Anyone had expectant management after 42 weeks ?

[littleoldme]

I'm 38 + 5 and gearing myself up for a long one. If all is well I am desperate not to be induced.

Was wondering if anyone had gone over 42 weeks and what your experiences are.

Why don't you want to be induced?

Hi,i went to 19 days over and 21 days over because my first dc had been a c-section which meaant my options for induction were limited to start with i.e i could inly have 1 dose of gel and if that didn't work i would have to have a c-section. With ds1 i was induced at 19 days after due date and luckily it worked. I was scaned and checked regularly from 42 wks. With ds2 i was brave enough to say no for longer as i decided that i was probally just someone who carried for longer. At 21 days past due date i went into labour and he was born 2 hrs later. I always said that if there was any doubt about babies safety i would go right in but they were both fine. Ds2 didn't even look late. Incidently,my 1st dd was a c-section at 34 wks because of pre-eclampsia and dd2 was a week early. Bloody boys!

I went to 42 weeks before I succumbed to an induction (didn't want one either) - it failed and I had a c-section. (Sorry, not the most encouraging story, is it?!)

However, I can understand you not wanting an induction, and it is your choice. You will find that there is increasing pressure from the docs and midwives to go for induction once you pass 40-41 weeks. It's still your call, though. The most important thing is to stay well informed, which is easier said than done in some NHS hospitals. I was given a range of conflicting reasons for why I had to be induced by the midwives and doctors at my hospital, and in retrospect, it makes me quite angry that nobody told me that it was all 100% opinion, speculation and 'maybes'. I was being told things as if they were fact, rather than warned/informed of the consequences of certain decisions I may make.

Basically, if it gets to the stage where you are past 40 weeks gestation and you are still adamant that you don't want an induction unless for medical reasons, you will have to be willing to stick to your guns, and it won't hurt if you are well read on the subject and can fire back a few facts of your own at the docs!

Well, imho, if you prepare for the long haul you'll be surprised by a nice timely birth!

I refused to be induced after doing my own research. I am a VBACer and was worried about the increased risks and also because I rarely hear a positive tale about induction...

I had just cancelled induction booked for 42wks and was talking options with registrar.
I used discrepancy between my lmp and scan dates to argue my case for waiting, but agreed to Expectant Management from 42+1 (scan).

As it was I went into labour that night and gave birth the next day at 42+1 (or 40+6 lmp).

There are more than a few of us on the VBAC board I use that have gone past 42wks and it's about listening to your body, trusting your instincts, knowing about childbirth and being very aware of ALL the risks involved, thereby making an informed decision.

Contrary to the way that HCPs often make us feel, no mother risks her baby for no good reason. If there was anything worrying us we go straight in for medical opinion.

As LAG said it's a pity we are not all given all the information as responsible adults and allowed to make our own informed decisions.

Childbirth is not an illness and we are not children.

Sorry, best take my soapbox away with me.... >

Thanks for all your helpful advice, I really appreciate it.

I want to be in hospital for the delivery but the thought of starting labour in hosp , possibly at night and without my Dh is more than I can stand.

I don't understand why you can't be given Prostin gel and sent home. Surely you are more likey to go into. Labour in a familiar safe environment.

good job sainsbury's have an offer on pineapple at the mo.

littleoldme - I felt the same as you. I was given four prostin pessaries while in hospital, but I was basically lying in bed, strapped to a monitor most of the time, and I really feel now that it would have been better if I had been allowed home - to move around freely, live my life normally and see what my body was going to do naturally.

I am all for medical monitoring in women that go overdue and would have had no objections to being monitored daily at the midwife's clinic or GP or whatever, but unfortunately this was never presented as an option to me.

I agree with Klaw 100% - no right-minded mother would refuse an induction or any other procedure if she thought her baby might be at risk. But having an induction because there are signs that the amniotic fluid is depleted or that the baby is in distress is a very different thing to being induced simply because you have gone past some rigid dates that don't always reflect nature's way and certainly aren't always 'accurate' anyway.

