Labour Induction?

lilymay1 · 17 November 2012 at 7:50PM

meritaten wrote: »

my last baby was induced, much agains my instinct and protests! I 'felt' that he wasnt ready and although according to my notes I was nearly three weeks overdue he was induced........turns out he was about 6 weeks early! midwife said that I may have been pregnant and 'lost' that baby but 'caught' immediately for sprog and never had a 'bleed' in between. Happens a lot apparently! so, unless you are sure of your dates and your doctor/midwife is also certain you are overdue - I wouldnt advise requesting an induction.
btw - all the scans etc indicated that baby was overdue - it was only me who kept saying 'I dont think he is ready'!

Just out of interest, how did they decide that your baby was 6 weeks early and not nearly 3 weeks over due?

paulwellerfan · 17 November 2012 at 8:19PM

i was induced after exactly 2 weeks for both of my kids.
then i was sent home as it didnt work.
i remember going to the pictures a few hours later and watching that film with richard gere and jodie foster in it ( cant remember the name now) and thinking emm i think i need to go back to hospital now as i am in labour.
watched the whole film though.

notanewuser · 17 November 2012 at 8:36PM

lilymay1 wrote: »

Just out of interest, how did they decide that your baby was 6 weeks early and not nearly 3 weeks over due?

An overdue baby tends to have lost its vernix. I guess at 34 weeks the baby's lungs would not have fully developed.......???

themull1 · 17 November 2012 at 9:20PM

CL wrote: »

In Northern Ireland you are induced at 10 days overdue. However, if your baby is excessively big or you are suffering a lot of pain due to SPD/PGP you can ask to be induced earlier. My friend was induced at 8 days overdue (first baby), as her baby was big 9lb 11oz.

Be aware though that if you are induced when "unfavourable" (cervix high, not at all dilated) it may be unsuccessful and result in a c-section ( as happened to me at 11 days overdue.)

My daughter was 9lb 11 oz! she was 9 days overdue, i could hardly breathe at the end, my lungs were so squashed, i'm only five foot. I had to wait...couldnt request an induction, i think they said they would do a sweep when she was 12days over.

Make-it-3 · 17 November 2012 at 9:31PM

There are rules and he NHS like to stick to them. I was the opposite - desperate to stay at home even though I was 41+6.

However, if you are concerned about your health and that of the baby and haven't had the opportunity of a proper midwife check then I would pack my bags and head on down to maternity ward.

Eventually someone will come and check you over and if you are in labour well you are in the right place anyway. Dig your heel in and be awkward if you have to.

notanewuser · 17 November 2012 at 10:03PM

Make-it-3 wrote: »

There are rules and he NHS like to stick to them. .

What rules? There are no rules! Who do you think would make them?!

Agree with the rest of your post though.

amus · 17 November 2012 at 11:24PM

Hope you have gone to the hospital op!

Not sure what kind of 'midwife' you have been speaking to but symptoms of preeclampsya psya should have been checked out asap, any indication that your waters have broken means you have should be checked, and any pain from a previous scar again needs looking into. Regardless of whether you're overdue!

Sounds like the care you have received so far has been less than satisfactory!

polkadot90 · 21 November 2012 at 4:22PM

My midwife said the earliest she can induce is 40 weeks. Problem is I'm 40 weeks on christmas day with nasty pgp - so i haven't got a clue when I'll be able to see her what with christmas opening hours!! argh!!

fawd1 · 21 November 2012 at 8:18PM

Toto wrote: »

I've just qualified as a midwife. If you think that your waters have gone you should be seen in the hospital to confirm this. You don't need to wait 2 hours to see if a pad is wet, put a pad on and go in. They will do a speculum examination (the same as you have with a smear test) and can see fluid if your waters have broken..

I would also say, even if they do this, if you think your water has broken, get them to do a scan as well. I only say this because with my second DS, I was 100% sure my waters had broken. I was walking down the road, sneezed and it all gushed out. I'd only just gone to the loo so I knew it wasn't that (plus I had never suffered from incontinence at all in either pregnancy) Anyway, they tested, said no, sent me home. 5 days later at my normal midwifes appointment, I told her the story, and apparently the same thing had happened to her, so she insisted I went back and was given a scan. Lo and behold, the previously very sniffy, "why do you need a scan, we've checked" midwives were amazed when the scan showed my waters had in fact broken. Entirely. Cue an infection, then 5 whole days later an induction. Then 17 hours of labour with no delivery room available for the first 12 because "they hadn't expected me to go into labour so quickly" Oh, and despite having asked for an epidural when they booked me in for an induction, apparently there was no time within the 17 hours to set me up for one. Most incompetent treatment ever, despite being at the same hospital where I'd had a lovely birth experience with my first. At least the consultant had the decency to come and apologise for my treatment.

OrkneyStar · 23 November 2012 at 1:21PM

I was 'sweep' induced at +4 and then +8, then sent off to big hospital for chemical induction (we live on an island where they cannot induce you chemically here and have no epidurals). After 2 days and 3 attempts I had had enough (+14 at this point) and ended up with elective at +15. Induction isn't that pleasant, can be painful (during and certainly once labour starts), there is more chance of needing an epidural etc. Hang on if you can and try all the natural ways first.