MSE Pregnancy Club 25

amus

IHateDida wrote: »

I have had one - and had some good signs but I think I need another just to get it kicked into gear (I have had a friend who had two and labour started after her second). I was told if the first was going to work, it would work before 48 hours was up - its now 73 hours later......(one midwife said I could have a second....but the one I saw on Tues - just booked me in for an induction and said I couldn't have a second - no reason why - cervix is open, I have started to dilate...

Just had the mw on the phone - maybe I am extremely hormonal - but now in floods of tears - I was told that they couldn't fit one in today as they were too busy but possibly could tomorrow depending on how busy they are but there is no guarantee

Why am I getting so worked up over this??? I am just so mixed up about stuff now!:(

I really don't know why HCPs are so reluctant/unwilling to do sweeps, I was begging for one when overdue with DS2 as i knew he was a good sized baby but nobody would sweep me until I was a week overdue. Some GPs may be willing to do one of they have had some training, may be worth giving your GP a ring see if there's anything they can do for you. It was my second sweep that got me started so definitely worth pursuing! I even started researching sweeping myself on the Internet I was that desperate!

amyloofoo

IHateDida wrote: »

I have been "sweep" hunting - and so far - I cannot get one for love nor money!:( Word of advice girls - if you are offered one, snap it up - they are like gold dust in my area!

Tried doctor - she won't do one (as its not a clinical procedure but she bets 50p I will go into labour before the weekend anyway....??!!), hospital won't do one (as its not planned - I can go in on Monday to discuss my options.....errr...yes but Monday means I won't get a homebirth....and I want to try everything beforehand!) and have just left a message for a community midwife who I have never spoken to before to call me back!

Apparently we are entitled to "multiple" sweeps before induction is tried according to the NICE guidelines (my NCT leader pointed this out!) - but can I get one....???!!! I am prepared to travel the length of the county..... it is so frustrating!

Why do they make it so difficult?:(

Dida, I'm hoping you give birth naturally in the next 24 hours or so, in which case ignore everything else I say I'm not sure if this is an option for you financially or otherwise; but I know of quite a few people who in similar circumstances have opted for an independent midwife. It all depends on how set you are on a home birth and whether there are any clinical reasons why this may not be possible; but as a general rule they're much more willing to facilitate home births and are able to give the 1:1 care to ensure this happens safely.

Whilst they would normally have wanted to 'meet' you earlier in the pregnancy; I have met a few people through work and friends who are doulas who only engaged one once the hospital had said no. Most are registered with www.independentmidwives.org.uk - but they can be quite pricey I know that some people may be horrified about recommending an independent midwife once a hospital birth has been recommended; but please bear in mind that these are qualified midwives with lots of experience who will transfer to the hospital just as quickly as any other midwife if this is needed.

Like I say, hopefully none of this is needed, but it's another option that women often aren't made aware of. Do you have a doula? They may be able to help you locate a sympathetic community midwife to perform a sweep :grouphug:

ETA - Congratulations on being discharged Snozberry, I hope you and Toby have a happy and restful few days to recover.

mrsj28

Snozberry - hooray for being discharged!

COMP - :wave: lovely to see you over here

Dida - MASSIVE ((hugs)). I agree, keep pestering them for a second sweep, and keep quoting the NICE guidelines. Really feel for you, I am already going a bit mad and I'm a week behind you. Have everything crossed you'll get your home birth.



Just taken a cake out of the oven (BB's lemon curd and raspberry...yum...) and heading over to see a friend later this afternoon. Hope everybody else's day is ok and Dida I really hope things brighten up for you, it's horrible - you have a genuine reason to be frustrated and upset, AND the hormones really don't help either.

Claree__x

Just had a wee shopping spree on my lunch hour (oops!) - bought a dress & wedges for this wedding coming up and a long skirt & nirvana t-shirt. I've not had a nirvana t-shirt since I was about 15 but I used to love them so couldn't resist :rotfl:

Lola888

Dida- I don't get it, when I had my DD last year I was offered one and the CMW came to my house and did it when I was 40+7. At the time she booked me in for another one 4 days later just in case that one didn't work. That was on the Thursday, my contractions started Saturday and she was born Sunday. On the Monday morning when I was waiting to be discharged another CMW rang my mobile to arrange to come and give me the 2nd sweep.

The first CMW also booked me in for an induction for the follwing Thursday when I would have been 2 weeks over. It sounds like a bit of a post code lottery, fingers crossed for you that you don't have to shout and scream too loud for someone to pay attention x

IHateDida

Thank you folks for your support and advice I have pulled myself together a bit more now - after 2 baths!!! Its strange the healing nature of a bath!

