yet another question about induction

[AnnVan]

Ladies who've gone overdue, if your cervix was still thick, hard and shut tight like a clam at 6 days overdue, did you go into labour before being induced??

Yes, you have to book two millenia in advance for them don't you.

Anyway, you sound like you have your head screwed on. Don't worry about a section if it goes that way - there's another thread on here that you'll see I've posted loads on someone asking what to pack in her hospital bag for a c-section - she also asked for more info on the op itself so there's lots of helpful stuff on there should it come to that.

I hadn't even set foot inside a hospital ward until I was admitted for induction, so I know how you feel. But I'm a bit wierd, this time round it felt like an adventure..dont ask me why. It was so calm and I was excited and freaked out that In a matter of a couple of hours I would absolutely, definitely have my baby in my arms!

My experience of induction leading to increased intervention, though no epidural or cs (ventouse) was I think partly down to positioning. They were very keen to fasten me to a monitor the whole time, meaning I couldn't choose to move around or not to lie flat on my back.

AnnVan, will be looking out for news of what's happening with you.

Thanks - don't worry I'm not that obsessive about a natural birth, but I am terrified of the idea of c-section, because I've never had any surgery (or even so much as and x-ray) and the idea just freaks me out! I know that baby has at least descended, because the mw said she can't even feel the head any more, just the shoulders! So it's definitely down there.
Didn't do NCT classes, as you have to book so early! we moved to this area too late to do it, and now I'm quite glad I haven't done them.

Akkk! Sorry
Thanks elkiedee, thankfully the mw's I've encountered here are very insistant that they don't want to see ladies on their backs in bed during labour, so hopefully THAT shouldn't be a problem.
Oh well, what happens happens, Que cera cera etc.

Yes, the monitoring is dreadful - and you can't stop staring at it for fear the HR will go down or your contractions will fade away to nothing. Glad you've got sensible MW's.

Hi AnnVan ,

still here too... nearly got browbeaten into agreeing to an induction tomorrow. Very as my MW has been marvellous up to this point but then went all 'policy' on me. Thankfully DH was marvellous, knew I didn't want to and when I got home just gave me the opportunity to talk through what I did want.
So I have agreed with the hospital that I will go in for a check tomorrow and to discuss close monitoring and if nothing happens by Sunday, will go for induction then.
Will let you know what happens after the appt tomorrow but at least I feel like I have some control again - spent a very horrible couple of hours when it felt like it had all been taken away from me.
Hope you are doing ok.

ooh - just read your post about head being fully engaged - fingers crossed things are happening for you as we speak!

I was induced. Actually the NCT classes were fantastic in helping me to understand that (1) being strapped to a monitor and on your back can stress you out and hold up your labour (2) I could argue against this and could not be forced to have monitoring the whole time and (3) delivering on your back is not ideal.
I had prostin and that was all I needed, I had to argue against a drip but once they let me off the monitor I had a very speedy normal birth with no further intervention. Although I didn't have mumsnet so hopefully you have learned those things without needing to sit through the classes! Hope you don't need the induction though... I had effectively no choice (as waters all gone).

now 12 days over, and cervix still thick etc. this baby does not want to shift.

I really feel for you AnnVan, I am only 7 days over and today I had to have a little cry to make myself feel better. I remember feeling really excited at the thought of coming up to my EDD and the prospect of labour, now I feel like everything has been totally marred and that when labour does finally come I won't be interested or excited in the baby etc. It's all complete piffle I know, but even so.

Out of interest, did they offer you an induction earlier than Sat, or is that the first one you were offered? In my area it's normal to have it at +13 apparently....

They wanted to do it tomorrow, but there was no space, so booked for saturday. I'm still thinking that I might not do it though. I think my body is fairly obviously nowhere near ready for labour and I just worry that to try and force it to will cause problems. I think I'm going to ask for a few more days. Really don't know how much more I can put up with though.

Are you in pain at all, or uncomfortable in any way? If not then maybe waiting for an extra couple of days is a good idea, if your body isn't ready then you're right, maybe it's best to give it some extra time. Have you had a MW appt today, is that how you know your cervix is still thick? (What does that mean by the way? I was told mind is soft but still a little long, nothing was mentioned about being thick or thin)

AnnVan I'v been following your thread as I was in the same position as you!

If you are comfortable and feel fine then, and this is only my opinion, I think I'd try and hold off the induction for a little while longer.

