Experiences of going past 41 weeks and declining induction

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How far overdue did you go with your baby?

Pregnant with my second and hoping to go naturally due to a bad induction experience. I got induced at 39 weeks for measuring ‘too big’ but turned out to be very average weight.

Ive read a lot on NHS website lately as the time is coming around and our trust offers induction at 41 weeks. Has anyone had experience going past 41 weeks or declining induction? (Unless medically necessary of course, I don’t want to put myself or baby in any danger) If you get to a certain point do you get extra monitoring or whatever?

I was induced at 41+5 and then had an emergency caesarean at 41+6. I went in for monitoring at 41+5 and then wasn’t allowed to go home. (Yes, I could have argued, but for browbeaten by medical staff). I still can’t see that a 5-10 minute drive to collect my stuff and inform my partner would have been worse than making me nearly hysterical.

Have a listen to the Birth Unthethered podcast - they cover Inductions in detail and the actual statistics on going ‘overdue’ and the risks.

I’m 31 weeks and my midwife has said that I can decline induction, in fact, I don’t have to do anything I am not comfortable with. After listening to the Bitth Unthethered podcasts on inductions it’s a 100% no from me which I have told my midwife. She agreed - and said that if there’s a genuine emergency to get the baby out, they’d go straight for a C Section. She reassured me not to feel pressured if the time comes and I’m offered an induction.

Im currently reading Sara Wickhams book ‘In your own time’ which is a book on babies coming when they’re ready. Very interesting.

Our trust offers sweeps at something like 38 weeks and induction from 40!!! Criminal in my opinion.

I declined, they provisionally booked me an induction for 42 weeks on the dot as I had said I’ll accept that as my threshold due to any potential risk, baby would need to be monitored daily by then. I ended up having DD at 41+4 with a really quick labour and no complications.

My son was born at 41 + 2, I refused induction. Kept pushing, saying he was big and could end up in an emergency c section or with broken shoulders. I trusted my body knew what it was doing and kept saying no. Eventually agreed to induction at 41 + 3 but he came the day before! He was 9.4lbs so not enormous and everything was fine

I have been induced for 4 births for being over due:
40+14 (I think it was only 10 days)
40+17 (fibbed about my dates so they thought it was 14 days)
40 (for my mental health)
40+14
My second had meconium in my waters. I had a long discussion with the senior pro-waiting consultant and we discussed that 24 hours between daily monitoring can just be too long with dire consequences so we agreed on 42 weeks which was in excessive of the hospital standard protocol.

My 1st and 3rd took a long time to even dilate enough for ARM which then finally got me into labour.

Interestingly my Mum also went overdue and needed inducing (we have very much the same gynaecological history).

I also had very big babies despite being tiny in height with narrow hips etc. Didn’t need any instrumental assistance it was just difficult to get labour going.

I would personally never recommend anyone waits beyond 42 weeks as we don’t have placenta scan checks.

Just ask. My consultant induced at 41 weeks. I asked to wait until 40+12 and they were happy with that. I had no risk factors at all so would depend on that.

Just have a chat with them about it. Hear the pros and cons. Don’t go in all guns blazing. I explained I was eager to avoid an induction due to an awful experience on my first child.

if you have time for a book, read Sarah Wickham’s book ‘in your own time’. So informative and evidence based.
my midwife didnt even mention induction until my 40 week appointment, and she suggested jf I did want a sweep, to wait till 41 weeks, as they can only give 3 sweeps so better to have them later.
had a sweep at 41+1, baby arrived 41+3. Plus lots of yoga, swimming, fast walks! You don’t have to book induction, don’t feel under any pressure to do so. Due dates are made up and different in other countries - in Kenya, due date is at 42 weeks!

