Terrified of induction - midwife saying no to C section

[BrassHorses]

I'm due to be induced at 40+10 on Monday. This is my first DC. About a week ago I asked if I could skip induction and go straight to C section. I was told outright no and C section was only available if induction fails.

I've since been reading and researching and trying to get my head around things but I'm terrified of induction and have read that up to 40% of inductions end up in C sections anyway, and it carries a much higher risk of intervention.

I really want an elective C section. Can I get one? If so how? And have I left it too late to request this? I have a midwife appointment tomorrow for a third sweep so I can discuss again but I'm worried she will just stone wall me again and say no.

I'm not trying to change your mind at all but I would imagine some inductions are so hard because a large majority of them are done before the baby is due. Mine was, it took ages but it wasn't traumatic at all (just boring)

From those I've known in my life, those who are induced after the due date tend to progress much more smoothly. Whatever you decide don't decide it from the horror stories you read, it could be a lot nicer than that

There’s always a chance. Try not to worry about the timing of things at the moment. They can make things happen quickly when they want to/have to.

Ask to speak to a doctor. They should be able to organise this for you.

Agree with PP. If you want a C section you can have one.

Unless there is a medical reason, why is your induction booked early? At least push it back to 40+14 or later to give you more time to go in to spontaneous labour.

I'm going to ask to speak to a doctor today, I'll let you know the outcome. It's policy here for induction to be booked in at 10 days over your due date.

I had an elective CS after a forceps delivery and 4th degree tear with my first DC (healed well, almost no symptoms but I knew the risks of further labours). I discussed this wih my midwife after my 20 week scan.
1st time she laughed it off (literally laughed)
2nd time she said she'd referred me and then said "it hadn't gone through"
3rd time she said she'd referred me but told me chase it up as "their computers weren't on when I called"
So i phoned the number. Got passed from pillar to post and finally got to the person Who Can Get You An Appointment. She said there was no record of me ever being referred. I said "it's almost like my midwife doesn't want me to see the consultant". There was a silence and all of a sudden she found me a gap. A week later I saw the consultant who looking at my notes agreed to a section in about 3 minutes, saying that if he was in my position he would choose a section. But yes this went down as a "maternal request" even though imo it was for medical reasons.

So yeah some medical staff will go out of their way to stop women having elective sections.

That's interesting @AndhowcouldIeverrefuse

Do you remember which number you had to call to push this? I'm not holding out much hope for a speedy referral from this midwife who flat out told me that unless induction fails a c section is not possible.

Hey, just to say I'm in a similar place to you but less far along. I had a looong induction to have my DS two years ago. When I was 'in it', I didn't really feel it was that 'bad', it took a couple of days of frustration and nothing happening, then they said I could go to the labour ward, they gave me an epidural and put me on the drip. all was ok until they said I could start pushing, then I made no progress due to DS being back to back and stuck. I was rushed to theatre for what was meant to be a EMCS but the consultant 'had a go' at turning DS, which actually worked, and they pulled him out with forceps. I had an episiotomy but was actually never informed if I had torn. all I know is I had a lot of stitches! I regret not asking more about what happened now.
I'm now 16 wks along with DC2, and anxious to avoid induction. My mw says I can refuse induction. she's booked me in with a consultant to discuss my options. I'm still unsure what I'd like to do. You can ask for an epidural early on in your induction, (I had it written in my birth plan), and I did find that being on the drip with an epidural was actually not a bad experience at all. it was the pushing and the lack of progress that was awful, but I think most people do manage to push babies out! They were also fab monitoring my DS for me. I could hear his heart beat as I pushed. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I did this OP. I was 40+3 and they were literally about to put the drip in me when I said "what are you doing, I didn't agree to this" and said I wanted a section instead. I got it and then had another for my second. It is your choice, don't back down. Heavily lean on the anxiety aspect of your reasoning.

I think you can relax a bit about the Monday deadline. The reason they start inducing you at 40+10 (or 40+12 as it was in my hospital) is it can take days, you don't count as higher risk until 40+14.

Hopefully you get through to somebody before then, but if you decline an induction they should offer you an appointment in the hospital to monitor the baby and talk to you about it what you want to do. I also wouldn't worry about getting a date for an elective c section - all the emergency bit means is not booked in advance. I had a post birth repair operation on their emergency list because they didn't want to wait until the end of the week, it wasn't a life or death emergency!

OP, it isn't relevant what their "policy" around induction is - it's your body, your baby, your birth.

If you find your midwife won't back down from being a blocker, ask outright - "I need referral to a consultant. If you're unwilling, I need to escalate this to your supervisor - who is that?".

Do not be bullied into accepting what intervention route they're pressing you down.. it's fine if that's what you want but any "but that's what we always do/you must do this" needs to be met with a sharp reminder that they're there to advise and ensure informed consent... Telling you there is a "correct" next step isn't it.

I woukdn’t Bother asking/telling your community midwife as booking you or agreeing to a c section is way over her head (I say this AS a community midwife) and it will in all likelihood be very difficult for her to book a consultant appointment for you anytime soon as she will have to call a receptionist/secretary and will in all honesty probably get a ‘computer says no’ type response.

