INDUCTION ADVICE/HELP ASAP!

[Sunshinefutures]

Just need to vent and would really appreciate your opinions and views on my current situation.

I am currently in hospital on day 6 of an induction! I have pre eclampsia and diabetes and am 39 weeks. My first baby.
Theyve tried everything so far, balloon method, 3 pessaries and now I'm starting yet another round of pessaries. I am still only 1cm dilated so not enough to break my waters and use drip.

If this round of 3 pessaries doesn't work then it'll be C-section which I'm devastated about.

My question is, when do I know enough is enough and just stop this final pessary trial and request a C section?

• The pessary and internal examinations made my vagina really sore/agony so I now have to use numbing gel.
• The pessaries cause contractions yet that doesn't mean I'm dilating or anything. So ofte pain for no reason.
• I've been in hospital for 6 days so far and have to stay for 3 days after birth for baby observations. So will be at least 9/10 days even if I labour now. With only 1 visiting slot a day and little sleep in here.
• My mental health is taking a battering and the excitement is waning.
• I could dilate and labour naturally only to end up in an emergency C-sec anyway.

-if I stop the process now then I can just join the list right away for a c section and stop further delays.

The other side of things however is:

• I've come this far, should I just finish induction? If I stick with it, it'll be 2 more pessaries after today which takes me to tomorrow night. Then I'd have completed the induction process and know for definite it didn't work so there's no what ifs
• if it ends up working then less recovery time.
• I'll experience my birth preference of a natural labour
• if I have a C Sec then obviously recovery takes longer and the risks and stuff associated with infections etc.
• it's only 1 more day, however if tomorrow it doesn't work then I gotta wait a further 24 hours to join the list for a C-Sec, prolonging things further.

I just don't know what to do!
I'm feeling very emotional, fed up and exasperated. I'm in a lot of pain from internals and pessaries and worry that this process may have a knock on affect postnatal.

Please give me your opinions on what you would do?!

Honestly? C section all the way. I understand that you don't want one but honestly I would.

I had a 3 day induction that ended in an extremely traumatic and dangerous delivery. I then next time had an ELCS and the ELCS was an absolutely breeze in comparison in terms of the actual process/delivery and recovery.

I wish you luck whatever you choose but don't get stuck in the vaginal = good, CS = bad/a failure mindset. Just get your baby here as safely as possible for the both of you with as least damage as possible.

Also, if you do end up on the drip, make them put an epidural in at the same time. Trust me on this one.

What is devastating you about the idea of a c/s? Can you go home while you wait? Why are they so sure you need a three day stay with baby (it sounds reasonably likely anyway but odd for them to be so prescriptive before the birth) - are their observation / blood sugar policies all up to date etc?

Just things to think about/ ask your midwife. Very good luck with whatever you go for, there’s been some really positive helpful induction threads on here recently.

Honestly just go for a C Section.
It was sore after but I was up and about within 24 hours and if you keep on top of pain relief you'll be fine.

Reduced the stress of going through an induced labour that may possibly end up in a section anyway.
You'd much rather than an ELCS than an emergency one.
A C section is nothing to be devastated about.

I wish I had been offered a c-section to be honest. I found the induction process awful and would have taken it in a heartbeat 💓

Oh you’ve had a rough ride so far, you must be so fed up now.

Everyone is different but I was in a similar position in that I really wanted a vaginal birth and didn’t know when to call it a day and go for the c-section. I opted for the c-section on day 4 and I didn’t regret my decision for a moment.

I was concerned that I was getting so stressed out that I’d end up needing a c-section anyway and said this to the consultant. I said that I’d read that 25% of births end up in a c-section. He said he reckoned I was past that, probably 1 in 3 and becoming increasingly more likely. During the op, he said,‘you’ve made the right decision, this baby’s head is huge!’

I hope it goes well for you, whatever you choose.

Ahh ladies, you've all made me feel miles better already.

I can't go home until I deliver due to the pre eclampsia, diabetes and blood pressure.

When I first became pregnant I was very open to a C section. Infact I was hoping for one after a few friends horror stories.

When I went under the consultant I asked about a C-Section and was literally shot down. They explained a whole host of scary reasons why a natural birth is better for baby and me and why a C-Sec should only be considered if absolutely necessary.

Due to this I aceepted i would likely have a natural birth and ended up looking into hypnobirthing and the positives of natural birth. My entire pregnancy have been around the fact I'll have a natural birth.

Now that it's not working out for me, I'm struggling to accept a C-Sec. Even up until my pessaries first failed a day ago, the midwives and doctors here were going on about natural births and avoiding C-secs wherever possible.

So now I'm a bit of a lone voice in regards to the C-sec. As it's my first baby I do want reassurance from professionals that this is the right thing for me and my baby before I insist.

However the more I think about everything I'm going through, the more I think back to my original thoughts when I was pregnant of requesting a C-section if I have any issues.

Well I have lots of health issues so maybe I should just go back to that choice and stop putting myself through this hell.

I've just been told that if I stop the induction process now then I'll be scheduled I'm for a C-section but that may take days and days. The midwife said I should stick with the pessary today even though it hurts as it's not like I'll be having a C Sec any time soon?

If you need to be an inpatient it won’t take days as they’ll need the bed back! I really feel they are bullying you into continuing with that threat of a long wait and to what gain I really don’t understand. If you feel done I would call their bluff, get off the ward completely between your monitorings/ obs/ meds and hunker down with headphones or ear plugs at night.

