Can you chose to be induced at 40 weeks?

[JSweetpea1234]

Hello ladies

I am due this Sunday (19th May) and have so far had no signs baby is coming any time soon apart from being incredibly hormonal. I am moving house on the 31st May which is playing on my mind and causing me so much stress thinking about moving with a newborn plus i am a FTM and don’t know what to expect. I wanted to have Atleast 2 weeks in my current home to settle with her and bond before we move house because it’s gojng to be manic!!
DP will be doing most of the move however the thought of all the unpacked boxes and stuff everywhere gives me really bad anxiety I’m a very procurator person that likes things in it’s place!!!
Would I be able to ask for an induction at 40 weeks?? This would give me 2 weeks until the move however I’m not sure it is a good enough reason for midwife to give the go ahead?? I am so stressed thinking about it all...

You can request it, but it's a request.

Also on the day itself you won't be a priority and may have to wait for a bed, then midwife and so on. Then of course it may take a few days to work!

What is the standard policy for induction at your local hospital?

I was induced on my due date at suggestion of the consultant as he was concerned baby was very large.

I had shown no signs of going into labour and the prostin gel caused severe pains but didn’t cause me to dilate until the third dose when I was just about dilated enough for them to break my waters. I then had a very quick and painful labour, failed forceps and an emergency c section under GA.

I really don’t think it is a good idea to try to force your body to do something it’s not ready for for the sake of convenience. The chances of a failed induction are fairly high (no idea of %age) in those circumstances. I was in hospital being induced for three days before DC was born (official labour time was 6 hrs!).

I would focus on getting extra support with the move and letting your body do its thing.

I asked to be induced on my due date as I was 40 and didn't want to go overdue because of increased stillbirth risk at my age.

Consultant felt that was reasonable but as it happened I went into labour naturally the day before.

I had no inkling up until 6 hours before ds2 made his appearance.

I know 3 people who have had inductions in recent months did medical reasons and every one of them resulted in a difficult traumatic labour and emergency c section.
I know it would make life easier and you are feeling impatient but I really don't think this is a good enough reason to try and get an induction. They are far from ideal.
I would let your body do what it needs to do naturally instead of forcing it.

I asked to be induced on my due date as I was 40 and didn't want to go overdue because of increased stillbirth risk at my age.

Consultant felt that was reasonable but as it happened I went into labour naturally the day before.

I had no inkling up until 6 hours before ds2 made his appearance.

Induction can take ages though so no guarantee that you'll get your 2 weeks, plus if it results in a more complicated delivery you might have a longer recovery.

I think there would need to be risk factors like age, blood pressure, slow waters leak, baby size or medical concerns. They don’t tend to induce just because you ask. I should’ve been induced at 40weeks with my age but they were busy and I was told to wait everyday. She came 8 days late or her own accord.

I requested an induction at 38 weeks because my pelvis was very sore.
Had a sweep, pessary and drip with epidural
Intense birth but no interventions and I had no stitches. She was 7lbs 14ozm

Ask for what you need, I hope they listen

I went to hospital for check up 3 day's before i was due , doctor told me i was to be admitted on the Sunday to be induced, arrived at hospital on the Sunday to be sent home again as they were very busy in the labour suite, got another date to be induced 4 day's later, it went ahead then

I really don’t think it is a good idea to try to force your body to do something it’s not ready for for the sake of convenience.

This x 100!
I was induced before I was ready, it took 2 attempts over 48 hours to get me to 1cm when they could break my waters and then 21 hours of intense labour before sending me for an emergency c section.

Having been induced, I wouldn’t recommend anyone request it unless medically necessary. I was in hospital for a week in total, labour took ages to get going, I was exhausted, emotionally and physically, and I was one of the “lucky” ones who managed to give birth without forceps/ventouse and avoid a C-Section. I personally don’t know anyone else who’s been induced where it hasn’t ended in either a CS or instrumental delivery.

