Refusing induction based on mis-matching LMP and scan dates

[kimbobby2000]

Hi there,
I am very new to this site, but seeing as I'm very close to having my baby I thought that now is the time to join!

I wanted to make this post as I have been searching the net for women with similar stories to make me feel more confident about going with my instincts.

My scan date put my due date at 19th July. However, my LMP was 18th October making my due date based on my LMP as 25th July. I also know my date of implantation (9th November) which fits in nicely with my LMP date as 8 days past ovulation based on a 28 day cycle.

Throughout my whole pregnancy I have just ignored the scan due date the midwife has put on my form, however, it has now become very important!

Tomorrow I will be 40 + 10 according to my midwife, but only 40 + 4 based on my dates. I have been so stressed, being unable to get to sleep for fear of being induced too early. In my head I KNOW that I have a legal right to refuse, but the stress is from the expectation that I am going to be pressured into having one, and made to feel like I am putting my baby at risk unnecessarily by not having one.

I have done SOOO much research on the topic, and have read the NICE guidelines and the AIMS publication 'Induction- do I really need it?', and have just today started to relax as I am confident that I am making the right decision by refusing an induction until 2 weeks after MY due date of 25th July. I understand that 41 weeks is the average for first time babies- so I am now focusing on 1st August. I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER. it just makes me so angry that we are given a due 'date', and if we go past, the threat of induction looms and puts a lot of women under a lot of unnecessary stress!

I am practicing HypnoBirthing and I want to do everything in my power to make it as natural an event as possible and avoid any medical intervention unless absolutely necessary.

I will be making it clear to my midwife on Tuesday that I want expectant management to monitor the baby and that if a problem is identified at any point, I would consent to an induction.

It upsets me that so many women don't realise that they have a choice regarding induction, and other pregnancy / childbirth issues. The AIMS publication 'Am I allowed?' should be made widely available to every woman in Britain to inform and educate that there is ALWAYS choice.

I very much hope I can return to this conversation having had a positive birth experience to share with you! :-)

The longest I heard of round here was 40+21 so it can be done!

It sounds like you know your own mind. Stick with it. Monitoring baby is a good idea.

In the meantime try acupuncture to induce birth. I had that plus a sweep & sex with dh at 40+7 one of them worked and ds was born the next day!

Next time (January) if I'm overdue I will try acupuncture from 40weeks & might see if I can get a sweep at 40 weeks as well. I know it's a bit uncomfortable but anything to get on with it!

What options have you been offered re induction? I was determined to avoid it as I'd read too much on here about over-medicalised birth & I feared ending up having to have an epidural & leading to not being able to have an active birth & ending up with forceps delivery.

Lots of people go overdue. I'd maybe not make too much of 'your' dates to the doctor as they are convinced of accuracy of dating scans. As it happens I was convinced I knew my dates and thought they'd got due date wrong, true enough I went overdue. I think you've got a right to say you'd rather try for natural delivery. Things get pretty serious after 42 weeks so you'll have to be strong. Good luck.

This was a big deal for me too as my scan dates put me a week early for 2 of my pregnancies. In the end I was lucky and they came on their 'due date' but I can't believe how many women go along with induction for no reason other than the scan date says it's time to evict the baby.

Hi, if the worst happens and you end up being induced on your date or early for another reason I thought you might like to know it does not necessarily lead to escalation.

I was induced at 39.2 with sudden pre eclampsia I was planning a water birth with hypnobirthing techniques so I was devastated. But I got my head together and manAged a fairly active birth with only tens & gas and air. It was actually a good experience. I would recommend not building up induction as your worst nightmare get yourself into a more peaceful less stressful state of mind. Easier said than done I know!

Fingers crossed for you, that you are able to have the kind of birth you have planned for

Induction is only an option, you don't have to take it. It's not an expiry date, it's an estimated date and as you've proven it's not necessarily accurate. If you are happy to wait and comfortable, then keep waiting. You can turn it down today and accept it tomorrow, it is all your decision.

I refused induction and went into labour naturally at 40+13, baby born at 40+16.

