Best time to induce and bed time for ELCS?

[verytiredmummy1]

After a traumatic birth (long induction, failed ventouse, bio by mouth for 30 hours, emergency section under GA) last time I'm aiming for a natural birth this time. I've been asked to think about when I would like to try induction and also when Id like to book in a cesearean in case labour doesn't start on its own. They haven't given me loads of information so wondered if anyone else had this? Xx

No idea how to change title. Should say best not bed!!

NICE recommend induction is offered from 41 weeks and increased monitoring is offered after 42 weeks (which is when I think risks can creep up a bit). I would personally wait until 42 weeks if I had a choice, maybe with a few sweeps in the week leading up to my personal deadline.

I would recommend having a look at some of the info about induction & vbac - personally I decided against induction as it can increase risks of uterine rupture, lead to a very medicalised approach on tight timescales which I felt wouldn't really give me the best shot at successful vbac.

I was booked in for elcs to take place at term + 12...I didn't get to it as labour started around t+8, ds finally born t+12 (emcs). Sooo much better than first emcs though. I think I probably would have gone ahead with the elcs at that point though although I wasn't 100% decided, but it was better to have date set & then negotiate from there.

If labour doesnt start I would skip the induction and go straight for the section at 41/42 weeks based on my experience of induction, I found the whole thing was very medical from start to finish anyway at least with the section you know how long it will take and the risks are more predictable.

This is entirely based on my own awful induction experience in sure its not always so bad.