Even if your midwife agrees to book an induction, you’ll probably have a wait for a slot to become free, and you’ll presumably be bumped down the list if emergencies crop up. I had to be induced “immediately” which was still a 2 day wait, and the morning of, when I called to let the hospital know I was on my way in, due to an admin error, my name wasn’t on the list for that day! Because of why I was induced they then called me when their next bed came free, so someone was definitely bumped as I took priority.

It’s unfortunate timing with your house move, but babies come when they want to come. I’m due this week too, also with no signs of labour coming anytime soon, but we can hope! Good luck!

Don’t underestimate how long an induction can take- I have friends who’ve been in for 5 days. You won’t be a priority on the ward and may find yourself waiting for more hormone etc. Personally with a first child and not even quite on your due date I doubt it would work

The major concern for me would be increased risk of c section because you’ll still
Be recovering on moving day and IME it’ll be particularly unpleasant. A natural labour gives you more chance of being a bit healthier by 31st.

X posted with milky, another member of the week long induction club!

I was induced on my due date due to a large baby and my body was completely not ready. It took four days to get the baby out and I was in hospital for a week total. I’m not saying it isn’t the right thing for you as I can imagine your situation being quite stressful but just go into it with your eyes open and aware that you could end up with even more stress.

Perhaps a better plan would be to call in all favours/bribe friends and family to help with the move so you can get everything unpacked and in place as quickly as humanly possible to minimise your stress?

Baby’s lungs release surfactant into the amniotic fluid when their lungs are fully developed. This is one of the main triggers for labour starting. I wouldn’t rush this process for the ease of moving house. Babies are all about compromise anyway!

Good luck and I hope baby makes an appearance soon for you.

I was so desperate NOT to be induced. I think it’s unlikely you would get a very supportive attitude for the reason of moving house. Especially if your body doesn’t seem ready. So many women are needing to be induced these days due to genuine medical reasons that the maternity units are so busy. For FTM it’s great to try avoid lscs qs it will impact your subsequent birth choices.

So many women I know have been induced at 40+ weeks for medical reasons and it’s ended up taking 4-5 days resulting in a csection.
I know it’s frustrating but it really is better to try and allow your baby to trigger its own labour if it can.
I don’t know if you can request an induction based on personal reasons like moving house only on medical ones.

I was induced at 40 weeks with DC 4 as I was in agony and couldn’t walk with SPD, I could have had him at 38 weeks but wanted to wait until his due date. Being my 4th time I think my body knew what it what doing or I was in ore labour as one pessary and whoosh he was here. I did feel very guilty as there were women who had been on the ward 2 days trying to start labour.

Is there anywhere else you and the baby can go whilst the move happens? If you know you have somewhere clean, cosy and comfortable then that might alleviate some of the stress. Can you rope in help to get the kitchen, bathroom and your bedroom cleaned and unpacked as much as possible before you get back in? The rest can wait. Just take back some control but let your body do what it needs to do in its own time if you can. Stress is not going to help labour and delivery either. Honestly, the house just needs to be liveable, not perfect.

Hi, I would also look at ways of making the move less stressful. Can you afford to pay for the removal men to pack everything for you? I would personally pack the nursery up so you can access it if required, or at least know where everything is once you've moved. Do either sets of parents live close by? Can you go and stay there for the duration of the move? Make a little home from home where you can stay with baby for a few days? Then move can happen without you. You literally leave one house and return to the new home. A relaxed mum is more likely to have an easier labour. I wouldn't ask for an induction, baby will come when ready. Alternatively if you are moving rental is there a way you could pay for an extra couple of weeks in the current place? So even though most things can be moved you know that you can stay at home if necessary for an extra week.

You poor thing. How stressful. My hormones always went crazy immediately before birth and I found the ‘nesting instinct’ unbearable as I couldn’t feel comfortable in my own house.

Bodies are weird things and labour can be inhibited by anxiety anyway. I third/fourth the idea of taking the house out of it completely if you can and staying with family if at all possible. If not, then you can get essential rooms sorted very quickly so you’ve got a peaceful bedroom and place to sit. Whack unpacked boxes somewhere or if sight as much as possible and let other people unpack them when time allows.