Refusing induction - Crazy?

[madcatsazz]

Has anybody else refused induction? I'm 41 weeks today and assuming checks and monitoring show baby is healthy, I am planning to refuse induction. I have appt with obstetrician on thursday and I wondering what points he's going to throw at me. I know there is an 'increased risk' but I have read the stats and they are still seriously low and know that scans and heartrate checks should show any signs of distress in the baby. I also know there's an increased risk of meconium in the waters - does anybody know of further research on this? Any advice or opinions welcome (go easy on me though, I'm a heavily pregnant hormanal woman!)

thanks lukewarm. I think I have started to relax a little. I've kinda gone past the 'it could be today' and now just think it's never gonna happen so I expect if it does, I'll be in denial for a while!! I think yesterday was so disheartening because I had an sweep and the news I was nowhere near was beyond disappointing. Today I'm just getting on as normal. The grandparents do the nursery run for the rest of the week (after today) so I won't have to run the gauntlet of well wishers again after today until next week which helps. You're right of course about other people's stories - I have no idea how this will all pan out until it happens so no point worrying. It's just the limbo......GAH!

Nice to have support from this thread though, I have to say.

Glad you're starting to chillax. Close your eyes and think of hammocks swaying in the breeze, cocktails being handed to you without even having to move, the sound of waves gently lapping at the shore... (and then think, well, won't be doing that for a few years!).

By the way, I'm pretty sure that if its your second baby, the state of the cervix means absolutely nothing. It can go from totally 'unripe' to in labour and giving birth in a matter of hours.

PS If you want stories of 42 week+ births, try www.homebirth.org.uk here

Can't do a precise link - but go to 'Can I have a homebirth if?' on the left hand menu, and then click through to the 'your baby is overdue' link, and then click though once again to get to a list of issues/stories/research surrounding post dates.

Just completely ignored my own advice of forgetting all about it there! Maybe just have a peek when the thinking gets too much...

There is a history of long pregnancies in my family so I was very prepared for going overdue. My mum was 3.5 weeks overdue with me. However, in my area they tend to induce at 41+5 and after trying 2 sweeps this is what I did. I could have argued for them to let me go longer but it would have meant daily trips to the hospital for monitoring and I could barely walk by that stage. I was DESPERATE to get the baby out, I have never been so uncomfortable in my life, could barely waddle to the shop at the end of the road. I was also having mild contractions in the nighttime only for about 5 days prior, but they never went anywhere so I was knackered and frustrated as well. The induction was a blessed relief. I was lucky though, I was 3cm when I was induced and so it was just one dose of hormones and a quick 7 hour labour. I am pg again and am prepared for induction again, though having done the first one on gas and air alone, this time I'll be arguing much more forcefully for an epidural

Good luck whatever you decide.

thanks novice - I took the epidural willingly with DD1 as was on CFM and baby was back to back and perhaps more importantly, I had done absolutely no research on labour and was willing to take every medical intervention they offered. However, it was post labour when I couldn't hold my own baby or respond to her when she cried and the painful healing from the episiotomy that is stopping me from agreeing to the induction. It's the cascade of interventions that I am hoping to avoid. Plus I am desperate to do the first stage at home where I am free to go where I please and assume whatever random position I feel helps. I'm not against inductions entirely, I just had such high hopes for this time round.

Lukewarm, I have already filled my brain with those stories, they are so heartwarming. It catches me out sometimes though and makes it worse because they all seem to be women that have 'a history of long gestation' and that certainly doesn't seem to be the case for me. As already said, DD was 39+5 so it doesn't make any sense. I read somewhere it should follow in paternal family but MIL had 2 babies a month early so that doesn't figure either!

Anyway, loads of baby movement which is reassuring and my blood pressure remains the same as ever so I and baby appear to be doing fine so I guess I just have to relax and be patient. @ hammocks and cocktails. Ahhhh, that would be nice. Have just dropped DD off at nursery so technically should be using this time to lie on the bed and dream of beautiful labours, not sit at pc typing on MN....Step away from the keyboard!!!!

Don't let the position of your cervix worry you. With ds2 my waters started to trickle so the MW came to my house to see what was going on. My cervix was doing NOTHING. However ds2 was in my arms 4 hours later.

Have you got everything ready for the baby? Is your hospital bag packed? Are the baby clothes ready? Are you mentally ready? There's a diferrence between being sick of feeling fat and uncomfortable and being actually ready to have your baby.

Take the time to lay down on your bed, close the windows, lay your hands on your bump and tell your baby you are ready to meet them. Tell them how excited you are and how you can't wait for them to join your family.

Imagine how your birth is going to play out. Picture yourself in the birthing pool, picture the intensity of it, and picture the first time you hold your baby.

Visualisations are a great way of relaxing and getting you in a positive frame of mind

Fascinating... Thanks for recommending madcatsazz

I still think I need more info on what different methods of induction are available but am definitely veering towards 'letting nature take its course - whenever that may be'.

Hope you're lying in bed visualising cocktails and lapping water - sounds like bliss...

How are you doing, M?

still here....still pregnant....still no baby!

Got some reflexology booked in a bit so lets see if that helps

40+16 today!

Crazy? absolutely.

Don't please put your baby at risk

thanks for your input florence - a well thought out and detailed response with some good hard evidence to boot.

madcatsazz, FWIW I think you're doing brilliantly. It's so hard waiting, but you're being so strong and sticking with what you want for you and your little one. As long as you're feeling OK and the baby is moving lots you're fine.

