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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

shall I ask for induction? Is it so bad?

42 replies

KateMess · 01/09/2009 08:39

I'm 7 days overdue tomorrow and there doesn't seem to be anything happening. It's the first, last and only baby I'll be having and I just want to see it safely out and in my arms where we can all make sure it's ok.

My mw has left the option of an elective c-section on the table (for no medical reason) but I would like to give birth as naturally as possible. I've got a sweep booked for tomorrow, if mw thinks it will help, but I wondered about asking her to send me to the hospital to be induced. Am I mad? My nct teacher would choke on her muesli.

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cheerfulvicky · 02/09/2009 11:04

reikizen, my labour also went just as you have described. It was my first and I was induced.

If I could POSSIBLY avoid being induced again, I would. It was not a pleasant experience, and a year on I am still sad about it.

Kate, good luck! Keep active and moving about, and hopefully things will take their course. Let us know!

Mimile · 02/09/2009 11:40

Got plenty of tightenings yesterday too, but it all phased out now
Got an appointment this morning, saw yet another registrar, who sang from a totally different hymn sheet to the one I saw last week.
The offer for c-section has been withdrawn, and induction brought forward to this WE on Sunday, as apparently my first planned induction date at 40+14 was far too late . so it will be 40+12 then. Getting really annoyed with all the contradictory opinions I get from the registrars .
I am really not too keen about the induction, but getting paranoid at the same time about stillbirth, hypoxia and a whole bunch of other nonsense. So I guess we'll have to crank up the curry / pineapple / evening primrose / sex combo in the days to come...

Original poster

KateMess · 02/09/2009 11:45

I just went to the mw and had a sweep. Her attitude seemed to be well if you're worried, we'll book you in for induction. She said my cervix is still quite closed. I'm going to do lots of bouncing and maybe get some acupuncture this afternoon and Friday.

Feeling a bit glum although of course, it all brings the baby nearer...

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thesecondcoming · 02/09/2009 15:03

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freudianslips · 02/09/2009 15:43

I'm going to come in with a positive induction experience - 38 weeks due to IUGR. I started at 3-4cm with a favourable Bishop's score, had waters broken, lowest dose Syntocin which was later turned off altogether. I had a lovely healthy baby within 5 hours and it couldn't have been a more perfect day.

mrswill · 02/09/2009 22:25

Just to echo what freudianslips said. If you are going for induction, get an idea of you bishops score first, so you have an idea how it may go.
On seeing my own antenatal midwife after i had my induction emcs, she said quite offhand, 'ah, i thought it would end up with a section cos of your bishops score/cervix' etc. during my painful recovery it didnt mean much, but after i remembered and was

Original poster

KateMess · 02/09/2009 22:46

That's interesting. What's a bishop's score? Just so I know what I'm asking for...

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Original poster

KateMess · 02/09/2009 22:47

And again, thanks for sharing your experiences, it really helps,

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Mimile · 02/09/2009 23:08

ah ah - looked at my notes from today, checked wikipedia, my bishops score is 0, or -2 if I follow the "modified bishops score". Sounds not so good for this WE...

thesecondcoming · 02/09/2009 23:11

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mrswill · 03/09/2009 15:39

Bishop's Score refers to a group of measurements used to determine whether a woman may have a successful vaginal delivery and whether labor ought to be induced. Bishop's Score is based on station, dilation, effacement, position and consistency.

Just cut and pasted that for you. When my midwife come to do my sweep before i was induced, she said my bishops score was low, as my cervix was posterior, firm, non effaced etc. So she must have got it from examining my cervix. Have a google about it. They needed to use pessaries to soft my cervix etc. But afterward the midwife said she could tell what being induced was going to lead to as my bishops score was very low.
Am sure one of the midwifes on here will know more than me. Hope your tightenings mean you are now in labour!!

Original poster

KateMess · 03/09/2009 17:10

Alas Mrswill labour remains elusive!

Thanks very much for that info - it'll be good to be able to ask them. The mw told me my cervix wasn't ready but the baby's head was right down in my pelvis.

From your post, would you rather they had left you longer before inducing, if your body wasn't ready? I think if they give me a low score, seeing as I'm not 2 weeks overdue till next Wednesday, I might hold off for another couple of days.

So tricky, as I'm really impatient to get this baby out where I can see it!

Secondcoming can't I have a curry instead?!

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Mimile · 03/09/2009 17:38

No labour here either.
Worked out my bishop score from the notes the last registrar made in my booklet, using wikipedia. I am at ZERO, due to vertex -3 (still) and the rest.
Was so disheartened yesterday that I didn't even considered any very not-so-romantic-anymore activities. Woke-up feeling robbed, and rolled in to work being tired of having to answer emails asking whether baby was there yet or not...
I guess that I am still weary at being induced this WE, despite wanting the baby out. So will definetly ask about them checking the bishops score again and possibly won't agree to the induction if it is too low.

mrswill · 03/09/2009 23:05

I do wish id waited until the 14 days, just to give my body a chance to 'ripen' etc, not the 10 days they offered, and also educated myself more about the process of induction, likehood of section, bishops score kind of thing. But i too was anxious to see the baby was ok, and when the consultant started throwing stats at me i was terrified for the babies safety, and thought god get it out now!
Think its a hard decision to call. Hope it all goes well for you now, hopefully there will be a birth announcement soon [broody emoticon]

Original poster

KateMess · 04/09/2009 14:37

Thanks Mrswill, I too wish I had the courage to trust my body to do this and defy the doctors, but fear I will go along with their advice - it's very hard not to because like you, the baby's safety is right there at the top..

Mimile I'm going to do the same, get my bishop's score and if it's really low, maybe try to hold out another couple of days. Hope it all goes great for you!

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puffylovett · 04/09/2009 15:38

Just for some encouragement - I held out till I was 18 days over, just went into hopsital for daily monitoring to ensure that the sac / placenta were all OK. I went on to have an easy and natural birth, just a bit of gas and air to help from 6-7cm dilation.

I was however, very confident that I had my dates accurate and that theirs were incorrect. It's frightening when they start throwing stats at you = but you could ask by way of response what the official stats are on failed inductions ending in emergency c-sections, so that you get a balanced view !

Hopefully you will get the births you want in the timescales you want them - best of luck to you...

Original poster

KateMess · 04/09/2009 19:09

Thanks Puffy,

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