Induction

[EmpireBiscuit]

It looks like I will be getting induced on Monday (40+12) and would like to know as much as possible.

Could you share any induction birthing stories you have - I'm fully prepared for the good and the bad!

[MyNameIsLola]

It's not that bad!

I've been induced twice, first time I had a 3 hour labour with no intervention although I had g&a and pethidine. Second time, labour was less than 90 minutes with just a little gas and air for pushing and no intervention.

I know there are downsides, but honestly, induction does now always equal long, painful, medicalised birth. Plus, you still get your gorgeous baby at the end.

Good luck, you'll be fine.

[EmpireBiscuit]

Thank you :)

To be honest I'm now at the stage that I don't care how it comes out as long as it does!!

[MyNameIsLola]

I should have said, the induction did mean my contractions went from 0-100 IYSWIM, so no build up which is bloody painful. With my non-induced birth, there was a slow build up over a couple of hours, although they were still just as painful in the end and left me begging for an epidural (although by this point there wasn't enough time to get one in).

Don't be shy about asking for pain relief if you feel you need it. There's no gold medal at the end for being a martyr.

Your attitude towards it sounds great, as long as you and baby are safe and healthy that's all that matters.

[EmpireBiscuit]

Bump!

[AgathaTrunchbull]

Dreaded being induced, but it wasn't horrific - just took a while to get out of hospital afterwards.

Had a bad reaction to the prostin pessary, which caused horrendous and constant backache. Got to 3cm and was about to go on the pethidine when the baby's heartrate dropped (very temporarily) and we were rushed up to the delivery ward. Stuck the TENS machine on when we got up there and carried on contracting every few minutes for the next 4 hours, only to find we were still at 3cm.

By this point, I'd started on gas and air, but it was much more effective for having my waters broken than the actual contractions. After my waters were broken, I asked for an epidural before the syntocinon drip was put in, which was really effective. I was able to sleep in between top-ups (had a catheter) until the following morning.

By mid-morning, the baby still wasn't far down enough to push productively, so I was taken into theatre to try forceps, then ventouse and a caesarean if necessary. Happily, around 12 pushes, forceps and an episiotomy later, our daughter was born with an Apgar score of 9-10. I had to have a 3-unit transfusion, which didn't seem that big a deal after everything else (although the iron tablets were another matter!). All in all, it took about 18 hours from start to finish.

Good luck! I'm sure yours will be fine.

[comeonbishbosh]

Hi there. I was induced last tues at 40+6 with DD2. I had DD1 as a home birth so obviously it was quite a contrast, and I did not enjoy going down the most medicalised route v much.

Positive: waters broken at 1230, baby born at 1705. I didn't have a plessary. So nowhere near as much hanging about as I thought there might be. Though in the consultant led wing my birth was mainly supported by an excellent midwife, and the doctors and mw were all suportive of me wanting to keep it as naturally progressing as poss. They were planning to add in the drip after 2 hours but gave me another hr on my request. I used tens and Gas but didn't move onto other pain relief. Even after being put on the drip I could still labour suported standing rather than on the bed.

Negatives: the contractions were much more painful than previous birth. My body became quite stressed, shakey, hot/cold, I found it v difficult to stay positive. I didn't like the monitoring or having the drip in my hand. Changes over of staff and general hospitallyness of it all. Felt I was on their timetable to 'get it out'. But it all happened ok and reasonably uneventfully as these things go.

Be aware that they will monitor you for an hour or so before getting going, and you will not be allowed to eat after setting foot in that labour room! So have a stonking breakfast! And cos it was evening by the time we were done I missed lunch and supper and was really hungry all night. So bring some high protein sandwiches or something for afterwards. This may just be general crapness with regard to our hospital.

Good luck with it all! it is worth it and it is wonderful no longer to be pregnant!

[comeonbishbosh]

Sorry, that should have read 'more' medicalised not 'most' medicalised!

[EmpireBiscuit]

I've spent the night on google - shouldn't be done - I am now keeking my breeks!

I just wish it was over already :(

[NAR4]

I was induced with all four of mine. Number two and three really weren't very painful at all and I didn't have any painrelief because I just didn't feel I needed it.

