SIL wants home birth, but is 41 weeks plus 3 days - any choice?

[scoutandjem]

Please help, my SIL has two DD both of whom she had at home with no probs. this is the only feasible option as she is agraphobic and has panic attackes in unfamiliar environments. She had sweep yesterday but this has had no effect and she was told she has to be induced in the hospital this Monday. She is getting in a real tizz about this. She can't be forced into hospital can she? If she has a scan and placenta/baby is OK how many weeks pregnant can one person get!!??

Thank you. ps she has tried everything possible to start labour!

We have had a lady go to 40+16 with NHS midwives and much longer with independent MWs at our homebirth support group. It remains her decision of course.

Of course she can't be forced into hospital!! if she doesn't want to be induced then she simply declines there offer . NICE guidelines state she should be offered an induction of labour from 41wks, that they should respect her decision and support it and if she chooses to decline induction they should instead offer her expectant management to help ensure her safety and that of her baby (scans/CTG traces etc..).

Technicailly though at 41+3 she isn't even "overdue" by WHO definitions of a NORMAL pregnancy (37-42wks) by that definition "abnormal" only occurs when you hit 42+1 (and I'd beg to differ that even that is abnormal!!). I attended 2 lovely NHS homebirths last year with "post dates" mums, one 40+16 and one 40+17, they went down the "expectant management" route and had great births.

HTH

What is expectant management and AIMS? Just spoken to SIL she has just drunk castor oil - v desperate!

Just read about expectant management. Thank you again. S x