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

What's the longest anyone's gone OD?

80 replies

kittycat37 · 10/04/2010 22:26

Hi - I'm 40+5 today. Due to EMCS with DD1 have been told that can have no induction (which I'm actually happy about) but am facing prospect of ELCS on 16th if nothing's happened by then. I have asked my consultant if I can make this later, all being well, as I've read that 42wks is perfectly normal (I would only be 11 days over on 16th). So far I haven't had an answer except 'let's wait and see what happens'.

Anyway, just wondering, out of interest what's the longest any of you lovely ladies have gone OD - either through refusing induction or ELCS?

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SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 00:18

kitty...I'm sure there are other alternatives which they should be offering you...I'm in a not dissimilar position, having had a womb op in the past which means induction is potentially risky for me, but my midwife told me that there was an alternative to ELCS - I just can't remember what it is, so sorry! Please do contact your NCT branch, they might be better able to help. Or an excellent alternative is to get onto the UK Midwifery yahoo group and send out an email to everyone (you'll need your membership approved, which should take about a day). The group is full of highly knowledgeable mums and midwives who are always SO EAGER to help.

itsybitsy08 · 11/04/2010 00:19

Dd was 15 days over, 7 pounds 4.5, perfect! No complications, no interventions. You go with whats right, you know your body best, but obv take the doctors advice into consideration too! Good luck!

SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 00:21

at fabhead re birth weight!

However, fab, your mws sound appallingly lacking in knowledge and experience. This infuriates me. If pregnant women can be bothered to find out proper techniques for assisting birth, so bloody well should they. And why on earth should they oput you down for induction at 38 wks? I don't understand why your history should make them think this necessary.

fabhead · 11/04/2010 00:23

So if you have an emergency CS you can't have an induction in subsequent pg's? But you can try for a spontaneous VBAC if favourable? Why is that? Isn't that kind of saying that inductions are somehow more violent, stressing than spontaneous labour (as is my impression)

SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 00:24

There's a manoeuvre which Gaskin uses to widen the pelvis (not her invention), where two people press on each hip (i.e. one person per hip) - this causes the pelvis to open up beautifully. Have NEVER heard of any medic using this manoeuvre. They ought to know about this stuff, it's their job for Pete's sake.

Sorry.

SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 00:26

yes, induction contractions are far more intensive/ violent to the womb (and to the baby - hence babies going into distress because of such intervention) than normal, spontaneous labour.

fabhead · 11/04/2010 00:33

Speedy, again, don't get me started!!!

So ds1 was a shoulder dystocia due, in all probability, to mismanaged labour of a fairly large baby. For ds2 (different hospital) we were obviously a bit freaked out by previous experience (partic DP who really saw the emergency) so we mentioned it at booking in. This meant I was labelled as high risk and had to see a consultant. PITA we thought but after previous trauma better safe than sorry. As you say, we read up, all indications point to the way to avoid sd's being as active a birth as possible, give birth squatting or on all fours, plenty of movement, no forcing things that arent ready to come. So anyway, I go and see the consultant towards the end who tells me, oh no, you WILL be lying down in bed in the medical labour ward becasue you will be being constantly monitored and we WILL induce at 37 (!) weeks, this is the way to manage case like you.

Needless to say I was livid and demanded to see another consultant who agreed I could have an active birth with extra checks in the second stage, resucitator in the room, crash team on standby, senior midwives to deliver and groth scans to make sure baby not too big. Kept me as high risk which manet couldn't have water birth or go in home from home birth room, got shoved in horrible medical room, no room to move, no birth ball etc etc.

And the bloody irony was that, even though the second consultant wrote all that about extra checks, senior midwives, all over the back of my notes in massive writing, when it cam to the night they left us entirely alon, DP delivered the head and had to press the emergency button with his foot while holding me up to get them in!!

Grr, am going to demand to be taken off high risk at next appt - they have even sent me an appt to see the same ridiculous first consultant! I wondered why.

fabhead · 11/04/2010 00:37

Sorry, didn't mean to take over this thread with my rants!

Are you a midwife speedy?

That manouvure you describe does sound a bit like what they did with me and called the McRobertson manouvure (sorry sp gone to pot) - maybe that is what they did - did work quite well anyway.

SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 00:41

I'm not a mw, but am really angry on your behalf. All I know about birth care is what I (unlike some medics) could be bothered to learn, which is why it infuriates me when other medics OBs especially) can't be bothered to learn this stuff.

