Avoiding being induced

[Eaney]

I was 14 days overdue with my son. I did not want to be induced but felt railroaded into it. As I suspected being induced led from one intervention to another. I was started on the gel then had my waters broken and finally had synotocin (spelling?) with an epidural. 24 hours after the first gel my baby was finally born with the aid of a forceps (the hospital had 2 other women being induced at the same time and all the ventouse equipment had been used). It was a horrible experience and left me feeling out of control and shellshocked. I am now 31 weeks pregnant and have already made it clear that I do not want to be induced and I am fearful that when the time comes I will be pursuaded by the fear of something happening to the baby. Has anyone successfully avoided being induced and if so were you happy that the baby was not at risk. I think one of the reason for hospitals inducing so many women is because once you past the 40 week stage you have to have close monitoring which they do not have the staff for. Your experiences will be of great interest.

[hana]

sorry to hear eaney.....I've heard there is an inevitable 'cascade of intervention' once a woman has been induced.
can you try the usual pineapple, curry, sex, reflexology?
hope it's better this time around

[unicorn]

hello..
I know exactly how you are feeling.
Induced with dd1 (12 days late).. ended with emergency C.
was very anxious with number 2.. so started reflexology at 6 months... delivered naturally - on time- at home and it was just so, so much better than first time around.

2nd birhs are often very different from 1st... so just because you were induced with 1 doesn't mean you will be this time round.

Try not to get to worried about things... and try some relaxation things.. like reflexology/massage/acupuncture etc... anything to reduce the anxiety will help you.

Best of luck.

[janeybops]

Also induced with dd1 and had awful experience although not too much intervention - water, gas and air and ntural delivery. (ironically not what I wanted as keen to have pain relief). Hwever, took 2 and half days to get her out!

Second one was so much easier and was also determined not to be induced...

Waters broke in week 41 but no contractions. After 24 hours they wanted to induce but I stood my ground and went into labour naturally 36 hours after waters had broken. Only trouble was I had to be constantly monitored and have IV antibiotics during labour.

[daisy50]

Eaney, I think there is a higher rate of intervention (forceps, c-section etc) when women are induced compared to spontaneous labour. Was it your first baby when you were induced? There are also more ventouse/forceps used with first babies compared to subsequent ones. You do have the right to refuse induction if you go overdue again but don?t do this based on your previous experience alone. Talk to the midwife/doctor and ask them to explain the risks and make sure you are aware of all the facts before making your decision. When I was pregnant and the midwife was asking about my birth plan I told her that although I didn?t have a detailed plan there were two words I didn?t want to hear, induction and c-section. My midwife advised raspberry leaf (available in tea or tablets) she said all the midwives use it and that you rarely see a midwife overdue! I bought some of the tablets and took a few doses over a day, woke up that night in labour! Of course this could be pure coincidence in my case, who knows, but I have heard from other sources that it seams to be effective. Only thing is don?t start taking it too early as risk of premature labour, advice is not to use it before 36 weeks. Could be worth a try, good luck.

[mrsmiawallace]

induced with dd, only two days over but waters broke on due date and contractions wer'nt strong enough. kept bumping up syntocin in double amounts, with only gas and air as diamorphine ran out and hour before dd was born. no assisted delivery but would advise have epidural in a case like this as ive never been through so much pain, normally people have epidural straight away but i really didnt want one, much to my discomfort!!!

[cupcakes]

I know what you mean about the traumatic experience. My ds was induced at 38 weeks due to hign blood pressure and it was awful. Failed ventouse followed by c-section under a general.
Dd however was a delightful delivery. 5 days overdue but started spontaneously. 5 hours of labour, just gas and air.
I really believe 2nd time round it HAS to be easier!

[coppertop]

I don't have any experience of avoiding induction but just wanted to give you some hope that the 2nd time around can be a lot easier than the 1st time.

Ds1 - Induced, leading to a 40hr labour with internal monitoring (the one they attach to the baby's head), a syntocin(sp?) drip, and ventouse to get him out when he got stuck.

Ds2 - Induced, leading to a 6hr labour with no drip, no internal monitoring, no ventouse. I had an epidural but it was a very relaxed birth.

[hunkermunker]

You could try acunpuncture - it's apparently very effective at getting things going.

