Any experiences of induction at 38 weeks?

[Emma Chandler]

Hi,
I need some advice / shared experiences of early induction due to type 1. I am currently 31 weeks, and due to be induced on Christmas eve (great timing I know!) at just over 38 weeks. My HBA1C is 29 (in the new terms) which is very low and my control is good, the baby is slightly small for its age but growing normally - no indication it is affected by the diabetes.

It is my first baby and I have heard that first babies DO NOT like to be induced early. I am very worried about it all, I have been told that I will be induced via prostaglandins hormones which can take 2 or more days to work, I am worried that all this is so un-natural and will stress both me and baby ultimately leading to a C-section which I am terrified of. All this being over christmas just make it worse. I would like to know others' experiences of early induction as most web forums are about overdue inductions and not really relevant to me.... please help!

Thank you
Emma

 

[Copepod]

Welcome to the forum, Emma Chandler.

Hopefully some of the mothers (or fathers) who have had babies recently will be online soon to help with personal experiences. However, so much depends on local situations for managing pregnancies in general, pregnancies with diabetes in particular, all with/out the complication of Christmas, when planned non-emergency proceedures tend not to happen so much. There is always emergency cover, but not at every maternity unit equally, so you might have to travel from a smaller to larger unit, if you're booked into a smaller one. Which date is your 40 week date? And 38 weeks date? It would be worth discussing dates with your obstetrician and / or midwife soon, so that you'll know what are the parameters.

 

[LeeLee]

You are allowed to ask why induction is deemed necessary, and ask for the evidence in support of this intervention in your own case. You might not be popular, but tough! Believe it or not, lots of medical treatment across all specialties is not evidence-based. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's wrong to do it, but it's always worth looking at the alternatives.

Obviously if you or the baby is at serious risk by continuing the pregnancy, it's a no-brainer. Best wishes to you and your growing family.

 

[allana]

Hi Emma,

I am a type one and have two healthy beautiful children, Amelia is 2 and Arthur is 14 weeks.

I got induced at 38 weeks with both of them. With Amelia I got induced starting with prostaglandin gels. I had 3 or these and then went into labour. My total labour was 13 hours and with the help of forceps Amelia arrived fine and well.

With Arthur I had a sweep to start, this did nothing,had two more, nothing, then ended up having 4 prostins which also did nothing. They then broke my waters and I had Arthur 4 hours later with a very easy labour.

Try not to worry although I know is hard! I have had two children naturally and no csections. Obviously every woman and birth is different.

Sorry for TMI but if you can have sex before you go in it helps as sperm has the same hormones as they us to induce you! A friend did and when she went to be induced was already 3cms dilated.

Hope this helpst, if you have anymore questions please ask away!

Allana x

 

[Smit]

I was induced 6 months ago at 38 weeks. Within minutes of getting the persary I was in full labour. In the end I ended up an emergency section but it was fine and baby wad fine. If i get a minute over the weekend I'll post my birth story as I've typed it up just never posted. Xx

 

[newbs]

I went into labour naturally at 38 weeks with my first but was induced at 38 weeks with my second. After induction my baby's heartbeat started to dip on each contraction almost immediately and the contractions were extremely intense. I spent most of the next 10 hours on my left side (which is better for baby) then had an emergency c-section under general anaesthetic. My daughter was absolutely fine when delivered and I was only then told that she was back to back so that probably explains a lot of the problems. I don't plan on going through it again now that I have two healthy daughters but if I did I would consider my options really carefully as my first natural labour was a good experience, and also quite quick.

I don't want to put you off induction - others have already said that they had good experiences - but think you are wise to consider what is best for you. Best of luck with whatever you decide. It's all worth it in the end 🙂

 

[Medusa]

i was induced with both mine at 38 weeks the second was easier than the first i had pessary and a drip, both natural labours i think no two experiences will be the same and that hopefully you have a supportive team who should be able to put your mind at rest about any concerns

 

[Tina63]

Hi. I am not a T1, only a parent of one. He was induced at 38 weeks.

Pardon my ignorance, but aren't babies of T1s only induced due to the baby normally growing bigger than average? If your baby is actually a little small for dates could you ask to hold off on the induction plan, or at least not make a firm booking at the moment and just wait and see how baby grows? We do have more choice these days, or at least question doctors' decisions.

My son was my second child. My first was born spontaneously at 37+3 and a very quick labour. With my son I was already in hospital with high blood pressure which was progressing to pre-eclampsia. The did a sweep the night before and I was already 2cm, the following morning I was still 2cm so they were able to break my waters. Nothing else happened for a couple of hours so they then set up the drip. Things then moved on rapidly and he was born about 3 hours later, no other assistance required. The contractions were far more intense than I found them first time round, but it was all over quickly. Of course being my second delivery it was bound to be a bit quicker/easier.

The one plus side about being induced at Christmas/New Year is that the hospital will be as quiet as they can possibly make it. They probably won't plan any caesarians for a day or two, and though of course it could end up horrendously busy, my experience was that it was dead all that week and I had wonderful attention compared to first time around. When my son was born (1st Jan) I had an amazing amount of help with breastfeeding whereas first time around I was very much left alone to get on with it as the staff were rushed off their feet. There again, these days they rush you in and out in a few hours, so maybe that last comment is irrelevant anyway!

Good luck. I do hope things work out they way you want them to and you have a happy and healthy baby.

 

[AlisonF]

Tina63 - it's not just size, there's also some evidence of an increased risk of the placenta deteriorating after 38 weeks in diabetic women, which is also used as a reason for early induction. Although this can be monitored so shouldn't be an absolute reason for induction.

 

[Monkey]

Alison's spot on about placenta deterioration being the other reason. The problem with size is that scans are seemingly so inaccurate - I'm one of very few people I know who has had growth scans that were reflected in birthweight.

Emma, depending on when you're actually 38 weeks (I think NICE suggests induction between 38 and 39w) could you offer to go in for daily / alternate daily monitoring of fluid levels and placenta for the few days around Christmas, with a view to going in a bit later? It all depends how you feel about it, I guess.

FWIW, I was induced at 38+1 and it was positive, and quick. Admittedly C was delivered by emcs, but the whole thing (including fully dilating and pushing for 2hrs, plus the cs) was 20hours. Not at all long for a first time, pre-40w labour, I was told.