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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Being induced next week due to GD - any advice?

30 replies

mrsboogie · 04/09/2008 12:50

I was diagnosed late (36 weeks) with Gestational Diabetes and this week my consultant has decided that I should be induced at just over 38 weeks as reckons the baby is huge and I am carrying a huge amount of fluid. I know its not ideal but they have scared me now so I just want him out safely.

They said the induction will take about three days - grateful for the benefit of anyone's experience on being induced (please don't scare me too much though)

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dizzydixies · 04/09/2008 12:53

load of shite, don't do it if you don't want to
I was diagnosed late and told C/S at 38wks, refused and had one at 40+1 and she was only 9lb 14oz which was smaller than my first two when I didn't have GD

this is not a decision you need to make lightly

scans are notorious for being inaccurate for sizing and they cannot tell you how 'heavy' or big baby will be

we have a GD support thread with others more knowledgable than me - you should pop over

dizzydixies · 04/09/2008 12:55

GD thread here

LeonieD · 04/09/2008 12:56

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misdee · 04/09/2008 12:58

my induction took under 3hours. 3days my arse!!

it can take longer if you hve to have the gels etc. but when i went in i was already 4cm dilated (3rd child) at 38weeks. so they just broke my waters for me. as it was dd3 was 7lb 13oz, so not huge at all.

dizzydixies · 04/09/2008 12:58

well said Leonie!

I've had 3 big babies, one VB by induction no GD, one EMCS after long labour no GD and one by elective section who was smallest and with GD!!!

CantSleepWontSleep · 04/09/2008 13:26

'reckons the baby is huge and I am carrying a huge amount of fluid' - how did he draw this conclusion? You don't actually mention whether you've had a scan or not, but as Leonie says, even they can be wildly out.

Do you want to be induced, or are you just feeling that you have to be?

Original poster

mrsboogie · 04/09/2008 13:30

I realise that I don't have to submit to an induction just because of the GD but I am also 40 which adds to the risk factors apparently. To be honest this pregnancy has been a bit of a rollercoaster and I am happy to go along with their advice (not that it was presented as advice ) just to get the worrying over with and because I worry that the longer it goes on the more chance there is of something going wrong - even though there is no reason to worry at this point.

It's just I don't think I have ever heard a good report of an induction birth. VBs yes, elective ceasarians yes, but inductions seem to get a bad press and seem to end up in emergency sections a lot of the time which seems the worst of all worlds....

The consultant told me that the huge amount of fluid I am carrying is a risk because if it all floods out of me at once (at home) everything could go wrong so they don't want me going into labour at home.

I have given birth to a fairly large baby 9lbs by VB but it was many years ago now so I'm not too worried about that.

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Original poster

mrsboogie · 04/09/2008 13:32

well, I had a scan last week - after which they said he was over the 90percentile and I had a bit of excess fluid - when I saw the consultant today this had somehow become gross polyhydro whatsit. I said how do you know if I haven't been scanned again? and she said thy can tell from last week's results.

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bethoo · 04/09/2008 13:42

with my induction labour was less than an hour.
i was induced at 39+3 days due to GD and ds was 7lbs 15, does make me wonder how big he would have been if i had gone overdue! his blood sugar was very low at birth too so stayed in for several days til it was normal but i personally think that was becasue he had severe tongue tie which was not noticed til he was several days old therefore affecting his feeding as i bf.

WheresTheAuPair · 04/09/2008 13:42

I don't want to scare you but mine was 4 day induction followed by ECS. The food was shite and I got no sleep at all! If you do decide to be induced maybe consider a private room if at all poss?

By each evening all my gels/pessaries/drugs had worn off and I was just kept awake by the other labouring women on the ward! By the time they did the CS i was exhausted by the pain/sleep deprivation and wierd hospital food

I'm no food snob but a diet of tesco value white bread and jam /soggy chips and sludge does not give you the energy boost needed as a new mum!

WheresTheAuPair · 04/09/2008 13:43

forgot to add- GD never diagnosed but DS was 10lbs 2oz.

CantSleepWontSleep · 04/09/2008 13:45

Hmmm, the polyhydramnios sounds a bit made up then, but if you're happy with being induced then fair enough.

I would possibly start a new thread in childbirth asking for stories of induction at 38 weeks, and not mentioning the GD in the thread title.

I think that the trouble with early induction is that if your body just isn't ready, which many aren't at 38 weeks, then yes there is more chance of it leading to intervention.

I guess you could try all the usual 'bring on labour' techniques to see if they can help your body to be more receptive to it.

