People who've gone well od and still had natural birth/home birth? Advice pls

[massivebump]

I'm getting desperate now, being 12 days od is such unchartered territory for me. Ds 4 wks early, dd 5 days od. Really hadn't expected to get this far or for it to be so stressfull.

I'm absolutely against induction via drugs etc as I had such a horrific time with ds that way. Cons at my hosp is a locum and a total idiot, won't even hear of anything 'natural'. Have tried homeopathy & accupuncture which don't seem to have had any effect (accupuncture last night, anyone know how long it usually takes to impact?), and had 3 sweeps now.

I seem to flit between having a good day (when I've had a treatment or a few contractions) and a really bad day (when I'm borderline depressed that someone's going to try to force me into something I don't want). I'll be 2 weeks od on Saturday and cons was adamant that I needed to be induced tomorrow. I know some people do go as far as 43 or 44 weeks (not that I want to get that far!) and deliver naturally.

My worry is that a) they want me to be monitored every day from next week which I simply can't do as hosp is too far away & I'm not comfy driving at the mo so I'd have to rely on lifts and I just don't have that luxury every day and b) if I eventually go into natural labour post 42 weeks will I still be allowed a home birth?

I'd really like some advice. This is really getting to me now. I really am trying to calm down and relax but it's hard when the so called 'professionals' are putting so much pressure on me. There are no medical reasons whatsoever to get this baby out quick, I'm fine & he/she's fine at present, so why the rush?

Thanks in advance

I was 15 days late with DD1 and I was induced (even though when I arrived at the hospital to be induced my labour had already started).
I really didn't want to be induced again so when pg with DS I argued that because I have a 35 day cycle I would have ovulated later and therefore was not as overdue as their dates suggested.
The consultant was then quite happy to let me go a bit longer.
DS was 14 days late and a homebirth and DD2 was 13 days late and a homebirth.
I also had another homebirth scheduled for DS2 but he had other ideas which is another story!
Good Luck

I had a HB at 41 weeks, MW asked if i would be induced at 14 days over, i agreed, but didnt need it. MW said she would home check me daily after 41 weeks.

Sex and a sweep is a good plan, also i went into labour 24 hours after shiatsu.

Thanks Fruitshootsanndheaves

I was induced with ds even though I'd gone into labour! Blooming frustrating. He was almost 4 weeks early and my waters had gone and hosp said I wasn't in labour so insisted on inducing me. I told them I was having contractions every 10 mins or so but they wouldn't listen and talked me into induction, wish I'd known then what I know now!

Thanks for your support. My dates could also be dif to what hosp says as I used to ovulate late, unfortunately the cons won't hear of it, he says everyone ovulates day 13-15 end of story!!! Makes me so mad. Like I said, he's an idiot. When I had appt with him I went in so open minded but I'd been expecting my usual cons. The locum must've been dragged back from victorial times

Shiatsu is the same as accupuncure, just uses pressure rather than needles, it's wonderful. My Dad used to do shiatsu, but he passed away 9 years ago (it would've been his birthday tomorrow & everyone says I'll deliver then ). Still, if it was 24hrs aft treatment that you went into labour then I've still got about 5 hours to go

You're so lucky having a m/w come out every day. I'm lucky if I get a call from mine! She's off until tue now and her other team member is off today as she was on nights last night so I'll be lucky if I get a call tomorrow, let alone a vist. To be honest, I'm also worried that if I phone for advice from another m/w they'll say something different again and just confuse everything! It's so frustrating!

Just gonna sit tight, try to relax & hope...

Hi there

I read this thread earlier on today

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/791133-Anti-interventionists-if-you-are-overdue-at-what-point-do

hope it helps a little. I feel for you, even though I'm only 39 weeks I'm already starting to get fidgety. Wishing you the best of luck. Will be thinking of you.

x

Thanks justlookatthatbooty

Had a look, seems fairly postive but hate it when people sprout off about stats 'in the negative' too .

I felt like this at 39 weeks too, it's a horrible time this last bit. Was all open minded then started having contractions at 37 weeks, got all excited then nothing happened. Of course, was then hanging on every little twinge thinking 'this is it', but it wasn't

Good luck to you too x

Hi massivebump, thanks for posting on 'my' thread.

I posted just before you as I have now had my induction scheduled, though am quite happy to not turn up if I feel I am not ready.

Remember you can Home Birth whenever you want, but I hope you don't have that battle on your hands.

I suppose this is really a weighing of risks - post maturity and issues such as placental function versus those of an induced and potentially more stressful birth. How one is supposed to weigh the risks effectively given the conflicting info I just do not know!

JustcallmeDog

The thought had crossed my mind too blush]. Think we'll have to just dtd tonight though. Have no reason not too other than too tired & don't feel particularly attractive . I must admit that I do have a glass of wine ready to enjoy tonight though

Everyone keeps telling me about sex and we did it with 2nd baby & it seemed to work.

