Small baby, low fluid, induction and homebirth

[MishMooshAndMogwai]

39+3 with dc2 and was sent for a growth scan this morning.

Baby looks healthy but a little on the small side, just under the 10th centile and fluid looks a bit low although not worryingly so.

Ive booked an induction for next Saturday (not tomorrow) but was planning a home birth.
I know I need to be flexible for the good of the baby and im more than happy to be rather than risk anything but home birth and induction are poles apart in my preferences and im a little apprehensive.

We compromised at Saturday (at his suggestion seeing the look on my face!) as he'd originally planned for it to be Tuesday (my due date).

I'm doubting myself now. Should I have compromised? Or should I have just gone with his suggestion and stuck with the due date if not before?

I was so set on getting my home birth at the time, now I'm not sure if ive done the right thing!

Ive got clinic on Wednesday for a check up and a sweep so I'm not just being left for a week to ponder my decision!

Any thoughts?

No i dont think you should have took his advice immediately, a growth scan can be inaccurate, one lady posted on here after a growth scan and was told the variance can be 20% above or below predicted.

Monitor movements and if there is a reduction or increase to your norm, then get checked.

Have you been scanned regularly? It's not so much your baby's size (someone has to be little!) but the rate of growth. I've had to have scans more or less every week since 25 weeks because my baby was under the 10th centile but her rate of growth was fine. I'd decided that as long as she was growing steadily I'd resist induction but if the rate slowed I'd get her out. As it was she had a little spurt so I've gone to term (overdue now). It sounds fine though-especially since you're being checked on Wednesday.

Thank you both no, this is the first extra scan ive had. Movement seems ok and I am definitely reassured by the appointment on wednesday.

Glad I didn't cave and stood my ground a bit, I've secured a sweep for Wednesday so hopefully if it's not happened by then that will help things along!

Thanks again :)

How super sure of your dates are you? A friend this happened to ended up being induced and having a baby who was pretty clearly only 36 weeks' gestation, MAYBE 37. Not really harmful, but not great to evict her early either.

100% sure womb, there's only 1 incident it could have been!

I'm really quite worried today, Ive read so much about hospital policies and how you should stand your ground etc etc but going against consultants advice just seems so alien. I really want to do it naturally but I just have a feeling that it won't happen and I'll end up being induced anyway and something will go wrong.

I'm being very negative and defeatest today!

I declined consultant care after a blood test showed that my bo may increase in late pregnancy. After speaking to one of the mw there, she said that they have 4 or 5 women a year who decline consultant care and further tests, and the mother is acting on gut instinct.

If you change your mind you can always go back!

Thanks topsy

I just don't know if I trust my gut- Id never forgive myself if something went wrong

I would have done the same in your situation tbh. You're compromising and keeping an eye on things. I would be more concerned about the fluid than the size of baby tbh as these growth scans are notoriously unreliable.
X

Thanks rosey, yes I'm worried about the fluid but that was mentioned as a bit of an after thought, they seemed much more worried about the the weight.

I have been very up and down today with baby seemingly having a lazy day but back to being their active self this evening.
Dp is on stand by to drive to the hospital at a moments notice should I get worried again and the midwife is being kept up to date (she must be sick of me!). I just want baby out safely now and taking it day by day, more than willing to be induced should they suggest it when I next see them

I think you've got the right attitude. You're being safe, keeping an eye on baby and trying to do what's right in the long run. Good luck xx

Thank you :) fingers crossed it comes very soon, me worrying will be doing no good!!

What percentile was the baby at the 20 week scan? I presume this is why they're worried, because you're now on a different centile?

I had a reluctant induction for different reasons, but it was nowhere near as awful as I feared- and it was such a positive experience. I didn't even need the drip- just one lot of gel.

Best of luck.

It was bang on target until 31 weeks then dropped from 50th to below 10th.

Thankyou for the positive induction story, they seem to be few and far between!

I had a great natural birth with DC1 so I think this plays a massive part in it. If you think about it, most inductions take place with women who have gone over the 14 days they let you- now some could have incorrect due dates and the baby just wasn't ready, some might never be able to go naturally- therefore they would have a tricky birth regardless. If you know you can labour, induction is just a bit of encouragement.

That's true, I did have a fantastic natural birth with dd, it was text book from start to finish.

I guess maybe because of that I set my expectations too high for this one and didn't think that maybe it wouldn't happen

I don't think the baby being 'a little on the small side' and fluid being 'a bit low but not worryingly so' is enough reason to induce on your due date. It might be a good reason to induce if you go 7 or 10 days over. As it is you've compromised on induction at only 4 days over.

FWIW I had low fluid only diagnosed when I was at least a week overdue, and when DS was eventually born 17 days overdue (after initial gel for induction), he was absolutely fine.

Fingers crossed you'll go into labour before next Saturday anyway. Good luck.

mish you sound so similar to me! I had a brilliant natural birth with DD1 and DD2 was also excellent- I had to be induced as I had 'social' reasons, and felt so sad on the morning of the induction, and then had this brilliant birth that meant I could have as much of an active labour as my first and just had to be bit insistent about birthing positions, as I think they were more used to 'lay there and push' which wasn't what I wanted to do.

Thankyou both :)

Baby is nice and wiggly this morning so keeping me relaxed and more confident. Been for a nice walk this morning and sat on the ball now so just trying to keep active and get things going!

I dread the lay there and push attitude and I know in the heat of the moment I wouldn't be able to stand up for myself and would just lay there stressing knowing that is wasn't what I wanted. That's pathetic isn't it! I didn't think I'd be like that but all this with the consultant and worrying about going against what he says has shown me that I'm not as strong willed with all this as I thought!