When is a good time to induce labour? I'm 41+3

[Foodx123]

So where I live my hospital will induce labour from 10 days late. Today I am 10 days late and I am booked in for induction on day 14... I've tried to contact my midwife but haven't got an answer to ask her but I thought it's been proven that waiting 14 days isn't the safest choice for the health of mother and baby? I've had no pains, Braxton Hicks, show and my cervix is still closed. Tried all the tricks in the book to help push things along and nothing's works. I've also had enough of waiting and it's getting quite painful just going out to the shops and I can't sit around all
Day doing nothing. Has anyone ever been able to request an induction sooner?

Hello, I’m 37 weeks and have already booked an ELCS for when I’m 40+7 (my preference to an induction) in case I haven’t given birth spontaneously by then. The hospital team were supportive of that.

Might be a bit late for you to change the booking now as it’s a Friday and you’re already 40+10 though? I doubt they’d be able to just bring you in today? You never know, things might get started on their own over the weekend - fingers crossed for you!

@Nelbert19

Hello, I’m 37 weeks and have already booked an ELCS for when I’m 40+7 (my preference to an induction) in case I haven’t given birth spontaneously by then. The hospital team were supportive of that.

Might be a bit late for you to change the booking now as it’s a Friday and you’re already 40+10 though? I doubt they’d be able to just bring you in today? You never know, things might get started on their own over the weekend - fingers crossed for you!

Went to my 42 week appointment today and midwife hadn't booked it yet! She tried to get me in this weekend but apparently there's no space so here's me waiting until Tuesday! I never requested anything as I didn't think I'd be this late! X

Apologies @Foodx123 I didn’t mean to sound quite so smugly prepared!

The only reason I’ve requested so early is because I want to avoid induction, so wanted to have c section booked ready - I’m also really hoping I won’t be that overdue! Just wanted to reassure you that my hospital team were really open to requests for when/what I wanted done

I’m amazed they’re leaving you so long.

I was induced very late but at my own request to see if the baby would get a wiggle on (she did not and I was induced!)

The reason why they like to induce by 42 weeks is that the placenta can start to fail and infant mortality rates go up. Sounds scary but in reality I think the results are something like 1 in 2000 rises to 2 in 2000 and the data is based on studies from the 70s (I believe) and it’s considered immoral to have done more recent studies, but estimated that there would have been other issues at play in the 70s also that modern medicine will have rectified. So there is a school of thought that it really isn’t more risky to go over by a few days.

It’s worth also considering that in other countries the standard gestation is 41 or 42 weeks so if you gave birth there they wouldn’t consider you overdue at all.

Worth googling for the accurate stats cos this is all from memory but I extensively researched in your position and was happy with leaving to 42+ weeks

The worst bit is definitely waiting but try and make the most of sleep / time with your husband. Good luck! Baby will be here soon!

I was induced 10 days over. But it was because I had a big bleed. I don’t actually know when they would have induced me.
I hope something happens for you tonight, get that oxytocin flowing xxx

Nice say between 41 and 42 weeks. So I guess they are still within nice recommendations. But yes, it’s more usual to do it at 40plus 10. Some hospitals do 40 plus 12.

@JacobReesMogadishu

Nice say between 41 and 42 weeks. So I guess they are still within nice recommendations. But yes, it’s more usual to do it at 40plus 10. Some hospitals do 40 plus 12.

She tried to get me space the other week but they wouldn't answer the phone.. typical. Today she tried again and they said they're "fully booked" so Tuesday is the earliest. I'm in so much pain with my hip I really want a way where I don't have to wait

Send a complaint and say they are putting your baby at risk?

Where I live its 42 weeks if all the dates match up eg dating scan and LMP as apparently dating scans can be a week out. They prefer earlier but if you want to wait you can and you get extra monitoring and a scan. They will go to 42 weeks based on LMP even if that means by dating scan you are over 42 weeks. DS was born at 42 +1 dating scan or 41 + 4 LMP.

How come you want to be induced?

If you look at the research the overall risk is still really low over 2 weeks. It does go up, but by something stupid like 0.5% stillbirth to 0.9%. And that's if it's over 2 weeks which is quite unusual. I have known one person go three weeks and then it happened anyway. If it's ever going to happen it will and then if there is an issue like lack of movement, I'd go straight for c section anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️

And due dates are basically a big guess.

I'm overdue at the moment and my trust has a policy of inducing at 40+12. I have no back up plan in place if they can't squeeze me in by then. But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Absolutely fed up of waiting and it's got me in a foul mood today.

@fedupandlookingforchange

Where I live its 42 weeks if all the dates match up eg dating scan and LMP as apparently dating scans can be a week out. They prefer earlier but if you want to wait you can and you get extra monitoring and a scan. They will go to 42 weeks based on LMP even if that means by dating scan you are over 42 weeks. DS was born at 42 +1 dating scan or 41 + 4 LMP.

Ahh I see. Well dating scan put my due date at 30/06 which is what they're going on. But LMP gave me a due date of 27/06 which would make me 13 days late now.

@DripDrip

I'm overdue at the moment and my trust has a policy of inducing at 40+12. I have no back up plan in place if they can't squeeze me in by then. But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Absolutely fed up of waiting and it's got me in a foul mood today.

I know how you feel. My hospitals policy is 41+10 and she called today and kept saying how they may be able to get me in this weekend.. which turned out to be Tuesday 🥺

@DripDrip

I'm overdue at the moment and my trust has a policy of inducing at 40+12. I have no back up plan in place if they can't squeeze me in by then. But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Absolutely fed up of waiting and it's got me in a foul mood today.

I meant 40+10! Lol

DC1 was born at 41+4 after I went into labour naturally. I was very relieved as I wanted to avoid induction and would have only considered it from 42+0.

There are lots of advantages to waiting until you go into labour naturally, provided there are no risk factors or other medical reasons they might not want you to go too far past the due date. For a low risk pregnancy you can just request regular monitoring and that's an acceptable alternative to induction even if you go past 42 weeks. (Of course women may well have a preference for one option or the other but I think in a low risk pregnancy there is no "wrong" option, just your preference.)

Meanwhile why not see if you can get things going naturally. There is evidence that drinking castor oil and having sex can work (not at the same time ), the latter worked for me!

You could also try acupuncture or osteopathy - make sure the practitioner has experience of treating pregnant women.

Have they offered extra monitoring? I had the belt things twice (41+3 and 41+5 by scan) and all was fine and then a scan (42) all was fine. There were no indications anything was wrong it was just standard for overdue.
If they haven't offered monitoring and a scan I'd ask for one tomorrow.
I didn't want inducing and actually I was in slow labour all through the monitoring week but I would have been concerned if no extra monitoring had been offered.

@fedupandlookingforchange

Have they offered extra monitoring? I had the belt things twice (41+3 and 41+5 by scan) and all was fine and then a scan (42) all was fine. There were no indications anything was wrong it was just standard for overdue. If they haven't offered monitoring and a scan I'd ask for one tomorrow. I didn't want inducing and actually I was in slow labour all through the monitoring week but I would have been concerned if no extra monitoring had been offered.

Had my general midwife appointment where she checked the heartbeat and asked about movements etc. No extra monitoring mentioned unless I choose to go over 42 weeks. She only told me today the earliest for induction is Tuesday which happens to be my due date it would seem x