40+6 advice needed!

[ejmay90]

So currently 40+6 and decided not to have a sweep at my 40 week appointment as wanted everything to start naturally.
I had my 41 week appointment yesterday and opted for a sweep as I really dont want an induction and would prefer as little intervention as possible, this is less than an induction so opted for this instead.
Now my midwife has had to book my induction for Wednesday 13th as I'll be 40+12 then, but she has said they may bring it forward to monday 11th or Tuesday 12th.

I really dont want an induction, I'm a ftm and do really want this to be as natural as possible and my partner there. Midwife said if I'm in hospital for 24 hours for induction it will be alone.

My question is should I ask for another sweep before the induction to see if it starts anything?
Really dont think yesterdays sweep did anything as she said my cervix is soft which is good but she couldn't do a very good sweep as it's still at the back.
I know sweeps aren't proven to work and if I go into labour it's because I was ready to anyway but is it worth it?

Any advice welcome.

P.s I'm doing the walking a day (have a dog), hot foods, sex, birthing ball ect to get things going but nothing is working!

[dochas06]

I had 3 sweeps, then had my waters broken and still needed an oxytocin drip, I was 40+7 when my baby was born.
I really don’t think the sweeps did much for me, but some people swear by them.

[Keepyourginup]

Same. I had 3 sweeps.....14 days 'overdue' (only 7 days over by my accurate dates). I was doing all of the spicy food etc, even paining garden fence. I was finally induced as there was a bank holiday coming up and they didn't want to leave me another weekend.....I had a birth plan...but it all went out the window and I ended up on the drip. Healthy baby so it didn't really matter in the end..... Good luck

[Pineapplebaby]

I’m booked in for a sweep this weekend, and am planning to get three in before my induction (which I really would prefer to avoid).
I would definitely push for at least one more if you can as I think they’re more successful if you have more than one.

[BeMorePacific]

Nipple stimulation is supposed to be very effective.
Sounds like you’re keeping active so that’s brilliant. Remember you have the right to make any decision you want over the birth of your baby. I really hope you go into labour today.. get watching Bridesmaids or something that’s guaranteed to make you laugh a lot. Good luck xx

[ejmay90]

Thanks everyone for the advice and your stories.
I'm also doing nipple stimulation as I've been expressing colostrum for about 3 weeks now but still my little one is content inside!
I will see if midwife can do another sweep over the weekend and fingers crossed it works!
My other half is at home and doing his best every day to make me laugh and keep me happy which is good!
Thanks again and hopefully it happens in the next few days.

One question for anyone who had a sweep that worked how long after you had the sweep did your contractions start? I know everyone is different so could be a silly question.

[Sundance5]

Give yourself a break from all the old wives tales about getting baby going!

Caution best induction story ever.

Can you ask your midwife if they have outpatient inductions available? I had one In October at 41+6. I went in and had an hours monitoring then they inserted the pessary. I went home and had a chippy lunch and a nice afternoon nap. Went to bed thinking nothing was working, then woke up in the night and went straight to hospital and had baby on the midwife led unit in the pool within 3.5 hours of waking up. I was back home again by midday.

[ejmay90]

@Sundance5 my midwife was the one who said to try sex, walking ect so it's worth a try and no harm in doing it.

My induction would have to be at the hospital she said and they use the balloon method, told me if after that was inserted and I didn't have contractions within 2 hours I'd have to stay for 24 hours and be on the drip.

[inuinnit]

Can't give you too much advice for things that work as got induced for post dates with my first and tried everything (sex, walking, curries, bouncing, raspberry leaf tea) except for acupuncture. Also tried nipple stimulation but not properly, got bored, you really need to do it for hours a day in order for it to work apparently! I had lots of sweeps but they did nothing for me.

Just wanted to say good luck and eat and rest well, pack lots of things to keep yourself relaxed and comfortable at the hospital. My first induction was a super long process (went in Sunday, baby born Friday night) which went to the drip and I was knackered by the end, more from the hospital stay than the actual physical process of giving birth.

