So who's refused an induction and how far along were you when labour started?

[lollystar]

I'm 40+2 with my 2nd and have started to get really mithered about an induction. I really don't want one but don't really know what the implications are of not having one. My thinking is surely my body has got to take over at some point and do it's thing?? But is it dangerous to go too far over? My pregnancy is really straight forward - I only have niggly complaints, no complications. I had a sweep last tuesday and another one due this tuesday.
I've just been reading this article and it's making me think again about it. I know it's still a way off and anything can happen between now and then though.
www.bellybelly.com.au/articles/birth/induction-of-labour-to-induce-or-not-induce

Yeah, i know how you feel.
Local policy is to induce at 40+10. I had decided to refuse to even discuss it until 42wks+0 -- basically I avoided even seeing MW at 41 weeks, and I didn't book the expected 34 wk appt. at hospital, either. All so I could avoid this confrontation (bit sad, i know, but stress of the confrontation and worrying about having to stand my ground, was greater than risks of skipping those appts, I reckon).

About 40+9 I decided that I would agree to go into be induced at 42+5.

I turned out to start intermittant labour on the day of 40+10, and baby was born early hours of next morning (40+11). So everything worked out perfectly for me. MWs said the placenta looked quite good for the age of it.

There are plenty of good stories around about induction, btw, make sure that you know what you're so afraid of, it may not be as bad as you fear.

I'm not sure what I'm afraid of, I guess it's the increased likelihood of intervention and it hurting more. I know it's going to hurt, I can't get around that.
Also I just think that surely nature knows best? Especially if there are no background issues. I think I'll have a chat with my midwife on tuesday and see what she says. I'm not sure what the policy is around here as my first was spontaneous at 37+3.

No, sometimes Nature doesn't know best. The placenta is a fallible organ, it may not kick off labour before it fails. The placental function declines sharply and unpredictably at some point soon after about 41 weeks, hence the big push to induce before 42 weeks in many places.

Personally when I looked at the steps of induction I felt very unhappy at the idea of many of them. But I'd never rule it out completely.

I am watching with interest..... now 40 + 5 with 2nd DC DS came at 39 + 5 so just assumed things would be the same and am starting to despair..... can't even do long walks because of the snow!!!! Hopefully we will get there naturally before any induction is needed MW has booked me in for 40 + 12 which is just policy, I am a huge natural birth enthusiast had DS in the birthing pool and used tens I am just scared that I will have no control this time Good Luck to you! x

I'm struggling with walking too! Well I'll talk to my midwife and see what her opinions are and like I say, I've still got 2 weeks or so to go. I know my body's getting ready for it all, it's just going very slowly this time.
Good luck Suzi.. hope it goes well for you x

I have had dd1 bang on 40w, weighed 6lb 7 ds1 40+13, weighed 6lb 3, dd2 40+11, weighed 6lb 13. Totally sure of dates. My consultant was very relaxed, had to have daily monitoring if I'd gone over 42 weeks....

If you go up to 2 weeks without natural labout, I suspect you'll be so fed up by then that you will be desperate for an induction!

I think you have a point bigpreggybelly. Just been reading a thread on positive inductions and feel a bit calmer about it all.

I refused induction with DD2 after an emcs after induction with DD1 at 40+13. My cervix wasn't ripe enough for a sweep until 41 weeks, after which I had 3 done , and eventually my waters went at 40+16 and DD2 was born that night.

I spoke at length about my wishes with the consultant midwife from 36 weeks. She explained that the risk of stillbirth doubles after 40 or 41 weeks (sorry, can't remember which) from 3 in 1000 to 6 in 1000 iirc. Because the outcome is so horrible, they choose to intervene with induction to avoid stillbirth due to placental failure. I took this on board and decided that 6 in 1000 is still a very small risk. I had to go for extra monitoring at 41+6, and was due to go again at 42+3. I still had to keep putting them off about setting a cs date, which they were keen for me to do.

