We headed off to the hospital for the scheduled induction yesterday as requested. I had been getting increasingly anxious as even I didn’t know what was going on. All I knew was that I was quite certain I wouldn’t be favourable for any induction to take place and didn’t want the alternative of a caesarean.
When we arrived we were taking straight into a delivery room and my notes were taken by a midwife. She then came in, introduced herself and asked why I was being induced in the first place. I had to tell her that I really didn’t know! She replied that they didn’t know either. Communication had broken down immensely and nobody knew what was happening or why, least of all me!
I explained to her that I had seen the consultant a couple of times and my last appointment I had scheduled with her was actually taken by a doctor I was unfamiliar with. I reiterated my wish to be able to go as close to my due date as possible, given that I had been told that due to being a high risk pregnancy I wouldn’t be allowed to go overdue, and told her that I had been puzzled as to why an induction had been booked for me so early.
To her credit the midwife was fantastic and said that she would find a consultant and speak with them so that we could have a firm plan of action. Finally!
A short while later she returned to say that my own consultant was within the hospital and she would try to speak with her. She managed to catch her and the consultant was also confused as to why the doctor would have booked me in, the reason they found out was simply because of the last labour ending in an emergency caesarean section. Hmm, we couldn’t understand the reasoning behind it either!
The consultant over-ruled the doctor’s opinion, stating there was more chance of my being able to avoid any type of c-section if I were allowed to go to my due date at least and give my body the chance of going into labour by itself, which is what I originally wanted anyway. The consultant said that she would see me in clinic the day before my due date, where I would be examined and where an appointment would be made within the next few days for either induction if possible though they would prefer to avoid that given my high risk status in their opinion, or an elective caesarean. Mike and I were left to discuss and agreed that would be the best course of action and I immediately felt like a weight had been lifted and I felt myself relax.
I’m now hoping that I will go into labour naturally before my appointment on the 26th, but do not believe that I will. I’ll continue with the borage oil capsules, and fresh pineapple is on offer at the moment (plus it’s lovely anyway!), and am open to suggestions of natural induction techniques that don’t involve sex. Otherwise I’ll be preparing myself for another caesarean, which I’ll be hoping to avoid unless there is no other option left.
SO glad that you got the consultant and that the doc was over-ruled!
No tips on techniques – I’ve never gone into labour naturally! Just thought I’d make the comment that it’s interesting that the UK use 40 weeks as a due date and regard you as “overdue” if you pass it, but France use 41 weeks as a due date, which is apparently more accurate, and pregnancies, especially first ones, more often average 40+5 according to a friend of mine. Pregnancy doesn’t last longer here, they would still regard 42 weeks as something of a cut-off point, but far less women end up whittling they’re “overdue”! Unless they are English mums living over here, who then refer to UK due dates and French due dates and still end up fixated on the first!
Hope your body obliges next week. Will be thinking of you.
Jax
So you don’t want us to suggest sex? Is this post for us or Mike?!!
I’ve been thinking of you, still am, and I’m really pleased to know that you avoided the doctor’s terrible plan. Aiming to write you an email within the next couple of days.
Sandra xxx.