39+6 check for reduced movements now I’m on induction pathway 😫

[toddle19]

a bit of advice…

this morning when I woke I prodded my belly a few times and didn’t get the usual kicks and squirms I usually do. I left it 30 mins and tried to relax and feel for baby and while I got a roll and perhaps a leg twitch it wasn’t like normal. I didn’t hang around and went straight to my fetal well-being unit to have baby checked.

baby was quiet for the first 10 mins then started moving and kicking like I would normally expect and has been since.

I did notice last night that I slept so well and deeply and baby had flipped sides of my stomach when I woke up. Probably because I wasn’t tossing and turning and it settled on one side. I presume that as I have an anterior placenta movement was perhaps less noticeable but I wasn’t going to risk it.

As I expected, fast forward to the end of the monitoring I’m now high risk due to being so far along and induction has been booked for tomorrow. I’m open to an induction I just want the safest for baby, but this is very far away from the Homebirth I was planning up until this morning. The birth centre has also been ruled out of me. I wanted a water birth.

I requested a sweep this morning (my third since last Monday) which I had but my cervix is still a little posterior and only 2cm dilated at a push. So my body is slowly gearing up for labour but obviously is not ready yet.

I do know I can refuse the induction, and delay it until later in the week, but am I being too risky to consider this? I just feel like this mornings reduced movements were probably down to baby having flipped in my belly and it maybe being asleep when I was panicking to feel the movement. If I delayed induction and I can return every other day for a CTG.

I feel like I’m going to create more stress for baby pushing this induction through when
i know my body isn’t ready. My first came naturally at 40+3. I’ve always thought my dates for this pregnancy were a bit early and I don’t think I’m due to reach 40weeks until Thursday.

any advice welcome from others who’ve been in a similar situation?

Have you asked what the alternative is to induction? could you have further monitoring? have they identified why exactly they want to induce given your movements have come back.
It sounds scary but remember if it was an emergency they wouldnt induce, you'd be straight in for a c section. Your gut is telling you baby isnt ready, if it was me I would ask exactly what the risk and benefit is and ask if its an emergency

I would do what's best
For the baby if I'm honest and wouldn't risk it. I'd just be happy for a healthy baby and put my birth plan to one side.

I had this and my placenta was failing

Could you ask to talk it through with the Birth Choices midwife? They are usually quite senior and experienced and might be able to help you think things through.

Been induced for reduced movements 3 times. First 2 wasn't even dilated both took around 4 hours to be born. Last one was about 10 hours. Labour was all okay. Best thing I done. Whether they've rolled or not I couldn't cope with the worry of just waiting to hope movements go back to normal.

My birth plan was to take advice when it was offered and adjust the plan accordingly.

My starting point is very different from yours OP (I wouldn’t have considered a home birth although a water birth holds some appeal).
I would prefer a c-section to induction if not ready for labour. I guess it’s absolutely not it you want but it’s another option - meet baby very quickly.

I had reduced movements towards the end of pregnancy my nerves were shredded. I had so many CTG monitoring sessions.

Do whatever you need to do, be flexible in your thoughts. Maybe you’re in labour as I type! Hope all goes well.

Hi all I just thought I would update this thread. Thank you for the advice, my plan at the time was to decline the induction I had booked for the next day and speak to my Homebirth team.

…as it happened, later that night I started having contractions and went into spontaneous labour. I had a beautiful baby girl in the pool at 3.59am on my due date - I think the stars aligned for me that night.