Sex is good too

[Eaney]

I really am hoping no 2 baby will be spontaneous. My mum informed me a couple of days ago that all 5 of her babies were overdue so still a bit apprehensive. Last time I tried everything : sex, rasberry leaf tea, acupuncture, hot curries, long walks. The only thing I didn't try was reflexology which will be on my list this time. I often think that my fear of childbirth last time contributed to my lateness. This time a little less afraid so hopefully.... I really appreciate your stories and advise.

[pupuce]

Eaney if you want to go down the reflexology route you must start now... it is far more efficient if you have had a few treatments.
You can decline being induced too... you need to be scaned every other day after 42 weeks .... but going over 42 weeks is unlikely. 2nd babies tend to come earlier "usually".
If you had a vaginal birth you are unlikely to have another ventouse/forceps birth. We have discussed it here

[winnie1]

Eaney I was 11 days over with dd and went into labour 'naturally' but ds was much bigger and from the outset (it felt) i was being railroaded into being induced. I was verymuch against this but generally got a reputation for being difficult. Got to 10 days over with ds, refusing intervention, but feeling very bullied, had reflexology and went into labour. I can not say whether this was a direct result of the reflexology or not but I understand your concerns and you have my sympathies. I hated the idea of being induced it felt like all 'control' was being takena way from me.

[winnie1]

Pupuce your post is interesting as I'd been having reflexology every week throughout my pregnancy to control my blood pressure.

[pupuce]

Well that should definitely help in terms of pain in labour too!

[gish]

Eaney keep talking through your fears as you are right, this will contribute to lateness! Birthing from Within (Pam England)and Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth (Ina May Gaskin) are both really good reads and may help with this (totally normal) feeling.

[geordie]

I went 12 days over with ds...but managed to beat the induction date!! (was 14 days over) Ds was born at 7.12pm and My appointment for induction was 7pm (yes i had a long labour). Unfortunately I had lots of intervention and forcepts in the end- but I was so tired after labouring for a long time and other than a cs it was the only way!

Here's tyhe importnant bit....

I got labour started by bouncing up and down on my excercise ball (birthing ball thingy) Instead of sitting still at anypoint I bounced...through corrie...through this morning...and whilst cahtting to dh! (

In the end I got a show and contractions started on the sunday...was admitted in the tues...and gave birth on wed!

[redshoes]

Eaney you have my sympathy - my 3rd was 15 days late (I didn't try reflexology, but did all the other stuff). Although I am quite assertive it is REALLY difficult IMO to keep refusing induction, especially when you get so huge and uncomfortable...at 42 weeks I agreed to go in the following day to be induced, but went into labour spontaneously in the early hours (in the nick of time). I am due in 4 weeks and am also dreading being late, but you never know - my first 2 were on time so here's hoping for both of us!

[fisil]

Eaney, no answers, but I feel the same as you. I was really lucky last time - I went 11 days over with ds but because of weekends etc. I managed to pop him out 48 hours before inducing - totally by luck (and Raspberry Leaf Tea).

This time I'm worried because of my dates. The hospital's policy is only to change due dates if they are 8 days out, and mine is 7 days out! So if they try to induce me at 10 days over (also their policy) I will actually only be 3 days over, iyswim. I intend to be really strident and get them to let me go 3 weeks over (according to official dates), but I know what I'm like when "advised" by mws & drs, so I will take dp with me to argue my case!

Good luck!

[pupuce]

fisil - get them to scan you at 42 weeks... if they see nothing wrong than their case for induction is very weak!

[fisil]

thanks pupuce

[tortoiseshell]

I was induced with ds, at 12 days over. Didn't want to be with dd, so at 1 week over saw the consultant, - was prepared for a fight about it! But he said he could see no reason to be induced, and made another appointment for 15 days over, just to see how things were going. Dd was born 14 days late. She was a homebirth, and my midwife had that week delivered a 3 week over baby at home. I think it can depend on who you speak to - another friend did the same as me (i.e. saw the consultant and asked to not be induced, and the consultant was very sniffy with her and said it was her choice to put her baby at risk etc. etc. ) But mine would have been happy to have me in every other day for monitoring. At the end of the day they can't drag you into the hospital.

[pupuce]

Applause to your post Tortoiseshell.....