Induction - Is this accurate!? (Also, is there any hope for my cervix??)

[DesperatelyDue]

I’m 40+2 and so uncomfortable I could scream.

I’ve been for 2 sweeps - at 40+0 and again today. In both cases, my cervix was “unfavourable”; high, zipped shut, tubular and posteria.

I’ve had a show and I’ve had mild period-type cramping since 35 weeks but clearly she is not set to make an appearance any time soon.

So, my midwife is suggesting I book for induction. And I didn’t want one before but now I’m so desperate I have agreed.

I’ve had a really healthy pregnancy and I’m fairly low risk. It’s my first baby but I am over 35 so I have met with a consultant twice.

I've asked to be put forward for induction from 41+3. Midwife says that this should be fine but that the labour ward is full so, after 24 hours in hospital where they insert the pessary, I’ll be sent home for “5 days or more” to wait for a gap on the ward.

Have other people experienced this? What happens in those 5 days? Is it uncomfortable? Will I have contractions throughout?

Any advice on how you found induction is welcome.
Also, if anyone has any lovely anecdotal stories about how their cervix was declared unfavourable at term but they still spontaneously went into labour before 41 weeks, I’d love to hear them.

Perhaps it’s the heat, perhaps it’s the hormones, perhaps it’s because I don’t sleep anymore… but feeling sort of emotional and tearful about how hopeless my cervix appears to be. And how much I ache.

Sorry I have no idea why they would send you home for 5 days! I was induced at 39 weeks due to T2 diabetes, so was definitely not cervically ready/on the cusp, and I had my DD 12 hours after the pessary was inserted - which is unusual for a 1st baby. Once labour started it was very, very, quick, I would not liked to have been at home and had to face the 30 minute journey into hospital.
You might take a few days, but they would need to put a second pessary in the next day so make more sense to be in the hospital. I would ask why you would be sent home for that long.

How can she know what the labour ward situation is going to be like in over a week? If she's recommending induction when is she recommending it from?

That said, my friend was induced due to large baby (didn't turn out large but that's another story) and given the pessary, but there was no space on the labour ward so they couldn't progress the induction and she stayed in for 5 days until going into spontaneous labour on her own. It does seem to be a busy time in maternity.

In the meantime what can you do to help things along? Reflexology, bouncing on a ball, massages, eating dates? Nipple twiddling? Expressing colostrum?

My cervix was unfavourable at 40+0 but labour started spontaneously at 40+6. Things can change very quickly.

That just doesn't sound right I would ask the consultant.
The pessary alone can put you into active labour.

You sure she didn't mean if the labour ward is busy you'll be sent home for an up to 5 day wait?

I've never had the opportunity to get to my due date (pesky pre-eclampsia twice), but I have had a 4 day wait from the start of induction to the continuation. My cervix had opened from nothing to 2cm from the single gel, but I had no contractions. I was pain free, and as comfortable as a 37 week pregnant woman can be in those days. It was frustrating having to wait.

Anecdotally, my sister had an unfavorable cervix at 40 weeks with her second baby. Waters went at 40+6 (2cm), but contractions didn't start until she was in hospital 24 hours later waiting to start induction (5cm). She went from 5cm to baby in less than 2 hours after that.

How can she know what the labour ward situation is going to be like in over a week?
She'll have an inkling from her own caseload of how many women are due at any given time. The hospital itself also have an expectation of how many women are likely to deliver, so are probably sending out all hands staffing alerts for the coming weeks.

Keeping everything crossed things will happen on their own soon for you!

Hmmm I was induced (baby was 9 days overdue) and I went into active labour 5 hours about the gel was inserted and baby arrived 6 hours after that. First labour too so apparently unusual for it to happen so fast, but it does happen.

Thank you for all of your responses so far. They are quite reassuring.
I am positive she said “5 days or more” because I did ask for clarification on this.
She just said the ward is very busy and so it will be at least 5 days, but potentially more. And that waiting it out at home will be the best thing for me. (Agreed, I hate hospitals).

She also said I’ll have to go in every single day for some checks during these 5 days. Which sucks because my hospital is almost an hour away!

I live “very rurally” as your typical Mumsnetter would say. 😂😂

No experience of induction, but had a VE at 40+3 and they couldn't even do a sweep - cervix was nowhere near ready. Went into labour spontaneously and gave birth at 40+7.
On arrival at hospital after 6 hours of regular contractions at home, I was still less than 1cm dilated. Remember things can change very, very quickly, and a VE only tells you about your cervix at that exact moment.