Thanks for your support.

Hi Hobbgoblin

Thanks for posting here too

Had hb last time, they do support it really well here, I guess it's cause we're pretty rural. It's just that I have to phone labour ward first and they're not as keen as the community m/wives to do home births so they always try to get you to go in to be 'monitored' first then you usually have to stay in either because you're too far on or because they 'say' there are no free m/wives to attend hb! Fortunatey I was aware of this practice last time and refused to go into hosp. It's an awful state of affairs when you have to refuse to do something or back it up with reasoning 10 fold just to get what is a 'natural' occurance! Makes me sooooooo mad!

Know what you mean about weighing up the risks. The cons I saw wouldn't even tell me the risks, options or anything else for that matter and couldn't (or wouldn't) answer any of my questions about waiting it out until 43 weeks. Then he had the nerve to write on my notes 'refused induction following my explicit advice', what an arse, he hadn't actually given me any advice so how on earth could I weigh anything up.

Lets hope we both get the births we want and try not to think about inductions and nasty consultants . Good luck

Hi massivebump

I think when you're holding your DC and all is well and done you should write a letter to the (presumably) NHS trust airing your feelings about this arse of a Dr. I feel angry just reading your post. In the meantime, what I see in your posts is that instinctively you feel that actually there is no danger to you or the baby. If you keep contacting yourself on a daily basis with that simple question, hopefully you can be your own guide as to how when and in what manner things should proceed. I just see that actually you are trusting the process, despite not very helpful dr's/midwives etc. Stay in touch with that and hopefully all will be well. Best of luck and keep us posted.

Aw, thanks justlookatthatbooty

I am def going to write and complain. Mind you I did this after ds was born in hosp (won't bore you with the details but basically he was put on drip soon after birth but they'd got my notes mixed up with someone who did have gbs and I def didn't and knew it (long story again) and he couldn't get comfy to bf, the m/w then gave him a bottle without my consent and also gave out confidential info on the phone to people wishing to visit me, like I say this is a really brief picture!), anyway, my m/w hand delivered this complaint, she really backed me. But oddly it went missing which is why I never got a reply, there should be a copy of this in my notes and the cons I saw on mon was more concerned about something that happened 5.5years ago than actually giving me the relevant up to date info I needed!

This baby is totally active, it's moving now and I'm sure it's trying to push the laptop off my bump :-) (well, his bump I guess ).

Thanks again & hope we're both cuddling our babes soon, very soon!

Hi massivebump just to add my two pennies worth, I had a homebirth against the advice of the hospital, cons etc as I was (according to them) 15 days over. In fairness I did know I was only about 9 days over but even so I don't think anything would have made me go to hospital had there been no actual medical need.

They had wanted to induce me on the wednesday(40+11) but I said I wanted to wait, they got me in for monitoring every couple of days but it was completely pointless as they could barely get a sensible reading as dd2 was moving around to much! Anyway I'm so glad I listened to my body as the experience was amazing. My mw who I had all the way through the pg was at the birth and even said when dd2 finally arrived (on the sunday 40+15) that I probably wouldn't have made it to hospital as the labour was so quick! 1.5hrs compared to 12hrs with dd1!

Anyway what I'm getting at is that if you are confident that you are doing whats right for you and your baby then believe in your body and dont let any idiot cons tell you when your baby is ready to arrive! Saying that you maybe in labour right now...good luck!

DS #4 was born 14 days late, HB in 40 minutes

I have a long cycle and often have late babies, ds#3 10 days late, ds#4 14 days late, ds#5 10 days late and dd#2 was just 4 days late. I am SURE she was earlier then the others as i walked everyday and had lots of sex.

Hope it all goes ok for you, stand your ground

Hi All

Thanks so much for your support and suggestions.

After celebrating what would've been my Dad's birthday the evening before, dh & I decided to temp fate by having a few tipples and a lovely meal with my Mum (who lives upstairs). We plucked up the courage to dtd, as so many of you suggested , and less than 5 min later my contractions started and my waters suddenly went . That was midnight.

Our 2nd ds arrived at 10am the following morning, weighing over 2lb more than our other 2 had! The 10hr labour was absolutely shattering but not anywhere near as bad as the 50 mins it took me to push the little lad out (only took 3 mins with dd!). Ended up having to get out of the pool though as he was back to back so v painful and difficult. I thought I was never going to manage it but suddenly he arrived safely.

Sure I wouldn't have managed as well in hosp. The m/wives were fantastic. Feeling quite battered but doing well.

Thanks for all your support again xxx

MassiveBump! It worked for you! Fantastic news. Well bloody done...i'm so delighted for you and it sounds like you really gave it your all for what was not the shortest of births. Enjoy your new DS and kick back knowing you've done a great job.
x