Overdue and scared - induction vs ELCS?!

[LadyOttoline]

Apologies in advance for the ‘woe is me’ flavour to this post. I’m 41 weeks today. My cervix was allegedly showing some softness on Thursday at my sweep, which proved itself to be ineffective, but my days are numbered until my induction - it’s Wednesday.

Stupidly I never gave inductions much thought before now; but the girls on my antenatal course who had them ended up in labour for days, concluding with an emergency c section anyway. I have a very low pain threshold (will be getting that epidural immediately whatever birth I have!) and the thought of induction horrors is filling me with dread.

On the flip side, everyone I know who’s had a c section said they were easy, calm and better to recover from that popular discourse dictates. Am I nuts to request a section instead of induction?

I should point out I’ve gone private so the decision will be in my hands, but I do know a c section is major surgery with its own risks etc.

Any advice would be marvellous as I’m getting so anxious. X

I’ve given birth 3 times, 1st at 37 weeks, 2nd at 38 weeks and the 3rd being induced at 41+5, and I have to say that the induction was my easiest labour and birth out of all 3. You’ll only really hear the horror stories online.

Absolutely no help but my dm was induced with me. I was born in about 4 hours flat with no pain relief because she couldn't figure out how the gas & air worked.

I've had 2 emergency sections (one all alarms shrieking/room full of people and one more of an elective emergency) and bounced back exceedingly fast with both to the point of not needing any pain relief once the spinal wore off.

Could you start with the induction to see if like my dm and HalfBlood, you are one of those it works for but set a time limit you are happy with on the process to swap to a semi elective section.

It is a help! Thank you. I do think that’s a great idea. Having spoken to my obstetrician on the phone he seems to think I should just go for a section as there’s a space on Wednesday night, and if the little guy comes before then to progress with normal labour. I do feel like a weight has been lifted - am probably a wuss for fearing inductions but as someone said to me recently, you don’t get any medals in childbirth so I’m going with what I’m comfortable with. Thank you again for such a good suggestion though!

I had the choice of induction or elcs for my DTs, and went with the section (DT2 was breech). I’ve never had a vaginal birth so nothing to compare to, but my elcs was very calm, organised and cheerful. Recovery was much better and easier than I thought it would be. Good luck whichever way you decide!