Anyone know why they induce early for slightly small baby?

[Dalrymps]

In my area they usually let you go to 42 weeks before induction but i've had a growth scan and they are expecting my baby to be a bit small, not a lot, maybe around 6 to 7lb at the most. Anyway the consultant said to treat it as a normal birth but if i haven't gone in to labour by 10 days over to induce me. I don't really know why this is? Surely if he is expected to be a little small then the longer he is in there the better? Anyone had similar experience or can anyone think of a reason why this has been suggested. I'm 6 days over now and really want to avoid the induction if i can!

My dd was induced a week early becasue she was 'small for dates' and they were worried that the placenta was beginning to fail (plus my bp went through the roof).

There ar lots of tests they can do to make sure, but the risk increases as you go more overdue ..

Yeah I have considered that option but they've done 2 scans and said he is growing at normal rate and they said that means the placenta is fine... I tried asking them why but didn't feel I got a straight answer really . Got an appointment tomorrow so maybe will ask again. Thanks for the advice, i'll double check about the placenta with them

It's your decision to make, not theirs, so if you don't want to be induced, refuse!

Growth scans are notoriously inaccurate! To scan or not to scan: www.homebirth.org.uk/big.htm#2

OK so it's on Homebirth site but I think it's relevant. Overdue:
www.homebirth.org.uk/overdue.htm

Just say NO to induction:
www.kentmidwiferypractice.co.uk/2006/induction.htm
www.radmid.demon.co.uk/induction.htm
www.mother-care.ca/bishop.htm

And as for the small for dates issue have a look at the info here on the Homebirth site and see if it gives you any further questions to ask tomorrow.

Thinking of you!

Dalry, I've had 3 'small' babies - 5lb 11oz, 5lb 9oz and 6lb 8oz. All perfectly well and normal (APGARs of 9 then 10), Born at 40 +9, +3 and +6. (DP btw is 6ft 4 and about 6ft wide too).

Some babies are just meant to be small.
If you are ok, then I would ask for the written medical reason why they want to induce you earlier than normal, esp if you have had doppler scan and placenta is fine. See what the come up with.

The homebirth site is great btw. The decision rests with you. Chances of probs do go up the longer you go overdue, but in many cases this is because something else is going on too. Having a 6lb baby doesn't sound medically unusual to me though...

Chances are though, you will go by yourself - the night before any induction if not earlier lol!

Good luck!

Dalrymps - I think the dr is just trying to be cautious, although 6-7lb is not that small.

There are 2 main types of small baby, apart from prems, firstly the 'small for dates' baby which really just means that you have grown a small baby which has had normal growth throughout pregnancy. This would probably be the category you come into and this is ok.

The other type is an intra uterine growth restricted or IUGR baby, which is a baby which has had reduced amounts of nutrients, most often due to placental reasons, such as PET, placental insufficiency, diabetes etc and is in the lowest 10% of the growth chart.
These babies are at risk in labour and late pregnancy because they do not have good reserves to withstand a long labour, so can sometimes get quite stressed with in labour.

If your consultant was concerned that you fit into the latter group, he would not have let you go home, let alone waiting till 10 days over, so he's obviously not that worried, but if you are going in today, I would suggest asking for a scan to check dopplers and fetal wellbeing, with an estimated fetal weight. If this is all ok, I dont see a problem with waiting until the 42 weeks.

As Lulu would say - get going with the sex, nipple stim etc.......

ditto mintpurple and klaw

best of luck x

Thanks very much for all the onfo and advice guys, those links were really usefull , well i'll see how it goes at the appointment x

I agree with Klaw

I can't tell you how many times the 'scan size' has been wrong either for 'small for date babies' or large babies. I know how much pressure they put you under to induce but it is your choice.

A mummy of mine was told she would have a small 4lb baby, baby born 6lb 7oz how wrong they were. Another mummy told hers would be a 10lb baby she refused induction baby born 7lb 4oz lovely average baby.

The most awful thing was the anxiety and fear they placed on these mums and for no reason. It could have been avoided all they were doing was protecting themselves and not thinking of the effect on the mums

Well it's been a long day but all is well, they monitored the heart rate and though it was ok but were a bit concerned about a few dips here and there so they sent me down to the main hosp and hour away to be monitored again, anyway the consultant at the hosp said the baby seemed very happy and asked why they wanted to induce me fri, i explained they thought baby was small and he said it seemed to be almost average according to the scans, I said i'd rather not be induced until i get to 42 weeks and he agreed this was fine! He said no reason why not to just treat as normal. I agreed to a membrane sweep to see if things would start from that but they made it clear that was up to me and i was happy to have it. Anyway thanks again for the advice, i let them know my concerns about the induction and i have more time to go in to labour naturally now

Wonderful news Dairymps that you have been given time. Good luck, sending lots of positive birth vibes your way

Yeah I know, I feel a lot better now with a bit of the induction pressure off!