I read the bit about c-section though as well, I ended up with an emergency caesarian and it was fine for me, a really positive experience and I would happily have one again.

Not saying that it will happen to you, just to try to reassure that if it does come to that it's really not the end of the world and for many people is a good experience, so please try not to worry.

Fingers crossed that it all kicks off soon though!

Atarixis - ditto to you - I notice you haven't been on tonight hopefully that's a good sign!

No I'm in no pain or anything! had mw appointment today, she just said there was no change. I think Long/thick is pretty much the same thing, but I'm just guessing.

It's very depressing when the MW says that nothing is happening isn't it. Yesterday I really thought that I would have a sweep and that it'd work, so I know how you must feel to be told that you're still not close. At least you are not in pain, as I would hate for you to be this far over and have killer SPD or something.

Have you had any more thoughts on expectant management? I would love to do it, but I don't think I have the balls - I think I just want to go with what the doctors want to do and have it over and done with. In an ideal world I would do expectant management, but I just feel it's going to be a real hassle and there's no telling how long it's going to take.

Lollipop - I do have SPD but not as bad as some ladies I know of. I'm not on crutches or anything. I think I might try and hold off for a few more days, but I don't have to decide until tomorrow. I have to go in for monitoring tomorrow anyway. You're right about how depressing it is when you get told NOTHING is happening. Both times now I've ended up in tears because of it, even though the rest o the week I was really calm.

hello annvan have you had a sweep? I started to go after just a sweep this time, and after just the gel last time...

Have now had two sweeps LOW.

Oh poor you AnnVan, I thought from the way that you were talking that you didn't have any ailments. I am in awe of your dedication if you're thinking of waiting even though you have SPD - I don't have anything and I have decided enough is enough, just due to the disappointment, and because I am just so BORED!

I was GUTTED yesterday when I was told not only was my cervix not looking great, but that what was once a fully engaged baby was now not at all, that was a shock!

I know how you feel. What's really annoying is that my mum is making everything worse. For the most part I'm fine, but as you say when you've just been told no progress, it's depressing. SO I've had two off days in the last two weeks. Despite the fact that I have spoken to her frquently the rest of the time, being upbeat cheerful etc, she now believes that I'm 'living under a cloud of depression' and that I won't cope when baby arrives. FFS I had an off day!!!. No matter how many times I told her I am fine, she kept maundering on about being worried about my attitude blah blahblah. Felt like Ross in Friends repeatin WE WERE ON A BREAK! Really wound me up. Grrrrr.

Oh just tell her to piss off! My mum seems to think I am stupid sometimes, she keeps saying 'ohh well, look at your induction day as your new EDD and you'll be fine'. Errr no I won't, because I'm not farking stupid, I do know that my induction date is two weeks later than my real EDD! But then she's the type that sets her watch to run 5mins fast and actually gets conned by it!

Does everyone still ring to see if you've dropped yet? I was getting calls a couple of days before my EDD right up until about 4 days over, but now pretty much everyone has lost interest again. My DP comes home raging every day that everyone at work is constantly asking whether I've gone into labour and it's driving him mental! I think we should swap places because I was quite liking the attention actually!!

Lollipop - lol at the watch five minutes fast thing - my mum does that too, but up to half and hour fast! She'd always wake me up saying 'you're going to be late it's 7.30' and I'd look at the time and 7.00 etc.
No one's calling, but I've got lots of wall posts on FB asking what's happening. I haven't replied to them yet though!

AnnVan - So, today is the day. Have you decided whether you're going to have the induction or not?

Well, I still don't want the induction, but yesterday when I went in for monitoring, the pressure was really unpleasant, they really tried to bully me into being induced. So now Ireally don't even want to go in for the monitoring. WHat do I do? They're so unpleasant, but I shouldn't miss out on the care I'm entitled to. Why do they just treat people like numbers, instead of realising you're a real person with feelings??

I'm really sorry to hear that AnnVan, my care seems to be the complete opposite and I'm worried they don't give a stuff about me, it seems we have both ends of the spectrum.

You definitely need to go in for monitoring so don't not go, but for you to have an induction you'd actually have to turn up to the induction appointment, so just skip that part if you don't want it. If they are really pushing you into something you don't want to do I would make a complaint, really get angry.

How far over are you now, and is the baby engaged at all?