Do I go through with this induction or not?

[Walkinglikeazombie]

Hi there.

So throughout my pregnancy all was pretty straightforward, always measured fine at mw appointments etc. When I was 36 weeks my mw said the baby is in breech position so she referred me for a scan to confirm this and see whether I should have ECV. Scan actually confirmed that baby was head down (thank goodness), however, baby was measuring on 97th centile.
They then booked another growth scan for me which took place last Sunday when I was 38+4 and the baby's estimated size was 9lbs 4oz. Also my amniotic fluid was increased. Had to see a consultant last Tuesday and she believes that I may have GD, fluid increase being one of the "side effects", however I am too far gone in pregnancy to be tested now. She measured my bump and it was measuring 43cm (I was 38+6 on the day).
She was very keen on referring me for induction and booked me in for tomorrow. I also ended up having a sweep done on Tuesday which was a bit pointless as baby's head isn't even engaged yet.
So today, I am due to have another sweep done at 3pm, and then if nothing happens I am due to go for my induction tomorrow at 9am. I will be 39+4 tomorrow and just don't know whether I should go through with this.
This is my second pregnancy and my first ended up being 11 days overdue so they are scared to let me go too into this pregnancy due to baby's size, but I thought they would at least wait till I'm full term (I know it's only 3 days short but still).

So, now I am just stuck, what do I do? I will go for the sweep today and try to speak to someone and see what they think, but it just seems so hard to get anyone to listen. I really don't wish to go for induction and then be stuck in hospital, but then on the other hand I don't want for baby to become too large, be unable to deliver and end up with EMCS.
Sorry for rambling, it's just I have no one to talk to about this. My husband is supportive of any decision I make, however I can see that he thinks it's a good idea to go for induction tomorrow.

Hi - I have GD but found out earlier on so have managed to control it with diet however have still been told baby is on the bigger size (wont know for sure until my 36 week Growth Scan)

I have been told i cant have an induction due to previous c section scar rupturing so was automatically booked a c section on my due date after the consultant was pushing for it at 39 weeks and i refused

you dont have much time to really try any natural methods for inducing labour at home other than a quickie or eating some dates!!

As it has been confirmed that your baby is big AND you are only a few days off your due date i would get the Induction as the risk they were talking to me about was the shoulder getting stuck the bigger the baby gets as all the extra fat due to GD goes to the baby's chest and shoulders. (how big was your previous baby)

However as im also trying to get some information about trying to avoid an elective c section i dont think it would matter if you asked to delay it for a few days if you wanted to try natural methods at home (however this may still not work to induce the labour if baby isnt ready to come out) but at least you would have satisfied your mind that you at least tried and then whatever happens it was meant to be (ie Induction, c section etc)

Hope all goes well xx

I had GD and growth scans saying my baby was going to be between 6.5 and 7.5 lbs but she was only 5 lbs 12 so your baby might not be so big. Furthermore, bigger babies can, from what I've heard, be easier to birth naturally due to gravity etc. I was induced and it was not pleasant I don't want to scare you with details unnecessarily but if I'd been allowed to go to 40 or 41 weeks I would have done. The consultants' fears about big baby, ineffective placenta etc we're all unfounded. However, they're the experts and so I understand your dilemm especially if its your first. I believe my body and baby weren't ready for delivery so it made everything a lot harder... (I tried everything to induce Labour naturally. ..)

Just be aware that if you do go for induction you will be on the clock I.e. if things don't progress in a certain timeframe they might insist on further interventions. Good luck! I currently have a gorgeous 9 week old girl asleep on my chest.

I'm inclinded to say go with the induction given you're 39+ weeks anyway but only you can make the final decision,and I do mean only you, regardless of what consultants etc say you can always refuse an induction. Estimated measurements should come with a big 'best guess' warning,theres no way of knowing for sure how big baby is until it arrives,i was told at 34 weeks baby was estimated at well over 8lb,she was 8lb 7 when she arrived ar 38+4.

