Urgent advice please - ? induction tomorrow

[IWishIWasAFrog]

Hi,

Any advice appreciated.

Today 41 + 3

SROM last night. Planning a homebirth. First baby.

Went to labour ward last night for a check up after membranes ruptured - lots of fluid, clear. Cervix was 1 cm long, 1 cm dilated, poor application, posterior. Station -2, LOT, had a stretch. I have to go in at 10:00 tomorrow for IV antibiotics and 'augmentation of labour' - I read that as an induction - if nothing has happened...

Nothing is happening! I have the odd tightening every 20 minutes or so, period like pain, nothing much, allthough my lower back is getting a bit achey, but nothing to write home about...

I am desperate to have a homebirth. All set up for it too. I can already see the scenario - IV sintocinon, strong contractions from the start, next step epidural, bed bound, etc. assisted delivery? episiotomy? everything I DO NOT WANT.

The midwife I spoke to said I need the IV antibiotics to prevent infection in the baby, allthough the incidence is rare (Step B). Also said that it is guidelines only and I can decide. WWYD? Anybody have experience of a situation like this? Please help, I really don't want to have an induction. Went for long walks, bouncing and rotating on ball, just had a glass of wine, any other tips?

They would not consider giving me a dose of AB and sending me home either...I asked. Have to be 2 doses of IV ab's. Would you take the chance a leave the AB alltogether? Or do I go in at 10:00 and be checked over, and come home again? (sign myself out?)

Frog.

Oh frog, how upsetting. I was in the same boat and ended up having an induction which was as inductions are.

I hope you find a way to bring on labour, I just wanted you to know there was someone here who understands.

Good luck. Xx

About 30% of women have latent strep B in their system. And unfortunately the longer the membranes have gone the higher the risk to the baby.

I very much I wanted homebirth with my last baby, but this was refused when I had a positive strep B test midway through the pregnancy. I had decided that if I did not give birth soon after SROM I would agree to AB. Strep B for your baby is dangerous, although you might be in the 2/3 of women who don't have it at the time of giving birth, it is not something to do lightly.

Having the A/B's does not necessarily mean that you have to agree to the sintocinon, epidural etc. But you are more likely to be monitored so do try to keep yourself as mobile as possible if you do go into hospital.

However don't lose hope yet, my last baby refused to read the instructions and arrived so quickly from 1st contraction that I ended up with a homebirth afterall. So I really hope that your baby gets moving tonight for you and you get your homebirth afterall.

this happened to me but i sat on my arse at home, then went in like a lamb to follow the protocols. didn't realise the ramifications...

apparently walking up and down stairs sideways opens the pelvis. in my case even after many days etc of induction nothing happened but i should think that must be fairly rare.

oh and if they were so worried about infection how come every mw in town was shoving their arm up to try to get things going? i am a bit more clued up now but alas have never got pg again.

Frog, you don't have to have IV antibiotics, you can have frequent intra-muscular injections of it throughout labour (every 2 hours I think). A doctor/your consultant can give you a prescription and the midwife can give the injections if you give birth at home. I did this, it is not pleasant but far far less invasive than IV.

Why don't you request monitoring at the hospital to check on placental blood flow and water levels etc and leave the induction a few more days.

By the way I eventually went into labour at 42 + 2.

Frog - this happened to me with my first and I waited 4 days to see if labour would start before finally agreeing to be induced. IV anti bs were never mentioned but that was probably because the swab I reluctantly let them do didn't come back until days later !
I waited 4 days post SROM with being monitored with a CFM twice a day at the MLU at my local hosp, taking my temp regularly and checking my waters colour etc with a pad. I didn't let any of the midwives fiddle with me internally after that first swab (!) and had no baths etc. Just sat at home bouncing on my birthing ball and doing everything to try and get labour going. We had planned a home waterbirth as well.
On day 4 I agreed to go into hosp and was induced. The induction was as inductions are and the story went as you might expect.
So the upshot is its your choice, you don't have to go into hosp, you could leave it another day or so but be aware of the ramifications if you have strep B although complications rare. My DS was poorly positioned as well and I was told later that there was no chance of labour starting naturally. I am glad I held out though and tried to go for the brth we had originally planned.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do

I would try not to worry too much about being induced and the process of giving birth, it will soon be a memory, try just thinking of it as a hoop you have to jump through in order to meet your baby. The most important thing is to have a healthy baby and safe delivery. I was induced with my baby as she was 2 weeks overdue and it was absolutely fine. Best of luck.

Yes, walking up and downstairs sideways got things going for me with my ds. If you've got lots of nervous energy, it's definitely worth giving a go.

Good luck today Frog whatever you do.

I was induced after my waters broke at 41 +4 and nothing had happened 36 hours later. The baby was also posterior and I had a long labour with epidural towards the end. Not my happiest experience but I was left with a beautiful baby girl who has just turned two.

I'm 35 weeks pregnant now and just in case the same thing happens again this time round, I've been asking people for their advice. One that I'll be trying is to get down on your hands and knees and scrub the floor. Sounds archaic but apparently it really encourages dilation and the baby to turn more quickly into the right position. The comments from other people are really helpful advice which I think most people aren't aware of. Ultimately, it's your body, not the doctors' and you need to do what feels right for you. Just don't lose sight of the ultimate goal - no matter what kind of labour you have, you'll have a little one to love and adore (and who will no doubt love and adore you back).

I'll keep my fingers crossed that everything goes well for you.