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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Gutted/terrified about booked induction

15 replies

biscuit101 · 01/12/2011 15:14

Am 39+6 today by my dates. I have seen the same midwife all the way through but today she was off sick and I got another. She asked me my dates and I said that according to me, my due date is tomorrow but the hospital had brought me a week forward.

She offered me a sweep which I said I wasn?t really bothered about having yet because of my dates. She then said that the hospital won?t listen to me regarding my dates and got on the phone immediately to book me for induction next Thursday!

I was in and out so quickly I just feel so shocked that I never really got time to digest what she was doing and I cannot stop crying. Feel like having an induction 6 days over will be a nightmare and a massively long drawn out process as its not really that late! I feel like they generally do it two weeks over and I feel like I have been cheated out of seeing if I can go into labour naturally because of hospital dictating my dates and like they are dragging my baby out before it is ready.

Maybe I am a total idiot as I knew that induction would probably be discussed, I just didnt expect it to be booked today, thought I had a bit more time.

Sorry for the ramble I think I just needed to write it down.

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thing1andthing2 · 01/12/2011 15:27

Hiya,
I'm sure lots of people will be along here to offer you good advice. But just remember, no-one can force you into hospital in 7 days time. You can decline induction. The midwife's communication was shocking, but basically, you have to consent to an induction just like any other medical intervention.
If you decline induction, which it sounds like it would be sensible to do, they will offer you monitoring to check the health of your baby and of your placenta. You can accept or decline this as well.
If I were you I would ring up the labour ward number on the front of your notes (when you are feeling braver) and say, you were railroaded into accepting an induction by this new midwife, with no discussion of risks and benefits. On reflection you would like to decline the offer of induction for that date and could you speak to a supervisor of midwives about your other options.
Supervisors are usually really good at listening to you and actually helping you feel you've been part of the decision making process!
Good luck and let us know how you get on
(PS I declined induction until 40+14 and fortunately went into labour naturally on the evening of 40+13, so I was really glad I waited )

DizzyKipper · 01/12/2011 16:36

That is awful, what a horrible way to treat you biscuit. Like the above poster said, no one can force you to have an induction, it is your choice. I second phoning up the labour way and declining an induction.

MrsHuxtable · 01/12/2011 16:45

Yes biscuit, that was some horrible treatment. I'd be crying too.
BUT
Don't forget, they can't do anything to you, you don't agree to. It's all up to you. You're an adult capable of making your own decisions. Just ignore them. If you don't want an induction next week, there won't be one. It really is that simple.

Original poster

biscuit101 · 01/12/2011 19:46

Thank you all for your replies and supportive comments, I feel a lot better for hearing them and your advice is fab!

I am going to contact my own midwife when she is back on Monday (she has been fine so far re date discrepancy and dates etc) and see what she says, will let you know what happens.

Thanks again x

OP posts:

somewherewest · 02/12/2011 11:33

Good luck! Inductions where I am usually take place at 14 days past the due date, unless there's a very good reason to have one earlier. I'm 40 + 5 and booking an induction won't be properly discussed until my next antenatal appointment in four days time. There's no reason for them to railroad you into an earlier date.

GloriaHosannahHeadachePumpkin · 02/12/2011 15:21

It sounds as though the MW was rubbish, and obviously don't have any procedure you're uncomfortable with, but just to reassure you, I was induced at 39+4 due to DS growing very quickly towards the end due to a glucose intolerance on my part meaning they were worried he was going to outgrow the placenta and become too big for me to deliver.

