Being induced vrs spontaneous labour

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Due date is tomorrow and still absolutely no signs of labour. My obstetrician has written notes to advise that I don’t go over 40 weeks, mainly because of my worry (and perhaps irrational fear) mid- pregnancy that I would give birth to an unusually large baby (husband was over 9 pounds) so she wrote in my notes that I could be induced from 40 weeks. Baby looked to be 6 pounds at 36 weeks.

But as pregnancy has progressed, i’ve learnt that many women to go a few day past their due date especially for first babies. So I’m torn between getting an induction or just waiting a few days extra.

I’ve heard being induced is much more painful (and would mean I’m on a labour ward) whereas spontaneous might mean birthing centre. But I am not fussed - I just want the healthiest outcome for baby but unsure whether this means waiting a few days OR inducing him but is there any evidence to suggest induction is necessary bad for the baby if they’re not actually ‘ready’ to come out?

I would definitely wait a few days, if it was me. My first came spontaneously at 40+6, I had absolutely no signs until the morning my waters broke.

If there are no health complications, wait. It’s very usual for fist baby to be past due date. I would not want to be induced if not 100% necessary as it can then lead to a chain of further interventions and yes, can be more painful.
I always wanted everything as natural as possible so MW unit was my choice. Ended up going a few days over and stayed at home with a tens machine for a good while. Went in when I was 9 cm dilated and pushed baby out with gas and air.
They usually say you can go 1-2 weeks past your due date if everything else is well. So wait and let nature take its course op

I was induced with my first and now that I can compare it to two other births it was horrendous. So much more painful. Also big babies actually help more when you’re giving birth due to their size, I say that as someone whose last baby weighed over 11lbs. I was 14 days, 11 days and 11 days overdue with my 3. With the 14 days late I had to be induced. Try encouraging labour if you don’t want inducing, I bounced on my birthing ball constantly for a couple of days to get my last baby started! Good luck though whatever happens, and I absolutely haven’t written any of this to scare you.

I wouldn't be induced with a first baby on the due date with no clear clinical reason. I've had 2 inductions and they worked and all was well in the end with no emergencies so no horror stories from me, but it takes a really long time, is exhausting, is said to hurt more (I wouldn't know as I haven't had a spontaneous birth and I managed with gas and air for both), and more time out of your nice comfy home when you're in a really vulnerable state is not ideal for an anxious person, or anybody really. In your shoes I would wait a bit unless you're desperate to spend an extra 24h awake in hospital.

Have you had a sweep yet OP? That can help
to get things moving and give you more time until a possible induction.

I have nothing to compare it too but I was induced for both. My first at 40 weeks due to pre eclampsia. I will say it was a shock, how hard and fast those contractions came. Of course I wouldn’t have changed a thing, baby needed to come out asap, but if I was you I would probably wait a few days.

As someone who has had 4 inductions and large babies I would wait at least a week.

The later I was induced the more ready my body was as it was more like a spontaneous birth.

I waited until 42+3 with my 2nd and still didn’t go into spontaneous labour. Was induced on my due date for #3 for mental health reasons and it was a 2 day event which I wouldn’t recommend to anyone

The most common date statistically for first time births is 40+5. In other words, most first time mothers go over their due date by a few days!

I waited and baby came at 41+1, she was 8lb 11oz and came naturally at a birthing centre. I had a few stitches after but I was fine and have good memories of my birth. I'm 36 weeks with my second and am a little worried about this one being potentially bigger, but I'm not as worried about that as I am about all of the risks associated with unnecessary inductions.

If you are more worried about delivering a big baby than you are about labour itself, then maybe induction is for you, and it's nice you have that option. Just consider the pros and cons of both and make a decision that works for you.

2 natural and 1 induction here!
I would never recommend an induction to anyone unless there was a high medical need. It was by far the worst labour (albeit still short like my natural labours) but it was so much more painful. My natural labours I managed on gas and air for the first and paracetamol for the second. Induction I had every pain relief going and it was by far out of my pain threshold

Uffft its so hard waiting for labour to start, I really feel for you! I don't think you need to think of inducing yet if there's no medical reason.

My DD arrived spontaneously at 40+1. I had such a neat bump with her and she was 7lb 3oz. When pregnant with DS I was ENORMOUS, honestly it was ridiculous. Even my biggest maternity clothes didn't fit at the end. We were all convinced he'd be vast. I chose to be induced at 41+6 after trying absolutely bloody everything to get him moving. Yes it was a lot more painful than my first labour but he shot out in 3 hours, and weighed 7lb 6oz, so hardly the big lad we were all expecting! You can be booked in for an induction within a day or two so please don't panic yet, I'd reassess in a week and see how you feel. Do have a chat about all the pain relief available too, imo gas and air is heavenly and you can have that in a MLU. Hopefully you'll be cuddling a newborn soon!

