Voluntary Induction?

[MummyLuce]

I'm 33+3 and heartily sick of being pregnant. I'm too hot and too knackered; my iron is really low but the tablets they gave me are making me sick, I appear to be losing bladder control (ew) and I'm having terrible pain in my lower tummy which the obstetrician told me was pelvic girdle pain. The idea of going overdue really really upsets me, especially as pgp is supposed to get worse when you go over. Was just wondering if you could ask to be induced at 39 weeks?
I've tried looking it up, but the only information seems to be that you get an induction if you go over 42 weeks, if your waters break without labour starting or if you have a medical condition like high BP.
I'd just like to know whether you can ask to be induced at 39 weeks without any of the above?

Depends on how sympathetic your consultant is. Induction is not the most pleasant of experiences, and if it fails, you may be looking at a rather prolonged admission, having a second attempt at being induced, or having a c/s for failed induction. It also increases your risk of having an instrumental delivery, and is not something to be taken lightly, hence it is not usually done unless there is a medical reason, or you are close to 2w overdue. What may be a better idea is to ask your midwife to do a sweep for you at 39w.

You can ask but tbh it's MUCH better for you and baby to labour naturally. Induced labours are more prone to being longer and more intervention filled. I know you want baby out now but it honestly is best for your long etrm health to stick it out if you can. I've been induced at 42 weeks and had two natural labours and the natural labour was about 500 times easier to cope with. Induction is brutal. Necessary sometimes but you don't want to get in to that unless you have to honestly.

I'd suggest calling your midwife though I expect a sweep will be your best bet.

Counter to earlier posts I was induced and was quite happy with how it went though mine worked first time. I was 2 weeks over and going mad to get baby out too but being induced meant I didn't have the "am I aren't I in labour" questions, stressful drive to hospital instead a time to be there and then ongoing monitoring with a lovely mw.

Thanks everyone...especially interesting to contrast Figgygal and Northernlurker 's induction experiences. I have to admit, I thought it would more like Figgygal 's...less stressful, more predictable and a massive relief! But I will defo need to give it more thought as dont want baby to undergo anything 'brutal'.

I have a mw appt next week and will ask about the sweep at 39 wks. Thanks to everyone!

Inductions at 42 weeks are more likely to be like figgy's BUT nothing is certain even then and induction at 38-40 weeks is even less so. If the body isn't ready to labour then getting it in labour will require (as my ob helpfully put it) dynamite.

I had 2 inductions, both at 40+14. Both were hideous experiences and took 4 days to get the DCs out!

I'm soooo hoping for a natural labour this time as the thought of another induction chills me.