Would they induce me for this?

[mylittlenugget]

Hi I'm 29 weeks and 5 days pregnant with my first and I've honestly just had an awful pregnancy. I've had really bad spd since about 15 weeks meaning I've struggled to walk but no one will sign me off work so it's just being made worse. I've had horrendous pains constantly, multiple fears of early labour and possible preeclampsia. And I'm just so done now.
I cry most days because of how much pain I'm in, and there are 70 year olds overtaking me now - a 15 minute walk home took me over 40 minutes yesterday because of how slow I am.
Is there any chance i could be induced early does anyone think? I'm not asking to be induced now because baby still needs to grow but I'm thinking around week 36 maybe to be induced? Don't want to ask the midwife and look stupid because it isn't possible but if there is hope I'll ask her at my next appointment.

(Not medical)

I’m not sure the pessary will work effectively at 36 weeks, mine was less than effective at 40 weeks but luckily I was already slightly dilated so they could pierce my waters. I had pre-eclampsia but controlled on the drugs so avoided being admitted until due date. Baby was 2 days over.

If your suffering that much you need to push for better medical care and support, they may well admit you for bed rest especially if you have pre-eclampsia.

Congratulations and I’m sorry it’s been so difficult so far

They haven't diagnosed preeclampsia - didn't make that clear sorry! They just thought I might at one point and are still a bit worried about me and so keeping an extra eye on things.
I just can't imagine going through another two months of this - honestly even six weeks terrifies me but at least id have a better idea of when the end is.
I'm going to ask for another physio appointment to see if they can do anything else besides the exercises which just make it worse but I don't see how anything is going to work now. I was doubled over in pain in the middle of the (thankfully quiet) road today as I simply could not move.
Thank you for sharing your experience though, maybe something else can be done to help me

If induction isn't likely to work are sweeps?

It really depends on the individual hospital. The one I trained in, you would stand no chance. My current hospital would if it was bad enough. I don't think any obstetrician wpuld say yes at 36 weeks as this is still pre term and you are risking your little one spending time in the neonatal unit (Although most 36 week babies are fine). I think the earliest you could hope for is 38 weeks. Babies still do a lot of developing in the last few weeks so there is more of a push at the moment to avoid inductions before 39 weeks.

Why is no one signing you off work?!!! I don't understand how an early induction could possibly be a better solution. Can you see other GPs and explain this is something you're now considering. I deffo got signed off when I had SPD

If induction isn't likely to work are sweeps?

A sweep only works if your body is ready to go into labour. It’s why they are only offered from 40 weeks.

I think you need to go back to your GP and ask for a physio referral and explain how bad your PGP is.

If you have preeclampsia, this won’t be the case but otherwise I think you will struggle to find a doctor who will induce you before 37 weeks and even that is unlikely considering how lacking in support about your PGP your HCP are currently being.

Have you done a risk assessment at work? Is working from home an option?

Also inductions, I understand are more painful than spontaneous labour therefore more likely to lead to epidurals. This could also mean you end up in positions that are placing more pressure on your pelvis without having the pain feedback (or that's at least what I was advised by midwives)

I think that’s very unprofessional and scaremongering of your midwife @ThatsTheLastISawOfHim.

Thank you. I thought baby was more just fattening up now so I clearly need to do more research i knew 36 weeks wasn't to term but I figured cos 37 is it couldn't make much difference, but if it does I won't even request it. I'm just going to have to suffer for ten weeks as I know the end result will be worth it

You need proper treatment for your SPD, take a week off and rest rest rest. Insist on a referral and to be signed off for a few weeks by your GP.

Research the NICE guidelines and take a copy to your appointment with you.

I found an amazing osteopath which I meant I was able to ditch the crutches.

I work in a nursery so working from home isn't an option, and I'm trying to take it easy but it isn't always possible with babies who can't understand that jumping on me isn't okay anymore.
I'm making another physio appointment first thing in the morning so maybe they can do more than they did in the first appointment.
No idea why they don't want to sign me off, it might be because i last saw someone was at 26/27 weeks so maybe they thought it was too early or it might have made it worse?

The only real treatment for SPD is rest, no walking, no lifting proper full rest.

If that's the only treatment I'm really upset they didn't recommend that by cutting down on hours or signing me off (I have cut down on hours anyway as thankfully my work are flexible but I can't leave completely without being signed off or going on maternity leave earlier which isn't really possible). Instead they recommended the opposite, I was told to keep walking for well over an hour every day, and to keep working as normal with regular periods of sitting down and walking, and no mention of picking children up was actually made but work did say about that during the risk assessment. Can't believe all this pain and the mental health issues caused by it could have and probably should have been prevented.

