Hey ladies,
I'm just looking to book my maternity start date and I'm just wondering when to start it really and how far the hospital let you go to before any intervention? I'm due 8th May and wanted to start my maternity a week before my due date (I'm having 3 weeks leave before) but wondering if they will even let me go full term having read bits on ivf babies to say they don't let you? Any advice would be appreciated!! Xx
I think this varies a little by NHS trust. Even within my own care I was given different timings by different Midwives and doctors.
They certainly don’t let you go past 40 weeks but some want to induce at 38 or 39 weeks.
You can push to go to 41 weeks if you wish. As many midwives have told me, it’s your baby, your birth, your choice, they can strongly advise but cannot force you to have an induction.
I’m being induced at 38 weeks but that’s because I developed gestational diabetes and am now on insulin, otherwise they would have let me go to 40 weeks.
Good luck! x
Thank you! I think May dates will work out OK if I'm induced at 38 weeks. I'm hoping not to get gestational diabetes but from my first midwife tummy measurment (over the line?) she said she's going to keep an eye on it and see. What difference does it make to. Your pregnancy if you don't mind me asking? Xx
Gestational diabetes puts the baby at risk of a few things. Usually it means a bigger baby so there is a risk of baby getting stuck during a natural birth, there’s also increased risk of premature labour and the baby has to be monitored after birth in case their blood sugars get too low.
Are you having a glucose test or any growth scans? x
No she said she will look at my next measurement and go from there, I have a scan via the consultant on the 14th though so I imagine they would be able to measure a litter better to see if it's just fluid etc? Xx
Mine let me go overdue! Definitely varies as they said I was now like any other pregnant lady so was not treated any different x
Hiya. I think it’s different depending on where you live. My fertility clinic told me I’d be induced before full term but my midwife was Happy enough to leave me till atleast full term (I was terrified) I ended up being induced at 39 + 2 because they thought I had a big baby and that was the earliest space I could get at the maternity unit (she wasn’t but it definitely helped my peace of mind being taken even that slight bit early) xx
Hi,
My friends IVF pregnancy was allowed to go til she was almost 2 weeks overdue before they induced her. I’ve been told I’ll be induced by my due date though if baby’s not arrived naturally. We’re in different CCGs so I guess it varies based on where you are x
I've heard different things too but no one seemed bothered about mine being IVF. I had sweep at 40 (nada) and induction planned for 41 but waters broke at 40+5
I was allowed full term and ended up not having her til 41 weeks 5 days. They said as no other issues that I was to be treated like any other person x
Hey!! My due date is close to you. We 29th April with our icsi miracle ☺️. I’ve asked this too but they say it makes no difference and they let me go to 42weeks max! Is confusing as heard lots that have said as conceived through ivf that they don’t let u got early but in our nhs they said it makes no diff 🤔 v strange how it diff for diff county’s. We also going off 21/2 weeks before my due date from work. Can’t wait be the 9th April for me. Yay! How u feeling xx
Hello stranger! Ahh I still feel like I'm play acting 😂 that's apart from the nighttime toilet breaks and continual sickness 😬 lol how are you getting along? Xx
Hey hey. Yeah know what u mean. It amazing a. Ahh yes never been to toilet so much 🤣 all good though. Bless u with the sickness that not nice. Has it eased at all?
Yeah all good thank u. Am 28 weeks now it amazing. Getting bigger and lots more cramps st times. It amazing to be able to feel baby a?
U starting to feel prepared? Am getting there I think ☺️ xx
I’m due 7th May with an IVF baby too 😊.
My hospital are super cautious and I’ve been high risk and consultant led from the start. They’ve told me I won’t go beyond my due date (and probably be earlier) as it’s not worth the risk because of the IVF.
I don’t mind as the sooner the baby is safely here the better for me
I’ve started my mat leave on 3rd May and I’m having 4 weeks AL before then x
Ahh it makes me feel better knowing you've planned pretty much the same 😂 hopefully I can ask the consultant at my next scan, if he's there anyway!! Have you looked at a birth plan yet? Midwife hasn't mentioned it to me yet. It's been a hassle just to get antenatal classes booked! ❤️
Yeah they’ve not really mentioned a birth plan to me yet but they put me on blood thinning injections at 14 weeks and at that point seemed to be suggesting a cesarian would be their preference. It’s not mine and I’d prefer a natural birth but I’ll do what I’m told to get the baby here safely.
I go to maternity yoga and they said that birth plans are usually discussed after 34 weeks.
