Upset about birth options

[Strawberry06]

Oh I'm in such a state :-(

I'm 40+4 today and had the midwife round to do a sweep.

I also had an induction booked for this Friday but I told my midwife I'd rather have a section than be induced. I know it sounds dramatic but my sister had one and reacted badly to it to the point she was fitting and had to have an emergency section anyway and as a result my nephew spent the first year of his life on steroids. I'm just completely freaked out by it.

Anyway my midwife phoned the PAU for a doctor to call me back which they did. So I told the doctor everything and she basically said I can't have a section as there's no medical reason for it. I asked if I could at least move the induction to Monday 19th which she also refused cause the policy is they don't let you go beyond 41 weeks. I got so upset and started crying and had to hang up.

Doctor rang me back and said they have moved the induction to Monday but that I'll have to go in for monitoring this Friday and over the weekend.

Now I just feel more upset as to whether I've made the right decision as I don't want to put baby at risk being in there too long which she seemed to keep repeating at me.

If it gets to next Monday and I still don't want to be induced then a consultant will speak to me and I might be able to have a section.

Also, it doesn't look like the sweep will work as midwife said my cervix was still closed. I was so hopeful that it would be favourable.

Just feeling absolutely hopeless and exhausted :-(

Is your pregnancy low risk, no complications? If so you’ve another 10 days before you need to worry about induction. A lot happens in 10 days.

Please try not to feel anxious, but I can understand why it feels hard.

Firstly, don't lose heart about the sweep. It may yet work.

Secondly, my understanding of the guidelines is that maternal request is sufficient reason to have a section. Doctors are entitled to refuse to sign you off, in which case you need to ask to speak to a different one. What reason did this one give as to why you would need to be monitored?

Can you speak to your midwife again? And ask to speak to a different doctor.

Good luck!

@Naptrappedmummy low risk yeah. Though I've had lots of growth scans as always measuring big but doctor said they are not concerned with size of baby to warrant a c-section.

I appreciate that they are obligated to tell me the risks but it's just made me feel really shitty like I'm putting my baby at risk by not going through with the induction on Friday and it's upset me and I'm worrying about that now.

Sorry I disagree with this. There is a reason they now say induction at 41 weeks, not 42, and that’s because going to 42 weeks carries a higher risk, particularly with the placenta no longer fully functioning. That is what happened to me.

Op I would contact them again. They absolutely cannot force you to be induced and you absolutely have the right to request a c section on the basis of being overdue.

I support your decision as I had a EMCS on the back of a failed induction at 42 weeks, which left me with PTSD, and my second ELCS was so much better.

@FoxtrotSkarloey I think it's because I'll be past 41 weeks.

They can’t force you to have an induction. So if they don’t want you going past 41 weeks they’ll have to do a section?
ask to speak to another dr.

@MariaVT65 that's one of the reasons I want an ELCS as half the time inductions result in EMCS so I'd rather just go straight to it. Doctor kept telling me about the risks but people have them all the time?!

Obviously a natural birth is what I'm most hopeful for but I really don't think it's going to happen

OP you do have the choice here it may not feel like it but they cannot undertake a procedure like induction without your consent.
Sadly a lot of women feel pushed down a route. I would say you have grounds for a C Section based on mental well being.

They are limited on space and number but if you don't want it take the monitoring and be clear.

I had no induction clearly on my notes from 16 weeks even with it agreed I still got an attempted pushback at 37 weeks of so when would you like an induction booked for... I replied never and it was a hard no my notes are clear additional monitoring or c section. I wasn't rude about it but stuck to my guns.

Having a section isn't an easy way out. Nearly 11 years later I'm still suffering from mine.

Yes inductions can do wrong but as someone who was left till 42 weeks (normal when I had DS) went into labour and had a placental abruption, I would take an early induction over waiting till later for a section any day.

You have every right to have a CS at this point. there’s no cut off point for maternal choice!
My first was born by emergency CS cat 2 by maternal choice. I was rather angry they put that on the notes as the CS was requested during labour, which wasn’t progressing, but after they had dragged him out they admitted that a CS was the only way that child would have come out.

Ask to speak to another doctor.

My second was a straightforward vbac.

@Strawberry06 I commented on your last thread OP, I'm sorry you're still feeling pressured by this.

I would like to say, just because someone else has had a bad experience with being induced doesn't mean you will. I had a terrible experience but two of my friends had wonderful experiences being induced and wouldn't change anything about it. No two births are the same and you might end having a wonderful induction!

Maybe phone the doctor and MW when you're in a better headspace and talk through the facts and maybe they can relieve any fears you have.

Totally get it. Another common issue is that women are induced then left in limbo as there is no room on delivery suite. I went through this and have read the same of many others on here.

Please contact your midwife immediately and ask for the matter to be escalated. Repeat to yourself that they cannot force you to be induced.

Low-risk pregnancy also means bugger all here. I was 32, no health issues, healthy BMi, but I just never went into natural labour and he still didn’t want to come out after induction. I just wouldn’t dialate. But this also wasn’t helped by there then being no staff to break my waters and delivery suite forgetting I was on their list.

Call your midwife now!

You have every right to have a c-section even if your reasoning is as flimsy as you don’t want to give birth on a Tuesday.

Quote the NICE guidelines at them which changed a few years ago.

1.2.30

If, after an informed discussion about the options for birth (including the offer of perinatal mental health support if appropriate; see recommendation 1.2.27), the woman or pregnant person requests a caesarean birth, support their choice. [2011, amended 2023]

1.2.31

If a woman or pregnant person requests a caesarean birth this should be offered within their obstetric unit. [2011, amended 2023]

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng192/chapter/recommendations

I'm sorry you're experiencing this Op and I have no useful advice to offer that hasn't already been said.

If it's any reassurance though I was induced early due to a big baby and it was a great experience.

A bit boring with all the waiting around but once the pessary kicked in and my waters were broken it all went very nicely and DD was born with just a bit of gas and air 4 and a half hours later.

Before anyone comes at me about “but fussy woman demanding c-sections costs the NHS moneyyyyyy”, a few years ago they discovered that ELCS are actually cheaper than vaginal birth once the cost of post birth repairs, issues and compensations for errors are taken into account.

https://www.itv.com/news/2019-04-18/caesareans-cheaper-than-natural-deliveries-once-negligence-claims-taken-into-account#

You have the right to have a c section for no reason other than you want one. Do not be bullied into an induction you don’t want

A few points -

• Your sister's birth experience doesn't predict yours. There will be women with horror stories about all the birth options - and women with positive stories about all of them, too.
• Your best hope of going into labour naturally is to chill as much as you can. Easier said than done, for sure. Can you set a date when you'll engage with this stuff but until then, put it out of your mind and potter about, hot chocs and naps etc?
• Induction is something you always need to consent to.
• It might help with discussions with medics if you actually write down your key points - as if it was a negotiation

It does matter how birth goes but it's also easy to fixate on it too much, and try to control it or see it as an experience where you have more say than you do really.

Please follow your gut instincts. If you feel a c section is best for you then fight for it. At the end of the day, if anything happens it will be you suffering the consequences, not the hospital.

Follow your gut instincts!!! Better to be safe than sorry x

How old are you OP? I don't know why you can't go over 41 weeks? They can always offer more monitoring or other options i thought. I went 10 over with my son in 2017 and was never at any point told i had to have an induction. Didn't even have an induction date when I went into labour. Have the guidelines changed?

Yes.

www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-recommends-inducing-women-in-labour-earlier-in-new-draft-guidance

As long as you and baby are okay I absolutely do not know why they insist on so many sweeps and inductions!

secondly? You absolutely can have a C-section if you want one. If the consultant says no then you can ask for details of someone who is willing to agree and they can’t withhold this information

I requested a C-section simply because that’s the birth I wanted.

I had a C-section due to a failed induction.. I also tried to push back the induction as they wanted to do it at 41 weeks. They would only push it back by 1 day 🙄 in the end it lended up being when I was 9/10 days overdue, but that was due to how busy the hospital was.

I will not be having another induction. Either I go in to labour naturally, or I go straight for a C-section.

@Strawberry06 I’m so sorry you’re dealing with all this stress over your birth options OP. As others have said, you want to be relaxing as much as possible so please do try and just switch off for a few days if you can.

If you want to go down the route of a c-section, that is your choice and your right. Please be very vocal and advocate for yourself if this is what you want. You absolutely do get to have a choice in this.

I understand that you have bad family experience of induction - but please do try and remember that wouldnt necessarily be the same experience you had if you went down that route. I was induced at 39+5 with a completely closed cervix (first child too).

Don’t get me wrong - it was a long process (induced Sunday morning, born Tuesday) but my DS was born vaginally with no assistance, no pain relief and i only needed one dissolving stitch for a very small internal cut. He was born at 3am Tuesday and by 3pm we were at home on the couch as a family.
My 2 best friends had spontaneous vaginal deliveries and both ended up needing assistance - 1 had forceps in theatre and the other needed ventous and an episiotomy. You really don’t know how these things will pan out.

Whatever route you decide to go down - I hope you have a straight forward and healthy delivery ❤️ It won’t be long now until you have your little one here. Please come back and let us know how you get on when you’re feeling up to it!

Yes they have changed due to statistics showing increased death for both mother and baby at 42 weeks compared to 41.

It’s all very well monitoring but they won’t understand just how much placenta function might be failing just from listening to the heartbeat.

Push for what you want - you can ask for a second doctors opinion urgently to approve a section. Even if you go into labour you can request one if you feel strongly about it. Everyone up thread is right that you don't need a reason and your preference is sufficient.

All birth choices have different risk profiles. I had sections and felt overall more comfortable with the risk profile.

Good luck and don't let yourself be bullied!