Labour ultimate- need to have sweep to prevent induction!

[Mizzhogmomma]

I am currently 37 weeks & 4 days with my SC however after a big gap of 19 years. I am 44 years old and have been advised that they wish to induct me on my 39th week as I can not go past my due date whatsoever because of my age ( I actually feel more healthy this time around especially as I am some 4 stone lighter ). They have also advised in order for me to attend the midwife lead service with the water birth option, I need to go into labour independently/ spontaneous but on the flip side they have offered me a sweep to help along the natural / spontaneous labour as they aren’t classing that as any form of induction. My brain hurts thinking about this and I was told 2 days ago to speak with my midwife to get the sweep done for the next few weeks but I honestly feel like they have given me a ultimatum, go into labour now so I can use the midwife lead service or I am going have to be induced. I’m upset that my body and baby aren’t given a chance to naturally birth/ go into labour. I have read so many conflicting information about sweeps etc I just want give my body a chance !! Anyone else had similar experience??

they wish to induct me on my 39th week as I can not go past my due date whatsoever because of my age

I am not one to advise going against medical advice. However, I feel it’s really important that women are give advice, which is was this is and not instruction. It is advised you have an induction. They cannot force you to do anything. What I would suggest is to ask to have a meeting with the consultant midwife to discuss your options.

When discussing inducting vs. not inducing you should use the BRAIN method to make sure all avenues are explored and explained to you:
Benefits: what are the benefits of having an induction at the gestation they propose? What are the benefits of not having an induction?
Risk: what are the risks of having an induction/not having an induction
Alternatives: what are the alternative recommendations to being induced? I believe one of these will be to go for daily check ups/CTG monitoring if you choose to
Intuition: what is your intuition telling you that you want to do? This is important, it explores your wishes.
Nothing: what if you do nothing? That means a discussion around having no interventions at all.

Please refer to AIMS.org.uk for more information about your birth rights. You shouldn’t feel backed into a corner or bullied into making decisions regarding sweeps/inductions.

With all of that being said, when I went overdue with my first baby, I opted to have a sweep as I saw it as a means to encouraging my body into labour and potentially avoiding having an induction. It was uncomfortable but not painful and my contractions started within 48 hours following the sweep. Some people have bad experiences with sweeps however, or find they don’t have any effect at all!

Exactly. This.

You are a person with rights. You have to give CONSENT for any medical interventions. It is not for your medical team to tell you what to do. They can advise, and you definitely should consider their advise. But ask questions, consider your own individual risk factors etc and make your own informed decision. They cannot came pick you up off the street, tie you down and induce you at 39 weeks if that's not what you consent to.

I'm on my second pregnancy, both FETs after IVF. My NHS boards guidelines are to induce at term for all IVF pregnancies. However, I'm in my mid 30s and have no other risk factors. I had extra growth scans (due to IVF) which showed baby was doing absolutely fine. No indication of any other reason to induce. So, for my first pregnancy I declined induction / sweeps, and went into labour spontaneously not long after my due date. Same consultant this time around, been far less pushy as he knows I don't want an induction (I'm actually hoping for a home-birth this time).

Obviously listen to their advice, but ask for evidence-based information on the risks and do your own research (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/). Its entirely up to you what decision you want to make.

Are you in the UK? Really surprised nhs would give this advice. I agree with all of the above. You have the right to choose how to proceed. Sweeps also only work if your body is almost ready itself.

It’s advice based on set metrics by the NHS (such as age). You can chose to do whatever you want based on risks and benefits. I’ve been reading Sara Wickham book about induction, it’s so interesting - would definitely advise if you have time to look through it www.sarawickham.com/time/

You don't have to do anything you don't want to. Listen to the doctor - the one with at least 7 years training - and then take a balanced decision.

I was 45 when I had ds. I was fit, healthy, no problems. The midwife phoned at 9am on my due date and wanted me to go in for a sweep. I said no, she tried to insist, I told her no again, she tried to bully me, DP told her to go away and stop twitching, and hung up on her.

I was fine, went into labour naturally at 40+4, delivered naturally.

But I had no trust in the midwife. She'd already told me I had diabetes - wrong, that ds was breach - wrong. She was the most ghastly drama queen. Listen to your doctor's advice.