refusing induction.

[lolee777]

Hiya, I need some advice here, getting a bit complicated. I have an induction booked next week that I will be refusing, I have any told my midwife this and she says to go, let them carry out tests then explain why you don't want to be induced. If it really gets that far (hoping for active birth with pool before then) I would rather have an elective c section. Has anyone else done this? What is likely to happen? I know you can be monitored daily instead but I'll be 42 weeks on day of induction appt surely its getting worrying for baby at this stage. Would you push for c section now? Thanks for any advice/opinions.

Wow goats we do seem to be in very similar positions, my induction is booked for Thursday. I am starting to consider pessaries as a possible if I can stay mobile (Thank you Pico, jump and others ). I will try to be more open to suggestion and definitely not turn up to the appointment with war in mind. I too can't believe c section is so appealing now, resting and not driving will be hard for me. Please let me know how you get on too goats, lots of luck.

Remember it's perfectly possible to be induced and still be active, not on your back and epidural free. It's much harder with the drip of course but if the pessary alone works, as it did for me twice, then you can have a perfectly normal labour.

It's also possible to consent for some aspects of an induction and not others. So you could say try the pessary and if that dosnt work go for a c-section rather than continuing to induce. It's not all or nothing.

You could also refuse induction altogether and have daily monitoring while waiting for labour to start naturally or go for a straight out c-section.

Look into the options available and decide what is best for you and ensure you are not talked into something you don't want and decide yourself how you want to proceed. Hope you get the birth you want.

Placemarking (typing with wrong hand whilst BFing!) and will come back with full story - my DS is 10 days old, I declined induction and had ELCS instead at 42+1. Recovering well and would happily do the same again.

As this popped up on Active, I'm just checking in to say that I had a syntocin (no pessaries) induction with DC2. I was dreading it and very frightened. It truly was fine, and I managed with gas and air and a TENs machine.

I was also able to kneel up despite continuous monitoring, and eventually birthed lying on my side which I felt was much gentler than the kneeling delivery I'd done for DC1.

I don't know much about C-section and of course, you should make the right decision for you, but just wanted to add another positive induction story into the mix.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Sorry, devon but saying you can still have an active/water birth after induction isn't necessarily true. I was induced, and therefore moved from mw-led to consultant-led care, so not able to use pool/bath, and other mw unit aids. You should check exactly what induction means at your hospital, OP.

Oh, and after my induction, I would never ever ever have one again. I'd perform a c-sec on myself first. Sorry.

At my hospital you can still have the active/water birth options at the point of pessary induction. As soon as you are on a drip though, all that goes out the window - anecdotally out of 11 women I know who had induced labours at said hospital, most ended up with c-s after long 'failed' labours, those who didn't, had epidurals, laboured on their backs and ended up with instrumental births.

I know it's anecdotal, but it's not positive is it!

Not necessarily untrue either humpty though - so thought it a good plan to throw the suggestion into the mix. Everyone's experience is different, I don't think it is helpful in the slightest to talk in absolutes.

I was dancing around the hospital room with OH and my drip stand at one point during my induction; it isn't necessarily a case of 'oop you're on the drip, now lie on your back until the baby comes'!

I have had two inductions. First was a long affair, pessary, waters broken, synto drip, continuous monitoring etc. C sec began to look likely but baby born normally. Did not have epidural. Was painful of course but was manageable with pethidine.
Second time had pessary only. Things took ages to kick off but I stayed mobile, walked loads and baby was born very quickly next day no need for further intervention. Paracetamol and a bit of gas and air at the end.
Induction is obviously less preferable than going into labour by yourself but I would not rather have a c section at all. I recovered very quickly from both births. I would not want to go overdue personally, I would worry too much

Just to add I'm a bit surprised so many anti drip stories here, pessary did nothing for me so went on the drip, had an epidural and dc1 was born after about 40-50 mins of pushing in the last stage, was on my back and got a second degree tear but recovery was much faster than a c section I imagine. I did have a pph but reasons not entirely clear. Being induced with dc2 again on thurs and I'll admit I'm worried as i expect to need syntocin but not worried enough to skip the drip.

I've never heard of anyone taking as long to recover from a CS as I did from my induction with all the bells and whistles. Obviously it varies, but I'd put an instrumental birth which seems pretty common with first-birth, drip-based inductions at the bottom of the list.

I had a dreadful time on the drip and ended up having emergency section. Looking back I wish I'd researched more about the induction process. I think I would have felt like you too.