[TwinkleStars15]

It’s completely up to you - but I refused an induction completely. As long as baby is all good tucked up inside then just wait it out, he/she will come! Induction significantly raises the chance of further medical interventions, such as forceps, ventouse, emergency section etc. I’d 100% opt for a sweep. My friend had her two babies at 40+12 and 40+16.

[happinessischocolate]

My only advice would be after the insert the pessary try and stay active.

After I was moved to the labour ward my contractions got lighter and further apart, because I spent too much time sitting on the bed doing bugger all.

[happinessischocolate]

Oh and with my 2nd pregnancy I started contractions at 40+6 and went out for a walk round the block as I was adamant that I was not going to be induced again. Eventually went to hospital at 9pm and gave birth at 11pm

[ejmay90]

@TwinkleStars15 can I ask what they did when you refused the induction completely? I am seriously considering refusing it as I really dont want one. My midwife said I would have an extra scan/check but also dont want to put pressure on the nhs during this current time but it's my baby and my birth.
I will try and have another sweep over the weekend.
Did your friend have a sweep with her 2 or did she just refuse an induction?

@happinessischocolate thank you, I'm not sure if the balloon works the same as the pessary as thats what my hospital do but good to know if I do have one.
I'm walking daily with the dog but it's doing nothing :( 40+6 today so fingers crossed!!

[TwinkleStars15]

@ejmay90 They didn’t say much, I was very clear that I wouldn’t accept one unless the baby was at risk, which it wasn’t. My friend got quite a lot of pressure when she got past 41 weeks, but again she stuck to her guns, spoke with the supervisor of midwives and...waited. She has some additional checks and all was fine, she had a home birth for both of hers (again, not ‘supported’ if overdue) but midwives were there and supported her throughout. Women are told that there is a higher risk of still birth after 42 weeks, but if you actually look at the data properly, it is extremely minimal and there are plenty of checks that can be done to ensure baby and placenta are fine. All babies will come eventually!

Trust in your body, it knows what it’s doing.

[Malysh]

Careful with nipple stimulation, as some studies suggest that they can trigger contractions that are too strong and can put the baby in distress.

I would also seriously suggest not refusing an induction if it means going over 42 weeks. This can lead to serious issues such as baby being bigger (so having a harder time coming out), placenta degenerescence, etc.

It's up to you but personally I wouldn't risk my baby for the sake of a birth experience.

[ejmay90]

@TwinkleStars15 thank you that helps me in what I want to do. My other half agrees with baby has to come and as long as everything is ok as they will do extra scans and monitoring then why not.

@malysh its collecting colostrum which I was told to do by my midwife so not sure how that's an issue?
I would be having an extra scan/monitoring if I decide against it and would never put my baby at risk! Waited too long for him to do that. It's not to do with the birth experience it's a number of factors with complications with induction, partner not allowed to be with me, I feel my body will give birth when its ready. I'm hoping I dont get that far so will see how it goes, but would always take advice from drs/midwives if they suggested my baby was at risk.

[BendingSpoons]

DC1 - 3rd sweep at 41 weeks. Sweep at 7pm, contractions started about 10pm, properly got going about 12.30am, baby born 9am

DC2 2nd sweep at 41 weeks at 4pm, contractions started about 7pm, properly got going at 1am, baby born 5am.

Obviously I don't know if the same would have happened anyway but I felt like by body needed tipping over into labour. With DC2 I'd had a sweep 3 days earlier and the midwife had predicted I would have a baby by the evening. Sadly she was wrong!

A friend of mine refused induction at 42 weeks. She went in for monitoring that day, baby born at 42+1. FWIW, if you are close to giving birth, induction should be easier anyway. Sometimes they can just break your waters as your body is nearly ready. Obviously there is no guarantee though.

