Christmas induction

[MagpieCursedTea]

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of what happens with inductions over Christmas?
I'm due 4th January but I have GD and was induced with my DS at 38 weeks (also a GD pregnancy), so if that happens again it would be 21st December. To be honest, I'd rather not be induced so early again if the circumstances are the same (so if anyone has experience of refusing/delaying induction, I'd love to hear about that too) but want to be prepared just in case!
Do hospitals continue inductions as normal over Christmas or does it effect the dates they offer?

I was induced 21st December ds born 22nd was business as usual for them the community midwives even came out to us Christmas Day for 3 day check.

I was induced and gave birth on Christmas Day! I turned down induction on 21st Dec but then had to agree by the 24th as baby wasn't growing. Got sent home on Christmas Eve as labour ward was full (I kid you not) and brought in for induction on Christmas itself. Everyone was very cheerful and we got the delights of a hospital Christmas Dinner (slice of gravy anyone?!). Given a choice we would have preferred a different birthday - logistics are interesting the older DD gets, so perhaps you could ask about avoiding 24/25/26th Dec if you have a preference and there is no increased risk to delaying? I think if the risk is no higher then they should be happy to consider it.

Congratulations btw, Christmas time babies feel very special 😊

Figgy - I think our DC's are days apart - DD2 arrived last Thursday and I remember you from the 2011 group with DD1!

Hi lokah
Small world
And by coincidence I had ds2 last Friday
Congratulations!!

DD was 30tg December so two days before new year.

She was 10 weeks early and an emergency section so bit different. Hospital ran fine so staff shortages the nurses had party food in the office (I was next door) at midnight.

Congratulations and good luck

Thanks all, that's really interesting! I haven't spoken to my obstetrician about it yet but the diabetic consultant was saying I'd have to "negotiate" the date as it fell around Christmas, not really sure what he meant by that.

I've been booked in for an induction on Boxing Day (just in case) since my 20 week scan to make sure there's enough room when I would be 40+12! That's at St Mary's in Manchester

I was due on 14 Dec. Obstetrician said they would want to induce me between 41-42w. For me 41w was 21 Dec, and hospital said that I would have to choose either 21 Dec or wait until after Boxing Day, as they avoided any electives over Xmas, and induction could take a few days.

I had refused to take the GTT, but sugar had been appearing in my urine and bloods. I was successfully controlling it with diet, and the Ob was happy for me to make my own choice between 41 and 42w.

As it happened, ds was born naturally on 21 Dec. When I was discharged on 24 Dec they were moving all the remaining mums and babies on to one ward, so that they could shut the other down over the holidays.

They avoid Christmas Day and Boxing Day - they have enough staff to cover women starting labour, but not as many staff as normal so won't schedule inductions/planned Caesarians for those days. So eg my induction should have started on Christmas Day itself, but was delayed till the 27th.

I guess it depends what hospital you're going to then!