In hospital being induced. Please help ASAP!

[Hobby2014]

Please help.
I've will have had the propess tampon thing in for 30 hours at 1am.
I've had midwives examining left right and centre. It's fallen out onto the bed with a load of mucus and put back in.
I've had them do a spectrum(?) to see what was happening, torches and all, and have taken a swab to see if it was waters or not (they don't think it is) and am waiting for the result to come back.
I am not dilated. My cervix is tucked right around to one side. Apparently it's started to soften.
A doctor will come at 1am to take it out and examine me again.
I am so, so sore, I don't think I can keep on having these examinations. Each time they've done one, it's been more painful than the last (and a midwife told me this would be the case).
They've said the doctor will give me my options when he examines me, but I don't know what they are.
What is the next step?
What can I refuse/request?
Thank you.

Hope your doing ok.

I had very painful sweeps at 36 weeks to try and bring on labour (& was sobbing it was so painful & unsurprisingly not at all successful). I was induced with a drip then and ended up with an emergency c-section anyway due to DD oxygen levels. If being induced a lot end up as emergency c-sections and that is far worse.

If I had to do it again then I'd go straight for c-section. You need big pants as people have said and big comfy trousers - MIL got me a few size 18 jogging bottoms from Matalan which were just the job.

ohthegoats - to see how dilated you are they need to put fingers inside your cervix. It's a good old rummage, not like a smear test really.

ohthegoats - as hollie says, they have having a really good prod and a poke around. But also sometimes it is the contractions and having to lie still on a bed when you don't want to be in that position. Fortunately, though, for most women there won't be many internal exams.

Good luck, Hobby, hope you get your cs soon and I don't blame you for refusing further induction and asking for a cs when you did. You lasted a lot longer than I know I would have!

Ohthegoats - both. They often leave their hand in if a contraction comes as it is worse to take it out mid contraction. I found contractions on my back horrendous anyway, without a hand up there. Plus it is a good rummage.

They often aren't just checking dilation either. It is often combined with a sweep each time.

well done hobby

good luck for tomorrow

I had a cs with my youngest and it was a great experience
I think back to it full of happy memories

I think you've had the right choice

personally it annoys me they go on about all the tiny risks of cs like the baby getting cut, fgs that hardly ever happens

yet they tell you none of the risks of a vaginal birth.

its not very balanced at all

ohthegoats, just to reassure you, not everyone finds internal exams painful. I can't claim they or sweeps are comfortable but I've never had a painful one and I'm on to DC4 at the moment.

They tell you the risks of a cs because it's an operation you are being asked to consent to it. They are doing something to you. Of course you have to be told the risks in order for it to be informed consent. While in labour, if at all possible, they will explain the risk of things as they crop up and they need your consent (ventouse, forceps etc). What is the alternative? Wait at the door to the labour suite and only let you in once they've reeled off every possible complication of a vaginal birth? I know it probably sounds silly them telling you tiny little risks associated with cs, but there are risks which is why your consent has to be informed.

Hobby, I've had two cs (both emcs actually) and they are absolutely fine. In fact no2 in particular was a calm, positive, lovely, joyful experience. I had no pain relief afterwards and needed no help caring for the baby. Recovery was straightforward. If I ever had another baby (I won't ), I'd have a cs without a shred of concern.

I think internals might be more painful after the gel tampons as the cervix is irritated

Induction is a horrible thing, I was induced at 38 weeks because I was diabetic and if not my baby would be "really big" (she was 6 pounds!!)
I was basically frightened into it. It was awful, bed ridden 4 drips and epidural. Poked and prodded. Eventually after 16 hrs on hormone drip I had a rotational forceps delivery which has since caused a bladder and bowel prolapse and my pelvic floor is shot!!!!! It's awful how we are treated like this. My baby wasn't ready to come out and thats why I had so much intervention. I will never have another baby. As regards internals, I lost count and the doctor had to keep cutting my baby's head to take blood for oxygen levels, I was put on my side for this and as I had an epidural I didn't realise my leg was being stretched, I couldn't walk properly for days afterwards as the ligaments had been damaged in my groin. I still don't understand why I wasn't offered c section!!

Good for you hobby! if the baby is still high up it sounds like you're really making the right call. this could've gone on for ages with a similar but less calm result in the end. I hope tmrw goes well and you get a less stressful end to this with a beautiful new baby.

