I have just declined an induction

[crazybutkind]

Just had a growth scan due to my first baby weighing 6lbs, this baby is weighing approx 6.7lbs and they wanted to induce me to which I said no.

I am 39+3 I have had 3 growth scans now, first 2 they weren't concerned this time they said they are concerned about babies weight.

My reasons for declining are due to the fact I haven't yet reached 40 weeks so not over due, my daughter was small, lol family babies have been small, I can still feel baby moving a lot and I don't want to be in a hospital with medical help on my own for potentially 3 days.
I said I would rather wait until next Monday (when I am overdue) then if they still feel the need to I will go ahead with induction.

After speaking to family I have been made to feel stupid and they have all said I should have agreed and I am being selfish and that I am potentially threatening the life of our baby.

I asked the doctor if it was what she would strongly advise and if there is any threat to myself or baby, she said no but would offer induction to women who are over due in any circumstance.

I phoned midwife when I got home to get another perspective really and she basically said I'm fine to decline until I am overdue and if nothing has happened by next week then go ahead with induction.

Basically I want someone to either be really blunt with me.

Have I been stupid?

Now o have come away and

I would have the induction, but can understand your fears and concerns, as I have heard they can be a long process. It’s your body and your baby so ultimately up to you though. Wishing you all the best for your new baby.

I'm no medical expert but surely if the baby is on the smaller side the longer you keep them in there the better for now?
I would have 100% declined that too, Im debating declining even if I go 2 weeks over so certainly wouldn't be induced early. That's not even that small either is it?! Half a lb a week in third trimester so if you went slightly over you would be looking at a 7-8lb baby anyway! Good luck whatever you decide OP! X

I think you're right. Your family has small babies. You're not even over due! Induction is crackers here imo.

You have done the right thing if there is no urgent medical need to be induced. Yes if it’s safe to leave it then if it were me I would always leave it as long as possible. Inductions can go smoothly but on the flip side they do start a chain of interventions which can lead to more interventions. If the consultant is saying there is an urgent medical need to be induced, then go for it. If not then wait.
I just don’t know why so many women are offered inductions simply because they have reached the ‘due date’ and no other medical reasons? So many women are not told of the incredible value of spontaneous labour

I went to 41 weeks. My baby was still born. They never found a cause. You did say to be blunt. Maybe she would have died anyway.

Agree @inmyshedsmoking2000 - just can’t understand it? It’s something I think we will look back in decades to come with horror at, just like routine shaving and enema on arrival to hospital

I don’t think you’ve been stupid. You can decline induction in any circumstances. It’s your body and you get to say what happens to it. There are risks to anything and only you get to decide which set of risks are the most acceptable to you.

Aren’t most babies between 6-9lb if born at term? Of course there will be smaller and larger but I’d have thought well within the range of normal.

I would have refused also, just getting this right, they wanted to induce because baby is already 6lb+ and they think its too small? Sounds a lovely weight, ppssible 7lb baby, perfect :) Good luck, excited for you!

The UK is very quick to medicalise birth. Well done you for declining. Now get climbing some stairs, get doing some oxytocin releasing activities, and enjoy the remainder of your pregnancy.
Good luck, you’ve got this ♥️ X

I will be extra cautious with monitoring babies movements and if by next Monday I'm still pregnant I will go ahead with induction. Like I said my first was only 6lbs and she was 2 days early a very fast labour and was born on the living room floor after going to hospital to being sent home.

If the majority of people on here was to say I had been stupid then I would ring the hospital back and it would possibly sway my own selfishness but I get the feeling I haven't been as stupid as I feel after my families comments

What if any monitoring have they offered you in the meantime? Inductions also have risks to both you and the baby so I think it's one of those cases of picking the least bad option.

Has your baby grown since the last scan if not or if growth has suddenly slowed this could be a sign that your placenta is failing, inductions are not just handed out for small babies usually the baby is small and growth has stopped or dramatically slowed.

You need to consider the growth and everything you have been told.

Take medical advice, not the advice of family and not of internet strangers. Personally I was very anti induction and only had one scheduled at 42 weeks both times. Didn’t need either. I also don’t trust growth scans, they have a big margin of error. But- make the decision you can live with best, regardless of the outcome.

Your body, your choice. You have sought advice from medical professionals and make an informed decision, so you are not being irresponsible at all. Good for you for weighing it up and making the right decision for you and your baby.

My advice is to stop discussing any of it with family. If they won't be supportive then they will get an update when baby's born and that's that!

(For the record I wanted to avoid induction with DS and he was born naturally at 41+4. I am pregnant again and would only accept induction if it was medically necessary.)

No I came home and looked through my notes from my last 3 scans and baby has grown each time. She is just below the middle line of that makes sense to anyone. I just wanted to at least get to due date before medical intervention.