The mw was ok with me delaying, I just has to set up appts for scans to check fluid levels.

mind you, I was booked for a home birth but at the scan my levels were worryingly low. I was already in early labour so they wouldn't let me go home. I laboured in the antenatal waiting room (no food, v. little water) because delivery ward was too full.

Had my baby boy two days later! (still in the hospital, though not still in the antenatal clinic ) all on no food.

You could be me OP! I was hoping for another nice easy hypnobirthing water birth with DS2 in May - I had exactly the same gap in my dates. I ended up in hospital for monitoring on bank holiday Sunday with a very snotty midwife (a real outlier as the rest were all lovely) and a female consultant and registrar who didn't want anyone challenging their views - they wanted me induced at 42 weeks.

DH and I were convinced we were only going in for monitoring, had read all the literature you highlighted and had the research on due dates etc at our fingertips, and planned to insist on expectant management only but despite both being mature and articulate and it being a second birth we were bullied into induction that day. My regret is that we didnt just walk out before the consultant arrived and confirm we were coming back the next day, but there we are. Ultimately we had to trust that the medical 'experts' know their stuff and had our baby's best interests at heart.

Having said that, the induction was about as easy as it could have been, two sweeps and one pessary later I went into labour and had a lovely easy birth on 42+1 with only gas and air (no water as there was not time to fill the pool!) and am now feeding 9 week old DS2 as I type.

Induction can be a positive birth experience, does not necessarily mean multiple interventions - the actual birth was lovely. And much quicker than DS1.

Good luck with your birth, hope you feel you can stay strong, and congrats on DC1! You never know, you might have spontaneous labour before 42 weeks anyway.........

I refused a sweep at 40 weeks. I told my mw, and it was on my paperwork. However, I did mention to her that I had a dodgy tummy, so was hoping dd2 would arrive soon.

She did, two days later.

Six days difference would still make you overdue though and an induction would not be necessary but it would not result in your baby being born too soon. What is it about the induction that bothers you?

I had DS without any sweeps or induction at 40+11 by scan dates but only +3 by my dates. I just stayed at home and waited. When he arrived the mw said the placenta was in fab condition and DS's skin showed it was just the right time for him to be born, v little vernix left but not yet wrinkly. It worked well for us. I think it's absolutely up to you and wish you lots of luck with the birth. I did hypnobirthing too and it was fab. Very intense but no pain apart from the crowning.

fuckwittery I will definitely ask for my Bishops Score- it's not something I have looked into so far, but will raise it with my MW tomorrow.

pearlywhites I see being overdue as being over 42 weeks as term is 37-42 weeks, so in my mind I won't be overdue until 8th August. I just don't want to be induced if my body isn't ready. I have heard awful stories about the cascade of intervention, and I really want the birth to be as natural as possible. I am aware that induction can go really smoothly for a lot of people, but it is just my preference not to want to go down that route. Its not like I'm really uncomfortable and tired, in fact, I feel better now than I did during most of my second and third trimester, I've got used to the extra weight and no longer have sciatica or PGP, so I just don't want to feel like I am forcing my baby out before he is ready.

I'm confident he will arrive this week...my reflexologist commented that she feels more energy in the pelvic area, and although I'm not entirely convinced (!) I would rather believe it than not!!!

It is nice to hear from other people who have waiting it out and ended up with perfectly healthy babies, it does make me feel more confident in my decision!

Hi Kim

I love women like you! (I'm a midwife!)

I also went to 40 + 20 with my last baby in November.

I did end up choosing to be induced. But that was just it - I chose it for a medical reason (my baby had reduced movements, and coupled with some monitoring that had been performed I had concerns about going longer). If I hadn't had a reason at that point, I was happy to keep waiting.

I, like you, felt fit and well. Not tired or fed up or anything that many pregnant women feel at the end of their pregnancies. I had an uncomplicated pregnancy.

I attempted hypnobirthing, and also had reflexology to try and shift the wee bugger.

I enjoyed it, but in the end, he wasn't for budging!

As it was, the main thing for me was remaining in control. And I did. So that gave me a positive experience.

