 'getting them out early' mentality present in the NHS. I know so many people pressured into sweeps 1-2 weeks before term and I just don't understand it. Like another poster said dates aren't exact and some pregnancies are meant to be 42 weeks!

cakebar · 30/12/2012 21:02

All 3 of mine have been 'late', I think it's just the way I am, my mum was too, she had one of her babies 3 weeks 'late'. DC1 came 8 days late so not much discussion really but with DC2 and 3 I agreed to be booked for 14 days over rather than the 10 days standard. I could have gone over 14 days but would have monitoring every other day. I didn't want to do that. I felt it was my own choice. There was no need for a consultant.

golemmings · 30/12/2012 22:07

I was induced with dd at 40+5 because of meconium and refused early induction with ds. I was monitored at 40+9 and went into labour at 40+14. I took myself into hospital an hour and a half before I was due to be induced.

With hindsight I should have accepted induction. DS was big (too big for me), found birth traumatic, was huge, got stuck, had to be resuscitated, it was an hour and a half before I got to hold him, and at 3 hours old he was admitted to icu with poor tone. He had a couple of fits caused by the birth trauma, but as a precaution was screened for meningitis and put on mega antibiotics for a few days.

He absolutely fine now but it was a hard and scary first couple of months and I wouldn't want to go through that again. Some pregnancies might be meant to be 42 weeks; that one wasn't. I didn't realise there were risks in leaving it so late, I didn't ask the right questions.

What ever you do, make sure you know a lot before you make your decision.

howiwonder · 30/12/2012 23:11

I would just advise that you understand everything in depth, inform yourself and get your head round the statistics.
That's what I did and I felt very confident in declining induction as I knew I was making an informed decision. Went into labour naturally and had a safe and happy homebirth at 40+16 days.
It can be a tough time and declining induction is not the norm and not the easiest road to go down. I wouldn't advise you to do either- induction or decline, I don't think it's something anyone can advise you on as such, you have to be happy with your own decision. However i found the AIMS website, home birth.org and radical midwives (think that's right name) site invaluable- sorry can't link as am on phone but you can google.
Wishing you luck, hope you're not too stressed

nickelbabylyinginamanger · 30/12/2012 23:15

can someone link my live birth thread please? I'm on my phone.

can't remember my exact nickname but the thread was in my normal nickelbabe name.

eagleray · 31/12/2012 00:09

erm, this one ?

PinotGrigioandaMincePie · 31/12/2012 01:27

Oops, I have just spent the last hour and a half reading your birth story Nickel

Original poster

YesIveNameChanged · 31/12/2012 08:56

Thank you to everyone that responded. Nickel I've read your story before, I think you went to 16 days over and still had your home birth????

I'm really hoping I'm worrying unduly as I'm only two days past my edd, but I'm Also very aware of how stressed out I already feel at the prospect of being induced. It's almost a self fulfilling prophecy, uptight about being induced so can't relax enough to maybe help myself along thus increasing the chance of having to fight against induction procedure.

OP posts:

StarOfLightMcKings3 · 31/12/2012 11:18

That's why I refused to discuss it, or to see a consultant. I said I wanted to avoid a c/s and didn't expect to go into labour whilst I had the pressure to or arbitrary appointment dates.

Tbh, I think being quite clear and insiststant works. It only becomes a battle if you come across as unsure or unclear. Say what you want like you mean it and the mw will understand that you are taking responsibility for your decision, waver and they'll worry that you'll accuse them later.

nickelbabylyinginamanger · 31/12/2012 13:47

thanks for linking.

yes i did that's right.
i also had the hysterical registrar and my story is pretty similar to mb34's.

the only issue in pregnancy i had was low iron which can cause problems if you haemmorage. which i did! but i recovered sufficiently to give blood at 9 months post partum.

in my thread i did link to the nice guidelines on induction and expectant management i just read those; kept a copy with me with my notes and quoted it.
the only worry i had was the actual refusal because my mw insisted i had to be booked fir induction and had to ring the hospital to refuse it then they go "why?!?!" and you say "I'm opting for expectant management" then they told me i had to be monitored. i told them nice says at 40+14 at least twice weekly but agreed to do every other day from 40+10 and a scan.
then i agreed a VE with view to a sweep (that's an important one they won't let you have a VE unless you agree to have a sweep because if it's favourable they mayn't sweep if you haven't agreed and they won't stop then ask permission because of risk of introducing infection

nickelbabylyinginamanger · 31/12/2012 13:49

and i totally agree- the worry of the stress if it all is worse. so make your decisions and stick to it.
give them little wins here and there (the monitoring , scans etc)
anddecide your "what-ifs" before you begin.

MB34 · 31/12/2012 14:39

nickel our stories do sound similar - I also had low iron in pregnancy and hemorrhaged. Fortunately I hemorrhaged after DS was born but I had to have surgery to remove clots along with a blood transfusion and have had 2 iron transfusions since. They couldn't tell me what caused the blood loss though.

Did you ever find out why you hemorrhaged? I'm assuming, for me, it was just one of those things but my mum is adamant that I have a meeting with the consultant to ask why it happened. I don't know if it's worth it though.

MB34 · 31/12/2012 14:42

Sorry for hijacking the thread but if the hemorrhage was due to being overdue I'd like to know for possible future pregnancies and I'm sure other people would like to know it's a risk too.

StarOfLightMcKings3 · 31/12/2012 15:26

I had a haemorrhage but I put it down to the consequences of a hospital birth. Not to say it isn't possible at home of course but I believe I lessened my chances by birthing at home.

nickelbabylyinginamanger · 31/12/2012 17:06

no. my haemmorage was due to dh's hand being tied to her head at a funny angle causing me to have to push for nearly 3 hours.
if she had been normal and not had an arm at right angles to her head, i would have only been pushing for about an hour. i sent a looooong time with a biy's head wedged party out of the hole before they had to cut my underbeneathsies.

don't panic. it was not because she was overdue.
haemmorage is normally because if too much or too harsh pushing.

nickelbabylyinginamanger · 31/12/2012 17:07

not dh's!!!
bloody autocorrect!!!
DD 's hand!

nickelbabylyinginamanger · 31/12/2012 17:10

and i can't spell haemorrhage
cosof the us spellcheck.

StarOfLightMcKings3 · 31/12/2012 17:19

Or from tugging on the cord during a physiological 3rd stage. That'll do it too.

nickelbabylyinginamanger · 31/12/2012 17:29

that's true.
they're not supposed to do that (but it doesn't stop some of them)

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