Pregnancy #62

littlepup · Sep 14, 2024

I love my HV. I asked her to do the 8 week check questions as I had concerns, she said she couldn’t remember the last time she’d done one. She was very reassuring, kind, complimentary even (that I’d noticed the problem and asked for help, rather than making me feel like an OTT mum), helped us get referrals and is coming out for a follow up soon.
The follow up GP appointment, the GP said the HV and previous GP were being over zealous, they couldn’t make referrals at that stage etc however there is an issue so the HV was correct to be over cautious.
Maybe I got lucky but with mine I think it’s one of those where you get out what you put in.

Seeemm · Sep 15, 2024

I’m not sure if it’s just me freaking out or if it’s common.. I’m booked in for induction tomorrow. I wanted a nice relaxing maternity leave but my partner didn’t really help with the prep and left a lot to do until the very last minute and now I’m feeling the pressure of trying to get everything done this weekend as well as being heavily pregnant and all the pains and discomforts of that. I’m a fucking mess. I want to reschedule the induction for a few dsys time just so I have enough time to mentally prepare myself

anything at all · Sep 15, 2024

Seeemm said:
I’m not sure if it’s just me freaking out or if it’s common.. I’m booked in for induction tomorrow. I wanted a nice relaxing maternity leave but my partner didn’t really help with the prep and left a lot to do until the very last minute and now I’m feeling the pressure of trying to get everything done this weekend as well as being heavily pregnant and all the pains and discomforts of that. I’m a fucking mess. I want to reschedule the induction for a few dsys time just so I have enough time to mentally prepare myself

With my first my waters broke unexpectedly at 36+5, they kept me in hospital and I didn’t have baby until bang on 37 weeks (induction because labour never properly started). I got home the day after baby came and came back to a mess of a house.
I thought I had 2-3 weeks before baby. Longer to prepare, tidy and clean but I didn’t. And honestly none of it mattered really.

I’d say as long as you’ve got everything ready for you and baby at home then it really doesn’t matter too much about anything else, though it does feel like it. Hope all goes well x

Jaybob · Sep 15, 2024

Megatron1298 said:
Hello! Didn’t think I’d see myself back on this thread but here I am back for #3

We were on the fence for whether to go for it so did a see what happens, and now I’m just shy of 5 weeks!

Hi I'm about the same as you, if you want a pregnancy buddy .

Amylaauren · Sep 15, 2024

Finally got my hands on the Emma diary packs and somebody tell me why one had a condom in?

ThatB***hCarolBaskin · Sep 15, 2024

Early days into second pregnancy and looking like I have HG again. Do we have any other HG mums on this thread?

Greencatfysh · Sep 15, 2024

Seeemm said:
I’m not sure if it’s just me freaking out or if it’s common.. I’m booked in for induction tomorrow. I wanted a nice relaxing maternity leave but my partner didn’t really help with the prep and left a lot to do until the very last minute and now I’m feeling the pressure of trying to get everything done this weekend as well as being heavily pregnant and all the pains and discomforts of that. I’m a fucking mess. I want to reschedule the induction for a few dsys time just so I have enough time to mentally prepare myself

I’m sure it’s totally normal and an overwhelming day ahead of you! Hope you have managed to relax a bit today. I’ve felt very overwhelmed trying to get everything ready for baby and I think as long as you have somewhere for them to sleep, some clothes and nappies you’ll be ok. Try not to worry yourself and hopefully your partner can pick up lots of the slack?

Spencerskates · Sep 15, 2024

ThatB***hCarolBaskin said:
Early days into second pregnancy and looking like I have HG again. Do we have any other HG mums on this thread?

Hi! Had HG with my first and spent the first week or so of my second feeling super cocky that I thought I’d escaped it this time. Week 6 hit and I feel dreadful. Still hoping it’s ‘normal’ morning sickness but I’m starting to lean more towards HG with how I’ve been today.

ThatB***hCarolBaskin · Sep 15, 2024

Spencerskates said:
Hi! Had HG with my first and spent the first week or so of my second feeling super cocky that I thought I’d escaped it this time. Week 6 hit and I feel dreadful. Still hoping it’s ‘normal’ morning sickness but I’m starting to lean more towards HG with how I’ve been today.

Strangely enough I did the same. Got to week 6 with no sign of sickness (started way earlier first time round) then woke up one morning, threw up and havnt stopped since!!

Seeemm · Sep 15, 2024

Greencatfysh said:
I’m sure it’s totally normal and an overwhelming day ahead of you! Hope you have managed to relax a bit today. I’ve felt very overwhelmed trying to get everything ready for baby and I think as long as you have somewhere for them to sleep, some clothes and nappies you’ll be ok. Try not to worry yourself and hopefully your partner can pick up lots of the slack?

