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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Induction

11 replies

secondtimeround · 19/05/2007 13:06

For completely selfish reasons I have voiced the desire to be induced b4 my due date.
I work in a gynae unit and one of the doctors said he would do a membrane sweep for me at about 38 ish weeks. I'm not sure if he is being serious but I only ever voiced the opinion never actually thinking anyone would do it.
Now I'm thinking seriously about it. Am due at the end of July and was 2 weeks late with DD. This would take me to the middle of August if it happened again. All the doctors I've worked with the past 6 months will be changing at the end of July and they'll be no familiar faces left apart from Consultants and Registrars and you know you never get to see them.
Should I consider the induction or wait for nature to take its course in what is meant to be a VERY HOT summer.

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beansprout · 19/05/2007 13:11

I wouldn't do this. Birth is a natural process. If your body is ready to go and you just nudge it at 41 or 42 weeks then fine, but your baby won't be full term at 38 weeks and as I understand it, induction is more painful than your body just doing what it needs to do when the time is right.

I was induced at 42 weeks and if I could avoid that again, I would.

Klaw · 19/05/2007 14:56

I would not recommend it, inductions when baby is not ready can be a nightmare from all accounts and the few that seem positive were probably down to fortunate timing and performed when baby was due to make an appearance anyway!

Check out Kent midwifery Practice and induction

It would also appear from anecdotal evidence that you would be risking having contractions start up only to fizzle out, and then days of trying again and again only for you to get worn out and demoralised, facing further interventions and risk of instrumental delivery or CS. Worth the risk to you and/or baby? Not in my book!

I also know of a nurse who was left for hours and hours during an induction which ended up in emCS, because "you know what it's like, we're short staffed" !!!! She was just as worthy of decent care as the next pregnant woman but because she was a HCP she was expected to understand, FFS!

Do your research very well before going down this path.

LilyLoo · 19/05/2007 14:59

Had an induction with my first was an awful experience and a completely different experience to my second which was all natural and i will def do anything possible to avoid an induction with my third.

lulumama · 19/05/2007 15:19

a membrane sweep at 38 weeks might not even be possible, if your cervix is posterior unripe, and even if it is , it only gets you going into labour, if you would have done anyway

babies come when they are ready. you could try lots of sex, nipple stim, as you approach your due date, which might help and is a natural way to help get things going

have been pregnant through two hot summers, i feel your pain!! but birth is not a process you can force

well, you can,but at what cost? several days of induction?

i had not met any of the midwives who delviered Ds or DD, and they were all lovely !

Gingerbear · 19/05/2007 15:24

Induction when you are not ready hurts.
A lot.
And it can distress the baby and result in an emergency c-section.
(Speaking from personal experience)

lulumama · 19/05/2007 15:27

secondtime.....i got a portable air conditioning unit from homebase , which was a god send for when i was heavily pregnant .....and then was just the right height for leaning over in early labour ! and of course we use it now!

may , june & july can all be hot months,will 2 weeks really make all that much difference?

BigHotMama · 19/05/2007 15:34

OUCH! I was induced at 42 weeks and swear I'll never put myself through that again with my next one, was soooooo painful and I ended up with C-Section after 2 days of forced labour.
If I were in your position I would definately want nature to play its part and just because you were late with No.1 doesnt mean it will happen again. Know how you will feel as my ds was born in August last year and June was a scorcher, hottest in years I think?.
Good luck and just do what you feel is right for you, I'm sure the doctors will make you feel as comfortasble as the familiar faces you knew. I didnt know anyone at my hospital but had a positive experience there although the birth wasnt how I imagined it.
Sorry for rant!

Gingerbear · 19/05/2007 15:36

Might be worthwhile asking for your cervix to have a Bishop's score done: Bishop's Score
If it is favourable, an induction might be OK.

Original poster

secondtimeround · 19/05/2007 15:49

I'd heard a few people say it was more painful being induced but you have all agreed. So I think I'll wait for nature.

OP posts:

lulumama · 19/05/2007 15:51

good plan! might be early !!

pampam · 19/05/2007 16:16

i was induced at42 weeks it was horrendous, spent 3 days in delivery room first with prostin gel then with oxytocin drip, my uterus was hyperstimulated and i was having pretty much continous contractions with multiple peaks, pain was unbelievable. i ended up with emcs as baby was very distressed and then she had to go to scbu for 12 hours which was awful. I would avoid induction at all costs unless you have a favourable bishops score and you're overdue.

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