42 week pregnancy - advice!

Crispy_Ambulance

You may have already looked at these sites, but they have some useful info

https://www.homebirth.org.uk

https://www.aims.org.uk

You cannot be forced to be induced. Obviously everyone's experience of induction is different, but induction should be avoided if not absolutely medically necessary. The contractions produced are much stronger than with natural labour, it is much more stressful and dangerous for the baby, there is a risk of rupture of the uterus, many inductions fail and end up as emergency sections etc.

There was some research that suggested that going past 42 weeks increased the risk of stillbirth. However, the risk is so small that increasing slightly it doesn't actually make it much more likely (if you see what i mean). And the research itself is somewhat dodgy and quite old and didn't take other factors, such as congenital abnormalities etc into account. In other words, some of the babies would have been stillborn anyway, whether born at 40 weeks or 43 weeks.

Some women have longer cycles than others. You can ask to have regular scans to check placenta function. Stay away from the consultant as much as you can, as you need to be relaxed to produce oxytocin and get labour going.

good luck

lucym

You can get a test done to show the blood flow through the placenta (doppler flow test I think).

I had it when my second baby was 3 weeks late – she was born at home two days later (actually I think the trek from one end of the hospital to the other and back several times helped bring on labour).

mishkanorman

I disagree with home births, I realise its a womans choice but I think that the risks are not worth taking. I made the mistake of watching an emergency midwives programme where a baby got stuck, first time pregnancy no obvious signs of upset, then they lost the babys heartbeat and after frantic calls for an ambulance that never came the baby arrived and needed resusitation. All was well in the end but I sat and howled for about an hour as it was sooo traumatic to watch.


As for induction its not all that bad, 1st time round took ages for me as the ward kept filling up and they had to keep stopping, but after my epidural and a drip took about 3 hours. Another reason im anti home births is I had quite bad blood loss and needed ( DONT READ IF SQUEEMISH !!!!! ) my womb 'clearing out' by hand. Hurt like bloody hell and was done as an emergency so couldnt have epidural topped up. If I was at home I would have most likely bled to death.

2nd time round i just had my waters broken and took about 2 hours with just gas and air ! Was a fantastic birth made all the better by the environment of feeling safe should I have trouble again.

mishka

lucym

Home births are safer...as long as the mother is expected to give birth naturally.

You are more likely to suffer complications if you do go to hospital.

Jo_R_2

Mishka

I disagree with hospital births! In low risk pregnancies I see no reason why a woman needs to give birth in hospital. Of course, you can't predict what will happen, but I don't see giving birth as a medical event, I see it as a natural and normal part of being a woman, and it makes me sad that people often say to me, "wow, you are brave!" or, "what if something goes wrong?" as if it is expected that things will. The medical intervention that can take place is made to be somehow "normal" now in the Western world - I say what is "normal" about giving birth lying on your back LOL?!

I won't go into further detail but if you check out https://www.homebirth.org.uk and go to "But what if...?", the examples you have mentioned are covered there, including both the scenes you saw on tv and the ones you experienced. It's a sad fact that women often need treatment whilst in hospital from interventions which have RESULTED from them being in hospital in the first place. For example, being induced highly increases yr risk of blood loss like you experienced.

I feel confident in giving birth and have confidence in the midwives that attend me that they are trained - after all they wouldn't be midwives otherwise would they?

That's if this baby ever turns up of course!

Katyag

Jo_R wrote:

The medical intervention that can take place is made to be somehow "normal" now in the Western world - I say what is "normal" about giving birth lying on your back LOL?!

Couldnt agree more!!!!

funky-footprints

mishkanorman wrote:

I disagree with home births, I realise its a womans choice but I think that the risks are not worth taking.

having friends whose babies have passed maconium, another who couldnt deliver the palcenta and the shock of being told by my midwives that they couldnt find my babies head .. i will stick to a hospital birth everytime. I admire those who choose a home birth but it isnt for me !!!!! safety in numbers is prefferred !!!

knowing that there is now some sort of test available to test the placenta is working is very re-assuring , (thanks for that lucym) .. i was 5 days over with my daughter and was terrified that everything was going to break down as my midwife said they wouldnt induce me until 12 days ..i was petrified !! i wasnt even getting daily visits and that discovery home channel and baby stories had me in tears most nights !!!

good luck op !!!
x

lucym

My first was born at hospital – 24 hour labour, pethidine and episiotemy.

Other four were home births – longest labour was 6 hours, gas and air for two of them and stitches for one (only because her hand was up by her face as she was born).

mishkanorman

Yeah I get your point , its just that word 'expected',
i would rather have a bad time of it at the hospital with all the medical knowledge in the world around me then at home where its a good half hour high speed journey to the nearest emergency care.
My midwife was literally an angel and my second sons birth was an incredibly funny and enjoyable experience-it wouldnt have been the same at home as she wouldnt have been there- my routine midwife first time round was a bit scary and the thought of someone like her in my home would have ruined it !

Jo_R i applaud your faith in your belief, dont get me wrong if you feel in your heart its right for you, fight for it all the way. Im a big scaredy cat when it comes to the possibility of things going wrong, I dont cope with loss very well. I have a tricky question , dont answer it if you'd rather not, would your opinion of home births change if you were to have a tragedy ?

mishka

rozeepozee

Have read this thread with interest as I'm 23 weeks pregnant and would like a homebirth but am convinced the hospital have my dates wrong (think they have me a week early) so am worried about the pressure to be induced. I too read that if you go over there is a test to check the health of the placenta, I stored that piece of info away thinking it might come in useful ;-)

Has the OP gone into labour yet? I'll continue to watch with bated breath. Hope things turn out the way you'd like them to.