Still Waiting

So, the sweep didn't work. Starting to get a little frustrated now, the baby is still very happy inside and wriggling round plenty - particularly last night, when I had to get up and go on my hands and knees to try and get some comfort relief for a while, grrr!!!


We've not cancelled the induction for Friday on the advice of a midwife, but have arranged to go to the walk-in obstetrics department tomorrow to check on the health of the baby and to establish how ready my body is for labour, so we can make an educated decision about next steps - done of my own volition, as the Dr. would just have had us turn up for induction regardless on Friday.


I am still so keen to do things the way I would like - as naturally as possible - but I just can't shake the sentiment of the Dr. I saw last week, that we should get the baby out as soon as possible. It has caused me a lot of stress, because clearly the most important thing is the health and safety of our precious and much longed for baby.

Induction Madness?

We had our post-date appointment at the hospital yesterday - 40+4 or 40+2 dependent on which due date we believe. Having been following the Hypnobirthing methodology I was clear about what I did and didn't want to happen, or thought I was. What I didn't count on was the very sweet and attentive Dr. making us feel like we were taking the risk of our / our baby's life by not jumping right in for an induction. All this despite a straightforward pregnancy, healthy baby heart beat and growth rate and lots of baby movement. She literally said that we could jump in for an induction today if we wanted. She also managed to sell me on the idea of a membrane sweep, as it was just a little extension of the internal examination.

Within 2 hours of arriving home, with pain and bleeding and an induction date booked in for a week today - Friday 8th - I started to feel really angry and spent some time re-reading all the info I have looked at about being confident in going with what your body is doing and what your baby is doing - i.e. not panicking or being panicked into being induced. Looking back, I walked into the hospital feeling fit, confident and healthy and came out feeling stressed, in pain and bleeding, how on earth is that a good thing! Anyway, have managed to re-group with my OH and we're going to speak to the midwife Monday to cancel the induction date, request regular fetal monitoring instead and then let nature take its course unless anything significant indicates otherwise. 


It actually shocked me how the immediate focus was on pushing me into having an induction, before even examining me and checking on the baby. Its so easy for them to make it seem like the best option, but from anecdotal evidence from friends and reading up on the subject, going down the induction route can easily be a slippery slope from chemical induction to increased labour pains, drugs needed to cope with the pains, episiotomy and caesarian section, none of which in my mind are better for the baby or mother than being patient and taking sensible steps to monitoring the health of the baby in the womb and letting nature take its course.  

Rant over!