The manoeuvre I described (do, do, DO read the Ina May's Guide to Childbirth if you haven't already - that's where I discovered it) is very different from what was done to you. For a start, the woman is kept standing.

SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 00:42

or rather, 'the woman is allowed to remain standing'. The only pressure applied is to her hips.

fabhead · 11/04/2010 00:48

I know, I know - I know of her methods but haven't read the book - will do though. The thing that gets me is that all this good stuff that is out there, research, experience, but in both my labours there has never really been anyone there to guide or help! I have always just done it myself.

Dp and I have been watching "One Born every Minute" which we really shouldn't, and end up shouting at the TV every week "yeah act like you care just because the cameras are here why don't you"!!

Not that I am having a go at the staff (apart from that one I had with the sd who subsequently "left the profession" we were leter told) - I do understand it is about lack of time and resources.

Do you think they will declassify me as high risk if I make a fuss? Incidentally, the student mf who took my history at the booking in appt didn't know what shoulder dystocia was ....

God, here we go again ...

SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 00:57

at your student mw!

I think you should post on that UK midwives yahoo group and take some advice from people who do know all this stuff, then decide what steps to take. From what you've said so far it sounds like they're mismanaging you.

And stop watching that blardy programme! Or, at least, watch it on the C4 website after you've given birth!

SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 00:59

But yes, I still can't see why they would classify you as high risk - shoulder dystocia is about the baby, not about a problem with the woman's body.

I should say here that my mws were brill with DC1...can't quite say the same about the obstetrician but it's all in the past. He did what he thought was the best thing. It just turned out not to actually be the best thing.

fabhead · 11/04/2010 00:59

will do, thanks speedy.

fabhead · 11/04/2010 01:01

I know, i wish in a way I hadnt told them (ds1 was a diferent hospital so they had no records) - even if I was high risk last time, surely after one quick and easy birth I am no longer high risk?

SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 01:03

fabhead - quite so, which is why it's so odd that they've put you down as high risk.

You could always gun for a lovely, gentle homebirth...it's your right, you know.

fabhead · 11/04/2010 01:10

Oh I know and it has crossed my mind - though officially they told me last time I was not eligible for a home birth becasue of previous sd etc etc. I might say I am considering a home birth at the next appt becasue I dont want to go to the hospital as a high risk category and see what they say. In reality, even though I would consider it (now have had an easy birth), DP would never be able to stand the stress as, without going into too much detail, he saw what the crash team had to do to resusitate ds1 and that was becasue they were right outside - the worry aqnd stress of a home birth in case anything went wrong would be too much for him I think.

Of course I know now that they cant make you do or not do anything - it's your choice. I only realised that in my last pg. Luckily I am experienced enough now not to take any shit but it does make me angry on behalf of the first-time parents out there who don't realise that you take their advice but you, ultimately, can decide. The medics generally don't seem to see it like that and it can be hard to push back when you are tired and stressed and emotional.

My notes also say I am high risk because I had a second degree tear last time - even though I have never had stitches - hmmmmm

nappyaddict · 11/04/2010 01:12

SGM

With DD2 did they try and induce you before 16 days or did they not suggest it until then?

nappyaddict · 11/04/2010 01:21

Sorry didn't read thread properly

SpeedyGonzalez · 11/04/2010 01:29

fabhead - I have had a third degree tear PLUS previous womb op (not quite like c-section but almost) and am having a hb, ooooh, any time in the next few weeks. They are talking bollocks.

So for you.

Got to go now, have to sleep!

fabhead · 11/04/2010 01:40

me too, thanks for reminding me not to put up with it

OP - hope you've gone into labour while we've all been chatting!

StewieGriffinsMom · 11/04/2010 08:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mumtotwoboys · 11/04/2010 08:20

I only went 4 days overdue last time, but a sweep worked quite instantly, I reccomend one!
I'm 40+1, they won't do sweeps in this area untill you're 7 days overdue though

CoupleofKooks · 11/04/2010 08:34

i was 10 days over with ds1 and 14 days with ds2
i was due to go in for assessment on the day ds2 was born - i read up on it and the risk of stillbirth does go up after 42 weeks, but is still very small
i was offered sweeps from my due date! i accepted sweeps from 40+10 with ds2, as a sweep got me going with ds1, and i wanted to avoid induction and have him within the 2 week overdue period where they will attend a homebirth in my area

BomDigger · 11/04/2010 10:30

10 days
16 days
12 days

The last 2 were induced. Thing is, placenta was still good in all cases. I could have gone for ages.

Sweep not possible with my awkward cervix.

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