Hopefully your caregivers will be able to support you in the way you wish. A midwife is your advocate, they should be supporting you in your informed choice.

Best of luck!

detective your story sounds so similar to mine! My midwife came to visit to do a sweep today and I'm already starting to feel what I think are Braxton Hicks, which I haven't really had before, so maybe things will move along a bit. She did book my induction for Thursday without telling me(!) however I told her I was having none of it and she called the hospital there and then to tell them I would be in for monitoring instead.

I'm so glad your birth story was a positive one even after being induced! I know it is perfectly possible, but I just want to give my body more time to work by itself!

I just wanted give an update...42 weeks today (41 + 1 by my dates). I went to acupunture the other day and actually had a bit of a show that evening. Going again today. I went to the hospital yesterday and had a CTG which showed baby was fine. It was however, a long visit, I had a female registrar and a male doctor trying to convince me to stay to be induced but I stood my ground. I was so nervous though. I have to go in for daily monitoring and scans now. My main issue at the moment is the constant worrying and distress it is causing me, I almost feel at least if I just have an induction I won't have the stress of worrying about it at every waking hour any more. Fingers so tightly crossed something will happen this weekend.

I'm so sorry it's making you worry, as that can be counterproductive. Can you use the hypnotherapy/ music/ bath with lavender & clary sage/ other relaxation techniques to help? For me it was very deep relaxation that helped me go into labour naturally. People talk a lot about walking, but all active pursuits (and stress) produce adrenalin which opposes the oxytocin you need. I used the natal hypnotherapy CDs and calm classical music to help relax

chocolatemartini I TOTALLY agree that I need to relax...baby is probably feeding off my panic and thinking its not safe to come out!!! I met with my consultant today and feel SOOO much better. And my second session of acupuncture was amazing. I'm hoping that I can just zone out and not worry this weekend and that will do the trick!!!

The day the midwife confirmed over the telephone that there would be no more pressure to be induced, no insistence on having to see a consultant, as much monitoring as I wanted should I request it and absolutely no internals ever, - was the day I finally breathed a sigh of relief and went into labour.

My body and baby finally knew it was safe to come out rather than staying in to avoid being born into such a hostile and panic-inducing world.

I thought I would have to fight and defend my position but in reality I didn't actually feel that way at the time. There was no way on earth I would allow anyone to induce me as I felt strongly that if the baby was in danger I must have a c-birth, if not I must be left alone.

Hi kimbobby, my LMP put my due date at 12/11/2004. Scan suggested I was out by 7 days and anything over 7 days they adjust your due date as I was exactly 7 they weren't sure what to do so just left me where I was. Adjuste date put me at the 19/11/2004

I ended up having a scan at around 39/40 weeks; I thought it was as I planned a home birth and they wanted to check positioning for that but when I was there the scanner said it was as I was now overdue. I feigned ignorance and said my due date had been adjusted to the 19/11/2004. I was booked in for induction 29/11/2004 and had a sweep the week before and ate pineapple/curry/had sex/walked for miles and luckily went into labour naturally on the 28th late evening. Dd1 was born at 8:40 and I was due at the hospital at 9:00.

I was going to go into hospital but dh and I had agreed that I would be monitored but would not accept induction. We agreed together and he would support me and back me up and we would allow no emotional blackmail.

It did not come to it but I did panic about it. I think it did help that we had an agreed plan of action. So based on LMP dates I was 17 days overdue. Based on scan I was 10 days overdue.

Good luck.

So glad you feel better. Hope you can start to enjoy the wait

just decline inducrion that they OFFER you.

you may CHOOSE hospital monitoring that you will be OFFERED too, if you want......... they cant make you do anything

i have a friend who had hers at 40+21 IN THE MIDWIFE UNIT
i would have homebirthed until +21

With my second, I booked into a mlu. She tried to book me in for a sweep on my due date and I told her that I was certain that wasn't my due date at all, and that it was 8 days later.

Guess what she did?

She got my notes, crossed out my scan due date, and wrote in the date I gave her.

And that was the end of it. I gave birth on this new date.

That gave me the confidence with no 3 to just insist. it all seemed so very arbitrary.