From the pessary to the midwife literally catching him as he flew out was 12 hours and 6 minutes. I started contracting within twenty minutes of the pessary, was four cm dilated after six hours, went the last six in the next four, my waters went by themself and it was all very calm, if quick!

twogirls1more · 02/12/2011 19:41

You poor thing! I second most of comments above and think MW been awful! In my experience and that of many women I know, in cases where they've brought due date forward following scan, have ended up giving birth closer to due date by LMP than their estimated DD! Infact, I had my 4th baby 2wks ago and I've actually ended up going into labour on my DD by LMP with the last 3 of them! (With my last they'd brought DD forward by 3 days following scan.)
Still insisted on putting that I was 40+3 on my notes though I don't buy it! I think that babies in utero can have growth spurts and often I reckon it's unneccessary to mess with the dates, (particularly if you're sure of your cycle and I even knew the exact time I conceived!)
Please don't be bullied! As said above, nobody can make you have an induction, though obviously wouldn't be wise to go too far past your original date. Good luck with everything and hope you're feeling more positive soon...last few weeks can be tough can't they. :(

Jims · 02/12/2011 20:50

I was sure of my own dates being +5 more than the ones the hospital gave me so i refused induction at 40+14 to see if labour would start on its own. It didn't and they broke my waters at 40+20. I had monitoring every day past +14 and everything was fine. They clearly weren't at all worried as I had to wait more than 24 hours in hospital to get induced as they were busy. On the plus side, contractions all started naturally and my son was born less than 5 hours later!

I only did it because I'd read the risks at 43 weeks are exactly the same as at 37 and with extra monitoring, it seemed ok to me to leave things a bit longer. Despite all the text messages asking me if I'd had the baby yet!

I just thought you might like to hear from someone who did put off induction - even if it led to the longest pregnancy I've so far heard of!

Original poster

biscuit101 · 02/12/2011 21:38

Thank you all so much, I feel better for hearing your stories (and will keep the positive induction story in mind should I need it!)

Turns out the supply midwife lied/didnt have a clue what is going on and my usual midwife is actually on annual leave until the middle of next week (even though rubbish midwife told me she would be back on Monday!) so I will be ringing the delivery suite on Monday and cancelling. Thanks Thing for that suggestion as it wouldn't have occurred to me as an option! Will contact my usual midwife on her return. Going to ask for induction to be put back by a week if thats possible, so should be just short of 40+14 by my dates.

Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate your replies. x

OP posts:

puffylovett · 03/12/2011 13:19

Another one hopping on to say I refused induction and both my boys were born quickly, naturally and with no pain relief at 40+18- like you, there were date discrepancies. In my case I was bang on 42 weeks by my dates, knowing exactly when I'd conceived.

I think the midwife was a bit blunt and forceful!! Good luck with your birth :)

thing1andthing2 · 07/12/2011 14:57

Hi biscuit, how did it go with ringing the delivery suite? Have you had your baby yet? Hope everything is going well for you and that if you're still waiting you have got a new care plan that you're happy with.

Original poster

biscuit101 · 07/12/2011 21:59

Hi Thing, I did what you suggested and spoke to the supervisor of midwives at the hospital. In the absence of my midwife she contacted the community midwives who then rang me back and told me not to cancel in advance but ring up on the day and say I am declining induction. I am going to do that in the morning and have an appointment to see my own midwife tomorrow. Am going to ask her for a sweep and see what she says about going forward. I just want those extra few days so they tally with my dates!

My head is all over the place thinking about the whole thing, am driving myself mad!!

Thanks again x

OP posts:

KenDoddsDadsDog · 07/12/2011 22:02

I was the same as you but here they do induction on your 15th day. I was booked in but went into labour before then!
Try to rest, sleep and don't worry - your baby will be here soon no matter what you choose.

loopeylu · 08/12/2011 09:01

Don't worry about inductions. I've had 2 for both my babies. Remember being nervous about it first time round but ever so keen for it second time round! All was fine.

One thing I would tell you is that I had an odd and apparently unusual reaction to the pessary first time round - kept needing to pee but couldn't. Thought this was a normal part of labour but it wasn't - my bladder shut down and I ended up hyper stimulated on a bladder full of 2L of urine. NOT fun and much more painful than childbirth itself! So, the only thing I'd watch out for on an induction, is that if you need to pee but can't, get to hospital ASAP to be catheterised and whip the pessary out (it is like a tampon so easy to do).

thing1andthing2 · 08/12/2011 13:54

Good luck today biscuit. Hope everything works out exactly as you want it to. x

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