My main aim was to avoid a cs, which I felt induction would increase the likelihood of. In fact I ended up with a high intervention VBAC, but for me it was much, much better than my induction experience. I laboured naturally (although weirdly, not text book at all!), my waters broke themselves, but when we went in for monitoring we found DD to be in distress so I was prepped for a cs. However it turns out I was fully dilated so she was turned with ventouse and pulled out with forceps. I had a spinal so didn't feel a thing . There was a point where I wondered if I had been foolish hanging on so long when things were looking dodgy, but the placenta was in good nick and her distress was probably caused by the cord round her neck.

Life's a lottery of risk calculation, but I prefer to be informed and make my own decisions rather than told what to do . Good luck with your decision.

I was induced at 42+0 with dd and 42+2 with ds1. They wanted to induce me at 40+4 with ds2 (he wasn't moving much) but I refused. He conveniently arrived the next day.

Induced deliveries were much more painful but not complicated - no forceps needed, not even any stitches. However, I did have a large bleed after dd and uterine infection after ds1. Spontaneous delivery took a bit longer (3 hours instead of 2) but much less painful as my membranes did not rupture.

I hope your baby appears before you have to make a decision.

As far as I was aware the stillbirth rate goes from 1 in 1000 before 42 weeks to 2 in 1000 after 42 weeks. I don't know of any studies which indicate an increased risk of stillbirth of healthy babies between 40 and 42 weeks.
I refused an induction at 41+3 and had a spontaneous natural delivery the next day. My Mum was a midwife for 15 years and said the placenta wasn't at all calcified.
PS I refused to tell them my LMP because that would have put me at 45+4.

How did you get away with not telling LMP? did you just say you didn't know?

How did you get away with not telling LMP? did you just say you didn't know?

oops, double-posted, sorry

I didn't exactly refuse but I told the midwife I would do anything to avoid an induction. She did a sweep every couple of days and even on a bank holiday when her clinic was closed she arranged for me to have a sweep in the labour ward. As it happened I gave birth on the same day the sweep was arranged for. I went 14 days over.

With my first I also went 14 days over and was induced and did not want to repeat the experience.

I could tell the midwife was a little uncomfortable but I had a scan and everything was fine and she respected my concerns but I think it being my third probably made her think I knew what I was doing ( I didn't really). i think I just have late labours.

i refused induction at 40w and 41w (had gestational diabetes but it was v well controlled through diet & there were no issues with baby's growth) - went into labour at 41+1 and DS was born the next morning

hope everything works out well for you, lollystar

I went to 40+16 with DS and actually went into labour while sitting in the ward waiting to be induced!
The difficulty then was persuading the midwife that I was in labour and to check me!
after they eventually decided to have a look at me I was 5cm dilated then they said oh dear there are no midwives or delivery rooms left!
So I laboured mainly on my own with a student popping in now and then, great eh?

But my placenta was fine and in the end I was glad that DS came on his own.
Good luck!

Thanks for all the replies. My twinges are getting stronger (still no where near contractions though) and I'm having period like pains too. I really don't think it's that far off but I've got another sweep on Tuesday so hopefully that will do the trick..
That sounds similar to my first labour Framey - I stayed at home for 8 hours or so, got to hospital and I hadn't even started to dilate. I was devestated. 20 minutes later I needed to push and no one was ready!

ampster- I just said I didn't know, and that my cycle was v irregular (which was true)

Hello, just an update. She was born this morning at 6.55 weighing 7lb 11oz. Still in shock actually, I ended up delivering her at home with just hubby, no midwives and paramedics arrived 5 minutes too late!!
My contractions went from being slightly more than I coud stand, to needing to push within two minutes. 20 minutes later she here. Completely surreal...

Wow, congratulations lollystar!

Congrats, Lollystar. . Isn't it funny how we always end up worrying about "nothing" in pregnancy.

so many congratulations lollystar on the arrival of your new dd. enjoy life with her