Has anyone refused induction??

[Bangonthedoor]

So I'm 40+1 with #2 and yes although I know I've still got several days before they talk about arranging an induction, I kind of want to be a bit more prepared this time.

DD was born at 42+1 following induction. Those of you who have been induced know how crap it can be and long! It took 4 days from beginning of induction to DD being born.

Basically I'm just looking for facts/experiences/advice on refusing an induction? I feel because this will probably be my last baby I want to have the best chance possible to labour naturally and to know what it's like to spontaneously go into labour. Not only that, I can't be waiting around in the hospital for days waiting for baby when DD is in childcare!

Of course I know I've still got every chance it can happen naturally, I just remember this feeling all to well.....

I was induced with DD at 41+5 - I was given the choice of 2 dates when I went for a check up at 41 weeks. I had been hoping to start naturally but had the induction, pessary at 6 am, slow start to labour then very intense mid afternoon, with DD arriving 7.30pm. No complications, lovely healthy baby. I was disappointed I hadn't started naturally but consoled myself with the fact that I had chosen her birthday.

With DS, DH had an exam to take and when I went beyond my due date I asked to be induced so that DH could be with me for the birth and still have a couple of days for revision. Hospital refused, saying the risk of inducing at that stage was greater than the risk of letting me continue. The imminent exam was not a good enough reason for inducing. I was ok with that as I did want to start naturally. My waters broke spontaneously at 2am at 41+ 1 and DS was born 7.30pm. A better experience for me. DH took the exam the following day and failed.

I went back to work after DD and learned that a colleague had delivered spontaneously at 43 weeks and her DS was stillborn. I don't know whether she had been offered induction at all.

It sounds promising Bang - nothing ever happened after my sweeps and I never got as far as having a show (induced at 40+12), so it sounds like your body could be gearing up for the big event!

Thanks rally

I've been having contractions since 1:30am this morning, throughout today they were only very mild coming every 15ish minutes. This evening though they are coming nicely at every 6-7 mins lasting around 1 minute. We've sorted child care for DD should we need it over night, double checked everything is ready and now come to bed to try and get out our heads down while we can. Even if things continue being quite slow I'm happy things are going in the right direction at least. We'll see what tomorrow holds!

Good luck Bang! Hope this is it and that all goes well

Rest as much as you can.

Well just to check in and update...things turned around pretty quickly and only just got to the hospital in time at 6am this morning, walking in at 10cm and needing to push before my clothes were off. My beautiful daughter was born at 7:14am and is perfect. We're back home again now

congratulations

Congratulations!!

I did with DS because I was really into Ina May Gaskin natural home birth stuff (though I didn't go to post-term, I was thinking about it). My community midwife was quite supportive.

I went into labour and stayed in labour for days, I just stopped dilating at 5cm and my water wouldn't break, I've never received a proper explanation. So I ended up on a syntocinon drip with my waters broken in hospital anyway!

Ooh sorry, committed the RTFT crime, congratulations!

Wow! Well done Hope all is well.

Wowsers. Congratulations!

Thanks everyone not quite the birth I had planned but so pleased an induction didn't need to take place! That was the main thing for me!

I didn't want to be induced - fought it for a couple of weeks (am 40, they wanted to induce me at 40 weeks), finally agreed to a sweep on the Friday, things grumbled along over the weekend and baby finally arrived at 40+16 on Monday morning after a ridiculously exhausting weekend. In retrospect I shouldn't have even had the sweep, but if I'm being honest I was a bit sick of being pregnant at that point.

I was allowed to put on gloves and 'check' the placenta afterwards too - the midwife talked me through what it would feel like if it was starting to fail, and there was nothing wrong with it. My consultant who came to see me on the ward afterwards said 'oh, she's definitely not overcooked'.

It just didn't feel right to force her out, and luckily I had a supportive partner, a doula who would have also supported any decision I made, and was in touch with an independent midwife who helped me stand my ground too.