Induction and general birth questions

[youknownuthinjonsnuh]

I have a few different questions but instead of spamming with multiple childbirth threads I’ll post them all on this one.

1- how soon after going overdue do you get booked in for induction? Looking on the nhs website at “your antenatal appointments” info and it says they will “discuss the options and choices” at 41 week app, so does this mean you get booked in days after? A week after?

2- anyone that’s had to have interventions - have you been able to have a say in whether ventouse or forceps get used or do they just go ahead and pick and do it without your input?

3- I’m terrified of the thought of a catheter. People that have had an epidural - have you had to have a catheter, and if so, when did they take it out? And was it hard to wee after? I’m hoping they will remove it before the epidural wears off.

I feel like I have a million questions but will start with these ones as I get nervous about posting on here too much

1. Not sure as I was booked for an earlier induction but I would think it’s around then as inductions usually happen once you’ve hit 41+5.

1. They always keep you informed about what is going on - I did find it much more “we’re going to do this” than asking but by that point I didn’t care what they did as long as the baby was out 😂

1. Catheter is needed if you get an epidural as you won’t really be able to move much and the numbness spreads down into bladder etc. Mine actually dislodged in my sleep after birth. I remember waking up needing to pee, midwife didn’t believe me but since it had been long enough the epidural had worn off she removed it (felt something being pulled out of there but it wasn’t painful or uncomfortable) and I wee’d straight after - I didn’t have any pain, it maybe felt a little wider and strange but being thrust into motherhood and dealing with the pain of a c-section distracted from that 😂

Hello I’ll start by saying everyone is different!!

1. I think the guidance has now changed to recommend you deliver by 41 weeks. In practice, a day or two is unlikely to make a lot of difference - I delayed induction by 3 days as I had a chest infection and wanted to give the antibiotics time to kick in a bit so was induced at 41 + 3 for my second. It does depend how your baby is - they will recommend earlier induction for gestational diabetes and may recommend it if you have reduced movements or they have concerns about placenta.

2. I had ventouse, then forceps, then EMCS for my first, then forceps for my second. The doctors will make a recommendation based on the position of the baby and should ask for consent. In practice, if they’re recommending instruments I’m afraid your options are very limited as baby is often too far down for EMCS and it is probably safer at that point to use instruments to get baby out rather than go to theatre and potentially have to pull baby back up (if that’s even possible which it might not be). It’s likely that baby is in distress in some way if instruments are being recommended and they urgently need to be delivered. It’s not very nice but it’s over quickly and you can have pain relief.

3. yes I had a catheter with an epidural and EMCS, in all honesty it’s the least of your worries! It was no problem going for a wee afterwards and they’ll monitor this to make sure you’re not retaining urine.

If you’re v nervous speak to your midwife, she’ll be able to answer any questions and help you make a plan for any eventuality which might happen!

I was also induced early but I think they start talking about it at 41 and wanting to book you in.

I had forceps in theatre. If it helps that birth was a trillion times better than my "quick, natural" one.

I had a catheter with the forceps birth. Accidentally walked away from my bed, which had the pee bag hanging on it, and pulled it half out so they removed it. I don't recommend this!!

From my limited experience..

1. they start discussing induction from 41 weeks. But baby is classed as full term by 37 weeks so can be delivered any time from here onwards should there be any cause for concern. I was induced at 38 weeks.

2. if interventions are needed they will ask/tell you because you have to be informed and give consent. But in the cases where forceps are needed its more of an emergency and its best to let the professionals guide you.

3. i had a catheter and no epidural. It was placed as i haemorrhaged and they wanted me still for several hours. It was placed fully conscious and removed later that evening. It was uncomfortable going in and they advised i use gas and air for it as everything down there was sore. Once it was removed i could urinate perfectly fine. The first 4 wees i did after the catheter removal had to be collected in a bowl for the nurses to monitor my output. If it was low they put the catheter back in. I just made sure i drank alot.

Everyone is different.

1, At 40 week they booked me in on a if nothing happens by 41 weeks come in.
My second was more high risk, at my 38 week appointment they booked me in for due date

2, Don't know.

3, Been catherised twice, once due to an operation and after baby2 and a hemorrhage. I can't actually remember them putting it in but was fine after it.

1. Think guidance has changed so they recommend inducing earlier now? I was induced at 38 weeks as placenta deteriorates earlier as I had diabetes.
2. They should ask your consent - I'd put that I'd prefer a CS to an instrumental birth but I suspect it wouldn't have made much difference if it had come to that as the baby is far down and there isn't much time of it gets to that. The only way to definitely avoid forceps etc is to have an ELCS. I got DD with an episiotomy and mcroberts procedure but no instruments.
3. yes you have a catheter for an epidural as you won't be able to feel when you need to wee. Mine came out following day. I couldn't feel it at all and it didn't bother me (and I'm the sort of person who is totally squeamish about anything like that!). They put it in once you're numb so you don't feel it going in.