Hope you are keeping ok, it’s all getting very real as the weeks go by and I’m still struggling to believe this is actually happening to us 😊 x
That's the thing isn't it, the worry doesn't stop until baby is here safe and sound!! Just looking at dates and is there a reason you've picked the Sunday? The way my letter I have to send in is the 'week commencing'? X
I went till I was 7 days over with my little girl. I was consultant led due to it being an ivf pregnancy but when I questioned this and asked why, their answer was because sometimes they come but earlier and people are normally more concerned. But I was able to switch to midwifery led as I had a great pregnancy. My midwife told me after the conception bit pregnancy is pregnancy no matter how it was made..
With both of my ivf pregnancies I’ve worked till almost end (I had easy going pregnancies) and my maternity started only a week before my due date and on which day I also stopped working. I think that starting maternity leave week before dd is ok and especially you have booked 3wks of holiday before that anyway. Ivf as a way of conceiving usually has very little to do with the fact that is high risk pregnancy, but that’s mine opinion. If worry maybe speak to your midwife/consultants for best advice...
I was booked in for induction on my due date as our hospital wouldnt let me go over 40 weeks due to being an ivf pregnancy. I ended up being induced at 38+2 as I went in with reduced movements and baby had a high heart rate.
With regards to maternity leave I think that's different for everyone, I went off 4weeks before due date, 2 weeks leave and 2weeks maternity, I'd only just started maternity leave when he arrived. I originally planned to work until 38weeks but the closer I got to due date the more tired I was and I'm glad I had the 4 weeks off before to relax before baby arrived.
Hey HollyT7, i worked till 39+5 and I was allowed to go to 41weeks but that was due to a fairly uncomplicated pregnancy and bit of negotiating with the consultant as she initially wanted to induce me at 40weeks but for no real reason other than being IVF. Do what you think you feel most comfortable with. U can always change the date or get a doctors note if you feel u can’t work during the last couple of weeks. I wanted as much time on the other side and Measures were put in place with my job in order to make it as low risk as possible. Good luck and all the best! Xxx
I’m due 1st May with an IVF baby 💕 Been told I will be induced at 40 weeks as they wouldn’t want me to go over, but I’m going to challenge this if all is still well when I see the Consultant in March as it’s for no other reason than IVF and I’m not sure the evidence is there to back that up. I’m starting mat leave 10 days before my due date and taking 2 weeks annual leave before that. My last working day will be 8th or 9th April.. kind of exciting but terrifying all in one go!! xx
Hey I’m doing the same. Doesn’t feel too long from here a. Feels like can start to count down the days yay. How u feeling ?
It really doesn’t feel like long now! I’ve been feeling really good thanks, have had such an easy pregnancy so far (lucky to have had zero sickness 🙌🏻). How about you? The 9th April is going to come around so quick! Kind of can't wait but time is also going too quick 🙈 xx
I know not long at all. All feels like it going quick now. It been so lush and pretty easy for me too. V fortunate are we a. So amazing to feel lil one more and more now🥰. Glad all good for u too Hun xx
Awww thank you 😊 Glad to hear you’re finding it easy too- we’re definitely very fortunate! It’ll be odd to miss pregnancy when baby is finally here after all these years of hope and waiting. Hope the last trimester is kind to you. Keep us posted on when baby arrives 🥰 xx
I will def miss pregnancy too! Amazing new chapter with new lil one though. Can’t wait!! Yep hope last bit kind to u too n please let me know too about expectant baby. V exciting. Take good care xx
Ladies! Thank you so much for all your replies it's helped me get a better picture of things and feel less alone once again! Still feel so amazingly lucky we have the opportunity to even plan this. It still doesn't feel real ❤️ xxx
If theres no complications and you're having a "normal" pregnancy theres no evidence to say ivf babies need to come at or before 40 weeks. They treat you exactly the same as any other pregnancy.
Saying this, each trust is different on what they are willing to allow you to go over regardless of IVF baby or not. My trust (as long as complication free regardless of him being an IVF baby) will allow me to go to 42 weeks and then induce. Some trusts won't let you go past 40.
You're due a day before me so either way you need to tell your workplace asap as legally you're meant to tell them no later than 15 weeks before your due date so 25 weeks pregnant. You can always move your maternity date closer to the time as long as you inform them in writing. And for some weird reason maternity leave always starts on a sunday. Mine is starting on the 3rd May and if I'm early it will just be backdated from the Sunday before I give birth.
Hope that helps.x
Hi. It varies between NHS trust & even within hospitals. I had 2 different messages from 2 different consultants.
They were reluctant to let me go past 40wks with my IVF pregnancy & I was induced on my due date.
Despite my initial concerns about being induced I had a really positive experience.
Wishing you all the best x x
Hey ladies just a little update. So we had an appointment with a consultant today and basically she said at my hospital they are pretty relaxed, they will allow me to go 12 days over as long as baby is growing OK, however they will also give me the option for induction earlier if I prefer. Next scan at 38 weeks eeeek!! Xx ♥️
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