Welcome COMP!:beer:

Snoz - absolutely over the moon you are out of hospital and are now at home with your little one! :T

Unfortunately amus - my doc (female so you think she'd understand) rang me and said no - she wasn't prepared to do them as it wasn't a clinical procedure - but she placed a 50p bet with me that I would have it by the weekend! Err...thanks....! (she has bet with me before....and lost!!!!)

Thanks amy - Whilst I would love a homebirth still - I was always aware that it might not happen for one reason or another (could be me requesting pain relief etc...) - but what I would preferably like (so wouldn't anyone I guess) is a natural birth - without being strapped to a bed.

Whether this is in water or just on the floor - hospital or home - I am now geared up for either. At the moment I don't have any complications so I thought a 2nd sweep (given that I have responded well to the last one - heaps of gunk - TMI I know - sorry - and also the fact that last week I was told I could have 2 sweeps!) might push me along. We don't really have the money to hire an independent mw/doula as we have only just moved into our house 3 weeks ago

I have reached a point where I can do no more - I have contacted everyone I can (mw/doc/hospital) - you never know the mw who I spoke to might have some empathy with me and come out to see me tomorrow (if they aren't too busy). Fingers crossed!

I know I am very very lucky to have had an uncomplicated pregnancy, and, at my age (with PCOS as well!) to have got pregnant so quickly with a 1st baby - so I am going to count myself very fortunate, pull myself together, and just see what happens......(the 2 bars of Cadburys Caramel that I have just consumed have also helped immensely:)!).

Thank you x

mrsj28

Dida - your last post is fab and so positive, and makes me feel a lot more positive too. It's SO important to stay focussed on why we are all doing this... to have a baby :j:j and to be prepared for however it might happen, even if it's not the ideal plan we'd hoped for.

After hearing about your nightmare 'sweep hunt' I rang maternity today to see if I could get a sweep any earlier next week (I'm having one on Wednesday), so that I can have a chance at getting two before I get to induction point. They've advised me to stick with the Wednesday sweep and then said I can have another on Friday... so I would then request to move my induction to Monday instead of Sunday, to give the Friday sweep 48 hours to work... let's hope I won't even get to Wednesday's sweep, but it's good to know I can (well, allegedly..) have two sweeps before induction.

Have everything crossed somebody will come out and do a sweep tomorrow!

Bangton

I so feel for the girls waiting for their late babies to arrive! Here's hoping for some action over the weekend for you and well done for being so positive as merely reading your posts scares me!

pigpen

Dida... get OH to do a sweep.. it isn't advised by the medical profession but neither is cake! .. but there are loads of guides to DIY sweeps online, particularly on HB sites... and a dash of vigorous sex.. They cannot refuse you a homebirth if that is what you want. I know a lady who delivered most of her 12 children at 42-44 weeks and had home births every time.. They can only do what you allow them to do.. and that includes inductions!! Some people just cook babies a bit longer and a normal pregnancy is 38-42 weeks so really you are not even overdue until you reach 42 weeks!!

IHateDida

pigpen wrote: »

Dida... get OH to do a sweep.. it isn't advised by the medical profession but neither is cake! .. but there are loads of guides to DIY sweeps online, particularly on HB sites... !!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Thank you Pigpen!!!! You have brightened my evening but erm.....I'm not sure that I would want him burrowing his arm up my err....:eek: and then waving it around a bit!

I know in Japan that they advise woman that birth is 42 weeks but you are battling against the system of 40 weeks here. One way or another, this baby has to come out - I am just going to take one day at a time - I live quite far from a hospital so they could delay mw's in getting here - I have already been told that if there is someone else with a HB in the area at the time - that it will be much quicker to get to a hospital. I don't fancy OH delivering the baby if I have a choice!

Remember it is my first so I haven't been through anything like this before. I am still positive - not going to push the system too much - I work for the public sector too - so at the end of the day have to place some trust in what is happening, even if I don't entirely agree with it. If I get too worked up over things; its not good for me nor the baby. I am just going to hope for another sweep tomorrow (by a mw NOT my OH!!!) - if it doesn't emerge then I will bin my birth plan, and just see what happens.

Thank you mrsj28 - that's a really good idea to check that they will allow you a couple of sweeps - I think that is the way to go before induction if they discover that you are able to have a natural birth. You may beat me to it at this rate!!!!:D

Bangton - I think I just got uber-hormonal over something at the end of the day (things blow out of all proportion especially when you end up so over-due), which just doesn't matter as much as having a healthy baby. I need to eat more chocolate and chill out a bit more in the bath!!!!:D