Thanks again everyone, I'm panicking again now as still haven't had my second sweep. I called the my midwife group yesterday as requested to get sweep same day, they said they are too busy from weekend to do but they will do tomorrow ie today. No one called me back this morning so I called the mobile number of the midwife who rang me yesterday and she had clearly forgotten about me and said they still to busy today will try and arrange tomorrow. Surely a day before my induction day 41+6 this is a bit late. I think I'll be going to my induction appt and asking for a sweep and hoping they will check me, baby thoroughly inc amount of water and placenta. I really want a scan, anyone think I may get it?

ohthegoats, have you had any sweeps? Are you still planning on going to your induction appt.

Just ask consultant at appointment, say you would really like to see if another sweep works, but understand them suggesting induction - so you would like the reassurance of scan to trust you are making an informed choice. They may just do monitoring, but equally might slip you in! Good luck!

OK I've just had my consultant appointment.

I think things have kicked off for me naturally, albeit quite gently - been having mild contractions every 15/20 minutes since about this time yesterday. I'm not sure they believe me, but anyway...

I've not had any sweeps or VE, so I've no idea how close I am to anything. Baby is 3/5 palpable, and all pressure is right on my bum, so I'm guessing things are at least moving in the right direction.

Consultant wanted to book induction for Friday and do a sweep, I said no thank you to both. I've been booked in for a first monitoring appointment on Friday morning at 10am. At that point, if I've not 'managed' to get a sweep appointment with my local midwife, then they'll give me one in maternity assessment. I'll see how I feel about that on Friday. I won't 'manage' to get a sweep appointment before Friday, because I won't try to get one.

I did say to him that if things hadn't felt like they were kicking off right now, I'd have agreed to a sweep today, and then again on Thursday. I had acupuncture this morning before the appointment, and things have got stronger, but not any closer together. I want to give that quackery time to work!!

To be honest, it wasn't anywhere near as much of a fight as I thought. He did some sceptical looking at me over his glasses, but I pointed out things like arbitrary age limits, dates that have shifted so many times in my notes how can they be relied on etc, then just said 'no thank you' in my politest voice.

Oh, also I said 'If I come in Friday will you find an excuse to keep me here irrespective of how monitoring looks?' - he just laughed. I hope in a good natured sort of way!

Very brave goats. Fingers crossed everything's starting naturally for you.

Yeah fingers crossed goats I really hope its the start of the perfect scenario for you. Good luck x

devon, I think your plan could be the way I go. I'm going to leave another voice message for the midwife team to pick up tomorrow to remind them too, I heard this is a busy time sep/oct .

I was going to refuse induction as it happens I delivered 12 hrs after my 3rd sweep at 41+6.. Anyway, the protocol here is monitoring, scan to check placenta and then monitoring again 2 days later. Risks do go up after 42 weeks, however they are still minimal and with regular monitoring from the hosp and keeping a firm eye yourself on movements, lots deliver a healthy baby.

Good luck goats and I hope not much longer for you Lolee

I'd be happy with that, I'd be doing exactly that if the sweep tomorrow (if it happens ) works, I'd be in that pool Thursday!! :-)

Another positive induction story. Like you I wanted a water birth, preferably at home but went overdue & had to be induced , so had to have pessary, then drip, ended up having a mobile epidural could still walk to loo and laboured sitting up until end when had to have forceps and a few stitches, but it wasn't that bad. Was up & walking same day, recovered quickly, much quicker than a c- section judging from peers. Not necessarily awful. Able to breast feed straight away after birth post theatre.

DC1 I refused induction, born +13 days, the day after induction was booked so not too long. Natural virginal delivery

DC2 was +8 days. Normal virginal delivery

DC3 I refused induction, born +16 days. Daily monitoring (which should be renamed "a chance for every medical professional to pressure you for an hour"). Normal virginal delivery.

DC4 born 11 days ago, +12 days. I gave in to induction this time. Absolutely wish I hadn't. Emergency Caesarean. I should have waited until baby was ready.

I wish I waited until baby was ready. I will always regret that I didn't.

Was induced at 42 weeks. Was horrendous, took 3 days, drip, epidural. Didn't really want it but got pushed into it. Never want another one. Would only ever consider having another child if I could definitely have a c section. Felt totally let down and the whole thing was really unpleasant- denied pain relief except paracetamol for most of the 3 days. Not fun.