Declining induction

[Halloumi22]

Hi,

Has anyone experienced declining of induction and if so, what type of things did you say or ask to help you make that decision?

With my first, I was around 39 weeks I think when it was basically booked as the next step for going ‘over’, wasn’t really discussed with me and I didn’t have any information around what it would involve. I didn’t have any risk factors. Thankfully on the early hours of the morning of the booked induction (41+1), I went into labour spontaneously. It was a lovely labour - 11 hours in total from waking with the contractions to birth and only 20 minutes pushing.

I’ve been having growth scans with baby 2 as they deemed our first was small for gestational age/my height (7lbs 6) but I was a 7lb 4 baby and my DM is taller than me (if that has any bearing!)
We had our second from last scan today where I was told it was basically a Christmas present of a scan - she’s measuring perfectly fine, within all ranges and they have no concerns over my BP etc which I was told was pretty much perfect and they didn’t really see me needing anymore scans. I’m 37 weeks this week. She’s been head down for ages now and giving me lots of lower backache and a nice waddle.

So, touch wood that everything continues in this way! However, I was given a leaflet around the balloon induction and it was basically talked about like that would be happening and be booked, purely if I go over with the reasoning being babies get too big for their placentas.

I know inductions can make instrumental deliveries and sections more likely which I am absolutely terrified about and want to avoid as much as possible, hence my opening question, if there are no health concerns.

Any advice appreciated. Thank you

They want to induce at or just before 42 weeks because after this time there is an increased risk of stillbirth.

I was late with all my DC. I sort of refused induction? When I was given the talk, I basically said you can schedule me for 42 weeks but not a day before so long as everything is going ok (movements usual, no breaking/leaking of waters, scans ok, etc). I also declined all vaginal exams…and therefore all sweeps.

Gestation has a genetic element to it, and my family usually has late babies. It’s still within normal range and so sometimes I feel the maternity staff can be too invested in the textbook 40 weeks rule of thumb.

They all came before 42 weeks. Ranging from 41+1 to 41+3

Thank you both.
I’m not of the opinion that I want to completely decline outright if there’s a bigger risk to baby but definitely not have it booked so soon as being over that I barely have a chance to see what happens itself, similar to you onnabugeisha.

I came directly on my due date but there’s only one of me so I can’t judge much else!

Its hard to know which babies will be stillborn, so they induce all at a certain point. It’s not massive numbers and so you will get loads of anecdotal evidence of women going over with no problems and other women having stillborn babies before term. However obviously midwives/obstetricians work is to try and prevent.

I went spontaneously at 40+16 with one of my children and he was 10 pounds 7.
All my other 3 children were induced and were just over 8 pounds.
In retrospect I would have gone with induction for all 4.

You are likely to get an automatic induction date somewhere around 40+10. That doesn't mean you have to be induced, just that this is when they'd like to. You can decline, but from this point onwards you'll likely face a lot of pressure to he induced. You can still say no though, be prepared to resist the pressure though.

I refused induction with DC3 and he was born naturally at 40+16.

That said, I didn't just decide to refuse induction for no good reason. DC1 and DC2 had both been about a week overdue (+8 and +6). At my 12 week dating scan for DC3 they moved by due date back by a +8 days. However I knew conception date pretty much exactly and knew that the "official" due date was a week out. Thus meant that when my "official" due date came, I knew I was only 38+6. It followed that induction at 40+10 Wasing fact 40+2. I knew I'd carry to around 40+7 so informed hospital I was refusing induction until 40+18, because my official due date was wrong and 40+18 actually equates to 40+18. He was born 8 days overdue from my dates, 16 from there's.

Even though I had a logical and reasonable rationale, I was placed under huge pressure to induce. I had to go in for daily 30 minutes monitoring. Each day the doctor on duty would spend at least 10 minutes lecturing and pressuring me to be induced. Its proper guilt tripping.

Bear in mind that in the doctors eyes you are placing your child's life at risk. So the medical professionals were very judgemental towards me, that I was putting my own demands above the safety of my child, and what did that say about my parenting skills? It dies make you think - what if I'm wrong and my baby dies? Imagine carrying that guilt with you forever. Its a very BIG decision to make.