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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

To get induced at 41w +4 or wait longer?

46 replies

Pinkleafs · 19/04/2025 19:13

Hey all,

Has any opted not to be induced and waited it out after 41 weeks +4? If so what was your experience and did you eventually go into labour naturally?

I'm classed as low risk, baby has normal growth and has no issues. It's my first pregnancy. I regrettably had a very painful sweep done a couple of days ago and found out I was 1cm dilated, posterior cervix, 3cm cervix length and still very firm. Baby is very engaged, pressing on cervix but this isn't doing much to cause dilation.

My instinct tells me my body just isn't ready yet and needs time. I really don't want an induction and my hope is for as much of a natural birth as possible.

OP posts:
Springadorable · 19/04/2025 19:43

Your cervix can change very fast - in my induction mine was unfavorable and then I was holding her 45 mins later. So although disheartening, it doesn't mean you wouldn't respond to the induction. Would you be able to go in every day for monitoring? I wouldn't want to go much later without accepting the additional monitoring.

lauraloulou1 · 19/04/2025 19:54

How old are you OP? I'd tread carefully at this stage xx

starrynight009 · 19/04/2025 20:32

I am half hesitating telling you my story because I don't want to worry you but, as you're asking, the short version is that I went to 42 weeks...not by choice, I wasn't given a choice. Ended up with a very traumatic birth, eventually had an emergency C-section where we both almost died on the operating table because of the delay. I had severe sepsis, my baby had passed meconium in my womb and, unknown to us as her scans had always been fine, also she also had a medical issue which required immediately surgery so it's amazing she even survived to 42 weeks. But that's my story which may not be yours. I was overdue myself by 2 weeks when I was born and my mum gave birth naturally and, apart from needed a bit of oxygen when I was born, I believe things went smoothly.

destructivedan · 19/04/2025 21:42

I personally would choose to be induced. my child who was born at 41+6 the placenta was grey - I don't know how much longer it would function correctly. my child who was born at 40+2 had a red placenta (as they should be)

user1471538275 · 19/04/2025 22:07

I went to 42 weeks - opted to have regular scans instead of induction (terrible experience with 1st child)

The day I had the scan to check the baby - went back home and labour started.

Had baby at home (planned) in birthing pool -was quite quick and midwife arrived 30 mins after, paramedics 5 mins after.

All was well, 18 years later baby is enormous hulking human about to do A levels.

HS1990 · 19/04/2025 22:17

I went into labour naturally at 41 weeks. Waters broke after a weekend of trying to relax myself as was so stressed from being overdue.

Baby had a mild infection as did I as she wasn't born until 2 days after. Nicu for 5 days but fine after that. She's a healthy, sassy and bright 5 year old now.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 19/04/2025 22:21

I would be induced. I was induced at 42+1 (they wouldn’t induce before 42 weeks and then were busy on my day) and my body wasn’t ready…. But after birth the cord snapped it was so old and the placenta was gray and old. Just because your body isn’t ready it doesn’t mean your baby isn’t either.

Mooselooseinmyhoose · 19/04/2025 22:22

I was induced at 42 weeks. Partly because I was absolutely certain they'd got my dates wrong as I knew when conception occurred.

Induction did nothing until lovely midwife asked about my first birth in which waters broke first then broke my waters. All started after that. He was absolutely giant but vaginally birthed no tears.

Chocolatehobnobs25 · 19/04/2025 22:26

I agreed to induction very reluctantly at 42 weeks because like you just felt baby would come when she was ready. She came on her own at 41+6 in a straight forward natural birth. Very pleased I waited it out and trusted my instinct. I did have a sweep at 41+5 which seemed to do the trick!

Haveiwon · 19/04/2025 22:33

As a first time mum, I’d ask about a C-Section instead. Or at least ask what percentage of FTMs who have an induction end up with a C-Section. In my trust it was over 50% with another 30% having instrumental birth. So the chances of a “good” vaginal birth were poor!

I waited until 41+6 to be induced. It was awful and ended up in an emergency C-Section 24 hours later. Baby was totally fine. I was so sleep deprived I hallucinated on the post-natal ward and I’m sure that some of the post natal anxiety I experienced in the months after was due to the way I was treated during those 24 hours.

Second baby i attempted a VBAC, but my waters broke at 41+3 with meconium in so I opted for a C-Section immediately and it was so much better starting not completely exhausted!

Also, the ante-natal/ postnatal wards where hell on earth at my hospital, you don’t want to spend any more time than absolutely necessary there!