The best thing to do would be turn up at your scheduled induction appointment and refuse induction when a doctor comes to review you. It won’t make you popular but you aren’t there to make friends, you’re there to have a baby.

Brass it was he number of the local hospital where the consultant ran the clinic. I was lucky I came across a very clued up admin person probably a mumsnetter

Thanks for all the responses. I am back home after the appointment now, still only 1cm dilated. Myself and DH spoke to the midwife about C section, she was very anti it and told us outright that it is not an option for first time mothers to choose one. Not possible. DH pushed her on this and said everything we had read said we did have the choice to opt for one. She kind of relented and said it was of mothers had severe mental health problems and it was at the discretion of the doctor.

I was stressed and tearful during the appointment so was glad DH was there to ask the questions as I would have just been railroaded. What she ended up saying was that when I'm assessed by a doctor on Monday I should push for a c section then if that's what I want. In her words it is at the discretion of the doctor and some are kinder than others. So at least now I feel like there is the option, it will depend on the doctor on the day.

She did really push induction over c section though and kept talking about difficult recoveries and infections after c sections so it's given me a lot to think about over the weekend.

She did really push induction over c section though and kept talking about difficult recoveries and infections after c sections so it's given me a lot to think about over the weekend.

Sounds like she has targets/ an agenda to meet.

Did she also tell you your trusts rate of EMCS after induction? Or the amount of instrumental deliveries they do following induction? Did she give you the risks associated with vaginal delivery?

Keep pushing it. You do not have to consent to induction.

I'd be calling the midwifery department tomorrow OP to raise concerns that your midwife is deliberately informing patients that they don't have a right to treatment which the NICE guidelines clearly say they are. How many other women has she spoken like this too and ignored their wishes? This sort of behaviour and belief that health professional have a right to do what they want to womens bodies without their consent is horrendous.
I'd sit with your DH and write down what occurred in todays appointment as your record when discussing it.

And second PPs suggestion to request the rate of EMCS following induction at your Trust specifically for first time mothers and likewise rates of instrumental delivery following induction, this will be v v helpful when making a decision if you want to proceed with induction.
The rates for instrumental or EMCS following induction for first time mothers are horrifyingly high in most trusts.

The rates for instrumental or EMCS following induction for first time mothers are horrifyingly high in most trusts.
This. I am probably textbook in a bad way - first time mother, back to back baby, overdue, induction, stop-and-start labour, progress not fast enough for staff so on the drip, then forceps against my wishes, 4th degree tear that I will always have to live with. I healed well but the recovery was still pretty awful.

Second time around and thanks to many threads in here I knew I could have a section and couldn't be railroaded. Both the op and the recovery were a walk in the park compared with an induction.

Comparing a straightforward vaginal delivery with a worst case scenario section is very very misleading. Why do midwives keep on pushing this?

I asked for an c section for my dc3 after I had to wait until 42+2 for induction with dc2 on addition to having polyhydramnios (they majorly messed up but outcome was good thank goodness.) anyway I had polyhydramnios with dc3 also (a lot of excess fluid) and he was transverse but he said to me if I want a section he will allow it but I need to wait until closer to the due date if so as babies born by c section are at greater risk of breathing difficulties as vaginal births help prepare them for breathing after birth. Instead I agreed to induction as they managed to turn him but was prepped for an emergency c section. Both times I had midwives push down on my bump to help engage their heads as they broke my waters and I didn't need the sections. My consultant was against me having a section despite previous complications and I trusted him. The potential breathing difficulties were what made my mind up though. I didn't think c sections without medical need were allowed on the NHS either but seems lots of pp know that it is. I was glad in the end he discouraged me though for what it's worth. X

I'm not for or against c section BTW just remember researching and realising c section also had its risks and they bothered me more. Sure you've read this but if not for info www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/labour-birth/caesarean-section/c-section-benefits-and-risks

I had a long labour and was overdue. Ended up on the drip to try and speed things up, it didn't but i was still left labouring. DP asked for the doctor and then demanded they do something. I had a grade 2 EMCS by maternal request, so you can ask quite late on.
I was very out of it by this point but he was fairly determined and refused to back down. I obviously did consent to the operation and DP says he asked me before demanding one.
i found the doctors much more helpful and less scary than the midwives
goodluck

In her words it is at the discretion of the doctor and some are kinder than others

This is nuts, please please report this midwife OP.

She is denying mothers of their informed consent / bodily automy and directly conflicting with NICE guidelines.

Can you imagine if medical options were available on the "niceness" of the doctor you're speaking to at the time - wtf kind of process would that be. It would favour native English speakers, more assertive and confident/educated patients - the very thing stuff like NICE guidelines are meant to avoid.

All patients have the same rights - this midwife is not acting properly here.

It is soooo not at the discretion of the bloody doctor.

You can 100% refuse to consent to an induction and ask for a section instead. I've done it twice

I’m glad that you’re going to see a doctor OP, but your posts have made me SO ANGRY. I really do think you should consider reporting this midwife.

You have the right to decline induction.

You have the right to request a section instead of an induction.

This is YOUR BODY, OP.