Anyone else NOT trying to bring on their labour early

[Polkadot1988]

I am 39+4 weeks with baby 1 and have a bit of high blood pressure. No other symptoms and ATM no worry of preclampsia etc I am due to go in tomorrow and they keep offering me sweeps etc but cannot do it properly as my cervix is still closed. I have read a lot about things to help bring on labour but I just want him to arrive on his own when he is ready but feel like there is something wrong with me for feeling like this because every post I read is just people trying to bring their labour on early 😂 Is anyone else just happy to let things happen on their own and not force it? Or had this experience with the hospital offering sweeps etc early?? Thanks 😊

I am not quite as far as you, 29+1 but this is something that I have thought about and I absolutely will refuse to be induced unless it could cause harm to my baby or myself.

Don't let anybody force you to do anything that you don't want to do.

I know what you mean polka. With my first who's now 8 I was quite scared of labour, very comfortable being pregnant and was in no rush! Couldn't understand the 'fed up' stereotype of the full term pregnant mum. Declined a sweep at 40+3 then went into labour that evening naturally.

Next time was an Elcs so again, no desire to go into labour early, now I'm 38+3 with Elcs booked for 39+4 so again just want to get to that date without a mad dash to the hospital, especially not over the upcoming weekend thanks very much! (Been in over the weekend every time so far including with medical management of mc so I'd quite like to see if I get any better looked after on weekdays this time!)

Good luck OP!

I was like you, so was my sister. I just thought it would be nice for the baby if we waited til they were really ready. I started trying at 41 weeks though!

I don't think it's strange at all. Lots of people feel the same way and lots of people refuse sweeps, induction etc.

My doctors were also asking me to start considering being induced at 39 weeks.

I think for some people they're just so excited and want the baby right now. Or, they're just sick of being pregnant. If i was at 39 weeks in this heat, I might have been begging for a sweep haha. Anybody who gives birth in July or August... don't know how you do it! I was hot in December, can't imagine how hot you must be.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

Definitely me. My first arrived at 35 weeks and I'm desperate to make it to term this time.

I absolutely hate the thought of being medically induced and snapped at my midwife when she said to me that I "would" be booked in for induction at 40 +12. I think what she meant to say was that she would discuss inducing me! So whilst I want him to cook til he is ready I would also rather do little things to try to coax him into turning up before medical induction becomes an issue. That said the only things I am doing are eating dates (which I figure can't induce labour but may assit in dilation), exercise which I have been doing throughout and bouncing on my gym ball (because it is comfy and helps the aches and pains)

I'm 38w, and feel like I've still got stuff to do! My first was late, so I've sort of assumed that this one will be too. I did get a bit antsy at 41 weeks last time, and went for sweeps, but I reckon by 41 weeks I can argue that's not 'early'!

Well thought I would update you lovely ladies, came in yesterday and blood pressure is sky high so I am being induced today!! have had to just do a big reassess and accept it so baby boy should arrive by Saturday! Actually really calm the experience so far has actually been grand! Good luck to everyone!! Xoxo

Good luck!

Every week makes a such a big difference to development at that stage, I felt really glad in the end that my baby was 2 weeks late (though I was induced in the end) because when he was born, he didn't seem quite so fragile and terrifying as all the other new babies I'd seen! He may have just been a robsust baby anyway. In the future I won't be gutted if I have a late baby- because of this.

My only concern would be that at 3 weeks overdue, there is quite a significant increase of potential problems, and more so with each week after that. Which would make me feel a bit anxious.

This and the fact that it could potentially be a more painful delivery with a bigger baby! But I know two women who say their 10 pounders were easier than their 6 pounders.

Hope you have a good induction! My only words of wisdom are- be assertive when you need something or if you think cervix should be checked, and when you're not in the way to be assertive anymore, make sure your birth partner can be! Good luck and enjoy your beautiful boy!