Overdue - how long to wait?

[SquidgyMaltLoaf]

I'm now 11 days overdue with my first. I'm having a sweep today to see if that does anything. Getting immensely fed up! I really don't want to have to make the decision about whether to be induced but realistically it's very likely to come to that.

Does anyone have any experience with having waited post-42 weeks, or going for induction instead? What were your reasons and do you regret it?

Dino- I agree with you about the phrase and am so sorry for your loss. However, time and time again people tell stories on here of how they are not told in proper terms about increased risk of stillbirth, but pressured with threats that their baby might die. A friend wanted to wait until +16 for induction because she was sure the scan date was wrong. She wasn't told in factual terms about increased stillbirth risk after 42 weeks, she was emotionally pressured that her baby might die and most mothers put their baby's life above their birth experience. I think that is the kind of thing people mean when they use that phrase.

I do think MWs can be a bit gung-ho about the certainty of scan dates. On both of my pregnancies my due date has been brought forwards by nearly a week despite my knowing when I ovulated. I think maybe my sprogs are just a bit bigger than average at the 11-week stage! It is a matter of fractions of a millimeter in how the dating works so I don't think it should be treated as gospel.

My pregnancies went to 40+10 and 40+9. With my first I had a MW who was more sympathetic when I explained that the dates were wrong and I was really only about 40+4 by my dates. With my second I was supposed to be ringing the day unit to make an appointment to talk about why I didn't want to be induced yet, but I went into labour first :-)

With my second I had an argument with a MW when she was merrily putting the scan date in as the 'agreed' EDD on my notes and I made her cross it out and write 'not agreed'.

If the dates are wrong then you are not actually at 40+14 so not at the higher risk.

I'm sorry for your loss grobags.

I was due for induction today as I'm 40 + 12 but changed my mind yesterday as I felt it was too soon. I was asked to come to the hospital for a full check up on the baby (which I wanted). The midwife I saw was wonderful, she did another scan, checked the baby's heartbeat and size.
She even did a second sweep which we wanted and wasn't offered by our midwife (blimey it hurt!). All is well.

We were keen to start the induction process on Sunday but as I will be 40 + 15, midwife indicated that by that point the doctor will probably want to keep me in the hospital whether labour starts or not.

So we're starting the first stage of induction tomorrow morning (propess inserted) and then I can go home. If nothing happens within 24 hours, I may be offered a second one to see if it works, again I can go home.

If you are a low risk pregnancy, you're good and the baby is good, you can refuse and delay an induction. They don't make it sound like it's a choice to you though.

When our community midwife booked us in originally, we didn't know I would be released, I thought I would have to go into hospital and wouldn't leave until after the birth. It's worth getting as much info on the procedures.

Due to your circumstances, maybe you could ask if they can do any of the induction process at home or your local gp if things don't start naturally?

Good luck and keep us posted.

I went to 42+3 with my first (am 32 weeks pregnant with no 2 at the mo). I didn't get massive pressure for induction I think because the hospital was so busy! I was clear no induction til I was over 42 weeks as I wanted a home birth. When I was 42 weeks exactly I was summoned to the hospital for induction only to be turned away due to lack if space - women with medical need went ahead which wS give by me! In the end things started naturally but slowly and I was unfortunately in the hospital for far too much of the latent phase due to having to turn up for a check at 9 am that day cos of how overdue I was. I had to have waters broken and the dreaded drip as things slowed to nothing after a few hours. It was all fine in the end but what did annoy me was so many midwives and docs commented about how late I was and seemed cross I hadn't been induced earlier when it wasn't my fault!!!

Anyway, sorry no real advice there but I will be hanging out til the last possible moment if this baby is as late as DS in the hope of avoiding inductions. I know a few that had em and they all had slow horrible labours. Mine which started naturally wasn't much better but I at least want to give my body a chance to do things

DinoSnores I am really sorry for you loss. And I think your dislike of the phrase is justified and that makes the fact that the dead baby card is studied thing rather then just a phrase on mumsnet even worse.

I went 10 days over and was due to be induced on day 12. On day 10 I had a sweep and then acupuncture, which bought on my labour that night. Try that and if not you could ask for a scan to look at the placental blood flow and then make a call.