Elective Induction?

Is there such a thing as elective induction?

i.e. i elect that at 37 weeks i'm ready for the baby to come. because i am seriously so over this it's not funny. everyone is saying 'oh it's not long now, but i'm really strugging to cope'. obviously I don't want to put the baby in danger but i'd like to bring it forward so i'm slightly less insane :pray:

im currently nearly 36 weeks and thinking of the same thing. I askd my obs and he said not if there was a really good reason, otherwise it would be up to when the baby would want to come out.

I'm sure some people do elect to do it - but personally, having researched the odds of an induction ending up in an emergency c-section - I wouldn't do it.

ETA - and this is coming from someone who had terrible SPD and went to 42 weeks (with a toddler running around) So I know what its like to be in pain, and extremely over it.

I think most professionals would be against induction without medical reason before 40 weeks (although I wouldn't put it past some!).

Bub might not be quite ready yet, your body might not be quite ready yet, and from experience I can tell you that if they use syntocin, a syntocin labour is 100x worse than a natural labour! You have to be monitored constantly which increases the pain which increases the possible need for pain relief, both of those decrease the ability to be active in labour, which can lead to the bub not descending, getting into bad position, and ultimately can lead a to c/s. I thought I was in pain while I was pregnant, nothing compared to after a c/s!!! Plus being born before they are ready can increase the risk of infection, needing to have oxygen or other treatment at birth etc.

Sorry, just a bit of a rant there. Anywho, I would really consider if induction is worth it unless theres a problem with you or bub that makes it medically necessary for him/her to be born before they are ready.

There are lots of things you can do while pregnant to help ease the discomfort. Pregnancy massage and acupuncture are a few.

Most pregnancies go to 40 weeks, and some to 41 or even 42 weeks. 37 weeks isn't full term, and an induction at that point could see your baby coming a full 5 weeks before it would do on it's own. From both your perspective (very high risk of a c/section because you're not ready to labour), and your babies perspective (who is at high risk of breathing and/or feeding issues and nursery admission due to prematurity) it's not a crash hot idea.

If you think you're suffering now think about how hard it might be to be caring for a newborn, getting up and down all night, and trying to recover from surgery. I know it sounds like scaremongering but this is the reality for many people who are induced early with first babies.

It's really important for you to try to find some support for the last few weeks - you still have a little while to go so think about who you can call on, and what you can organise now to make things a little bit easier. Keep talking about you're feeling, you're certainly not the only person to feel this way god knows most of us have been there!

Take care.

Oh hun, believe me I know exactly how you feel. But as someone who was induced at 38 weeks due a medical reason, trust me when I say you do not want to go down that road unless it is medically necessary. It is so so much better to let your body go into labour when it and the baby is ready. Being induced before the time is right can lead to too many complications and interventions - it really isn't worth it.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts - and info. hopefully just one of 'those days'. i went out shopping and dropped a lot of cash on baby things + having pizza for lunch so mebe that will cheer me up?

just soo OVER being sore, sleepless, tired, emotional, cranky, fat, hot, uncomfortable etc etc etc.... I know women go through this every day but how much more are we supposed to take? :(

thanks again ladies for support. i don't want a c/s nor baby to have probs so he will come when he's ready....

We all know how you feel - those last weeks are tough. :hug: But you will get there!

I think most care providers would say no!

though, I know a lady who asked for an induction at 38 weeks because she was in sooooooo much pain and apparently the pregnancy was giving her heart palpitations, so her obstetrician (at a hospital who is well known for intervention) agreed to an induction. I dont know if all obstetrians would agree to something like that. I think it would really depend on the situation.

Hopefully that day out and pizza will help you feel a bit better!

I can sympathise, and I have had two "elective" inductions a few days before my due date. At the end of the pregnancy, it can just be so consuming, the thought of getting it over with. But not at 37 weeks. At 37 weeks, the risks to you and the baby really outweigh your discomfort.

Here are my coping techniques, which I intend to use with this baby as I am really beginning to suffer with SPD and other chronic pain issues.

Meditation. If I can get in some proper deep relaxation once a day, I can cope with anything.

Projecting into the future - don't do it. You've got possibly ten weeks to go - but don't keep thinking, x days to go, or x weeks to go. Just discipline your mind every day to think, "another day of important growth for my baby. What will my baby develop/grow/feel today that will be important? I'm one day closer to meeting my baby." Practice countering your negative feelings and yearnings for "soon!" with these thoughts, until they become a reflex.

Take one day at a time. If you can't cope with the idea of a day, take one hour. When that becomes too much, take it one minute at a time.

