Anyone induced at 37 weeks? Doubting my decision.

[GingerbreadPudding]

I posted about this before, sorry for any repetition.

I have obstetric cholestasis and baby needs to come out at 37 weeks. I had to choose induction or csection. I met with a consultant last weekend and will do so, with a different one this weekend to make final decision.

He talked me through the induction process, which goes ahead regardless of whether baby is engaged, cervix is favourable etc. (neither of which is the case now at 35w, 5days). They try to break waters then insert a pessary, six hours later another pessary and another go at breaking waters, six hours later a third pessary. If nothing is happening or it's happening too slowly they out me on the drip. I asked if I could have the pessaries and then opt for section if they didn't work but he said no, and that once you're on induction you 'should give it a fair chance.'

I said I was concerned about the high likelihood of intervention such as ventouse and forceps with any induction, let alone an early one. He said I could opt for a section if they felt they needed forceps etc. I honestly doubt this would be the case - surely they'd be 'just ten minutes and forceps and this baby will be out' rate than prep me for a section.

So he signed me up for an induction and said I could chat with the other consultant this weekend and change my mind if I wanted. (I hadn't made my mind up either way). I have read and read and read and spoken to people who've been induced, had emergency and planned sections and I think I want a section. I'm terrified if the cascade of intervention with an induction anyway (having really worried about it all pregnancy and decided on a home water birth with a doula and to avoid induction as long as I could.)

But having read a thread on here from a woman asking about induction at 38 weeks I'm now doubting myself. Am I being selfish for being terrified of an induction? Is there a good chance it could go smoothly? I know that the outcomes for a planned section are better than an emergency one (for the mum). I also know that baby when mum has OC is more likely to produce meconium during delivery and induced babies are also more likely to do this. I'm just going round in circles of panic and worry about this.

I've had horrible rib pain and been signed off work since week 20, I can't drive at all and can't walk or sit for long either. So the thought of a longish recovery period doesn't bother me in the slightest since I've been in horrible pain for so long.

I'd love to hear any tales of induction at 37 weeks , planned csections or advice. I feel like the doctors have an agenda for induction (cheaper I'd guess) but I know a 'normal' vaginal delivery is a 'good thing.' I'm losing so much sleep over this - please help!

Sorry, me again, I'm just in bits, keep crying etc, I am SO terrified of the induction but reading all these makes me think it could go ok and at least I'd get to go home afterwards. I've never been this scared of anything. I wish I'd asked my doula to come with me to the appointment tomorrow. My husband is wonderful but he says it's my decision and he will stand by me whatever, which is, I guess, the best and only thing he can really say.

It is a scary thing gingerbread, is it too late to ask your doula now? If you explained how you are feeling maybe she could go with? Although I have never had one so not too sure how they work.

fwiw, the scariest thing in my opinion was an episiotomy and I had one and it really wasn't as bad as I thought, and when you have your lovely baby in your arms you will forget all about it

Good luck x

sorry you feeling so down... Please don't panic. I really don't get the big deal, inductions aren't so bad, really. Childbirth is both crazy terrifying and amazing at the same time no matter what you decide, I think! If you have a real fear of the unknown, it may be better to opt for the c-section which allows you more control. Xx

I've had two inductions, one yesterday, so still fresh in my mind. Both were at 40+12 but for the first I had no favourable signs, body totally not ready despite being overdue. I had Propess (24 hr slow release tampon with hormone to induce labour) and it took 12 hours to my waters going, then another 10 on drip and epidural til DD arrived in theatre via forceps delivery.

That sounds bad but from the moment the epidural went in (before drip) it was calm and pain free. I had a 1inch episiotomy but it was done and stitched while the epidural was in so totally painless.

Yesterday I had limited effacement and Bishop score of 3 (ie some progress towards natural labour but not much) when I went in. They gave me prostin gel which set contractions off and they broke my waters after contractions had been going on for four hours but was stuck at 4cm dilated. DS arrived 28 mins later, no drip needed (and no time for epidural!). Bit stressful and fast at the end but no instruments and only a 1 inch tear.

So every induction is different. From my one experience of the cascade of intervention it was fine because I had the epidural before the drip. Forceps deliveries are not what anyone would want but are generally fine if proper pain relief is used in good time. My episiotomy healed perfectly after a few weeks; was a bit sore for 10 days or so but did not limit my movement or ability to care for DD at all in the ways a CS could.

My (non expert!) thinking is that your fears about induction are reasonable but still unlikely to happen as they are based on worst case scenarios iyswim...best of luck, it is a tough decision but you need to feel comfortable with what you decide else the rest of your pregnancy will be stressful and you need to rest while you can!

I honestly wouldn't worry too much about your bishops score. At 37 weeks it's likely to be very low but that's what the pessary is for. If the pessary doesn't do anything they'll offer you a section anyway. If it does then your bishop score will be higher.
If you do decide to go for the pessary then I recommend lots of walking around the hospital whilst it is in to get the baby in a good position.
Either way at least you know enough in advance to manage your expectations. I found it easier to know in advance that I wasn't going to get the MLU birth of my dreams than I think I would have coped with complications arising in labour.

At 37 w personally I would opt for a section. It will be calm and controlled, you can plan for your recovery (likely to be more favourable than an emergency cs) and you know what you are getting. An induction is a roll of the dice. You may come off better; it may be worse, you won't know. I've had 3 naturally and I still balk at the idea of induction given what I have heard. No special knowledge but those are my thoughts based on the experiences of others I know (and induction with my first which went ok but at 39w when waters had already gone).

I had a section 10 weeks ago. I researched and researched - when it came down to it an induction leads to a much higher chance of ventouse, forceps and emcs. As does being older and over weight etc. Some women are happy with that and the risks/benefits of that choice. I came down on the side that the risks/benefits of an elective section were better for me. It's your body and you can take control.

I had OC and was induced at 39 weeks. It took 3 days and I never dilated past 9.5cm, despite the synth union drip being full blast and being in a lot of pain (not helped by baby being back to back). Ended up with emcs due to failure to progress. I said from the outset that I would refuse forceps due you the statistics surrounding birth damage when they are used. The hospital were fine with that, and just pushed the baby back up a bit in order to perform the section.
Currently pg with my second and the chances are that I will get OC again. If that happens, I am not willing to be induced again as it didn't work at all for me. I either want to have the baby when it's ready to come, or have an elcs for minimal drama!