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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

42 weeks tomorrow, help!

36 replies

MuffinTopMamma · 23/08/2009 09:45

Hi. 42 weeks tomorrow (DC2) and midwives are talking about induction. I had planned for a homebirth and am really terrified of the thought of going into hospital. Any words of encouragement? I really don't know what to do; whether to insist on home birth or accept what feels like the inevitable...

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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duchesse · 23/08/2009 09:55

Can you ask for daily monitoring for a few days instead? They usually are quite OK about that barring any other problems.

chimchar · 23/08/2009 10:04

hi muffin.

i was the same with my dc3. i had 4 sweeps with no effect at all, and eventually gave in to having sex (a mercy shag from my dh!) which must have done the trick.

i was due to be induced at 7.30am, but instead managed to have my planned home birth, with ds arriving in the nick of time at 5.30am!

hope things get moving for you today...and if they don't, then you know what you have to do!

TheDMshouldbeRivened · 23/08/2009 10:08

I went into hospital at 42 weeks to check placenta and went into labour there! Hobbled off towards car park for my home birth with people looking shocked and saying 'maternity is that way'

Original poster

MuffinTopMamma · 23/08/2009 10:34

I've had 4 sweeps too. I think monitoring is what I'll ask for - I'm just so scared that I'm going to get 'bullied' into an induction and that frightens me senseless (I have terrible hospital fear). Looks like my husband and I will have to pull out all the stops tonight then!

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BoBoo · 23/08/2009 10:36

Hi Muffin

I recently had dd2 at 42+2. I went in to talk about induction and said I didn't want one if the baby seemed happy where she was, agreed to monitoring and said I would reassess at 43. I had a straighforward pregnancy and felt happy to wait, but it's a difficult time when they up your appointments and it seems like everyone's on your back. It does feel like baby's never coming.

I would say wait as long as you feel comfortable with - I'm glad I waited and in the end had an easy labour and gave birth in the pool at home as planned. The only thing I did to help things along was evening primrose oil the night before and the morning I went into labour - can't say whether it was responsible for anything or not though.

Good luck, and I hope you get the birth you want x

Original poster

MuffinTopMamma · 23/08/2009 11:30

BoBoo - interested to hear you had a home birth at 43 weeks. Were your midwives in agreement with this? I've been told that the only way I can have a homebirth beyond 42 weeks is by refusing to go into hospital. This seems like a contentious approach!

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BoBoo · 23/08/2009 15:37

I was told at my antenatal appointments that if I got to 42 I wouldn't be 'allowed' a homebirth. I didn't bother getting into a discussion about it at the time as dd came at 41 so I didn't think I'd be going over that with the second. Nobody really mentioned it after that, which surprised me.

I asked a midwife (who was very good and one of the few who actually offered me things rather than told me how it was going to be) about it at an appointment to discuss induction and she told me the midwifes had a duty of care to attend me wherever I wanted to birth. I didn't disuss it with anyone else, and then just rang the labour ward when my contractions were about 3 mins apart and nobody suggested I come in - had they done so I wouldn't have gone. You're not being contentious by holding out for what you want - if there's no clinical reason for you to go in then I think you'd be better off at home where you wanted to be. It was lovely to be at home and for me it made it a much more positive experience than being at hospital. I think it's worth holding out for if that's what you want.

TheProfiteroleThief · 23/08/2009 15:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

MuffinTopMamma · 23/08/2009 17:07

Thanks for the advice - it feels a lot better to hear other people's stories. I keep getting told my cervix is very posterior - so good to know that I'm not the only one in the boat. Thanks again!

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TheProfiteroleThief · 23/08/2009 17:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

MuffinTopMamma · 23/08/2009 17:15

Yeah after 4 sweeps I was thinking that there should be a law against short fingered midwives!

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TheProfiteroleThief · 23/08/2009 17:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mears · 23/08/2009 17:19

MuffinTopMamma - you can have a homebirth at 42 weeks. You just need to get this agreed with the team by involving the supervisor of midwives. Guidance for midwives will be that homebirth is supported as normal up to 42 weeks. After 42 weeks you are technically not suitable for midwifery care. However, if your choice is still to have a homebirth then the midwives should have discussion with the supervisor of midwives who will ensure that the oncall team remain oncall, and not putting you in the position of having to refuse to go into hospital.

PacificDogwood · 23/08/2009 17:21

Good luck, Muffin!

Just some words of encouragement from another woman with "long" pregnancies (and posterior cx). In France 42 weeks is considered the normal length of pregnancy so you will only be "over due" from tomorrow - I know that little titbit of information made me feel better.
Stay as active as you can bear to be (I am sure pushing DS2 on his bike did the trick for me), have sex, eat hot curry etc etc, I am sure you will have heard all the old wive's tales out there.

Hope things get moving soon

Original poster

MuffinTopMamma · 23/08/2009 18:41

Thanks again - I'll ask for monitoring tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed that I can get a homebirth. I feel so much more positive than I did this morning - thank you again to everyone.

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CarGirl · 23/08/2009 18:54

I had have had all 4 dds induced, the 2 that were induced at 16 days over and 14 days over were absolutely fine, just one pessary and it all happened fine after that, refused continuous monitoring etc etc. Even the other 2 despite needing an ARM to get things going were okay, didn't need any other intervention IYSWIM - just took days to get labour going.

I couldn't have a homebirth after 42 weeks so I went in to be induced at least I could organise my childcare which when your dh doesn't drive etc made life easier.

holliejobber · 23/08/2009 22:04

All three of my pregnancies have gone overdue. My last one by 21 days. I have always had meconium in my waters so never been able to have a home birth. It is hard to resist being induced when medical staff are pushing for it, but im so glad i didn't with my last as labour was good and i felt in control at all times. I am nearly full term now and am wondering if this pregnancy will beat my 21 day record!

BoBoo · 24/08/2009 09:09

Hollie

Has the meconium ever proved to be a problem for your babies? It can just be a sign of a mature gut, and the presence of meconium is supposed to be less significant if seen post term. If you go to homebirth.org.uk there's an interesting disucssion there.

chimchar · 24/08/2009 10:55

hey muffin...any twinges yet?
hope your appt goes well. do let us know.

Original poster

MuffinTopMamma · 24/08/2009 16:13

I've been along to the hospital today for monitoring - heart rate, flow of blood from placenta to baby and finally amniotic fluid. All absolutely fine, so I've been granted another 24 hours, and I have to go back in tomorrow morning for more of the same. I've had my 5th sweep and I've now got really strong braxton hicks (?) so maybe things are finally moving. The team at the hospital really do think I'm insane for not wanting induction and still wanting a homebirth, so we'll just take it a day at a time

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CarGirl · 24/08/2009 16:22

I thought the main problem with meconium in the waters is because it can be fatal if the baby inhales it as they are delivered? My friends gs was certainly very poorly when it happened to him.

I would think meconium being present is very common on post date babies though?

chimchar · 24/08/2009 17:25

sounding good then...come on now, get yourselves an early night!!

good luck when it happens....do post your ba on here won't you. x

CarGirl · 24/08/2009 17:48

def an early night and I've heard nipple tweaking can increase the necessary hormones as well as doing the deed.

PacificDogwood · 24/08/2009 23:26

Good luck overnight, I something gets moving very very soon.

Original poster

MuffinTopMamma · 25/08/2009 11:13

I can't believe it - nothing overnight! Been along to hospital for more tests and today's are again fine. Been given another 24 hours. Feel like I'm definitely on borrowed time. Can't help but wonder why I haven't gone into labour yet, starting to feel like a freak...

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