hubby and I are seriously considering this if we get to the stage where induction is being suggested. Our midwife has been very supportive about it and has offered to come to the consultants appt with us if we get to that stage so we can put our case forward.

I know this is a very emotive subject - last time i posted about it in third tri, there were some very upset mummys of angels who got quite upset about me suggesting it for my pregnancy. However, I would prefer a home birth, i (and my midwife) think my due date is a little later than the scans suggested and I personally believe in as little intervention as possible so long as its not putting the baby or myself at a significantly increased risk.

i understand there are slightly increased risks with this route and its not for everyone but i think it might be right for us.

Has anyone here had experience of undergoing this type of monitoring - from what the midwife has said so far we would take it on a day by day basis. It seems i would attend hospital every other day for fetal monitoring, have a scan to check the health of the placenta and make sure its not degrading and the days where i dont have monitoring at the hsopital the midwife will come and listen in to the baby.

Thanks for any info in advance, please dont lynch me ....I mean that in the nicest possible way, i know its contraversial and I'm not suggesting its right for everyone.

Aww hun sorry if people mad you feel like that.
Personally i haven't knowingly gone down this route but when i had ds 2 he was very over cooked by around 14 days they think.
IN MY OPINION as long as they are keeping a super close eye on you, the mw is happy about it then if you feel it is for you then go for it, do you have a doppler? if so then perhaps keep a close eye on yourself and bubs as we know things change quickly and also learn to count lo's bpm then at least you are montitoring it as well as closely as the hospital and mw would.
Good luck with the delivery and i hope it is as quick and painless as possible and be sure to update us how you go on. xx

I have NO experience of this but just wanted to say I think you're SO brave to trust nature to take it's course...it's so difficult when we're constantly bombarded with science and medical intervention to remember that women have been birthing when they birth for centuries. I know two ladies who have lost their babies from going over and so I'm personally quite scared of that idea myself...it's all very confusing and such a difficult subject.
But anyway, the absolute best of luck and we'll be thinking of you x

WSS

you should be able to ask what you want without fear of being lyched, i mean isnt that what all these marches and protests are about, labour the mothers way?

people should think before they type

Well i'm hoping that baby will come before all of this becomes an issue ) I'm more worried about baby being forced to be born before he is ready. I have a 5 week cycle and the due date i was given for the dating scan was early for a 4 week cycle. I dont think im actually 'due' until next week - though if he would come this weekend that would be lovely (mothers day baby woooo)

We will be looking at more research if we find ourselves at 42 weeks and will make a decision then based on the risks and how uncomfy I am.

As far as i know for babies without abnormalities the risks of going into week 43 rise from 1 in 1000 still births at 42 weeks, to 2 in 1000 for week 43. Basically when they say 'the risks double' they are right but it sounds a lot more scary than it is.

This link has been really useful http://www.homebirth.org.uk/overdue.htm

Ilana finally arrived 16 days late and I was induced... it was a miserable experience and I feel ungrateful saying that as I have a beautiful daughter who is safely here, but truly, I hated being induced. I wanted my homebirth, hated being one of the cattle in the barn of the hospital and would do anything to avoid that happening again.

I too thought my dates were wrong as I KNOW I ovulated at day 17 at the earliest, not day 14, and I think she would have come in her own time. I was too scared to argue though, although when they refused to do a homebirth after 12 days we did get them to change their minds and give us a couple of extra days to go naturally and get a homebirth. I say we, it was my husband - he was amazing!

If you have researched it and are happy to go for it then fight your corner... and good luck to you.

PS I never reached the uncomfy stage and could have gone on being pregnant for much longer! They showed me my placenta and it was healthy still, not at all ragged or aged.

p.s. I'm trying out reflexology to bring the baby along - i dont think i ever realised my husband was a comical sadist but he seems to be finding how sore it is very funny ( although the soreness is apparently a good thing, as is my feet being 'gnarley' - go figure, hehe)

Oooh I'd like to try reflexology, does he copy how to do it from a book or on the web?

awwww, your profile pic of u and ur daughter is beautiful - thanks for writing about ur experience, sorry you felt bad about the way your birth went...im really scared about arguing too so i completely sympathise!