I often wonder if I should have continued with my induction (baby was not moving as much as normal) and try and pursue a vaginal birth instead of having a c-section. I was pushed and pushed by midwives to continue. After my waters finally broke I had irregular heavy contractions every 1 to 3 minutes. As I was only dilated for 3 cm I was not allowed a labour room but left to scream it out on the ward with just my DH there for support, only a MW when my DH went to get one inbetween contractions. After 10hrs of this and still only 3 cm I said I wanted a cs. They convinced me to have a epidural and the drip. I had 10 hrs of that with the drip constantly being turned off due to 8-10 min long contractions. My notes clearly stated I would prefer a cs over ventouse or forceps. When the head of ward came round it was finally agreed I could have a cs. Only for the MW to return and turn the drip back on! I told her to stop it. Afterwards I found out the baby was b2b, they knew this and thus the use of force was very high. If I had been told this I would not had gone for the drip. Due to the MW behaviour I often worried if I had been a whimp getting the cs. After reading all this I am glad I stood my ground. Many Thanks for that!!!
OP I hope you will be cuddling your baby very soon!

I'm glad you went coerced into more examinations. It really doesn't sound like your cervix is favourable, so proceeding with an induction is pointless. I would be asking for a section too. Hope it all goes swimmingly tomorrow!

Hello there, how you doing? Well done for sticking to your guns.

I found that some hcp gave unbalanced information and deliberately scared me into doing things that were more convenient for them vs being about me. And of course some were great. The midwives I had tried to bully me into doing stuff or telling me that I didn't have a choice, i felt bullied and not in control, it was scary. And i wish id taken back my control and insisted on them treating me like a griwn adult with real physical experiences and issues - versis an annoying child or heffer! The doctors who did my csection on the other hand were wonderful.

I hope you aren't feeling anything like that, it sounds like you're sticking up for yourself much better than I did!

And also, don't worry about the reeling off of all csection risks, they do that for absolutely any type of operation, and they have to, to make sure you've given informed consent. It can feel very intimidating. But weighing it up, as all options carry risk, csection sounds like the best option.

When I had my csection it was fine. Very calm, friendly and I felt in very safe hands. The aneasthetist is up at your end so you can talk to him and ask questions, and tell him if you're scared or worried about anything. I found that very helpful as I was in a right state by the time it got to the csection itself. He was a bit over enthusiastic with the amount of anaesthetic, so it went up to my chest, and couldn't feel myself breathing, so I was panicking and he did alot of monitoring and gave me oxygen, and tended to me medically but also ensured I didn't lose it altogether!

So in retrospect, all the stuff leading up to the csection was awful and left me very vulnerable and weak, but the csection experience itself was excellent medically and definitely the best thing for me as a whole human being.

Good luck, whether you get to the csection or things happen before it

Good luck - I had an emergency CS under a GA. I had no problems afterwards. Sometimes, my scar ached a bit but that was a sign I needed to slow down a bit.

Reading this thread has made me so mad. Why do some MWs and doctors have to be such cruel bastards?

I think midwives and doctors see it so often that they become numb to the pain and suffering.
I also think sometimes they do what's best for them or the hospital and not necessarily for the mother and baby. Just my opinion from past experience.

Compassion fatigue, differing cultural expectations around women and childbirth/pain, and desperation.

Desperation due to scarcity of resources can make hcps be pretty brutal. I suspect midwifery would be revolutionised by resources and generally treating them better!

I had a truly hideous post natal experience which has left me with substantial problems years later (v rare and due to an underlying health condition so not anything for OP to worry about!)

One midwife on particular was cruel and incompetent, but another let slip to me that there were just two midwives, both agency workers, for the whole post natal department, 34 women!!! She told me not to say anything as the ward would have been shut down. She said that unless I was literally dying, they wouldn't be able to help me. So ignored my agonising pain and inability to walk as 'you should expect pain after a csection', and even better 'you have wind, stop making such a fuss'. Leaving me with a dislocated hip was understandable I guess. Unforgivable though. And I hope very rare circumstances.

showy,What is the alternative?

surely a sensible alternative
would be during the many routine appointments with the midwife you given a leaflet which explains the pros and cons of vb and cb
all the risks and benefits for both

and let women choose what they feel is right for them

BBQ, I was given such leaflets by my midwife at antenatal appointments. I was also given the choice to attend free antenatal classes. Local hospitals publish all their stats on instrumental deliveries and you are encouraged to read the site. I had mW appointments regularly and was asked if I had questions. I was informed. There is only so much a mw can and should inform you of re vb. It is a normal procedure and not comparable to cs in terms of risk assessment. It is surgery. And you said "they go on about all the risks of a cs fgs" etc but it's not so much going on as asking you to sign a consent form and they have a legal responsibility to ensure you've read and understood all of it. Plus you start telling pregnant women every single risk of VB as part of care and you'll have complaints immediately.

All the very best for today. I hope it goes smoothly and you have a delicious baby to cuddle later on.

I found the internals absolutely the worst part of both my labours - painful and horribly intrusive. I was fortunate in having the bare minimum but it was still a horrid experience.

Good luck for today

Hope you've managed to get some rest op.

Good luck for today. Will be thinking of you.

Good luck for today.