Induction today but no room at the inn

[KatyN]

Just phoned the hospital as I'm booked for an induction today and all of their beds are full. I'm swinging between being relieved that I have another few hours/days before it all starts and gutted that I just want it to be over.
For my son I was induced but there was no room in the delivery suite so I spent 3 days on the maternity ward waiting for a bed. At least I'm still at home but I could do without a repitition of last time.
K

Why are you being induced? Maybe you'll have a NY baby instead

Because of anxiety!! (So the extra wait is laughable!!). I'm only 40+4 so I've got a whole before I'm desperate.
Kx

What will they do if women go in to the hospital already in labour and need to be in hospital? Do they send them to another non-full hospital while in labour? I would refuse, ha!

Gosh I'm sure this isn't helping your anxiety!! Will all be fine I'm sure OP, good that you've got a week or more's leeway. Good luck!

My sister went in for induction and was kept waiting on the ward 6 days. This was about 10 weeks ago. It's ridiculous. They wouldn't let her go home wither as she had a pessary the first day.

I assumed it was only the induction beds which were full, but yes my Mw has explained if the delivery suite is full you can be rerouted to another hospital! We're in Bristol so there are a fair few options.
6 days... Your poor sister. That must have been miserable.

Yes if the labour ward is full and women ring up in labour they're told they have to contact another hospital and go there.

You could refuse I guess but you still wouldn't get in at the first hospital. If there's no beds then there's no beds. You can't exactly top and tail. Nationally many maternity units run at full capacity too frequently.

OP, hopefully things will calm down by tomorrow or even later on today. Things can change quickly.

Katy, often it's both. Labour ward gets full first, so women in the induction beds can't go to labour ward. Everywhere backs up.

I don't understand the UK system - don't you have to register with a maternity unit at the beginning of your pregnancy?

Over here you have to register almost as soon as you know you're pregnant. They only accept a certain number of women due at similar times to prevent exactly this sort of problem. If you don't register quick enough, then you have to try another hospital.

I've never heard of people being turned away for days on end

That sounds like a good system goodness.

Well I would just have the baby on the floor then, at least I'd actually be in a hospital with medical staff around. I'd refuse to travel to another if I was already at one and in labour, DS was born in 40 minutes!

They were diverting people to a different hospital when my DS was born on the 16th Dec- luckily I was a booked C Section! I'm in a big city with a high birth rate, and what has made it worse is that the maternity unit in a town about 45 mins away was closed 2 years ago, adding pressure to my local hospital.

A stable has been found, well
Who am I kidding I have a rather lovely ensuite room at my local
Hospital. I have checked, the labour ward isn't backed up!!!!
I think the issue with booking is that you can deliver in such a wide window how would they know when you would arrive?

See you on the other side! Kx

Some hospitals in the UK put a cap on bookings. Generally in a city with more than one hospital. But in many areas of the UK it's not really possible.

Glad to hear you're in Katy, newborn snuggles soon!

I was induced at 37 weeks for pre-eclampsia. I spent three days on the antenatal ward in early induced labour as there was no space on the labour ward. Some girl came in at midnight on the last night with "tightenings" at 28 weeks and moaned about me crying in pain (only had paracetamol as I wasn't on labour ward) and said loudly to her family "If I can handle this, anyone can".

At which point the midwife came in and explained what Braxton Hicks are to her. Wiped the smile off her face