Induction and Water Birth

[Kitters]

Hi ladies

Can anyone advise on how much being induced changes your birth plan if you have no other complications? I've had a 'perfect' pregnancy up until this point and had really hoped to use the birthing centre (MW led, private rooms, lots of pools etc) attached to my hospital. But now at over 41 weeks and zero signs of baby coming any time soon, it's looking likely I will be induced early next week.

I know every hospital and situation is different, but does anyone know roughly if 'they' still let you have this kind of a birth when you've been given a helping hand at the beginning?

 

[MummyToAmberx]

If you dont want an induction just decline it, your not overdue until your 42w.

It is very unlikely they will allow a water birth with induction, but like you say everywhere is totally different on policies.

Have you thought about / looked into having a sweep done?

 

[CaptainMummy]

With my second, I was induced and had a water birth. I went in at 8pm on the thursday night and was given a stretch and sweep and some gel on the cervix. The midwife knew imy birth plan so she said she would leave me until the next day in the hopes that I went into labour myself. Thankfully, I started contracting at about 9am and at 9.30am I was 5/6cm and contracting basically non stop! Because I wasnt going to need any more interventio, I was allowed to labour and give birth in the pool (labour was just under 2hrs total)

I was also induced with dd1, but things werent happening so I had to get my waters broken to start things off (after 3 vaginal pessaries) and as things were still slow I was hooked up to pitocin. This made it impossible to have a water birth.

It depends on how they plan to induce you I guess, if theybreak your waters for you then I think it would be very unlikely that you be allowed in the pool as they would need to monitor you, but if your body only needs a little kick start (like mine did with dd2) then you can always request it and see what they say.

 

[LoveBubble]

Hi I asked my midwife this Tuesday... My ticker is a day behind, I'm 40+2 and I was really worried that my hopes for a water birth would go out of the window if I am induced... However my midwife said this wasn't the case, if you're pregnancy has been problem free and u fit the criteria but then have to be induced you are still allowed a water birth, it's only if baby becomes stressed and needs constant monitoring that you wouldn't be able to continue with water birth good luck!! Hope we both get our wish xxxx

 

[Yo_Yo]

Don't give up hope lovely-I was all resigned to being induced last week when I was heading towards 2 weeks overdue. I gave birth the day before I was induced in the end

Anyway-I had a home water birth, and really, really wanted a water birth. Midwife told me they have one on the labour ward and depending on how they have to induce you, you can still have a water birth.

Hope your baby comes before the induction date (they quite often do)

 

[Kitters]

Thanks girls

I have MW tomorrow so hopefully she will be able to give me an effective sweep (last week cervix was nowhere to be seen - ouch!) and this little brute will find his own way out over the weekend. I'll ask her about my options and make sure I'm able to make an informed decision without being pushed into anything.

I know at my hosp they give you a pessary and send you away for 24 hours to see if contractions start, so fingers crossed that means they are happy for women to labour as they wish if things kick off without further intervention.

Yoyo - super congrats on your home birth! It's really surreal to start seeing all the birth announcements flood in from BnBers who I've seen moving up through the trimester boards at the same time as me.

 

[Kitters]

Just updating in case anyone comes across this wondering the same thing.

Had my MW apt yesterday and she said that if the pessary works and there are no other issues they are happy for you to birth however you want, as if you'd gone in to labour by yourself.

Woohoo! Had a great sweep yesterday and pessary booked for mon afternoon so bubs still has until Tuesday to get a wiggle on before major intervention.

 

[CaptainMummy]

Great! Come on baby

 

[Rickles]

Good luck hun - hope you get your water birth xx