MammaTo · 19/04/2025 22:53

I would get induced. Whilst I can fully appreciate the want to have everything as natural as possible, these things can take a turn quickly.

Monstera200 · 19/04/2025 23:00

I went 14 days over my due date OP, and went into spontaneous labour on the 14th day. The hospital would have had me in for induction a week earlier! My labour was very fast and straightforward.

Personally I'd wait a bit longer. And I would have done it again (didn't have to as my subsequent labours were both slightly early) but I knew it wasn't quite time yet for my body. I'm not sure why the NHS is obsessed with unnecessary medical intervention.

LemonBitter · 19/04/2025 23:04

I was considering an induction at 41 weeks but instead waited it out and personally was glad I did. Have you tried the Miles Circuit or could you book in some reflexology on Monday to try and move things along?

Nursemumma92 · 20/04/2025 08:12

I would personally go for the induction. I had my second at 41+2 spontaneously, was booked for an induction at 41+5 which is standard in my trust for low risk women.

My DD was fine but my placenta was grey and calcified in areas and my midwife said that it wouldn't have been functioning properly in at least the last week I'd been pregnant.

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 20/04/2025 08:19

As someone who waited it out, and had 3 lovely births (all 40 + 13), I wouldn’t wait.

Google the Swedish Induction Study.

HateHorridHenry · 20/04/2025 08:19

From your OP, it seems there is no medical reason for induction. Statistically, some pregnancies experience worse outcomes after 42 weeks, so they suggest induction as a way to “manage” this “risk”. Yet induction is risky and many result in difficult and/or traumatic labours.

No one can tell you where you sit on the spectrum of risk and what is acceptable to you. It is for you to weigh up the options and decide - not you midwife, obstetricians, your family, or random MNers.

Good luck!

RandomMess · 20/04/2025 08:24

I awaited to 40+17 and still didn’t go into labour, very thick meconium and lots of panic from the staff tbh.

All for have mine have been induced overdue and I wouldn’t wait beyond 10 days unless you are having daily placenta flow scans, even the. I wouldn’t go past 14 days.

Limeandbasil90 · 20/04/2025 08:31

How far along are you now OP?

LilacDeer · 20/04/2025 08:42

I was induced at 41+5 and the baby arrived at 42 weeks exactly. Baby ended up being born via emergency c section as heart rate was high from stress of contractions (I was having regular contractions but no dilation!) and when they broke my waters they realised there was meconium so they wanted to get the baby out fast at that point. After the c section they said my placenta was very calcified. It's a very tough decision as inductions hardly ever seem to go smoothly, yet you don't want to risk issues with the placenta. Can you request scans to check on the health of the placenta?

Roselilly36 · 20/04/2025 08:48

I would opt for the induction, without doubt the safest option, good luck OP.

Eastermuppet · 20/04/2025 08:48

Got induced at 41 +6 ( think I had started by this point anyway) very straightforward, very quick labour , no tears, up and out very quickly, so no induction horror stories, which I think are more likely if you are not ready to give birth, good luck

Emotionalsupporthamster · 20/04/2025 08:56

I had my first by induction at 41+6, second spontaneously at 41+6 on the day the induction was booked. It’s a very personal decision.

Springadorable · 20/04/2025 10:40

Ultimately, the induction is to avoid the very small chance of a still birth, which is absolutely a sad possibility of childbirth. At this point I'd have the induction. I couldn't live with myself if I made a decision that led to my baby dying.

Melusina123 · 20/04/2025 14:26

Based on current evidence I personally wouldn’t go past 40+5.

I was induced at 39 weeks with my first for medical reasons and it was a pretty bad experience (multiple healthcare staff have called it “traumatic” unprompted), but I was fine and baby was fine, and a sh*tty birth experience is nothing compared to what could happen if you wait too long.

Even with the experience I had I’d be induced again if I went to 40+5; just really hoping everything happens on its own first this time!

Everyone has to weigh the pros and cons themselves, and people will come to different decisions, but for me it was a no-brainer.

koalabearboombox · 20/04/2025 15:01

Hey OP - I'm 41+4 today and just gone in for induction. Like you I'm low risk but given I was absolutely exhausted from being so pregnant, and weighing up the risks of being this overdue, I decided to go for it. I'm a few hours in and it's been calm and controlled. Best of luck whatever you decide, but I will say I feel better already having made a decision (however baby might end up arriving). X