@Paperyfish
Sorry for your loss

When I was pregnant with DD (who is now six months old) they were concerned about size as she was expected to be 10pounds. (She was in fact 8.5 pounds). The consultant who booked me in for an induction on my due date was very clear that NICE guidelines recommended I be induced due to concerns about birthing larger babies - there was no ambiguity about whether they thought this was the right course of action.

I also had a front lying placenta so went in for reduced movements a few times, including five days before she was due. As it was the third time they offered to bring my induction forward (but they didn't say I had to) which in fairness I took as I really wanted her to arrive and I was terrified she'd be huge and get stuck. But it was very much a recommendation, they were not direct and clear about it being the best course of action.

In the end, DD did not want to be born and I had an emergency section, where the midwife commented that despite her being 8.5 pounds she wondered if my dates were wrong as she was still completely covered in the vernux (sp) and also there was nothing wrong at all with the placenta to indicate that it was failing and DD had grown too much for too long (which is why they wanted to induce me)

So I don't think you've done the wrong thing / they will absolutely tell you if you are in danger (there was no hesitation to tell me to have a section or then have me in theatre within the hour because the drip was distressing baby) and there was no hesitation to tell me why they recommended the original section. If they tell you they recommend it id do it, if they give you the option then I'd explore it more and make an informed decision.

Did you have the growth scans due to your previous small baby?

I just had my final growth scan for this reason and I think if this baby was small, I would have accepted an induction. Did they mean for you to be induced today or to book one for when you are 40w? I would be OK with induction at 40w but might question why earlier induction was necessary.

The reason for growth scans in cases of previous small for gestational age (sga) babies is I think based on a study that links low birth weight with increased risk of stillbirth. This risk increases the longer you go post-dates.

I was fairly against induction last time and declined to book one. I delivered at 41w anyway so it didn't up being necessary. This time round, I've switched the other way mainly due to the findings of studies that have come out since I gave birth showing that earlier induction is safer than waiting.

If this baby was small, I would be asking for an induction at 40w latest. Baby seems to be average weight based on growth scans so I will be asking for an induction to be booked for 41w. This might be a problem atm as hospitals are less inclined to book inductions based on maternal requests due to Covid but I'm hoping I can make a good case.

If you are well and your baby is obviously normal size considering you're near due date, there is no need to have an induction. Don't discuss it with anyone, just go about your business and wait. It could kick off at any time, hope all goes well.

It’s your decision, you can decline induction at any point for any reason.

I was offered an induction at 40 weeks for baby showing small on growth scans (I had been offered late term scans because my previous baby had been on the small side when he was born, although still perfectly healthy)

I was slightly thrown because I’d changed care to a different hospital last minute, and my previous hospital did not see any reason for me to be induced and wouldn’t offer one under those circumstances- which just proves there are pros and cons!

I was really undecided, particularly with the increased risk of intervention resulting from induction- I didn’t want to put my baby through the risks of an emergency c-section or forceps at the expense of getting induced. Mentally I also didn’t want the potentially long process.

In the end I went into natural labour 3 days before my due date, I had a quick and relatively easy labour, no intervention and the growth scan needn’t have caused any concern as my baby was a really good healthy weight.

There are of course pros and cons but I’d weigh everything up to decide what’s right for you. You can also ask to still be induced but at a slightly later date to increase the chance of spontaneous labour.

I can see why people would go for it, but also why they might not. In this particular situation I would wait. I was induced at 38w with my second as there were heart decelerations. I don't regret it as he was in distress, but that labour was much more painful than my first (natural) labour and it affected me emotionally. Good luck.

And paperyfish, so sorry for the loss of your daughter.

I phoned midwife when I got home to get another perspective really and she basically said I'm fine to decline until I am overdue and if nothing has happened by next week then go ahead with induction.

You're fine to decline at any point. It's still your body. I hate this feeling that you have to do what they say because you're pregnant. I was finally induced at 2 weeks late (all babies in my family are late and big). If you're happy with Monday, you're happy with Monday.

Have you heard of BRAIN when making decisions? (I would assume it can be used in all walks of life but I’ve particularly heard about it in medical / birth settings)

B - benefits
What are the benefits of induction?
R - risk
What are the risks of induction?
A - alternative
Is there an alternative to the induction? (Which would give a similar outcome but potentially different benefits and risks) likely a c-section in this case
I - intuition/ instinct
What is your instinct telling you?
N - nothing
What happens if you do nothing? Could you be offered extra monitoring? How long can you safely do nothing for? Can you do nothing for 2 days, 5 days, a week? See how things progress on their own? (This last one can be particularly useful once you are in labour and offered your waters breaking, for example)

No monitoring of my last baby just a few comments when she was born that "she's only 6lbs"

They said if they was to induce they would book me in for Wednesday (2 days time)

I will wait until 40 weeks and if they are still mentioning induction then I will go ahead I just couldn't understand why it was mentioned when I'm not overdue and this baby is weighing more than my first and still growing and moving plenty.

They haven't offered extra monitoring just booked me in for a phone consultation next week