Feeling stressed out 13 days overdue (sob), don't want induction and don't want to lose my baby either

[pussface]

I will be 42 weeks into my 1st pregnancy tomorrow and although I have been so lucky having zero problems throughout the wait is now starting to stress me out and turn me into a nervous wreck .

I have had no braxton hicks, no shows and an examination on Tuesday that gave me a bishops score of 3.

I am losing all hope of having my baby naturally and can't bear the thought of being induced. Is there anyone out there in my position who can relate to this as all the threads I've been reading have everyone willing to be induced to have their babies? Am I just being a coward?

I feel like a lamb being lead to the slaughter of Prostin/ARM/Syntocinon drip. Although the MW I've seen have been lovely and are not pressurising me in the slightest, I can't decide what to do when the call comes for me to go to hospital.

Any advise from someone who's been there would be much appreciated.

Pussface

Congratulations on your pregnancy

I went to 42+3 with my last baby. Induction was out of the question as I had had 2 previous sections, she was rather large at birth but it was a very easy and quick labour and birth (just over 1hr).

My mother was 2 - 3 weeks late with all 3 of us, I do think it runs in the family.

Good luck

Hi StarlightMcKenzie, I know you don't have to be induced but I get the impression from MWs that if you don't go along with the process of 42 weeks the hospital will be encouraging you (harrassing?) to go for checks, make a decision etc... I am definitely sure of the dates as I kept a diary of periods for over a year and it matches my cycle and my scan date matched too so I am over and the bump is neat but huge and lumpy, midwife reckons its an 8 pounder. I'm just not sure of what the risks are and how accurate the stats are as US says 2 die in 1000 births UK says 8 in 1000 and unless you can afford constant monitoring as CarGirl says it can just take a 24 hour period for something to happen by which time it's too late.

I had fantastic indep midwives, who were with me every step of the way. I so wanted my baby to be born the way I had planned (water-birth at home) and to me induction meant losing that control. Was SOSOSO hard at the time, but when DD finally arrived she was covered in vernix and a not-over-big 7lb11oz. I think the World Health Organisation recognises full term as 42 weeks, so really you're not overdue at all .
Sure someone will have said it, but turning your phone off is a good idea as one of the things that drove me demented was having people ask if the baby had arrived yet...!

Hi kookykid, I do have my phones on straight to voicemail so I can choose who I want to speak to as the annoying any news yet is starting to drive me crazy.

I can't believe I am wavering about today as I have been so anti-induction all through this pregnancy which many people don't seem to understand and I got talked into putting my name down at the hospital to get a call and was told I can decline but they take care of you after 42 wks not the MW so you can't get out of it, so it seems.

No where does it say that you have to agree to induction, it might be what the medics want/advise because that is what they are used to and it is hospital protocol but it is your body, your baby and your choice

I do think you are having the worst of both worlds, if you had an induction date booked at least you can be positive and there is an end to the uncertainty but waiting for a phone call just sounds horrendous, complete uncertainty, stress levels through the rood - hardly conducive to going into labour and have a straight forward birth.

Perhaps just decide in your mind how long you want to wait and don't anwer their calls until you get to that point

My labour started after
Niggles on Friday afternoon,m/w thought I could have been in early labour
walk
rhubarb and custard
walk
curry
rhubarb and custard
raspberry leaf tablet
that night labour started
baby born next morning

Keep an eye on the movements and try not to stress.

You CAN get out of it! Your baby, your choice. Totally understand how you feel, but go with your heart. No-one wants to put their baby at risk, and the consultants are very good at making you feel like you are doing the wrong thing - they told me there was a chance my baby would die , but I just believed in my body and trusted my baby. In the end I had an 8 hour stress free, wonderful labour and gave my daughter the best start I think she could've had!

I have to go and decorate now (yuck) but will check back later!

It can be so scary. I was told I had to have a section at 40+5 by a consultant I had never seen before. She scared me silly with statistics of what could go wrong. (actually she was right about scar rupture, just 1 baby too soon.) I told my usual consultant I didn't want a section so he told me not to have one. DD was born naturally at 40+6.

DD1 born at 42+5 after just a sweep. We held out and refused induction and were supported by a good consultant. However, the MW team insisted on treated me as if I had been induced with all the extra monitoring that involves. Wish I'd had the nouse to say no to that too!

i had an induction, i thought it was fine tbh. 7 hours, lovely midwife, absolutely as active as i wanted it to be and the baby came out with a one cm tear that didn't need stitching. it's not necessarily a bad thing, try to remember that.

NICE guidelines say you get monitored twice a week by hospital if you decline induction, not sure about every day but will ask. I agree there are equal risks with both options (seemingly more with intervention) it's all down to the individual. I'm pretty healthy and have a very healthy lifestyle so I hope I have alot going for me and as you say one persons overdue is another persons early, it's not like boiling an egg! I've giving up on stats and googling as I think your right it's starting to get unhealthy!

Well DH is back from work so I'm off to get some RL attention. Thank you all for your advice and best wishes I will check on the posts later.

Apart from the monitoring for 45 mins after the gel I refused all other monitoring, by the time they examined me I had delivered 2 minutes later. By confident enough to say no to laying on the bed being monitored - stay upright, walk around etc etc etc

but you don't have to be lying on the bed to be monitored, really you don't.

i was on a ball, walking a bit, leaning on the bed etc etc. that's what your dh is for, to help you not get tangled.

try not to worry, OP.

Hey pussface, I was exactly the same as you in not wanting to be induced last time, and I was booked for a homebirth so I was extra paranoid if I went too far over they wouldn't let me. You don't have to be induced do you? I know I found some really good sample letter on a home birth website that state that you won't be going along with the hospital's plans (will have a look see if I can find the site for you) if that's what you want to do. Decide how long you'll be comfortable waiting and see how it goes.

Anyway, dates aren't set in stone eh, I thought my DS shoudl have been due a week later than the scan said, and he came the day before I thought he should (6 days after the due date I was given!)

Good luck, try not to get too worked up, but it is hard! Having sex kicked me off in the end if you feel like you can be bothered!

Hope this helps, induction does not have to be a cascade of intervention. I was induced at 41 +6 - had gel in the morning - not much happened until after lunch - contractions started about 2 ish. Asked to use the birth pool and was allowed in about 3.30 ish - baby born at 4.30 pm! He was my third and I had had one previous water birth but had never been induced before. Agree with one of the other posts that positive frame of mind is a huge help - if you can visualise going into labour and having birth you want then helps reduce stress levels, adrenaline etc which are all hindrances to labour progressing. Sending you lots of positive vibes .