Im a type 1 diabetic so had my labour induced,was a hugely positive experience for me,no epidural,drips or cascade of interventions just 2 paracetemol and as much gas and air as they would let me inhale. Have no qualms about being induced again. Which is just as well as its less than a month until im induced with my second.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/&ved=0ahUKEwjB3qe_-6HJAhUF_A4KHdQTDkUQFggxMAQ&usg=AFQjCNG5-Qb-xT_1vi6ITq_kTN_u40a0Ag&sig2=kbsQokuDHQFssXaknzsTVw" rel="nofollow" target="blank">www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/&ved=0ahUKEwjB3qe-6HJAhUF_A4KHdQTDkUQFggxMAQ&usg=AFQjCNG5-Qb-xT_1vi6ITq_kTN_u40a0Ag&sig2=kbsQokuDHQFssXaknzsTVw

You might find that helpful to read. Evidence doesn't favour induction due to big baby.

How big was your first and how did tgst go?

Position of the baby often has more bearing on delivery than size of baby.

My biggest was 10lb 13oz, and thst was my easiest birth, had him in a birth pool.

Expecting number six and will be getting extra scans due to size of previous babies but the scans and size predictions are not that accurate at all. They were over a pound out last time with my dd. Saying she was a pound bigger than she was.

Thank you all for your replies. 5madthings, thanks for the link, just had a good read. That is really why I am having such dilemma as to what to do.
As for my first, it was a long labour, but natural delivery in the end, ending with 2nd degree tearing. My DD was 8lbs 3oz.
The leaflet hospital gave me re induction actually states that I won't be offered induction due to possibility of a big baby, and yet that is what they are offering me!? Bit confused with that...
Frangipani, that's exactly how I feel; as though baby just isn't ready to come out, if that makes any sense.
I did go for a sweep this afternoon, but she was unable to perform it as the head still isn't sitting in pelvis completely; she was just about able to touch the head; and that kind of confirms to me further my feelings.
I still feel obliged to go tomorrow, but would it be really bad if I don't actually go through with induction? I don't wish to waste their time, but also don't want to be pressurised into any hasty decisions.

You may or may not have gd? Can they not at least do a blood glucose test on you to see if it is normal or severely abnormal as at least then there would be some indication as to whether you may have a large baby due to gd or whether you may just be having a larger baby than first. This may ultimately affect your decision and your management pre and post birth (if you do have gd then your baby is at risk of low sugars- before my baby was heel pricked every couple of hours 'just in case' i would want to know if I had actually had gd or not!)
It's a really difficult decision. You could go tomorrow, get some more information and then decide. After having both (induction and elective section) I would go with the section every time as you are more likely to require intervention, may be restricted movement wise if they don't have wireless monitoring and will he put on strict time limit to how long they want your labour/pushing to be. X

That's not true re constant monitoring and strict time limit re induction. I have been induced with all five of mine. Still stayed mobile, with one I needed continuous monitoring and still had a mobile active labour. have laboured in Bath when induced and Ds4 was a pool birth despite induction.

It varies depending on how they induce you and you can always discuss options and refuse if necessary. I was a bit bolshy but had support of midwives.

I'd be strongly inclined to take the consultant's advice - they don't recommend things like this for no reason. There is a lot of questioning of obstetricians decisions here on MN which I find odd.
Good luck with your delivery however it occurs.

38 weeks is term as far as the hospital is concerned, larger babies are common with undiagnosed GD, also it is possible that the baby will need to go to NICU if they are "hooked on sugar" ie used to high levels of sugar, its to monitor them as they adjust to the world of no sugary blood from Mum. They are very used to managing this - but also with an induction they can closely monitor you both. It is also standard practice to induce Mums with GD at 38 weeks if they haven't already delivered. If you go in and they monitor you for GD you may also end up on drips for sugar and insulin to keep you steady during labour (you need to maintain blood sugar levels, activity will reduce it and they manage it by alternating sugar and insulin to keep your sugars at a certain level).