All four labours varied hugly in length, so personally I don't think induction makes any diference to the length of your labour.

My quickest labour (2nd) took the longest to start.

Take whatever painrelief you feel you need at the time and remember you will soon have your georgeous baby.

[woody2313]

Thanks for the thread Empire - am booked in for induction on Saturday so all this information is really helpful especially the bit about having a good breakfast before I go! Also, what people have written doesn't sound too bad, all things considered?!

[Flossbert]

Just in case it's useful to anyone searching for info on induction, I'll gladly add my very recent experience.

Started being induced on fri at 40 +12 with propess. 24 hours later only 3cm dilated. Waters broken with crochet hook. I was told I had 2 hours to progress or I had to go on the drip. At this stage I was on the MW led unit attached to the hospital and was v keen to stay there.

Long story short, I was lucky that my MW bent the rules and let me stay for a little longer than 2 hours more meaning I was able to avoid the drip altogether as labour kicked in about 4 hours after my waters had been broken.

So induction doesn't necessarily mean the super-fast hardcore ramp-up of contractions you might be expecting. Mine was relatively gentle and culminated in a water birth!

[IrisGirl]

i was induced at 40+11, thanks to everyone and their wonderful stories, i was petrified!!
went to the hospital on the Tuesday morning, had a pessary popped in about midday, was told this would stay in for 24 hours and then another put in at that time if nothing happened.
at midnight i woke up with my first contractions, totally bearable, as the day progressed they got worse and worse (as is what happens lol), at 5.30pm my waters broke and i was taken to the delivery room. 28 hours later still in labour, getting more and more intense but still bearable, i was told that i was still 9cms as i had been for the previous 4 hours. i was given the option of going on a drip to see if it would help with that last cm, went for the drip, nothing happened, so the consultant came to see me and suggested a c-section was the best option. i burst in to tears and said that after all this time i wanted to deliver my baby myself. to be fair to the man, he was lovely and we made a deal, he'd give me another hour and if nothing happened then c-section it was (baby was fine, not in distress or anything). anyway, hour passed and nothing had changed so i had her by c-section. i was disappointed but my as my DH said as long as baby comes out and he/she and me are fine and healthy that's all that matters.
it wasn't horrendous and considering it was classed as emergency c-section, it was all very calm, relaxed and enjoyable (if that's the right word to use). i had my gorgeous baby girl and she was beautiful and healthy so i have no regrets at all.

Two other women on the same ward as me, induced at the same time, went into labour after me and had their little ones after 3-4 hours of labour.

it really is different for everyone, just go in with an open mind and know that whatever happens as long as your baby is born healthy then its all ok.

good luck xx

[atrcts]

My baby had stopped moving 2 days beforehand, and although ultrasound scan result noted that the foetus wasn't moving as normal, they could not establish a reason for it. I had been dilated for a few weeks but only by 2-3cm, and didn't even need paracetamol.

The maternity unit was quiet on day 2 so, because the movements did not pick up, my waters were broken. There was a lot of meconium which showed the baby in some distress, but they opted to strap me to a monitor and see how I progress on my own.

I was told to expect to progress by 1cm dilation every 2 hours. This was true until 7cm, when I finally asked for paracetamol. Four hours later I was still only at 7cm so I was then induced with a drip.

The contractions doubled in ther intensity so I started using gas and air. The drip worked though - every 2 hours i progressed by 1cm.

The thing that was the most helpful was to do deep slow breaths and count how many breaths until the contraction wore off. It was always 12 deep breaths and then suddenly NO PAIN again - until the next contraction started to build and then off I would go deep breathing and counting up to 12. There is something really powerful about getting to number 8 or 10 and knowing that in just a few more counts the pain will be gone in a flash.

It was very do-able, and I was quite afraid of the pain beforehand, so not necessarily the most brave person in labour! And although being induced made the contractions more intense, it was definitely still manageable.

I wasn't expecting to have NO pain relief for the 3 hours pushing though! given my time again I'd ask for pethadine at about 8-9cm so I can still be covered by that for the pushing.

It was sweet relief for a spinal when the forceps and episiotomy were on the cards!