Personally I'd prob consider reflexology or acupuncture too.

dizzydixies · 04/09/2008 13:49

my induction was my morst labour at 40wks but I know of some who've had successful ones

good luck whatever you decide

Original poster

mrsboogie · 04/09/2008 14:09

thanks guys!

I was a bit worried about the food as I have been practically on the Atkins diet for the past 2 weeks in order to avoid having to go on insulin and I can't see that being an option in hospital.

On the plus side everyone I have met seems very conscientious and very helpful and nice and before we left today I was shown one of the induction rooms - apparently in my local hospital you get a private room with ensuite bathroom for the whole tine until labour and the room even has a pull -out sofa so the husband/boyfriend can stay the night - or stay right through if that's what you want. And it was all spotless. Most impressive - wasn't expecting that at all.

Will have a look in chidbirth at induction thread - although prob best not to read any scare stories at this point!!

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WheresTheAuPair · 04/09/2008 14:22

wow mrsboogie- where is your hospital-sounds fab!! i want to go there! Mine was a desperate excuse for a maternity ward- the final straw was no cubical lights in the CS bay- only strip lighting in the middle of the wards- they had not been working for 10 days MW's had to come and check on us at night with torches! Never again

dizzydixies · 04/09/2008 14:24

agree, ours had no hot water so signed myself out! in those circumstances I wouldn't mind an induction lol

WheresTheAuPair · 04/09/2008 14:29

urgh and mouldy showers with a school chair parked in the middle. Am honestly amazed we came out relatively unscathed.

and drafty windows and rubbish heating (unusual for a maternity ward I know)

I sound like a right moaning minnie but it was a hideous experience. My mum says that from the baby hospital pics you would have thought I was in a dodgy east european motel

...Mind you that's probably being a bit unfair on east european motels there

needless to say that it is being closed down next year...i wonder why?!

Original poster

mrsboogie · 04/09/2008 14:34

Mine is York General - I have been casting an eye about each week at the clinic to see how clean it looks but saw a bit more today and it was a)deserted of patients but lots of staff and b) spotless. I nearly burst into tears when she showed me the room I was so happy (hormones, but you know)

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WheresTheAuPair · 04/09/2008 14:39

hmm long way from essex then

pleased for you tho!

LeonieD · 04/09/2008 14:39

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Original poster

mrsboogie · 04/09/2008 14:46

You are right not to let them bully you - I think my problem is that because of my age and a previous miscarriage I have been afraid throughout that something was going to go wrong. So I am in a way glad to get him out early. My other pregnancy went to 42 +2 and labour (without intervention) was hell - well over 48 hrs and he was born in distress because I was exhausted, dehydrated and starved and my uterus was too tired to get him out.

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Debs75 · 04/09/2008 17:57

I have just been diagnosed amd now 37+2, symptoms put me at gd for 4 weeks before that, had a scan to check on fluid and she said there was lots, having sizing scan next tues. I don't see the point in being induced early am very much of the mind it will come when it comes but feel a bit anxious. Keep asking Q's and try and hold out that is what I am doing. Can't have it too early got stuff to do.

ajm200 · 04/09/2008 18:02

If they are already telling you that it is going to take several days your body must not be anywhere near ready.

If you do go ahead, do yourself a favour and take some earplugs as you'll probably be on ward with lots of other mums who are being induced and who may get very vocal. A long induction is really tiring as you don't get any sleep due to the activity/noise around you.

My induction took 5 days. During that time, I got very little sleep as MWs were checking on me several times an hour and mums around me were going into full on labour. When it came to giving birth I was exhausted.

Ewe · 04/09/2008 18:16

Firstly, prior to induction, if I were you, I would ask for my Bishop's Score. If it is less than 3 I would have serious doubts about induction.

My Bishop's Score was one on Thurs morning when they started, I had 4 doses of gel, dilated 1.5cm. Broke my waters, nothing happened. Started drip, for 12 hours nothing happened. Finally started to contract but DD's heartrate dropped with every contraction. Sunday morning, emCS.

If you're body is completely not ready, like mine, it often results in lot's of intervention and emCS in I believe (don't quote me!) over 50% of cases.

However as it is your second baby I think that often makes it easier. Even waiting a week can make the difference between a failed induction or a successful one!

Good luck! My birth wasn't great but when DD arrived I couldn't have cared less and would do it all over again tomorrow, so even the worst case scenario isn't that bad!

NorthernLurker · 04/09/2008 18:24

Mrs Boogie - i'm (ahem) local to you

Which doctor did you see today? I've had three births at York and been very happy with the unit. First one was induced and it was fine. Last gave birth there in 2007 and was very much encouraged to do my own thing, move about etc and cleanliness etc was good. Fodd is crap tbh though

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