I ended up calling and finding out how to cancel tomorrow, as it is within my rights as I’m not term yet. I feel such a relief knowing Im not forcing myself to go through that tomorrow when it wasn’t feeling right with me. I’m not scared of giving birth/being induced, I just don’t feel like I’m in any rush and why force myself

Vmanxx · Sep 16, 2024

Just to chip in with the HV chat, the health visiting service is completely optional and you can opt out (and back in) at any time I did this with my youngest because I didn’t see the point 3rd time round, I just found them up helpful and often outdated with their ~~opinions~~ advice
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Anyone’s slept employed oh not keen on taking time off after birth? Mines said 3 days I said at least a week surely?? I have 3 other kids (not his) I’m gonna need some help at least for the first week, I can imagine school runs will be a nightmare alone!

Greencatfysh · Sep 16, 2024

Seeemm said:
I ended up calling and finding out how to cancel tomorrow, as it is within my rights as I’m not term yet. I feel such a relief knowing Im not forcing myself to go through that tomorrow when it wasn’t feeling right with me. I’m not scared of giving birth/being induced, I just don’t feel like I’m in any rush and why force myself

Don’t want to generalise but they do seem very hasty with inductions going off of lots of you in this thread. I’m interested in all the stats around it.

plonkington · Sep 16, 2024

Greencatfysh said:
Don’t want to generalise but they do seem very hasty with inductions going off of lots of you in this thread. I’m interested in all the stats around it.

I keep being told how busy September is on the unit, I’m actually wondering if they’re insisting inductions so they can actually space out births for shift management. I know a few others that were due after me and have already been and gone with inductions.
I’m a week over due now and seriously fed up so will be looking for induction toward the end of the week if I have no movement (pray for me I do) but I feel that’s for safety opposed to anything else!

Greencatfysh · Sep 16, 2024

plonkington said:
I keep being told how busy September is on the unit, I’m actually wondering if they’re insisting inductions so they can actually space out births for shift management. I know a few others that were due after me and have already been and gone with inductions.
I’m a week over due now and seriously fed up so will be looking for induction toward the end of the week if I have no movement (pray for me I do) but I feel that’s for safety opposed to anything else!

There’s definitely two factors - NHS busy periods such as September/October and also their being risk averse so any sign of a bigger baby or any health complications at all, induction is clearly recommended. This article is from Australia but obviously similarities to the UK:

https://www.archive.is/oldest/https...being-induced-for-low-risk-births-study-finds

Hinchhater1442 · Sep 16, 2024

plonkington said:
I keep being told how busy September is on the unit, I’m actually wondering if they’re insisting inductions so they can actually space out births for shift management. I know a few others that were due after me and have already been and gone with inductions.
I’m a week over due now and seriously fed up so will be looking for induction toward the end of the week if I have no movement (pray for me I do) but I feel that’s for safety opposed to anything else!

They absolutely do try to schedule inductions for shift management. If they never knew when 100% of women would go into labour it would be bedlam so if they can control a percentage of that of course they will. The amount of times too I see women have their inductions ‘pushed back’ due to no bed availability (more spontaneous labours coming in than they anticipated) is crazy. Surely if you NEED an induction it’s because they need to get the baby out sooner rather than later… some of these women I see have 5 day delays ????
Anyway, that’s what I’ve read, or do I need to take my tin foil hat off?

littlepup · Sep 16, 2024

I'm not sure I agree @Hinchhater1442 Induction is no guarantee when baby will come (I believe 2-5 days is most common) and there are tons of reasons you might need or want one and various different methods. They also require much closer monitoring and come with more risks than natural labour (more likely to need interventions/C-section). Most women will labour at home until baby is imminent whereas with induction you could take a bed for days and need 1-2-1 midwife care in labour so it'd be more staff and resource intensive.
I think part of the issue is that we use outdated data for what constitutes a big baby and growth scans are far more prevalent these days. We also have better monitoring and hospitals are targeted to reduce poor fetal outcome meaning they will err on the side of caution. Equally, if a lady does not particularly engage with midwife/pre-natal services they can't just be called in for induction so there would always be an underlying issue.
Induction will be based on clinical need so a baby that's stopped growing or a PPROM will have higher need compared to say, a large baby or an overdue lady where baby is not at risk and can be pushed back.
The hospital will know at any one time the due dates of the ladies registered to have their baby there, medical history etc so they should be able to staff plan using their data systems pretty well in advance.
At my hospital the month I gave birth to my first induction was 33.8% of labours. 48.9% were unassisted vaginal brth, 9.6% assisted, 21.8% ECS and 19.4% planned CS - 380 babies total. I think it's about 20% nationally