While waiting for your section I mean.

I definitely would go CSection route! Induction can be absolutely brilliant and I speak from experience but if it’s not working after 3 days I would go C Section …again brilliant for me with my other two births. Good luck 💕💐

@watchtheglitterdustswirl

Also, if you do end up on the drip, make them put an epidural in at the same time. Trust me on this one.

I second this!

I feel so sorry for you OP. I know what it's like to feel broken in hospital. If you've really had enough, request the C section. You've been going at it days already you poor thing. Wishing you all the best

Thank you. This experience has definitely taken the excitement and joy away.
It's become less about baby and all about my bloody cervix. I've lost sight of what I'm here for.

Sounds mad but I feel like I'm getting baby blues before I've even had the baby.

So sorry youre in this situation OP.
I had preeclampsia and was told that I would labour quickly because of it?
The first pessary worked in my case and labour was less than an hour and a half.
But i do appreciate not everyone with preeclampsia labours like this.

You are within your right at any point to stop the induction and request a c-sec if that is what you would like?
It really isnt fair to leave you like this indefinately.
I was told i would be given 3 pessaries over 3 days and then move to a different method if it didnt work. Luckily it did.
May have lost sight of it during the thread but have you been offered the rods to stretch your cervix? I was offered but declined it but it may be another option.

At this stage though id be demanding a csection to get the baby born asap.
Preeclampsia is a dangerous scenario (I didmissed the seriousness of it at the time), fannying about like this isnt fair on you or baby.
I hope youre ok.

Ha it will not be days waiting for a CS because they'll want your bed.

With my first birth OP I too did all the NCT, hypnobirthing stuff. It's all well and good IF everything is straightforward. I thought I'd go into labour, it'd hurt a bit but it'd be positive pain and I'd breathe my baby out in a nice pool.

Baby had other ideas.

A vaginal birth is great if everything works as planned. A vaginal birth is categorically not great especially for you if it doesn't. I'll be honest, and I'm not going to give you a horrible story when you're in labour, but the recovery from my rough vaginal (induced) birth was months (yes months) and far far longer than the recovery from my ELCS. I was up and about in a few days after that, a bit sore around the tummy but fine (and I had a toddler to look after as well as my newborn then too). I wish I'd have insisted on a CS with my first.

I really hope whatever happens you have a safe and calm delivery. But please, please get the idea that you must birth in a certain way for it to be a 'good' or right birth/experience. A good birth experience is one in which you're both happy and healthy afterwards. Doesn't matter how it comes about, whatever the books, people or classes say.

Push for the c section. My forced induction was horrendous. Second baby C section, fabulous experience.

Awh thank you all sooo much for your replies.

This has been such a physically and mentally draining experience. It's taken all the joy and excitement out of expecting baby and instead of thinking about my baby, I'm obsessing over my bloody cervix.

I've decided that I'm going to decline any further pessaries and request a C-section tomorrow morning.

I have tried my absolute hardest to do as they say and have a natural birth. But now it's making me poorly both mentally and physically.

The midwife has said that I will be put on a waiting list for a C-section though so I may still be waiting days for baby to be here whilst stuck in the hospital.

I'm going to really hammer home to the consultant that I need baby out ASAP not just due to my physical conditions/pre eclampsia/diabetes, but also my mental health. I'm scared it's going to affect my bond with the baby.

@watchtheglitterdustswirl do you think so?
Everytime I ask about C-sec they say "it depends when we have availability, we're very busy so it won't be quick"

I find that confusing as I'm in hospital due to needing baby out. Yet they seem to want to prolong this induction due to not having beds on the labour ward so it seems easier to keep me here on the induction ward.

I find it surprising that you would need to wait days for a c-section. I am hoping to do a similar thing - try for induction but refuse the drip (as an epidural may not work and I don't want to risk that) and then flip to a CS. It hadn't crossed my mind that I might be waiting days. My midwife hasn't indicated that to me and as others have said, they will want the bed. Plus, if you or your baby are in distress (and you are getting anxiety which they need to pay attention to) then surely they can fit you in...

I suspect I'll be shot down for this on Mumsnet, but stop talking to midwives and ask to speak to the consultant, or at least a senior registrar, and get his/her advice on what you should do. Midwives so often seem to be obsessed with having a natural birth beyond all sense and reason.

But broadly, I agree with the others. A planned section sounds like the way to go at this point.

@SummerInSun

I suspect I'll be shot down for this on Mumsnet, but stop talking to midwives and ask to speak to the consultant, or at least a senior registrar, and get his/her advice on what you should do. Midwives so often seem to be obsessed with having a natural birth beyond all sense and reason.

But broadly, I agree with the others. A planned section sounds like the way to go at this point.

I agree with this.

Most midwives are wonderful, but I have found that they lean away from and discourage CS a lot, explaining dire warnings of the risks. Of course there are risks with a CS but there are also numerous risks with a vaginal birth (which they conveniently avoid telling you!) especially an induced one. They also avoid telling you that the majority of the CS risks are to the mum, not to the baby.

They certainly did with me anyway, totally to my detriment (and to my baby's). I would also be speaking to a consultant.

Good luck OP. I hope your baby is safely in your arms soon and you can put all this behind you.