1. My induction was booked in ages in advance "just in case" by my midwife, at my trust it's at 41+5. It was booked in when I was only about 38 weeks I think! In the end I went into labour naturally at 41+4 anyway, DS obviously wanted to keep me hanging on as long as possible

1. I ended up with an EMCS so can't answer this one unfortunately! But I will say that everything they did was explained to me properly and I was always asked for consent, e.g. for vaginal examinations, for the monitor being attached to DS' scalp etc.

1. I had a catheter for the EMCS and it was totally fine. They took it out about 6 hours ish after surgery when I was encouraged to try and get up and walk around. I had no problems at all with weeing afterwards and it wasn't painful having the catheter removed or anything.

Good luck

1. I am not sure as I had mine earlier due to gestational diabetes, however even with induction there are a range of steps and methods they take and it doesn't always happen immediately. With mine, they did a sweep first and then when that didn't work the next day they started with a pessary. I had multiple attempts at induction and the whole process took 5 nights before I went into labour.

2. I don't think you get much say (I didn't) as it depends on the situation - baby's position and how much of an emergency it is.

3. catheter will honestly be the least of your concerns. I had one. Didn't even realise I had it in. Didn't feel it being put in and was on a lot of pain medication when it came out.

Don't k is about number 1. I was induced but at 38.5 weeks.

1. I had intervention with my first (forceps). I didn't get to choose but they did ask my permission (I may have even had to sign something?) but I was told it was necessary as the baby was distressed so I just rolled with it. I had an episiotomy too. I was quite lucky, my recovery wasn't too bad. I was of course uncomfortable for a few weeks but I made sure I looked after myself and took it easy.

1. I had epidurals with both. They put the catheter in once you've had it so you don't feel it. Tbh, I didn't even notice it was there. They did empty it I think but it was all quite discrete. When they take it out, it wasn't uncomfortable and weeing wasn't a problem (it's the post birth poo you have to worry about lol!).

Hope that helps! Good luck!!

1. you do not have to be booked in for an induction at all. It is optional. A lot of consultants like to present is as fact but it is not. You are perfectly fine to just see how it goes. Take it day by day etc. You will be offered monitoring which means you go and see them every day / every other day whilst you wait for baby to get a wriggle on.
   If you want the certainty of induction then you can discuss this with your midwife but it is completely optional.

2. it’s likely that if you need assisted delivery then the consultant is going to tell you what is appropriate. I had forceps with one of mine, it felt weird but it was over in 30 seconds and out popped baby.

3. yes had a catheter and when they took it out I didn’t even feel it. I was waiting for something incredibly painful to happen and nurse said “all done” - I hadn’t even realised she’d started.

Good luck, don’t overthink it, your body knows what to do! And if by chance you do need a bit of help then it’s there for you

1. Not sure. Never gotten that far as my induction was early. I think everyone I know who went overdue had the induction booked at 40 weeks for 41+ weeks. 41 might be more for checking you still want to go ahead with the induction, or alternatives if you don't want to. Or to book one if you refused at 40 weeks.

2. No. The choice of which instrument is used is based on position of the baby, and how high up baby is. They should say which kind they're planning to use (i.e. ventouse, kiwi, forceps) as part of consent.

3. Not had an epidural myself, but through my job, not always. Or at least the women who come to theatre with an epidural don't always have one inserted. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're not intermittently catheterised (temporary catheter inserted purely to drain the bladder then removed) in the room. If you have anything stronger than an basic epidural, then yes, you will need a catheter put in. But they're inserted after you're numbed.

1. induction was discussed at 40 weeks both times. I didn't really entertain it with my first. He arrived spontaneously at 40+6. I agreed to booking an induction at 41+5 with my second only because I had childcare to consider and wanted a plan in advance. Not needed as he arrived spontaneously at 40+4.

2. if they recommend instruments, they basically just tell you what is recommended although I did need to sign written consent including for a c section. I had forceps with my first which wouldn't have been my choice but it was absolutely the right decision in the circumstances.

3. you will likely need a catheter with an epidural but they insert it after you're numbed. I was a bit battered after having DS1 so it was actually a god send not needing to get up to pee. I think they took it out after 24 hours as I had a PPH so stayed for monitoring. No problems peeing after it came out.