[HarrietM87]

My story is really similar to @Sundance5. induced at 40+12, had the pessary plus monitoring, went home for lunch, started watching TV, contractions started and baby born in birthing pool 3 hours after first contraction. It was amazing. They hadn’t even managed to give me a sweep earlier in the day as cervix was still so posterior. Inductions aren’t always bad - was literally my dream birth.

[dochas06]

@ejmay90 I should add that I had my waters broken and was induced as my BP was getting higher and higher so needed meds for that. I had no additional measures apart from the oxytocin drip, no forceps or ventouse.
Almost 23hrs in labour after my waters were broken at tea time. Drip started at midnight and baby came at 4pm.

[ejmay90]

@BendingSpoons thank you for sharing. I'm going to try and get another sweep over the weekend to see if it helps!
My hospital uses the balloon method which I dont know if that's more effective or not?

@HarrietM87 I wish my hospital would let me home but they said I have to stay in and I dont know why really.

@dochas06 I've always had textbook BP throughout and no other issues at all so it's why I'm opting not to have one but I do also worry about my baby's health.
How long did you stay in with the drip?
My midwife just said if the balloon doesnt work within 2 hours I'll have to stay in for 24 but didnt say anything else, so I have no idea what happens if i have to stay in apart from being put on the drip?

[dochas06]

@ejmay90
My venflon tissued shortly after I had her. I opted to stay in for 3 nights due to latch issues. I wasn’t aware that the drip effected the length of time I had to stay. I know that it should of ran for a while after I gave birth but they didn’t recannulate me for it.
Once the drip is started your in, the baby needs monitoring (mine had a scalp clip) as your contractions are much more powerful on the oxytocin drip. They start it at a slow rate and then increase it every couple of hours. The drip runs for your entire labour.

[gonewiththerain]

I refused induction and had to go to the hospital for an appointment and monitoring. The community midwives were pushing induction quite hard. By the time I got to appointment I was already in early labour and had been for two days. The hospital weren’t bothered, spoke to head of labour ward, midwife and doctor it was agreed I could go another week which would have been 42 plus 4. They monitored baby for an hour all was fine and sent home. Had to go back two days later for a scan which was fine by this time I was 4 or 5 cm and I agreed to a sweep and my waters broke. They would have let me go home for the planned homebirth but I stayed. I had the drip later as things weren’t progressing that got us to 7cm and then had an emcs. He wasn’t in anyway overcooked and I’m really glad I didn’t have the induction because natural labour is bearable, induced is really hard going.
It’s probably best to speak to the hospital and see what they say for your individual case.

[ejmay90]

@gonewiththerain thank you for sharing that does sound positive.
Can I ask how big your baby came out? I wonder the longer he's in the bigger he will be?

[gonewiththerain]

8lb 12oz and the reason labour didn’t get progress was his head was too big and my pelvis too small and he couldn’t drop down.
I had a scan at 36 weeks because I was booked for a homebirth and my bump was borderline on the top small side and my midwife just wanted to double check the position and they couldn’t get a head measurement but everything else was average. The scan in labour couldn’t get a head measurement but everything else was average. He was too far down for the head to be measured but not far enough for labour to progress. It was the head that was the problem. I’m having an elective cs this time

[Incrediblytired]

You’ve still got a week to go!

I would get the sweeps in, you have nothing to lose. I had 3 and my waters did break after the 3rd but i was 41+11 at that point. Personally I just think I bounced on that ball until they burst. Spicy food did nothing for me.

[ejmay90]

@incrediblytired
I know that's what I'm thinking, but my midwife has booked my induction for next Wednesday but said theres a note to bring it forward to either monday or tuesday so I wanted to make a decision sooner rather than later.
I'm going to ask for a 2nd sweep as I think theres nothing to lose.
Were you booked in for an induction after the 3rd sweep if it didnt work?
Ive been on the ball every day, admittedly probably not enough.