I was on crutches by 28 weeks (first time I could get a one to one physio who recommended it but probably should have earlier). I was then signed off at 30 weeks. By 32 weeks it was all psychologically a bit easier to deal with. The end was in sight, despite going to 40+5.

It's tough going, physically obviously, but maybe mentally more so. Be kind to yourself where you can. I promise the mental side of things will get easier as arrival gets closer!! But rest may help with that too. Honestly, I could barely get to the kitchen in the end. Conserve walking for things that really matter! Get shopping delivered etc...

I had spd too and took statutory maternity from 33 weeks. Maybe do that? I was also induced but thankfully at full term....id do all you can to get to term as although spd is really horrible seeing your baby in NICU would be worse
Induction is not great either...honestly its the snowball of intervention.

Have you asked your GP directly about reducing your hours (fit note) or being signed off completely for a period to recover. You could also start maternity leave now you’re at 29 weeks.

Maybe part of why I'm struggling is that July seems so far away and I could end up going over which takes me into almost August.
I think I'm just going to have to beg to be signed off otherwise I still have to walk to work and back six times a week, and be on my feet all day on top of that.
I'm also getting Braxton Hicks regularly (my friend believes it's early labour but it doesn't feel like it is) so that adds to the pain every day.
I think my partners getting a bit fed up of me taking so long to do anything and being restricted in what I can do but he's still being sweet and helping out as much as possible bless him.

My GP is very unsympathetic and I don't think would help me. Im planning to go on maternity leave early June so only 5 weeks left but even five weeks seems like forever. Im on low hours too so I feel stupid complaining about what I do have to do

I know it’s to avoid the pain now but I’m having to go back to work due to financial reasons and I really don’t feel ready at all. So starting maternity leave early wouldn’t be my plan (I delayed until 38 weeks) just so I could stay off longer with baby.

This might not be relevant to you and your situation but if you could stop GP to get one who isn’t being quite so (jerkish) unsympathetic to sign you off, or get referred to a consultant?

I think that's going to have to be my plan of action @MrsGrannyWeatherwax it doesn't actually make any difference to how long I take off if I go early as I'm not taking a full year and I'm not getting any kind of maternity money. Because of my job role I could also tell my manager I'm simply not coming back after this Friday but they're so short staffed if I leave nobody gets a break and the ratios don't work staff to children wise so I'd feel really guilty. Honestly I'm happy with the guilt if it makes me better but I can't afford to not work without benefits and universal credits won't give me anything if they don't have anything saying I cannot work

I was induced due to severe spd - pain from 12 weeks and on crutches from 22 weeks - and the earliest they would book me in was 39+3. The pessaries didn't do much for me, as I kept getting told cos I was so early, I ended up having an epidural and 3rd degree tear but the actual labour part was ok! My biggest issue was my spd didn't clear up immediately like I'd been assured by so many! So please don't be disappointed if it takes you a bit longer to recover. It takes 9 months to grow them so take your time.

Oh no I'd been reassured by everyone that it clears up straight away too! I'll obviously have to cope if it doesn't but had been counting on it a little. It makes sense though, our stomachs don't go flat straight away so how could the bones sort themselves out again straight away!

My sympathies OP, it sounds really difficult

I don’t have any helpful advice beyond what others have said, but just to reiterate that inductions don’t take place before 39 weeks unless there is a medical necessity to do so (eg baby in distress, losing too much amniotic fluid, pre-eclampsia). This is because whilst the baby may be relatively big before that, and can be supported outside of the womb from earlier (with appropriate NICU/neonatal support), as far as I understand the lungs/independent breathing are not as fully developed so it is preferable to induce from 39 weeks if an earlier birth is not medically necessary.

That makes total sense and my priority is definitely the baby so I won't hope for an early labour even if she's technically to term (that's 37 weeks isn't it? Or am I totally clueless on pregnancy and shouldn't actually be having a child because of how clueless I am?). I definitely don't want to go over but again I guess I can't change it if I do.
Plan of action for the morning is make a semi urgent physio appointment to see what they can do, if I still can't get signed off I'll just ask for a meeting with my manager and request to go on maternity leave earlier and I'll just survive the financial hit. In the meantime between appointment and possible meeting I'll be doing even less at work and buying some of those deep heat pads to see if they can do anything (although hot water bottles don't so I guess that's stupid hoping)

I didn’t struggle with SPD at all so feel v unhelpful right now but my employers were great when my various sickness / blood pressure / growth demanded extra medical appointments. I hope that yours can support you a little bit longer until you can get a fitness to work note or signed off. And maybe really relax at home, do nothing as much as possible.