Research respiratory distress in preterm (yes, even 37 weeks could be preterm for your baby) and remind yourself of these risks when you are tempted to think about elective induction.

Take up some week long craft projects - things that give you a goal to get to the end of the next week *without* the baby arriving. Things that you'd enjoy that the baby would actually interrupt. Personally, I am relishing the idea of the three weeks I'll get of maternity leave prior to the baby being born and I'll be annoyed if he makes an entrance sooner before I've had a chance to really put my feet up!!

Plan something every day that will make you physically feel better, be it a soak in the bath, or a footrub from a partner/kind friend. Plan something for the end of next week - if someone offers you a treat, ask them to book you a pregnancy massage.

But the big thing keeping me very content at the moment despite the weight gain, the extreme fatigue, the pain, the fogginess and the difficulties at work, is the knowledge that this is the closest I will ever be to this baby, that these few weeks now are just a heartbeat in the life I'll have with this child, and that it will be gone so soon, and I don't want to wish away a day of it. Not a day of it, pain, exhaustion and all.

Toomany - your post brought tears to my eyes - it clearly comes from someone who's been in the same boat. i will do as you've suggested, because you are right.

sometimes it's hard to think beyond yourself when you're tired and in pain and had enough - but you're right. most of the time i'm glad our baby is healthy and happy growing inside of me - preparing for his life ahead and every day is a godsend. i should be thankful.

yes i will look forward to my 4 weeks maternity leave of doing nothing but watching foxtel and being a lady of luxury.

thank you so much darling - it really puts a lot in perspective.:hug:

Maybe we can encourage each other while we're dealing with it all? I truly do get where you are coming from!!

:hug: It just sucks doesn't it? I was over being pregnant by 20 odd weeks! I had back and hip problems, nausea, heartburn, the lot and all the way through as well. I know it feels like forever, but I promise you it'll be over before you know it. And besides, you might go early anyway; I was hysterical at 37 weeks with the thought that I might go up to 42 weeks . . . then gave birth 1 1/2 weeks later (at 38.5 weeks).

Toomany - I have to share the love. But I can't leave this thread without saying that was a beautiful, beautiful post and such worthwhile advice. (I will try so very hard to bear it in mind once I get further along in my pregnancy as you ladies are).
Mustangsachy - :hug: to you, babe. Hang in there. You're making a wise choice for you and your little one by taking Toomany's advice. But as others have said, it is sooooo understandable, how you are feeling. We are always here for you to vent to and waste time with if you need it :)

i asked this exact same question on another forum and was pretty much told off for asking! I got induced with my first because she had growth issues, so i wanted to know if i could do it again and everyone went right into all the things that could go wrong with induction. (like i didnt know the side effects but there is a risk to every delivery) I have extreme SPD pain and with my DFs job, (He works for the government with their quantantine, so he has alot of rules to follow and so on, plus he cant take time off to hang around at home waiting, due to other reasons) it is highly likely that i could end up giving birth at home as he wont be able to get back to me fast enough,. (my last labour was under 4 hours) I asked my midwife if i could get induced again at 39+ weeks to make sure that i wasnt alone and she said that unless medically needed they dont like to do BUT if i reminded her again closer to my due date (im 36 weeks now) she would see if she could get me in to be induced so there is no harm in asking.

hi all, just thought I'd add a little here as well..... I have high BP, GD, and supposedly a 'big baby', and my GP is looking into inducing me next week.... Will be 38 weeks on Monday.... I have been in hospital for the last few days because of the high BP but it has settled today so they let me home..... I'm petrified of an induction because of all the bad things that I've heard, but if that is what is best for our little bubba, then I will do it..... I am completely over being pregnant, so thankyou for that bit of advise toomanytoomany, I will use that over the next week (or few if doc lets me go) and hopefully all will be ok......:pray:

V21: Just wanted to wish you all the best - if your induction is indeed medically necessary then of course you will do whatever you need to do. There are some people on BB who have had inductions and haven't found them terrible. It doesn't need to be all bad.
If you are going to be induced, maybe chat to some people and find out what they did to help things go more smoothly. For example, you can ask for the drip to be started on a low dose and gradually built up. You can request a monitor that is portable, or if that isn't available, you can ask to go to the toilet a lot so you can get a walk around ;)
In any case, don't dispair! I wish you all the very best.

Thanks Snacks....:D Hopefully my BP will stay down and they'll let me go into natural labour..... I'm kind of on tenter hooks at the moment due to the fact that I've had backache extending around to the front of my bump for the last 2 days, today is the 3rd day, so hoping I might get away with going into labour naturally....:pray: The tightenings seem to be getting more, but still aren't regular, so just here at home not doing much.......:rolleyes: