Requesting an induction

[flaiky]

I've just had such annoying news. My partner is starting a new job, which involves 6 weeks of mandatory full-time training. He was meant to start the training today but his DBS check took ridiculously long. He's now been put on the next session starting on 17 June. My due date is 22 June.

I'm a first time mum, and I'd hate to do the new born phase without him around to help. It's a really scary prospect. I'd genuinely prefer to be induced (or have a caesarean, I'm open to either) 2 weeks early. Is this something the midwives would agree to? How strict are they when it comes to these discussions/decisions?

I do have a history of depression and I'm already worried about the post-partum period, so I could stress that factor. I think I'll completely freak out if I'm alone most of the day, and if he can't properly help at night. Even just a week with him available would help enormously. And like, I don't even know if he'd be there for the birth with the current plan, the training is really strict...That would be so upsetting.

You can ask, however usually an induction is done at 39 weeks. For you that would be the 10th June, you could then well be waiting a week for things to get going in hospital so it may not actually help him be there more by the time baby is here. Induction can be long, and isn't without risks.

As above you can ask but I really doubt they'll go for it. They wouldn't even give me a sweep at 39 weeks as no medical need.

Doubt they'd agree as early induction leads to higher rates of birth intervention, forces/c section etc so really can't see them agreeing to this. Plus early induction can take days of waiting in hospital op not ideal when a lone

The NHS are very unlikely to offer induction before your due date unless there is a medical need. You're entitled to a c-section though.

How about stressing the mental health element, depression and anxiety? Does it have to be physical health issues?

Are they more willing to agree to early caesareans?

Is there anyone else who can help you at the beginning if your dh has to work? I had an induction at 37 weeks and I really wouldn't recommend it.

The problem with inductions is that they can take a while. If the baby isn't ready you could be in hospital for days, my induction started on the Tuesday, there were no beds available on the labour ward to break my waters and the only reason I got rushed round to labour ward on the Sunday was due to issues with the baby's heart rate, otherwise I think I would have been waiting longer. I was absolutely exhausted as the induction ward is noisy and busy so sleep was a bit difficult. Exhaustion won't help you, can your husband not request to delay the course and start on their next one citing that you have a baby due, I'm sure that would be extenuating circumstances wouldn't it?

You would not be offered a c section either before 39 weeks if it’s elective and not for medical need.

Hi
sorry to sound harsh but wanting your baby early for this reason isn’t really justified. My friend’s baby was born at 37 weeks and whilst he will be okay he had had various health issues including being unable to feed which meant he was in ICU. Inducing labour when your body isn’t ready is also no fun, I was induced at 41+3 only because my hind eaters had broken but I hadn’t gone into labour. I had a very traumatic labour which I won’t go into detail but I have no doubt this was because my body wasn’t actually ready. I would never choose to be induced unless it is a medical risk to baby or mother.

@FTMaz I agree.

My friend's baby was born at 37 weeks and had jaundice really badly and had to be in hospital. Obviously that doesn't happen with them all and you could also have overdue babies with health problems but the best thing for your baby is to be inside you until the time is right.

How would your mental health fare if you were like my friend stuck in hospital while her baby received treatment?

I had an early induction due to their being concerns over shoulder dystocia as he was 97th centile, it fell badly due to a bank holiday but they would only do it at 39+, they wouldn't even do 38.6 days

It's about what is best for the baby, not fitting around a new job. It is better for the baby to go to term when possible. I doubt you have any chance of them agreeing. I was in hospital over Christmas with one of mine and they had lots of women ringing to be induced and avoid a December 25th birthday. They told them all to go away.

Seriously? What is wrong with people. Clearly they have no experience of pre term babies and the harm it can do.

I think you will struggle too. I basically had a full on meltdown at hospital with a consultant who finally agreed an induction at 38 weeks. I’d been messed around so much during my pregnancy I’d had enough, the hospital had made numerous mistakes which I had grounds to make an official complaint, so I think it was to stop me complaining. I was also classed as a “geriatric” mother, almost 42yo, history of pre-eclampsia, had a terminally ill parent who had weeks left to live. But they still weren’t keen.

Even though I was induced it still took 36 hours before baby arrived.

Does DH not have statutory paternity leave?

I've been induced myself on my due date which was fine and would happily be induced again however definitely wouldn't do it before due date.
You could end up needing emergency c-section. My friend struggled for weeks after hers.

Even with a planned one I don't think you're allowed to drive or lift anything for a number of weeks after.

I had an induction for mh grounds. Absolutely worth asking. Post partum mh is taken very seriously.

Did you? How many weeks?

I held out until 40 but I was given any time from 38 weeks.
With all the faffing she was actually 40+5.

I was under a consultant for the pregnancy because of my mh.

An induction isn't the answer to it all. Its difficult to make nature do what its not quite ready for. It may not succeed. You will most definitely be put on a syntocinon drip, waters broken by the midwife to speed up labour and keep an eye on the colour of the fluid. First stage will be very long as again trying to make the body do what its not ready for. If you have a soft effaced cervix , you will need an internal examination, then that is more favourable but generslly it tends still be long 1st stage.

So you actually have no experience of an early induction….

My induction with my first (lazy first baby, no signs of labour before they started it) took four days from the first pessary until birth. I was then in hospital two days.

There is a real chance you would just be arriving home for him to go off if they induced you at 39 weeks. 38 weeks would perhaps be worth it. Maybe make sure you have family to come stay and help?

Oh give me a break. I'm talking about a week or two early. That isn't even classified as premature.

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/week-by-week/28-to-40-plus/37-weeks/

"At 37 weeks, your pregnancy is considered full-term. The average baby weighs around 3-4kg by now. Your baby is ready to be born"

Thanks for the (other) comments. I do wish there was a little more understanding of how shitty this is alongside the feedback, but anyway.

I think you need to seriously reconsider your priorities. You want an induction because your partner has to attend training……

I am well aware of the timeline of pregnancy, as my previous post explains I have a friend who had her son at 37 weeks with a number of complications. If there was no benefit for baby staying in longer then everyone would go for inductions wouldn’t they as the final stages of pregnancy are so uncomfortable.

hopefully when baby is here it will click that your child needs now come before your own.

@FTMaz - totally agree. OP whilst I sympathise and am sorry to hear your husband starts training, you have your priorities in the wrong order. I would put your baby first and explore who else can help for those first two weeks.

I think your OH has a legal right to 2 weeks leave. Easier to investigate this before asking about induction? If he starts his training, stops 2 weeks and they put him back onto the next 6 week mandatory block and he repeats a bit?