To induce or not to induce. That is the question...

[Arcadie]

34 weeks pregnant with DC3. First two DCs both had to be induced as per hospital regulations: DS at term +14, DD at term +12.

Since then I've been reassured by HCPs that "probably I just carry them a bit longer than most" and "probably my dates were off and I have a long cycle". I'd LOVE to put off induction "for a bit" and get the chance to go into labour naturally, but don't want to do it at the expense of a healthy baby.

What I was wondering is:
does anyone have experience of fighting their hospital's desire to go down the induction route at term +14?
How bolshy do you have to be?
What risks am I running?
What are the hospital likely to offer me as a precaution to make sure "things" aren't going wrong?
How far over is "just ridiculous"?

TIA

I wouldnt like to hazard a guess as to "how far over is ridiculous", but if you don't like being pressurised don't turn up for appointments until either you feel ready to go down the induction route or are in labour-less stress that way

Apparently the placenta can degrade and you could have a stillborn. I totally understand wanting to go yourself. Not sure if you will feel the same when you are whale sized and feeling painful, uncomfortable, sleep deprived and generally falling apart.

Talk to the midwife about your concerns. They will not be keen to wait, but make sure you ask the questions so that you can then decide for yourself.

i, like you, take a bit longer to cook my babies. with dd2 i was prepared to go over by 14 days plus 3 or 4 but was def going to get daily monitoring for placenta reasons as described above. will be easier if you are due near a weekend to go thoe extra few days. when dd2 came out (turns out 11 days over 40 weeks) she was covered in vernix so clearly was not too late really. i got a daily sweep second time around and that is what made the differenc efor me. can you get sweeps done regularly?

I am a slow cooker too - or at least with DD1 I was. I was induced at 42 + 2 (so term + 16?) anyway it wasn't a great experience and if I knew then what i know now I would have held off.

i ended up with an emcs and had arranged to donate cord blood, the woman who collected it reported back that the placenta was v healty looking and the blood "nice and bright red" ie still working nicely.

I believe that if you want to go over 42 weeks, they want daily monitoring, which would be fine. I also understand that in otehr european countries they leave people longer without even thinking about it (but no evidence for that i just heard it on here).

I would put off if I were in your shoes.

But as with all these birth type things, none of us have a crystal ball.

Another slow-cooker but my cycles are usually 5 weekly & both my two were boys (both factors in longer gestation).

DS1 born at 40+16 covered in vernix (i always measured "small for dates" with him, so undercooked!

DS2 born at 40+12 dry & flaky weighing 10 pounds - well overcooked!

Should I have a DC number 3 then it would depend on how i was feeling... If I felt like I did with ds1 then I would NOT be induced but if I felt like I did with DS2, i will be pleading for one from 36 weeks!

I did lots of research to avoid being induced both times.

Here are the statistics of something going wrong. So not as bad as we are led to believe, but as there is no way of knowing our medical professionals like to err on the the cautionary side (NICE guidelines)

and another very good website

Otherwise its Hot curry, Hot sex & long walks - apparently they are the only old wifes tales that actually work!

YoMoJo Thanks for the websites. The Kent one is a little militant for my tastes (I didn't find IOL barbaric - but it sure was painful)but very good to know that I'm not endangering the baby if I wait a few more days.

So am I right in thinking that they could offer me scans/ blood tests to determine if the placenta is starting to fail?

I did have a word with my midwife but her take on it was more "I'm not going to take away your responsibility for making sure your baby is born healthily. You run risks having him/her at home and you run risks having him/her late." (And then she left as she was running late...) What I'd to know is a best guess answer to the above questions so I can take responsibility.... I'll try her again at the 36 week appt - but I'll be taking both DCs to that so won't have a lot of chatting time.

I am not sure what the NICE guidelines reccommend about scans/blood tests. I think the first link I gave you was OZ/NZ based.

The hospital was too busy for me to go in & be induced with ds1 so I had to go in to the day unit every morning & be monitored for half hour (might have been full hour)- for 3 days. I was just strapped up to heart monitor. I was never offered a scan even though GP was concerned that i was "too small for my size" (was a size 14 & slightly tall) and wanted to sign me off work as she thought I must be doing too much! At the day unit, I had an evil mw who, when I tried to explain why I didnt want to be induced just said that the monitoring showed "baby was ok at the moment, but anything could happen the minute I stepped off the bed"!

I also dont think my local protocol would allow me to have a homebirth if more than 42 weeks.

bump
Any more words of wisdom?

i wouldn't recommend not turning up for appointments.. that is not a good way to get HCPs on your side

you can request expectant management, once you are post dates.. it is more scanning and monitoring to ensure the placenta is still ok

you can request several stretch and sweeps.. if your cervix is not ripening when you have a sweep it is a good reason to delcine induciotn on teh grounds it won't work or will be very protracted.. if it is ripening, it is a good reason to say you will wait for labour to start as things are happening

you can make an infomred decision to accept or decline what is offered to you, make sure you are infomred

Thanks Lulumama I quite enjoy hospital appointments as it feels like I'm Doing Something towards getting him out so I wouldn't skip the appts.

Expectant management sound like a good phrase to bandy about for what I'm after.

Had 3 S&Ss with DD which certainly sped up her induction. My MW did say that the policy is only to give 2 but I booked the appointment and climbed on the bed and asked nicely.... I wonder if they'll be happy to give me 3 or so this time. I like the calm rational approach to "not yet" for either reason.

Much obliged.

Any more?

oh I have been wondering about this too arcadie. Think you are being very sensible in taking on board the slightly increased risks in a non-hysterical way! I suppose once you get to 42 weeks they are not going to recommend a hb anyway so you will maybe looking at a hospital birth anyway at that point. Then if after a few more days (with monitoring) there is still no sign, you can just take each day at a time and make a decision based on the monitoring/how you are feeling then?

I'll give it one more BUMP and see if anyone else has any pearls of wisdom.

Thanks skid