Induction after only 10 days - what are my options?

[lemonslemonslemons]

Hi folks! I'm 17 weeks with DC2 (so have a way to go yet, but want to look at my options) and the midwife told me that in our area they now start inducing at 40+10. DC1 is 3 1/2 they were due to induce at 40+14 but i went in to labour naturally at 40+12 and had a normal birth. I don't want to be induced at all - do I have options? Can I refuse to be induced at 40+10??

Yes i think you can refuse induction but after a certain point I think you have to go in for daily monitoring as the placenta may become less effective.

You can always do what you want. Always. They can advise but not compel you to do anything.

Help is here:

www.aims.org.uk

Induction is horrible but I've learned that a late delivery is not great. DS was +10 days with a CS. He would have been in there longer given the chance. He has a development delay, something the doctors have said is more common to a late or early delivery.

If you think your DD is too early say something. Also I was induced with DD and they used acupuncture and massage before moving on to pitocin. I def recommend starting this at 36 weeks if your DC have strong arms like mine! It takes 3-4 weeks (you go once a week) to get things moving.

Thanks so much! To be honest, what makes it worse is that I KNOW my DD is actually 12th June but they changed it to 8th at my scan as that's what baby measured, but it's impossible for that to be the actual DD! So know I have to be induced over a week earlier than i first assumed and that makes me uneasy.

I refused induction booking for term plus 10. As it happens it was moot anyway as she was born at term plus 8. However I have since had a friend suffer a (pre 39 weeks) still birth and I think I would take term plus 10 date now.

Life is funny - i was desperate to be induced as my DD was not budging and time was running out for my parents who had travelled from thousands of miles away.

I had THREE sweeps!

I was 40 + 11 and beyond desperate and i had an acupressure treatment. 1 hour later my waters broke.

I was induced at term for gestational diabetes. I'll never agree to it again. Will opt for monitoring instead.

Everyone is different but dd2 was stillborn in March at 40+5, she was perfect, no infection or anything, they said everything just stopped. She was described as a happy healthy baby by the midwife just two days earlier when she did the sweep and listened to her heart, had she been born then she'd still be here.

Yes, absolutely you can refuse. If you don't agree to induction, they will usually recommend that you go in for regular monitoring. I had monitoring at 40+10, 40+14 and 40+15 - they did an hour of monitoring the heartbeat, plus ultrasound.

Also, you can ask midwives/doctor to have a proper conversation with you about why they recommend induction, what the alternative is, and what the risks are of each. I say this because my midwives were just infuriating - "oooh, I don't think the doctors will let you go to 40+14!" - and it was really tempting to just ignore them once I'd already decided I wasn't going in for induction before then. But I spoke to one of the obstetricians at the hospital about the pros and cons of induction, and it was a really useful and informative conversation.

(Baby eventually born 40+16, two hours before my scheduled induction!)

I am so sorry 3little

Just to add the amount of times I was told 'it is more common than you think.' Once it has happened to us. The bereavement midwife said there were three women before me that month alone. My daughter was born on the 12th! If they are pushing for +10 I'd be inclined to trust that there was a reason for it and go with it, but it is your decision and you of course have the right to decline and opt for more monitoring instead.
Good luck