I got to 41+4, no induction, no intervention. I’d had contractions since 41 weeks exactly but had decided with my midwife that if nothing had happened by 42 weeks I’d go to daily monitoring if it all still looked good.
I nearly caved as I was so fed up of nightly contractions with no other progress but didn’t and ended up having the most straightforward water birth, no tears and a really good recovery. I think I was just really lucky but I’m glad it worked out as I was quite worried about one intervention leading to another and then another.

41 weeks is quite early. I was provisionally booked for induction at 41+5 but had DC at 41+1 so didn't need induction.

My friend declined induction and went to 42+3. They pushed hard for daily monitoring, but then left her waiting around quite a lot, so she concluded they weren't that worried.

My SIL went three weeks “over” but she had incredibly irregular periods, six to nine weeks apart, so it was very difficult to know how “late” DN was.

She agreed to go in every day for monitoring and had him three weeks late without any problems at all. He weighed eight pounds exactly so an average size baby.

Check out ‘fear free childbirth’ podcast

I had my three older children when inductions were +14 not +7, so had them at +10, +7 and then was induced with my third and had him at +9.
With my youngest, I didn’t want to be induced and had a number of extra scans due to an anomaly with baby. I declined induction at +7 and instead had monitoring and a scan the next day (+8). It turns out my fluid was back high again, so they did want me to be induced which I agreed to as it was for medical reasons not for ‘being overdue’ knowing all my babies are overdue! They are also all bigger - 8lb 11oz to 9lb.
I naturally went into labour that evening on the induction ward! I was so glad to have waited as it was the perfect labour/birth.
I really don’t understand why they press for induction now so early for no medical reasons… some babies just go overdue!

Induction will be offered if you do not go into labour naturally by 41 weeks, as there will be a higher risk of stillbirth or problems for the baby.

My dear friend wasn't induced and her baby was stillborn at 42 weeks. Not worth the risk. I was induced at my due date.

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/inducing-labour/

Declined induction at 40+ 10. Had baby spontaneously at 40+ 11.
The risk of stillbirth only increases after 40+14.
They induce days before this as sometimes it doesn’t work/takes days. I had it in my birth plan, if there is a specific risk go straight to c section over an induction.
(Most inductions result in forceps or emergency c sections)

41 + 2 induction (low amniotic fluid levels)
41 + 5 Induction (past due date, protocol where I live)

Although induction was brutal and I had no choice, I would do it again rather than wait for my lazy babies to come out naturally!

It's not early! Please let the experts judge when it's time to induce.

Baby was born bang on 42 weeks, after being induced and monitored on 41+5.

I declined at 41 weeks but I live 5 minutes from the hospital and was having daily observations.

I had 3 sweeps on 3 consecutive days starting at 40 +9, DC born on +11. I had high blood pressure and a retained placenta, which was excruciatingly painfull. Needed an epidural to have the placenta manually removed, which was in a poor condition, missed babies first feed and spent 24 hours on a ward with a catheter. Really not worth waiting untill the last minute.

I know someone who declined. Baby was healthy, when they finally arrived but she spent about 6 months in a wheelchair due to complications that would probably have been avoided had she listened to medical professionals.

I was 41+6 with my first. It was fine and she was actually a small baby. I wasn't offered an induction but after a horrific experience of my friend, I wouldn't go over 42 weeks.

Sadly ik of a devastating outcome due to waiting. There will never be others who have been fine too.

With DC1 I went to 41 weeks officially, but was actually closer to 42 (because I had been tracking and knew exactly when I ovulated) so I didn't push back too hard when it was suggested.

I did end up with an EMCS, but he was big, had the cord tightly wrapped round his neck three times, and the placenta was in poor condition. Had I have waited longer the outcome would have been disastrous for both of us.

I also have a family member who asked to defer induction from 41 to 42 weeks and the baby was stillborn. Think very carefully and take medical advice.

My post meant to say there will be others who were fine.

I declined at 41 weeks, then went in to be induced at 42 weeks when nothing was happening. Failed induction and DS didn’t arrive until 42+5! (by c-section).