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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Does your hospital induce on Christmas Eve?

16 replies

FurryFox · 07/11/2007 15:39

I'm due on the 10th December and my induction date if I haven't had baby is the 24th December.

I asked my midwife if they would actually induce me then and she said she couldn't remember what they usually do but may take me in a day or two before.

So I know all areas are different but I'm just wondering if your hopitals induce on Christmas Eve?

Thanks

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LadyMuck · 07/11/2007 15:45

No - they do try to avoid if at all possible. Not always by doing everyone early though.

RomanCandles · 07/11/2007 15:49

UCH wouldn't. I was due with dd on 14 Dec, and they said I could either be induced at 41 or 42w, not at their usual 10 days over, in order to avoid Christmas. As it happened I went into labour naturally and had her on 21 Dec. On 24 Dec they were (gently) turfing out everyone who wanted to go home, and shifting everyone else onto one ward, so that they could shut down as many post-natal wards as possible and let more staff home as well.

rdk · 07/11/2007 19:23

year they do my friend got induced on christmas eve and had him on boxing day. good luck, how nice a christmas baby . take care.x

Nanoon · 07/11/2007 21:57

i'm due on 12th Dec and i asked my midwife this same question. she said no, i would be allowed to go over rather than induce me on xmas eve or chrsitmas day. I guess they want as few people in as pos over the xmas period.
Good luck

Splishysploshy · 07/11/2007 22:08

I was due to be induced on Easter Monday with my DD but they then remembered that they don't do Bank holidays so would have to wait until the Tuesday. Just to throw a spanner in the works DD decided to arrive of her own free will on Easter Sunday.

Bectheneck · 07/11/2007 22:26

I was booked in to be induced on 24th Dec last year. Baby was due on 14th but decided to put in a very fast overdue entrance on 22 December. Can't believe it's nearly a year ago!

moopymoo · 07/11/2007 22:29

think most places would not induce christmas eve. You would be perfectly reasonable to say 'i dont want to go in until after christmas' anyway, if there are no problems a couple of days later is generally ok iirc.. trying to get them to take you in early might be another story though...

RomanCandles · 08/11/2007 07:07

Curious, isn't it, how you have to be induced because it's not safe for the baby to cook for longer - except on Bank Holidays.

laura032004 · 08/11/2007 07:18

It probably is safer to wait though, in terms of staff numbers. If they've cut everything to the bare minimum, I know I wouldn't want to be induced at Christmas.

When DS2 was born, I had to be induced as I had Group B Strep, and my waters had broken over 100 hours previously. I got there, and women were delivering everywhere, even on the antenatal day ward in 4 bed rooms. Suddenly my induction wasn't such a big issue, and I was left overnight until the rush on the delivery ward died down a bit. Good job they did because I took up a room for two days!

beanstalk · 08/11/2007 08:22

RomanCandles - exactly!!

I had to wait until the day after boxing day to be induced last year. TBH I was quite glad as I didn't want to be induced but DD still hadn't arrived and so I made the decision to go ahead with it at 42+3. Not sure they would have left me any longer but my 'I want a natural birth' resolve quickly turned to 'FFS I want this baby out' over Christmas

So FurryFox, you may be able to wait until after Christmas, if you want to!

Original poster

FurryFox · 08/11/2007 08:57

Thanks, will be interesting to see what happens if I do go overdue.

If they want to take me in Xmas Eve I think I'll say I'd rather wait till the day after boxing day. Already have a 2.4 year old DD and don't really fancy the idea of being in hospital on Xmas day. Obviously if this one comes naturally on any of the Xmas days then I'll have no choice but to be there but don't think I'll choose that day if I don't have to.

DD was 15 days late which is why I wondered, although I wasn't induced with her as ended up going into labour naturally the evening I was due to be induced.

Can't believe my midwife can't remember what they 'usually' do over Christmas, she's been there years, bless her

OP posts:

cazzybabs · 08/11/2007 09:04

You can ask not to be induced. They simple scan/monitor you and check your placenta etc is all working fine. Last time I had to see the consultant to explain why I didn't want to be induced and then about 2 hours later when into labour naturally by myself.

lemonaid · 08/11/2007 09:13

I think often the community midwives you see antenatally don't do a huge amount of actual baby-delivering, so quite possible for her not to remember what they usually do.

TheApprentice · 08/11/2007 09:13

Mine doesn't. Ds was born on New Years Day this year and the maternity wards were almost empty as they dont do any planned inductions or caesarians over the 10 day period round Xmas and New Year.

Original poster

FurryFox · 08/11/2007 09:17

Ahh lemonaid I hadn't thought of that re midwife not knowing Can I blame my pregnancy brain for not thinking again

OP posts:

SummerC · 11/11/2007 13:40

I'm in the same boat as the rest of you. I'm due on Dec 11th so my induction date would be the 25th. I asked my midwife about being induced at 41 weeks and she didn't have a clue what hospital policy was. But, like lemonaid said, it's possible she doesn't actually spend that much time at the hospital delivering babies. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

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