Hi Shauna,
Did you have your sweep?
Thursday seems very early for an induction - especially in a first time pregnancy (average gestation is actually more like 41 weeks). Your baby isn't late statistically, until about OVER 42 weeks. At 41 weeks, about half of babies have arrived, and at 42 weeks, nearly 95 % have arrived, so the chances are.... any time now!!!
The government guidelines (NICE) suggest that you should be OFFERED an induction, and that if you politely decline, you shoudl be OFFERED alternatives (such as regular monitoring of baby and placental functioning). You are only declining for a bit - not for ever. You can decide to decline until 42 weeks for example, and then rethink. There is no urgency here - that becomes apparent for those mums who get booked in reluctantly, only to be told that the induction won't be on that date because there is no longer a space available, which kind of throws the argument "you need to be induced at 10 days over".
I would ask your midwife what are the risks of induction before baby is ready....
I went 17 days over. I attended a meeting to "talk to" the consultant at 14 days (which meant have all the "risks" read to me, but I knew them anyway, because I had done my research). He wrote in my notes "low risk" which in medical speak practically means "no risk" but they can't put that. I then realised that midwives and obstetricians tell us things they have to tell - even when they don't even agree with what they're saying. Maybe your midwife is hoping you will decline, because she knows it's too early, but she has to go with hospital protocol....
Good luck, keep strong, for you and your baby. It really won't be long before you're holding baby in your arms.....