Littleoldme, unfortunately the induction process is not as simple as it sounds.

Bear in mind a pregnancy is considered 'Term' between 37 and 42 completed weeks. I am also 38 weeks and was told by the docotr that i would be induced at 40 weeks and 10 days. Little does she know that if baby doesn't come by then then i will wait. Being my first pregnancy i don't expect LO to be born untill the second week of December anyway. I am hoping to be surprised though

Either way it is your choice. You can have expectant management, or a 'sweep', there are more natural ways to encourage you to go into labour - i am sure some one who is more technically minded can link you to a website.

I was induced with 3 out of 4 pregnancies. Have to say it was fine for me every time. Was only given gel the 1st time, other twice my waters were broken and labour commenced within 2 mins each time! My labours were also very quick. I was encouraged to walk around (although i never did!). I hear people quoting horror stories after being induced but i really think its how your body would react even if you went into labour naturally. Like i said my inductions were all fab.

i went 18 days overdue by my lmp. if you took my scan date, i was about 23 days overdue. However, i knew my conception date, so held out despite all hospital scare tactics & shorty was born completely naturally at 42 weeks bang on from conception date.

of course if i'd felt there was any risk, i would've been monitored, but i knew in my gut that things were great. they didn't like me at the hosp though, i refused to be strapped to a monitor or a bed & spent my entire labour on my feet. Made it to 6cm at home though, and did the whole thing on 2 paracetamol.

i think you have to trust your instincts but be prepared to place yourself in their hands SHOULD anything go awry. Best of British to ya !

Thanks girls. I feel much more confident about holding out now I know others have.

Of course if there was any sign that LO was in danger I'd do whatever needed to be done.

Frazzled - It's really heartening to read a positive induction story.

Tea - If you fancy hopping the NOV antethread and letting me know how get on , that would be great. I would be good to have a partner in flouting medical advice

Once your gel is in - thats it. you cant take it out. And fwiw I had 2 awful experiences of induction, although i know ita not always the case.

in my experience and thae of my friends most inductions = epidural - emcs.

This isnt a statistic, although i know they are quite high, just my experience.

can you not just take each day as it comes?

I went to 43 weeks pregnancy with plenty of scans and monitoring past 42 weeks to make sure baby was safe. My consultant said this was fine and that there shouldn't be any increased risk to baby with the extra monitoring. Ended up being induced at 43 weeks, though I reckon baby would have been bornwithin a day anyway. Just had 2 doses of the prostin to get me going and had a v rapid labour after that! Being induced with the prostin is fine, the bit that isn't so fun is being on the antenatal ward.
Good luck and hope you go into labour naturally.
S x

Shagee - Sounds like you had a very positive experience. Was there a prob at 43 weeks or had you just had enough?

i went 43.5 weeks with dc2 ,i was not induced and it was a very easy and quick birth good luck

Sounds like you're worried about tht first night in without DH. I was too but found it to be fine. I was happier knowing I was 'settled in' nto the ward rather having to go home then back again. I did exactly as I would of at home:tv, walked around, chatted on phone, ate toast and knew that if help was needed I was in right place.

Good luck - you'll be grand what ever you choose!

i recently went 23 days over with my third baby...i was hoping for a homebirth but waters broke the tues before birth[fri] and i ended getting g an infection as waters had been lost so many days before..doesnt always happen may i point out though.. i had scans and monitoring daily for the last 10 days and lots of consultants scaremongering me into what may happen..stand your ground and be firm from the beginning why you re not going to be induced ..once they knew there was no way i was going to be induced they backed off apart from one consultant who tried to bully me into an induction but thats another story!! i was 19 days late with my first[boy] and 10 days late with my dd so im destined to have late babies .i myself was 2weeks late and my brother was 3 weeks late plus all my brothers children were at least two weeks late so it must be genetic and when i pointed this out to drs and asked them whether any research had been done on this matter they said no because normally mothers didnt go over 10 days late by choice[or bullying i f you ask me!] if you wan tany support or someone to talk to about this contact me ..ive gone through this and come out the other side!! according to consultants im very stubborn and one consultant even said if i didnt get induced by three weeks i was risking his career if anything went wrong!! can you believe the audacity of him..egocentric or what aaaggghh!! once i heard that i said i didnt want to deal with him anymore and the midwives were brilliant and supportive and when i did go into labour they actually kept him out of the room..tee hee..good old midwives heh...well enough ranting but stick to your guns and dont let them bully you into doing anything you don t feel right with ..calmly listen to their rantings and walk out smiling knowing youre going to do what you want ... canyoutell how much iwanted it to be naturalsorry its so long but go girl

