Induce labour but avoid PROM

[Kindofcrunchy]

Just musing on this as I've still got a few weeks to go. With my last baby I had PROM and Strep B at 38 weeks and had to be induced 3 times over the course of a weekend. It was stressful, painful and lead to a pretty traumatic ventouse birth and severe PND. I'm 31 weeks with my second now and wondering if, when the time comes, there's a way to get contractions started without prematurely breaking your waters? Is that possible or is it all down to chance?

Sex. Walking. Sex.
Sweep.
I found these most effective. Wish you all the best.

It is called waiting til your baby is ready. Perfectly safe to let babies come at 42/43 weeks in 'most' circumstances. Your baby might come naturally at 37 weeks or you might find it takes til 42/43 weeks. Either way don't be pushed into interventions if they are not necessary. Do some proper research about inductions and how unnecessary most are.

@abmac95 is correct. My suggestions are only if you are passed the overdue mark to get the ball rolling!

I am 33 weeks today! And happy to let my body do it's own thing unless my consultant does want me to have my induction at 37 weeks, this is because my baby is weighing ahead. He was weighing 3-4 weeks ahead in late October and is now weighing 2-3 weeks ahead. And they wouldn't want me to have a difficult delivery.

Dont worry so much, op. Every labour is different and just let your body do its thing. I know you had a tough time first time around , but bearing in mind this is your second baby, this could be different in many ways from the labouring, to the delivery and recovery process. Wish you all the best for your new baby

Although @abmac95 I am in the uk and not sure where you are from, but they usually don't let you go past 42 weeks! As it is dangerous for the baby! Really not heard of many people going at 43 weeks pregnant!

I had two inductions and I don't remember my waters being broken with either. First induction was awful; 36 hours of awfulness followed by weeks of recovery .... just too awful to descibe.

My second induction was required due to my age even though consultant agreed I had no risk factors really. So i planned the heck out of that induction and it went very smoothly. I went for a 3 hour walk after the induction was started (actually DH and i walked to the local shopping centre and went shopping in House of Fraser!). Then when I got back to hospital I used hypnobirthing techniques to keep things moving forward but very calm. I got to 7.5cm dilated on two paracetamol and had to be rushed down to labour on a trolley because the midwife hadnt been observing me and said there was no way I was in active labour as i was "too calm and cheerful". How chuffed was I by that! Obviously calm and cheerful rapidly gave way to mooing and swearing, but my son arrived within two hours.

So my recommendation is to keep walking and moving. If you are facing an induction then ignore the purists who say you can't possibly do hypnobirthing in an induction ward. You definitely can. Plug your headphones in, zone everything else out.

I'm keen to avoid induction this time, but I was told the risk of infection from strep b is high if your waters (naturally) break and labour doesn't start straight away. It's such a minefield and I feel like I did everything wrong the first time, just due to anxiety and pressure from midwives. I was even told by an obstetrician that if I left the hospital without being induced I was at risk of killing my baby.

@SchrodingersKettle you are an absolute superstar. By 4cm I was telling the midwife I will give you a hundred pounds, just give me the bloody gas and air.