Carrying on past 41 weeks

[Linnynewby]

Hi,
I have my local NHS trust pushing for an induction this Tuesday the 15th. At the moment I am 40+5 and so feeling a little fed up but of the opinion that I shouldn't rush things. Originally I had been due the 12th but was put forward to the 7th of May at my first dating scan... later I needed 4 or 5 growth scans because the baby was considered too small! All is well though and the consultants consider it will be a small buy healthy baby and I am still low risk.

I just feel the baby needs a little more cooking. I really am against inducing if there is no medical need to I can feel the niggles of early labour with pain and backache and I am apparently 1cm.

I have read all the information from the nhs on continuing past 41 weeks in terms of risk and the risks of induction but I just want to know from experience how far I can or should push it. Something doesn't feel right about starting it early if nothing is wrong :( midwives are worrying me saying I should never let it go past 10 days... is that true ??

I haven't experienced this myself but I understand you can ask for daily monitoring of baby and placenta/chord if you want to wait it out a bit

I had my daughter at 42 weeks and she was really healthy. Hospital’s have a policy of not letting you go 10 days over but you are within your rights to not do this. My private midwife told me to offer to go in very day if need be to have a scan as the only thing they worry about is that the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby could reduce and then you do need to have the baby.

In France apparently you get given a due month not date.

I stuck to my guns and offered to have a scan but in the end I hung out til it happened naturally.

Maybe ask them what the risks are if you wait a few more days and could they just monitor you instead. Buy some time.

I am not a fan of induction so that was the last thing I wanted!

Good luck.

It's your own decision and you can ask for more monitoring if you wish to go longer.

I think HCPs are cagey about going over because the risk of still birth increases the longer you wait. But if you're very anti induction, ask for more monitoring and they'll keep a good eye on you and babe.

I had induction booked for 41+5 but went into labour at 41 weeks exactly.

All the best! It won't be long until you meet your baby!

Have you been given the leaflet on here?

When pregnancy goes over 41 weeks?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/over-40-weeks-pregnant-overdue/

How old are you? That can make a huge difference on chance if still born baby so just bear in mind sometimes babies are better out than in

I had my dd at 41+4. We had a natural birth hours before induction was taking place. Like you OP, I wasn't convinced about induction and was in 2 minds if I would go ahead with it. I did everything I could to make the labour happen naturally before induction and hated feeling rushed (although at the same time very ready to give birth!). I was advised that if I refused induction, we would need to attend regular check ups and scans (every day/alternate days) so it is possible but I also read the rationale behind induction post 41 weeks.

I think it's really tricky op. I understand how you feel because my three were born 10-14 days after their due dates and were healthy. For this reason I did think that no 3 would be overdue no matter what and thought about resisting induction because of this.

However, I was torn as there is more chance of something going wrong if you wait so I allowed myself to be put on the induction waiting list at 12 days overdue.

Whatever you decide, good luck and I hope the birth goes well.

Hi everyone,

Thanks foodylicious, that is the leaflet I read. So I understand that risks of intervention for both options are about the same based on that... It doesn't really go into what the hormones will do to me or pain etc. I also saw the risk of stillbirth increases from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 2000... I've been told by the midwives "it doubles it doubles" which I guess is true but still did not explain the actual statistics to me...

Flumpybear - I'm 25 and this is my first

Would I need to call up and ask for monitoring?

Sorry that's 1 in 1000 to 2 in 1000

My 3rd child was born at 40+16d, so over 42 weeks. I refused induction.

Much like you, my dating scan moved my EDD back by 8 days. I knew this wasn't biologically true, must have been a measuring anomaly at the scan.

I carried my previous 2 children around 8 days overdue, so suspected I would carry to 41 weeks from my due date, which would be 42 plus weeks from the official incorrect, IMO due date.

Hence I refused induction. I'm telling you, it's stressful. I had to go to maternity unit daily and sit for 30m on the monitor. That in itself isn't a problem. But I got daily pressure from numerous sources. The midwife would persuade me to be induced. Then another midwife, maybe the head midwife, doctors, consultant. Basically at least one person would spend ykme pressuring me every day. Ufton mire than 1 person.

I could handle at first. But by the time I hit 42 weeks I was a nervous wreck. Their scare tactics had me constantly stressing that my baby was about to die at any moment. And it round be my fault. The stress I was put under was so intense that after my +14 day appointment, I decided I was going to be induced next time I went know. As it happened my waters broke that night and after a 24hour (slow) labour, DS was born naturally a very healthy 9lb.

So, my advice:
● going 42w plus is evidently dangerous, your baby could die. So only consider this if you are sure you're EDD is wrong. I wouldn't advise anyone to actually carry to 42 weeks. But if 42 weeks is actually 41 weeks (ie the date is wrong in your opinion), then it's a different matter
● you need to be resilient and brown able to cope with being put under pressure
● as resilient you consider yourself, your maternal instinct will wage an internal battle with your logic and you may well feel the stress.
● It does not make first a pleasant end to your pregnancy.

IMO worth it. I faced a very similar situation with the birth if DC4. But my risk factors were increased then, so I was induced and didn't try to refuse induction. Ended in EMCS, after 3 natural births. I'm convinced if labour had progressed naturally it wouldn't gave been a c-section.

It actually sounds like you might not get to Tuesday 15th anyway to be honest!

The risk of stillbirth does increase the further on you go, and there's no evidence that your baby will be experiencing any benefit from staying in as a balance against the increased stillbirth risk. Nonetheless, this has zero impact on your right to consent or not consent to any intervention. If you say no, it isn't happening. It's also still a small absolute risk, and it's for you to decide whether it's acceptable to you. Nobody else. Your age is another factor in your favour- I'd definitely still go for the monitoring if you opt not to induce though.

In terms of pain, I think that's a very individual thing. Some women say it's worse with induction but there are posters on here who had an induced delivery with no pain relief and found it ok. I was never induced but I did have the drip for a bit in one of my labours that stalled, and while those contractions were very painful, they weren't really any worse than the others.

If you've read about the risks, then I won't spout them back to you. However, I do always say this to those considering going past 41 weeks:

My SIL has identical twin girls who were dated a week apart at her 12week scan (and assumed non identical as a result). Dating scans are ESTIMATES. So, if you're fairly confident that your due date is different to what you have been given, I personally would recommend digging in your heals a bit and giving baby a little bit more time.

I had DD1 at 40 + 10. Asked for daily monitoring (cue eye-rolling and tutting from hospital MWs). She came of her own accord.

I had DD at 42 weeks. I had 5 sweeps, but refused induction (I was having a home birth). Was checked at 42, was 4 cm dilated. Was allowed to go 42 + 3 if necessary, and I agreed to go in if Labour hadn’t started properly. Should say that she is DC4.

She came that night, absolutely dream birth.

In my area they don't induce until 42 weeks 🤔

Don't get yourself too worried OP, just see what you want to do when you get to the point where they want to induce you. Sounds like things are already happening so it may not even be an issue!

What a useless leaflet! Afaik the placenta starts to deteriorate once you are over due dates and the amount of amniotic fluid reduces. This is what compromises the baby.