I was induced at 41+5, one dose of gel, contractions started after a couple of hours. unfortunately, I ended up with placental abruption and emergency CS - this is why they don't allow you to go home after induction has started as they need to monitor you fairly often. I dread to think what would have happened if I had gone home after induction had started. Also, I was told that my placenta had started to degrade anyway when they were looking at it during the section. Basically DD was ready to come out, my body just hadn't got around to it.
A lot of my friends have been induced and it has been a quick labour and natural delivery thereafter. Luck of the draw I suppose

I remember coming out of the doctors in tears as they said I was putting my baby at such risk by not being induced at 42 weeks. I felt fine and I felt like baby was doing well so I stuck to my guns. THe fact that they alway kept changing my due date made me skeptical about the timings! Anyway I listened to my body and I said no. That night I went into labour naturally and all was fine. My point is only you know your body so listen to it and make your mind up.

I was induced at 42 wks with ds1; they said I could wait if I went in for monitoring every day, but since we didn't have a car I decided to go for the induction. Must say I wish I hadn't in retrospect! 2nd time round refused induction; had a sweep at 41 which did nothing. They were happy for me to go to 43 wks if I wanted, then they'd want to very closely monitor, but had him naturally at 41+3. My family seem to go for 42 week preganancies. Since the natural term is 38-42, 42 isn't actually 'over' at all, just in the normal span.

I was late with all 3 children, by 9 days though it felt like an eternity.

Whilst it is great to listen to your body and not to be induced, they do advise 42 weeks max for a reason.

The placenta does begin to degrade and I know 2 people who have had babies who are handicapped due to being overdue.

I thought it better to have a stretch and sweep, which luckily worked for me, and if it haddn't, to be induced, rather than risk the baby.

Its important to hear both sides.

All the very best of luck.

in France, the standard gestation period is 40 weeks which is much more realistic.

oh and by the way all of mine were 'late', i've got three children.

induced once and threatened with cesarian twice, nothing like the threat of a cesarian to make you push!

May I ask, what reasons do they give to try to persuade you to be induced? Is it just that the placenta might start to degrade or other reasons too? Can they tell from expectant management if the placenta is starting to degrade and how long would you have until this became a problem?

I'd second Casbie!

DS was emergency Section after failure to progress following induction at 40+10 by scan dates. Baby didn't particularly look overdue - wrinkly hands but loads of lanugo hair and vernix. Placenta fine, showed no signs of age.

DD born a week ago VBAC 40+12 by scan. Went into spontaneous labour Saturday 6pm after speedmarching through shopping centre doing panic Xmas shopping because I'd assumed I would not be driving after elective section booked for the Tues morning (40+13).

I figure I just cook them for longer. DD was a little wrinkly overdone but again, placenta in pretty good nick.

I'd say go with expectant management if you want to - you know what you want and what works for you. But definitely get your dates checked by scan if you aren't absolutely sure. DS would have been 40+20 by LMP, DD 40+22 LMP, 40+15 conception. As I've said before on these threads, sperm and egg hang around my uterus getting to know each other, going out for dinner, theatre etc before deciding on a long term relationship!

Stripey - LOL at sperm and egg dating

Thomas - Thanks, you are right, it is important to consider all sides.

Thanks for all your advice. Hopefully he'll pop out before it becomes an issue