Anyway, just my thoughts, I find it all quite interesting x

Greencatfysh · Sep 16, 2024

littlepup said:
I'm not sure I agree @Hinchhater1442 Induction is no guarantee when baby will come (I believe 2-5 days is most common) and there are tons of reasons you might need or want one and various different methods. They also require much closer monitoring and come with more risks than natural labour (more likely to need interventions/C-section). Most women will labour at home until baby is imminent whereas with induction you could take a bed for days and need 1-2-1 midwife care in labour so it'd be more staff and resource intensive.
I think part of the issue is that we use outdated data for what constitutes a big baby and growth scans are far more prevalent these days. We also have better monitoring and hospitals are targeted to reduce poor fetal outcome meaning they will err on the side of caution. Equally, if a lady does not particularly engage with midwife/pre-natal services they can't just be called in for induction so there would always be an underlying issue.
Induction will be based on clinical need so a baby that's stopped growing or a PPROM will have higher need compared to say, a large baby or an overdue lady where baby is not at risk and can be pushed back.
The hospital will know at any one time the due dates of the ladies registered to have their baby there, medical history etc so they should be able to staff plan using their data systems pretty well in advance.
At my hospital the month I gave birth to my first induction was 33.8% of labours. 48.9% were unassisted vaginal brth, 9.6% assisted, 21.8% ECS and 19.4% planned CS - 380 babies total. I think it's about 20% nationally

Anyway, just my thoughts, I find it all quite interesting x

Me too! One thing I did read though is that the NHS are inducing people and then sending them home to relieve bed space and lack of midwifery staff, and then having them come back in. To be honest, again, it makes more sense than having a woman sit in a bed for 2-3 days waiting.
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Rising rates of induced labour need to be reconsidered in the context of the UK maternity services staffing crisis | City St George's, University of London

New City led study suggests that already pressured maternity services may underestimate the workload impact of induction of labour services.

www.city.ac.uk

Seeemm · Sep 16, 2024

Induction and c section rates are quite high in Ireland as well. My hospital told me they don’t want people going over 40+5 but I never looked into why. It was my choice to book this induction and my hospital were accommodating given my circumstances. I was all for being induced until like 2 days before when it just didn’t feel right and I’ve had a pretty great pregnancy so far
Woke up today and felt so much better, spoke with the hospital who backed up my feelings and am scheduled to in tomorrow for a check up at 40+0 which I’m happy to do. And in typical fashion, I lost some of my plug today - bump dropped a bit yesterday so until then I had no signs. I’m definitely thinking it was the best decision for me.. and I will bring my bags with me to the hospital tomorrow just in case

Super_Berry · Sep 16, 2024

So after two hospital visits, two scans to make sure I could fly, £30 for the fit to fly letter, not one Ryanair staff member even remotely looked at my bump nevermind asked to see the letter.

Hinchhater1442 · Sep 16, 2024

littlepup said:
I'm not sure I agree @Hinchhater1442 Induction is no guarantee when baby will come (I believe 2-5 days is most common) and there are tons of reasons you might need or want one and various different methods. They also require much closer monitoring and come with more risks than natural labour (more likely to need interventions/C-section). Most women will labour at home until baby is imminent whereas with induction you could take a bed for days and need 1-2-1 midwife care in labour so it'd be more staff and resource intensive.
I think part of the issue is that we use outdated data for what constitutes a big baby and growth scans are far more prevalent these days. We also have better monitoring and hospitals are targeted to reduce poor fetal outcome meaning they will err on the side of caution. Equally, if a lady does not particularly engage with midwife/pre-natal services they can't just be called in for induction so there would always be an underlying issue.
Induction will be based on clinical need so a baby that's stopped growing or a PPROM will have higher need compared to say, a large baby or an overdue lady where baby is not at risk and can be pushed back.
The hospital will know at any one time the due dates of the ladies registered to have their baby there, medical history etc so they should be able to staff plan using their data systems pretty well in advance.
At my hospital the month I gave birth to my first induction was 33.8% of labours. 48.9% were unassisted vaginal brth, 9.6% assisted, 21.8% ECS and 19.4% planned CS - 380 babies total. I think it's about 20% nationally

Anyway, just my thoughts, I find it all quite interesting x

No I love chit chat like this hahaha I find it interesting too!!
However, surely those 2-5 days of induction is still more ‘controlled’ from a management point of view than the alternative? E.g the 5 week span spontaneous labour could happen from 37-42 weeks (for most).
Obviously I only know what happens in my own trust, but 1:1 care between women and midwives was only once they were in established labour, so those initially being induced weren’t taking up official bed space in labour rooms as they were just on the ward, or sent home as @Greencatfysh said. Then once in established labour they were receiving 1:1 care as they would regardless.
Totally agree though that so much outdated data is the cause for most inductions. I was always very adamant I wouldn’t be induced, still needed the c section anyway 🫠

Pregnancy #62

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