I chickened out of my Induction This Morning - hope I did the right thing?

[AnnaBelle]

Hi everyone - I was to be induced this morning but just couldnt do it!!

I am 41 weeks today and was booked in for an induction - gel application at 6am.
Got to hospital and midwife could see I was so unsure - we had a chat and she did an internal and mointored bub for half an hour..showed good heart rate and some waves like contractions ... (i always thought they were just bub moving)
Anyway last Thurs I was 2 cm dialated and head still high. 1/5th
Today 1.5cm/2cm dialated - cervix is medium (not hard or soft)
and bub is 3/5th of the way still high - bit to the right side.

Anyway I just couldnt do it (gel) I just dont feel ready or bub is ready and we just had a S & S done today - coming back Fri for baby monitoring....induction tentatively booked for next Monday (not confirmed but I think that is what is happening)

Now I am doubting if I have done the "right"thing - I that I have as I hope bub will be OK for a little longer. I am tiny and just hope bub will go down my pelvis OK

Any bits of advice would be great - midwife said lots of nipple stim and try laying on my left side to get bub more central - anything else ???

Anna

[Laranna]

If you felt that you couldn't go through with it, then I think you've done the right thing. Our gut instincts are pretty spot on! I am sure it will all turn out beautifully for you and bubs will come when he/she is ready.

I don't have any advice but have heard that the nipple stimulation does work well. Also heard pineapple is supposed to help but you'd have to eat truckloads of it!

Good Luck!

[No.5]

I'm sure bub will be ok.. Don't be concerned about bub moving into your pelvis. I'm tiny too and had a very successful induced birth at 38.5 weeks with no tearing or anything!
Good luck and lots of labour vibes. Go for a long walk that's another way people try to bring on labour.

[KimmyF]

i agree if felt u were't ready then it was probably for a reason, our gut instinct is usually right!
try lots of walking or if you and your DP are up for it sometimes DTD can help.
Good luck hope it all goes well for you

[Lulu]

Good on you for following your instincts .

Lotsa labour vibes coming your way xoxoxox

[MantaRay]

I'm proud of you hun. It takes courage to be in hossy and not just go with the flow. I am sure your instinct is right and that you have chosen the best path. Fingers crossed the labour starts before you have make the decision again. And try not to worry, if there were any signs that the baby would be better off out, the mw would have tried to convince you.

[thepixie]

I did the same thing! Went into labour the next morning at 3am and had her by 9pm that night.... had ARM and synto when I got to the hospital, and TBH it wasn't that bad. In my case my DD had some meconium aspiration and needed to go to nursery for oxygen and monitoring but there was really no way to know whether that was anything to do with the induction, or whether it would have happened anyway if I had gone for the induction the day before. If your monitoring was ok she should be fine for a few more days.
Good luck!

[Trillian]

Well done for going with your instinct and going home. Truth be known if you had of gone into an *artificial* labour with bubs still high and in that position with the head not quite right, chances would have been pretty good of you needing further intervention. So long as you are being monitored and there are no immediate health risks to you or your baby then you will be fine to wait until Monday, but lets hope that bubs decides to get the show on the road when it's ready to.

[Cyathea]

You are AWESOME!! Congratulations on standing up for yourself and your bub! As long as you and bub are nice and healthy, then simply letting bub come in its own time is the very best thing to do, for both of you.

Did you know that some of the very last cells laid down are the brain cells? I'd resist induction just on that alone

And not going through with induction cuts your chances of ending up with a c/s considerably...

Babies are meant to choose their own birthdays!

[sangie]

Well done for going with your instinct. I agree with the others - as long as both you and bubs are doing fine then there is no reason to go for induction. Good on you and sending you plenty of labour vibes!

Good luck, looking forward to seeing your birth announcement!

[Amie]

:yeahthat:

Also, if you're really getting antsy about it and not much progressing much, try acupuncture. It works wonders in preparing your body for labour and is muuuch nicer than medical induction

[Ozziehoffy]

Yep, good for you going with your gut. Also a for the midwife for noticing and actually having a chat to you. She wouldn't have let you go if she was worried about anything, you must have good instincts

[STARRYSKY]

Good for you anna!! I wish I had had the guts to do that...or a more understanding mw anyway!
trusting your instincts is a good, great, fantastic thing to do. I agree with everyone else, im sure you have done the right thing and if your body tells you otherwise between now and then, trust your gut.
fingers crossed bubs will come before the next induction date.
sending you heaps and lots of labour vibes, im so proud of you hun!!
xxxx

[bronners]

I just wanted to say GOOD ON YOU!!! It's your body, and your choice. I went in for daily monitoring with my first bub from just over 41 weeks and he came on his own accord at exactly 42 weeks. I have heard of women given birth in the 43rd week but mainly in home birth situations - as long as your baby is healthy I can't see what is wrong with that - the medical community surely can't argue this.

Ignore the numbers (how many weeks etc) and the clock - your baby and your body will do what is right when the time is right!

We found DTD the best thing for bringing on labour - I would have contractions within half an hour (and this finally turned into real labour the last time!). The midwife actually suggested we go home and do it to help things along, the natural prostaglandins in semen help ripen the cervix. Evening primrose oil also is full of natural prostaglandins and you can take these orally and internally overnight (wear a pad). There is lots of info on using EPO this way on midwifery websites like
Non-Pharmaceutical Induction - from Ronnie Falc?o's Midwife Archives
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All the best

[AnnaBelle]

Thank you everyone for your really positive support.
I was really having a bit of anxiety this afternoon thinking - oh I should have gone through with it...I worry that the placenta will be OK.
I will go for monitoring Fri & Sun and we have booked an induction for next Monday when I will be about 11-12 days overdue - I feel by then I have given it plenty of time and the worry about going too long will be too much for me.

I cant have an induction any earlier so that is fine and hopefully nature will take its course.

I have had heaps of tightenings in my tummy..even my friend noted them through my tight t shirt today and have had back pain this afternoon !! I think the nipple stim is working
I just had some brown stained mucous - which I am trying not to get too excited about as it could be just because of the S & S today.

SJH - heard about acupuncture - I will think about that - never done it before - is a massage any good??
Thanks for the information link bronners

Laranna - I happened to buy a pineapple 2 days ago and cut it up this afternoon and ate quite a few slices HTH!!
Starry - there as usual for me - I dont think it was particularly heroic it was just I didnt feel ready for labour...

Thanks again
Anna

[Jaycee]

Intuition is a very powerful thing, I congratulate you for summoning up the courage to listen to it!
I'm sure you've done the right thing and those tightenings etc sound quite promising!
Sending you heaps and heaps of labour vibes, let us know how you go, I'll be thinking of you!!

[thepixie]

AnnaBelle I second the acupuncture thing... my body was showing absolutely no signs of labour at 8 days over and after 2 sessions of acupuncture I did have early labour so definitely book in with a good acupuncturist if you can.

[AnnaBelle]

Thanks pixie!!
I may try it tomorrow if still no labour

I am in Brisbane - so if anyone knows of an acupuncturist - [please be sure to let me know I would appreciate it - we live inner city but will go any side of town.

xx
Anna