Ask ask ask if in any doubt and make sure you speak to the consultant rather than just the underdogs as sometimes they don't have alot of experience with GD and you need to make sure that it is understood what the protocol is for handling it. Consultant should know

I don't think it's a matter of questioning obstetricians, I think it's about being able to make an informed decision. What is also evident from mn and rl is that practices differ from professional to professional, from hospital to hospital which is why I think it is better to be fully informed (gaining info from consultants, midwives, nice guidelines, cochrane reviews etc- I'm not just talking about blindly googling)
Forums like this are good to get other people's experiences though. Ultimately though it seems like the op needs to speak to the professionals as she seems unable to make a fully informed decision with the information she has x

I had an induction at 36 weeks with dc3 (due to a couple of bleeds and scans where they were concerned about slow growth.) No GD suspected though. Labour was easiest of the 3, 1hr 15 mins, and he was a bonny 7lb 2.5 oz at 36.5 wks.

I wouldn't hesitate to have induction again if there was a medical need. I only had one midwife in with me, she was totally hands off and pro as little intervention as was needed.

Lumpy - I had blood glucose test done when I had a scan at 36wks and came back with 5.3, which is normal I believe; however when I went for the other scan last Sunday, the consultant said because of the fluid increase rather than decrease in this stage of pregnancy and the fact that baby is measuring +800g since last scan (difference of 2wks and 4 days between them) she would be inclined to say that I may in fact have GD.
I have had numerous number of blood tests done due to low white blood cell count and my glucose level was never questioned.
I do have a huge bump but to be fair I don't think it's any bigger than with my first.
We do have a history of big babies in my family (I was 4.500kg when I was born) but I don't know if that makes any difference.
I think I will go tomorrow and see what they say.

Hmm I'd push for them to at least give you some 'finger prick ' tests. The thing is if it is GD you really don't want to go overdue. They induce for GD not just because of baby size but because it can cause the placenta degenerate earlier than in 'normal' pregnancies.

I am in a similar situation: DS was 4.4kg at 40+6, and DD was 4.6kg at 40+10. Both vaginal births with a 3rd and 2nd degree tear respectively... Currently 36+2. I have an anal scan to check for damage after DS on Wednesday, and a growth scan on Friday at 37+0. I tested negative for GD at 27 weeks (DDs large size means that I have moved up risk categories). But all babies in my and DH's family are big, none have been below 9lbs, unless the mum smoked! However, I suspect that if induction is recommended, I will go with it, unless my bishops score is bad, as I have no wish to end up with a cs, unless the anal scan comes back bad... I figure that I will argue the type of induction before agreeing to it, if it goes to the drip, I want gradual increases, mobile monitoring etc. I know my body better than the docs do (I have never been surprised by the large babies, despite measuring average) and I'm not going to get talked into anything I can't see the benefit of... Hand on heart, the fact that my due date is only a week before Christmas is affecting my decision, as was the very quick labour I had for DC2 (sorting babysitters for the older two would be easier with an induction...). Its a hard choice... Good luck with it all...

Oh, and baby not being engaged is less of an issue second time round... DD didn't ever, and she had a 2 hour fast labour...

Just to quickly update you all, on Monday I ended up going for the induction. Had pessary inserted at 11:30am and contractions started to build very soon after that.
As baby's heartbeat began to be drop they put me on IV drip in hope to calm the contractions and the baby. It luckily helped control babies heart rate and when I was checked next morning at 7 I was 2cm, so they removed pessary and moved me to the labour room.
I continued having contractions but progress was slow as when they checked me at 11:50 I was 3cm; so they decided to break my waters. It was then I took G&A! Only two hours later, at 13:56 my little DD2 was born. She weighed 3.876kg and was 52cm long. We are now at home and trying to settle in. My lovely DD1 is making this a much easier process as she is completely besotted with her little sister.

Thank you all for your replies, it helped to hear others experiences/thoughts on this subject.

Sorry for any typos, typing whilst holding the baby and my toddler snuggling next to me on my bed

Congratulations
Two lovely daughters - enjoy!

Lovely news - glad you had a good experience and new little helper!!

Congratulations! Glad you had a positive experience x

Congratulations! Lovely news, hope you are feeling rested and recovering well from labour