You have made the right decision

Way to go Dalrymps!!!!!! Natural induction methods

Go and get as many sweeps as you can get= they are what put me into labour this time....(having a midwife for a friend is very handy !!)

Can I have a wee complain about the language on the kent midwifery website that Klaw linked? Women being induced are like 'lambs to the slaughter'?? It's 'barbaric'??? What dreadful things to say. As for 'compromising long-term health' - this is an incredibly broad and alarming statement with no supporting evidence that I can see.

(I mean this as no reflection on Klaw or other any other poster btw, who are always measured and helpful).

I can see your point Nangnangnang! That's a fair comment but I suppose they are speaking from the experience of having watched far too many inductions as mw and see how barbaric the process can be.

Having read so many birth stories that ended in CS, which started from induction for no other reason than the gestation had got to a certain point, and the women saying how physically and emotionally traumatised they were by the process I can see why the Kent MWs use the language they do....

I accept there are women out there who had a reasonable experience of induction and I think they were fortunate to be favourable to it at the time.

My first birth ended up a section and I had ARM and syntocinon after which I was begging for more pain relief within 15 minutes. I was fortunate that my labour did start spontaneously but augmentation is as bad as induction.

I must try hard not to come over too militant in my anti-induction (for no good medical reason) stance. There are very good medical reasons why induction can help to get a baby birthed when it is better out than in but as the Kent MW say it has become too much the norm.

Hey guys, well it's sunday and i'm still here, after all the extra time and trying every natural method of induction i can, nothing.
Looking likely for induction tomorrow but i've just about accepted the idea now, i've given myself a good chance to go into labour naturally and am really at my wits end from waiting now! I can keep putting it off but don't think it's gonna happen naturally. I've had a show so hopefully will be 'favourable'. Wish me luck for tomorrow

Good luck for tomorrow! btw DD was measured on the small side then came out at 9lbs!

Dalrymps, if your cervix is loosening enough to let go of the mucous plug you could always state that you wish to cancel induction and wait for labour to start spontaneously.... just a thought?

You must do what you think is best for you, listen to your instincts.

sounds like things are getting moving... your cervix is certainlt starting to do what it needs to.. have a feel of it, with clean hands and short nails... a ripe cervix feels like a loosely pursed mouth...

dare i mention lots of sex again??

Yeah well i was having shows for about 3 days following my sweep but not so much today so don't know whether the plug has just finished coming away? will phone and ask the midwives what they think in the morning, was wondering whether i just got the show becuase i had the sweep or whether it was a sign i'm nearly ready? so hard to tell! Because i haven't really had any other signs apart from the show i'm worried i'll keep putting the induction off only to end up having it anyway? so thought it'd be easier just to go for it? think thats what i'm gonna do but it's so hard to be certain when you have no idea when it's gonna happen on it's own.

Dalrymps - whatever you decide I hope it goes really well (and ideally of its own accord). Do let us know .

Klaw - so sorry you had such a miserable experience. I can understand completely your and other people's scepticism about the need for so many inductions and the greater chance of intervention they bring. But as you say there are circs where they're necessary and welcome (eg mine!).

are you having a bloody show? any pains, backache or cramps? can you feel your cervix? if you feeling like the baby is never going to come, then have a lovely warm bath, light some candles, talk to your baby and visualise the birth, get a good nights sleep, and que sera, sera

if you are induced, make sure you walk as much as possible, and use gravity to help.. lying in bed waiting for things to happen is not always as productive as getting up, sitting on the birth ball, pottering up and down the corridor, and you feel like you are doing something

Show wasn't bloody but have read sometimes it just isn't, had quite a lot of it over 3 days though. had back ache and cramps on and off for over 3 weeks so can't really tell from them, a bit too freaked out by the idea of trying to feel my cervix . Had a warm bath last night and litsened to my hypnotherapy cd today whilst visualising the birth so felt a lot more relaxed after that. Yeah i've put in my birth plan i want to stay as mobile as poss so will try my best. just had stomach crampy pain again for abput 10mins but has faded again, never seems to progress into anything, had quite a strong stomach cramp this morining for a few mins but never got any more, thought it might have been a contraction but guess not . Well, as you say que sera sera, i can sit here analysing forever but who knows?

keep rested, hydrated and focus on having your baby soon.. x