Away now for the weekend, but will be checking back to see how you're doing (hopefully with a lovely birth story to tell and a gorgeous new baby in your arms!).

madcatsazz - have you thought about aromatheraphy? Friend of mine (qualified nurse!) took her daughter to an aromatherapist who got labour started. BUT like all "alternative" therapies it will only work if your body and your baby are readytp get on with birthing. But at 40 plus 16 I dont think you have anything to lose and researching it will help pass the time!! Please keep us posted as to how you are doing.

thanks Kooky - hugs greatly appreciated. Have a fabulous weekend away - I'm a little

Gailforce, I haven't tried aromatherapy although I do have a few essential oils that I've been using in the bath. Today I had my second bout of reflexology which really gets the baby moving but as you say, unless she's ready, it's not going to work. However, it really really really can't be long now, can it?

Monitoring up the hospital again tomorrow so I can be 'reassured' (and see the midwives disapproving glances as they read through my notes) so I'll report back tomorrow. Everything is fine though and I'm still feeling good (no raised BP, limited swelling etc) so other than the date, all is well.

I really appreciate everyone's support so thank you.

Aww, just seen this update. Was hoping no news = good news. Glad you're still feeling fine though (well, I imagine you're not totally fine!), looking forward to checking in and seeing a birth story in the next few days!

Morning all - thought I'd check in to say....still no baby!! I didn't want you all thinking something happened overnight

Off to the hospital again this morning for monitoring so shall report back later this afternoon. 40+17 (wow that's a long time). Does it look any better if I say 42+3?

Anyway, I met a woman yesterday in her 70's (or poss 80's) and she had 6 kids and was very much of the opinion that an induction is 'modern medicine gone mad' because they never had it in her day and it was fine. I asked her what happened when people went over their dates and she frowned and said, it didn't matter! How refreshing. It made for an interesting conversation. She was actually very sweet (if not a little scary with it - you know, the well to do, strong older ladies you meet)

Hope everyone else is doing well - newmomma, not heard from you lately - is this a sign that you have snuck off to have your baby?

hmm, i have been trying to find out what they did about late babies in 'olden times' you know before the drugs and drips and stuff. sadly i no longer have any elderly rellies or friends to ask, i would love to hear more tales of long pregnancies from back when if anyone knows of any......(i too will be hiding from any induction speak from medical people)

Nope, madcatsazz still here...

Nice to hear about the old ladies story - my Mum says some very similar things.

Don't listen to 'other posters' - as long as you're being monitored regularly and everything is ok with baby then you're not putting either of you at risk, surely? And like the earlier comments in the thread - you're only 3 days overdue if you were to live in some other countries.

Fingers crossed you get some good news today at the hospital (is another sweep worth trying?)

In many other countries women aren't even considered full term until 41 weeks anyway...do what feels right for you and your baby. I would like to avoid induction too (due date is tomorrow), my routine induction is booked for 2nd June (on the raspberry leaf tea, pineapple and curry). I would simply prefer to avoid intervention if at all possible, but I did have a full check over and scan yesterday to ensure everything is still fine - which has given me the confidence to hang on and wait for spontaneous labour, it might be worth asking your MW to arrange a scan and check up with OB too.

Michel Odent (world famous obstetrician that revolutionised child birth in France in the 70's, with amazing results of increased drug and intervention free labours led by midwives, rather than medicalised births with doctors) recommends scans at full term to check the growth of the baby (size ok for you to deliver naturally), level of fluids in the uterus ok, position and condition of placenta good). Then it's easier for you to assess just how much a risk you might be taking holding out vs induction.

homebirthmummy - in ye olden days, surely they just didn't have the accurate dating scans that we do now, so they wouldn't be able to fret so much about a few days here or there? Also, they wouldn't have had the drugs to start induction (unless you count castor oil, yuck), so there wouldn't have been much they could do about it anyway.

madcatz - sorry to hear you're still here, but you do sound remarkably sanguine (haven't used that word for ages!) about the whole thing, I'm v impressed! Hotting up nicely for you and all the other pregnant ladies out there

madcatsazz

I fear my full response would be upsetting.

I definately did not reply without having considered my response.

madcatz - hope you get going soon and don't have to swelter in this heat all weekend

Hi all - still here and still no baby. Been to hospital and been monitored today. Had a really good CTG showing good fetal movement, really good heartrate, good accelerations and no decels (all the things they - and I - wanted to see). They are concerned by the level of fluid they could see on the scan though so I have to go back tomorrow for further monitoring and to see the consultant. May have to bring induction forward but we'll see.

Florence, I'm glad you didn't post without reason behind it and you're probably right, your full response may well have upset me. However, whatever your experience, it may have helped me in my considerations. I'm not totally closed off to differing points of view, I just like to see the evidence/experience behind the comment. I realise the risks associated with going post mature and have done stacks of research before going ahead with my decision. As you can see from this post and others, I am not saying no to induction, merely postponing it until/unless there becomes a proper reason to do so. I consider the risk of cascade of intervention from induction, the risk of baby going into distress from the levels of syntocin, the risks of having an emergency CS (in itself a major operation under GA with risks associated)and all the other implications of a medical labour to be something I shouldn't enter into lightly.

Anyway, sorry to bring everyone else down.....let's get these babies out! Think positive 'my cervix is a flower' thoughts, have warm baths, DTD, take long walks, go on bumpy drives, drink RLT, eat pineapple curry etc and meditate on all the reasons your baby should come now.

When/if that all fails, eat chocolate, put your feet up and order DH/DP around because you are in pain/too tired/need looking after.

Happy weekend to you all.

I've never heard of anyone being induced at 41. It's always been 42 here. You have a check up at 41 and book the date for a weeks time to go to hospital for the induction.

'my cervix is a flower'

arf. That's my midwife tried to tell me when in labour with dd2, I told her where to go rather shortly!

Anyone you know got a tiny baby? That's another old wives tale, that cuddling one can bring on labour... I would offer, but my baby is now 23 pounds.