Seeking advice from people who have successfully refused induction

[bogwoppitinatree]

I am 40+6 and next week the ball will start rolling with the induction stuff. I've had one sweep and got another booked in on Friday so fingers crossed I'll get started on my own before anything happens.
However, I am very keen to avoid induction unless there is a decent medical reason - I don't think being at 42 weeks alone justifies this.
My midwife was really supportive with this but was still firm about getting me booked in for an induction (next Weds at 41+6 - I'm sure so I can be processed before the weekend :))
I do have an appointment with a consultant on Monday to discuss monitoring and alternatives - I just think the insistence of the midwife to book the induction has made me doubt how easy it could be to refuse.
I really, really want a homebirth or at least one as natural as possible and don't want to be induced for the sake of it.
I have heard lots of people say that they would refuse induction and opt for monitoring but was wondering if people have actually got to that stage? If so, how much were you harangued by medical professionals and how far over did you go before going into labour?
Like I said, I know I have time yet but just want to be as prepared as possible for this so would like to hear stories - again if there is any medical reason to do so, I would go for induction but so far I have had an amazingly easy and healthy pregnancy and would like to continue naturally as much as possible.
Sorry for waffling - thanks loads.

Interesting statement Milktray lady. Please provide said 'stats' plus cite your sources. ( I've been doing way too much making lately, can you tell?!)

Hi, this is an interesting discussion.
My LO is 8 weeks old, so my memory of how I felt pre birth is pretty clear- is was SO obsessed with not having an induction.
(Turned out she came 1 day before my due date)
I was telling my sister how much I didn't want to be forced into an induction.

Well this sister happens to be a GP. Qualified 10ish years ago & does all her keeping up to date cpd (is an excellent doctor).
She said the stats 'drop off a cliff' for positive outcomes after the 42wks.
And I would be crazy not to go ahead with the induction. And this is my sister wanting me & her niece to be ok- not a random doctor.

I can ask her for refs/studies I will link to (prob wont be v quick, but I will post them eventually)

Her view was- you want a healthy baby at the end of the day. Going over your due date +12 increases your risks of complications.
So why risk that unnecessarily?

Really made me think differently about induction. Not ideal, but necessary- rather than outright refusal.

I just wanted to put that point of view across, in case it helped anyone.
As I remember how stressed out I was about the whole induction thing.

Read the thread again & realise you are both in labour (duh!)

Excellent & good luck!

HTH
At all points in this NHS article, induction is 'offered' to women, even once they have passed 42 weeks gestation. And whilst it does say the risks of stillbirth are higher after 42 weeks, it also says that "most babies remain healthy...there is no way to reliably predict which babies are at increased risk of stillbirth"

Thanks Milktray, it'll be interesting reading. This midwifethinking.com/2010/09/16/induction-of-labour-balancing-risks/ ( sorry cant do linky thing on iPad) is also a good read I think, as is www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2009/10/3/postdates-separating-fact-from-fiction.html. I think it's interesting that the statistics cited there show an increased risk at 38 weeks which then drops off at 42 weeks,suggesting that 42 weeks is not a magic number. Its a question of balancing risks, not of being risk free as far as I'm concerned and the increased risk of complications from the induction has also to go into the equation. Inductions are more likely to end in interventions which can have long term, life changing/ life ending consequences and so it's not I think so simple as whether you have to put your needs second as you said in your first post. It's a tough call to have to make either way

Marking place to come back later... Some riddiculous scaremongering on here!

Op i hope you are too busy to reply as you are in labour or cuddling new baby!

midwifethinking.com/2010/09/16/induction-of-labour-balancing-risks/

www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2009/10/3/postdates-separating-fact-from-fiction.html

If it were so black and white then different hospitals wouldn't have different time scales. It seems to be a postcode lottery whether you will be told you have got to have, sorry, be offered an induction at 40+10, or 40+12 or 40+14. The risks of induction should be set against the risks of not inducing, and to my mind "stillbirth rates really fall off a cliff" or, "if you don't care whether your baby dies" are scaremongering and not helping to inform the discussion.

How exciting, do update when you can :).

I avoided booking consultant or MW appointments near my dates just because I didn't want to be pressured about induction. Local policy was to induce at 40+10 & DS came naturally at 40+11 anyway. MWs said the placenta didn't look remotely over-cooked, either.

Lavolcan, Snap! Brilliant links

The second one is a little dated to my mind, because most dating of pregnancy is now done via scan dates rather than LMP. The rest still seems valid. Both links make the point that one baby can be 'post dates' before 40 weeks and another absolutely fine at 42.

As adults we don't expect to all grow to be exactly the same height or be the same weight so why do we expect placentas to do this?

I agree, I find it odd that hospitals have different dates for induction. It's not exact in any way. And each person judges with their consultant, like the OP has done, what their plan is.

I absolutely didn't aim to scare anyone. Anyone looking at the whole induction issue is obviously aware of the issues. And this thread didn't have anyone saying hang on, there is a reason to not go too far overdue.

Not going to get into a slanging match with anyone, leaving the thread now

Good luck to the posters in labour

Maybe milktraylady has left the thread now, but making a statement about still birth stats "dropping off a cliff" would scare me, whether that was the intention or not, and even though there doesn't seem to be any evidence to back this statement up!

Have to be blunt here- so many babies die. Also one of milktraylady's statements. So if you don't want to scare, IMO you have had a bl**dy good try.

Hey sorry for not responding much - trying to keep my head in the gentle and positive. Been in early labour a couple of days now. Things really speeding up at night with contractions like clock work 5 minutes apart and seem to slow down during the day. A lot stronger today though and not less than 8 mins apart so hopefully tonight will be the night... Or, as the midwife mentioned yesterday I may be begging to take my induction appointment on Wednesday!!!

good luck bogwoppit

Hey guys, sorry for taking this thread off topic again. My little man arrived on Sunday morning. Managed to stay at home until full dilation - the midwife arrived (hadn't really taken seriously me telling her I thought I was further along then she did). She checked my blood pressure and it was high so we got ten minutes in the pool with gas and air before being ambulanced in for some BP tablets. Little Wilbur arrived half an hour later at 7lb10 and is beautiful and perfect in every way!
I ended up having two sweeps and I get the feeling, without them, I would, at this moment, be battling with the consultant to avoid induction. Good luck everyone xxx

Ahhh congratulations!

Congratulations !

Have come back to give an update - am now the very proud mum of an 8lb 2oz 6 day old cutie called Daisy Ellen. Full labour story is here in the antenatal thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1699553-Shagged-Out-Viroids-7th-Thread-From-conception-to-birth-living-proof-that-JSing-really-does-work

Sorry can't do links on my mobile.

Essentially it was a very long and hard labour (60 hours from 1st contraction to her arrival.) Looking back we believe she wasn't ready and the sweep that kicked things off did more damage than good.

But it's all under the bridge now - Daisy is a little underweight but we seem to have improved our latch so midwife is happy not to add formula for now. I was on a hormonal high when I came home but am exhausted now and have no plans to leave the bedroom.

Hi just to follow up on the discussion of statistics and outcomes here is a major study:

www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e2838

OP I do hope everything went well!