Comments on Mindful Mamma's guide to pregnancy and birth: To induce or not to induce?

Just a quick update on my previous post...We ended...

2009-02-05T11:45:00.000Z

Just a quick update on my previous post...We ended up declining the membrane sweeps and our little boy was born on 23rd January at 41+6after natural onset of labour. We had a fantastic labour and delivery using our hypnobirthing techniques and the pool and it's something we'll remember forever!
We're home now and everybody's really well. I'm so glad we listened to the advice from our hypnobirthing practitioners and followed our hearts and waited for our little apple to fall off the tree on his own!

Lou, Ross and little Finlay x

I was induced with my first baby and it was hell -...

2009-01-25T18:20:00.000Z

I was induced with my first baby and it was hell - a day and a half of agony and everything possible to get my little girl out on her due date. I think it's known as Active Management and I would NOT recommend it to anyone. They were literally watching the clock to see when they could run the next procedure. She was a big baby at 9lb 9oz but otherwise I'd had a fairly normal pregnancy. The main reason they gave was that I'd never had an anaesthetic before and if there was any emergency they wouldn't know how I would take to it. By 26 weeks the pressure was on to consider some form of induction. By 36 weeks I was being frightened with worse case scenarios and feared my massive baby would get stuck in my pelvis and we'd both die.

She is three now and has missed a fair few developmental milestones so has been subjected to every test going to try and decide why. No-one will admit it but I swear it was just because she wasn't quite ready to come out.

My little boy arrived ten weeks ago at home with only gravity to assist. I was more relaxed throughout my pregnancy as I knew that in no uncertain terms would I accept any interventions this time around. Labour was how it should be, hard work, messy, pretty uncomfortable but so, so rewarding.

Thanks so much for posting this! It was really us...

2009-01-18T14:11:00.000Z

Thanks so much for posting this! It was really useful to read the visualisation that we practiced in class again, and so reassuring to see the research. I'm now 41+1 and have been feeling pressure from family/friends and medical professionals regarding membrane sweeps and induction and, I must admit, some of the stats they tell you start to pool in the back of your mind and make you wonder if you're being selfish by wanting to leave well alone! It's nice to see different research and to be reminded that induction itself carries risks..I've noticed they're not very quick to tell you that!

After reading this blog (& speaking to you both)I'm feeling much more relaxed and confident that we're making the right decision for us & our baby so thankyou!! Lou, Ross & Bump! x