Avoiding IoL & EMCS

[Sunisshining12]

I’m nearly full term, told today baby’s head isn’t engaged & im not dilated. So they plan to induce at 40+9 or 40+10 if nothing happens.

I have one child who is disabled & relies on DH & I for everything physically. Was induced at 40+9. It was horrendous. The pessary made me feel so ill, I got the shakes & kept fainting. Within an hour on the monitor the baby was in distress & ended up with emcs. Hated the whole experience & found recovery, feeding, pain etc horrendous.

I appreciate some people have positive induction & section experiences but honestly it was the worst experience of my life. Im desperately trying to avoid a section especially with my other child to care for.

They know all this at the hospital. So I suggested waiting until I’m perhaps 12-14 days overdue before induction. They weren’t keen & said the placenta breaks down, baby at risk etc. But ultimately my choice.

So, I guess what I’m asking, is are there any ways to bring on labour naturally post term? What is the longest you would go over before induction? Im going on the assumption that going into labour naturally will increase my chances of a vbac?

The consultant said induction doesn’t increase section rate, but I’ve read so much that would suggest otherwise! I’m so anxious about this now I feel like I can’t stop thinking about it.

I had a failed induction and EMCS with my first, then ELCS with my second as I couldn't cope with the thought of going through it all again. My trust won't induce after you've had a CS previously, although obviously not all are the same.

I don't know about natural ways of inducing labour, but would you consider an ELCS without induction? I don't know how far overdue you're prepared to go, but given that an ELCS is very different from an EMCS (mine was easier and quicker to recover from, presumably because I was prepared and hadn't had to deal with the failed induction) it might be a middle option between VBAC if you go into labour naturally, or another induction and potential EMCS?

Do you have anyone around who could support you and DH if you did have a CS?

Personally (and it is very much based on my own experience) I would refuse an induction altogether and go for an elective c-section. Going 12-14 days overdue means you don't have much time for the induction to work before you're into the danger zone for placenta breaking down - so you'd probably be more likely to end up with another emergency section, for time reasons if not because of other complications.

There's all the old bouncing on a yoga ball/spicy food/sex ways of trying to bring on labour but not sure there's much evidence for any of them.
Good luck, hope it goes okay for you.

I’m going to be induced at 37 weeks so was going to try acupuncture, pineapple juice and long walks.
Dunno if it will help - there are loads of thread on here about bringing on labour. Sperm is supposed to break down the cervix but I’m still annoyed with my husband for getting me pregnant so that’s not an option 😂

Thanks for replies. It’s not the actual section that worries me, I found the procedure fine even in an emcs. The staff were great. It’s the after math. I really really struggled with everything - the pain, the recovery, feeding & ended up with an infection. I couldn’t leave the house for weeks it was such agony.

My child is physically disabled too which puts an enormous amount of stress & pressure on me. My DH is amazing but only gets 2 weeks off. My parents are great and will be around as much as possible but they both work full time & live half hour away. In laws are elderly & we don’t really have much to do with them so I can’t count on them. Friends pretty much work full time & don’t have kids so I wouldn’t say I have a big support network which worries me even more.

Why is it that your trust don’t induce after a previous section dugee I’ve not heard that before? That worries me even more too!

I feel that if I held out as long as possible, eg 14 weeks post term & went into labour naturally then the chance of vbac may be better. But different midwives/consultants say different things?

According to my consultant it was because of the risk of uterine rupture. I've since discovered that there is a different method which could be used but they just choose not to use it where I am.

I think I’m in early labour now so fingers crossed all the worry was for nothing!

Good luck @sunisshining12