This was me a few weeks ago! Consultant wanted to induce me because I am 40 years old and I had mild polyhydramnios. After a scan baby was fine and measuring 50th percentile so I pushed back and we agreed to wait to 41 weeks. Another check up and baby still fine, placenta fine, polyhydramnios not worse. I really didn't want to be induced but we agreed a date when I would be 41+3. My waters broke spontaneously the day before and baby arrived safely 5 hours later at 7lbs11oz so a good average size.

I'd have a discussion with them about their concerns, risks, benefits etc.

Given there is no medical reason for.your induction, I'd wait it out personally.

No difference in labours at all for me - 1 natural, 3 induced, all labours were very quick, but I realise I’m very lucky in that respect! 9lb seems/sounds big, but in reality it’s not - dsis had a 9lb+ baby and he was long and skinny. Try not to worry. Times must have changed because years ago, no way would induction be offered due to a mums worry about size.
Good luck when it happens 💐

I've had 2 inductions and one spontaneous birth.

The spontaneous birth was my largest baby and was the "best" outcome. I wasn't concerned about giving birth to a big baby as I have known several women who have given birth to large babies and had "good" births.

A sweep IS a type of induction. I wasn’t told this and went on to have a painful and difficult labour, contractions stopped and then I had to go on a drip (another type of induction). Slow, painful and assisted delivery with people shouting instructions that simply didn’t marry with what my body was feeling. Baby Born 40+3.

Second baby I refused the sweep and went into labour naturally at 40+5. My goodness it was a world of difference. My body knew what to do, waves of contractions and my body knew when to push. Totally different.

I never had a third but I know which I’d choose if I had to do it again!

I’m very grateful for medical intervention but angry that the medical timeframe / convenience was pushed onto me without me even knowing - to my detriment.

It Hurts whether your baby is 6lb or 9lb to be fair! Sometimes the extra weight is longer legs etc, it’s not all head circumference.

I would wait. I was told my baby would be 9lb+. I was induced (not because of size, because my waters broke but no contractions within 24 hours), and it was extremely painful. I’d had no sleep 2 nights before being induced because I was stuck on a loud, bright labour ward. So I was exhausted before I’d even started. I ended up with a spinal block and a forceps delivery.

It wasn’t awful and of course I would do it again if it meant a safe delivery, but I would absolutely choose a natural start to my labour if possible!

Oh and my baby ended up being just over 7lb - I’ve read that docs get estimated birth weight wrong in over 50% of ‘big baby’ cases.

If I did have to have another induction, I would ensure that an epidural was available before they put the drip in.

As others have said, if you have no clinical reason to induce then I wouldn't. It's introducing unnecessary risk and you're less likely to have a straightforward labour.
Statistically, most first babies are 'overdue'. I'd try not get hung up on being 'late' or 'over'.
There's a school of thought to suggest normal gestation is actually longer than the 40 weeks we use in this country. Some countries (including France) actually use 41 weeks as the length of a standard pregnancy.
My first was 12 days after my due date. Natural labour and normal weight. Obviously they may wish to monitor you more which I was fine with.

I was very against induction. My body had done everything beautifully on it's own so I trusted it to do the last part too. I refused sweeps and turned down the induction offered (I was mortified that they wanted to book this in when I was only just at my due date). I was very stressed with it looming over me but finally agreed to book in an induction for 41+6 when I attended an appointment at 41 weeks. Having accepted my fate I finally relaxed and went into labour naturally that night.

My recommendation would be to book an induction for a later date and then just wait and see if it happens on its own. Unfortunately during labour I was pressurised to have my waters broken or I wouldn't be allowed to stay in the birthing centre. I shouldn't have agreed to that as it ramps things up too fast. I wish I'd just let my body do everything in it's own time as I felt like the hospital were trying to rush everything.

Wait

Thanks so much everyone for sharing your experiences. I think I will just wait and see what happens, trust my body and unless medically necessary I’ll just hope for a spontaneous arrival of little one

Just wait and see - had two inductions and three spontaneous labours - if only I had known what I knew later there would have been no inductions as there was no actual clinical need! It is unusual for people to actually go into labour on their due date - 40 weeks is just an average. If you know at what point your mother and maybe maternal aunts went into labour it can give you some indication.
You can google various natural ways that may help things along - I used a Ayurveda herbal concoction with cinnamon, ginger and other things and still think it helped a lot and made labour speedier.
Also don’t worry about largish babies. While you would assume that they are harder to give birth to this is not necessarily the case - all depends on size of head and possibly shoulders.

DS was spontaneous at 40+10, DD induced at 40+13. Far more babies are born past their due date than before and I’ve heard that France gives due dates as 41 weeks (not actually checked this). I had quite a good experience with the induction but she was probably ready to come anyway. Both of mine were average weight in spite of being late.

Would avoid induction unless I had a really good reason.

If fully engaged I’d go for a sweep if it was suitable. Do check that the baby is engaged and no chance of cord prolapse.
if there’s anything else that’s of concern then I’d always follow the medical advice. I was 40 when I had my second, the obstetrician said she’d be happier if I had my baby at 40 weeks but would be insisting if I were mid 40’s