Prostin Induction - Experiences???

[Finn77]

Hello,

I am going to be having an induction with Prostin gel on sunday at 34+4 as my waters went at 33+0 last week. Baby is over 6lbs, so i'm happy with this plan.

This is my third child.

The first was born naturally at 38 weeks, no pain relief apart from gas and air and took less than 40 mins, 7.5lbs

The second was an induction with the Syntocin Drip at 34 weeks (6lbs) due to PROM and again I coped with no pain relief although the pain was pretty hardcore this time over 6 hours!!!

How do things compare with the gel compared to the drip??? More painful / less / takes longer ???? I don't intend on anything apart from gas and air again as I want to avoid further interventions as much as possible! Is this to be recommended.



Looking forward to hearing your experiences....

[NatalieJane]

Both of my labours were started with the gel, the second experience was much better than the first, but everything went well, no interventions, first was 12 hours with 15 minutes pushing, second was about an hour and half all in all with 4 minutes of pushing, easy peasy!!

Good luck

[Finn77]

Great - I'll have the second one please!!! Sounds good.

[Hulababy]

Mine failed. I had 3 attempts of the gel at 41+5 weeks. I then had all the rest of the interventions (drip, waters breaking, etc) and the whole range of pain relief too. I only ever got to 2cm dilaited and finally, 50 hours after beginnign induction, has a c section.

[Finn77]

Hulababy, that's what I am worried about...although the drip did do the trick for me before. Hope the c-section was okay.

[lulumama]

Finn - sounds like you are ready to labour earlier, there should be an assesment , the Bishops score before you are induced,to assess the readiness of the cervix , a score of 6 or more is a good indication that an induction will go well....

prostin should be more gentle than the drip, but can cause localised irritation

you sound like you know how to cope, that you can cope, so no reason you wonlt !

[lulumama]

if prostin alone does not get you going, they will most likely suggest the drip next to stimulate contractions

staying mobile, active and upright and being able to listen to your body and go with the flow should really help too!

[Finn77]

Thanks Lulumama,
I was hoping to stay upright as much as possible, as when I had the drip last time I was confined to the bed which was very frustrating. Also lying still on the bed doesn't let you focus the mind on anything else but the pain, which perhaps made it appear worse than if I could concentrate on rocking or walking etc. First time around I knelt over a beanbag and the gravity really helped.

[lulumama]

sounds like you are good to go and have a great idea of what will get you thorugh the birth !

[ivelostmyboobsboohoo]

mine worked with my 3rd baby. gel went in at about 10am then i had another one at about 1pm, contractions started at about 7pm. in established labour midnight. she was born at 2am, no pain relief.

[Finn77]

Great stuff, ivelostmyboobsboohoo, I am glad to hear you did it without pain relief. Sometimes i wonder if I really remember how bad the pain was, but then again if its only a finite amount of time I guess you can cope with anything...the things women go through...

Mind you, last time, despite thinking I was going to die, an hour afterwards, I had my makeup on, had a bath and was on a total adrenaline high for about four weeks. Hope this happens again !

[Hulababy]

Finn - hope you didn't mind me posting my experience even though not positive. I think most inductions are less hassle than mine! And thank you, yes my c section was great - a very positive experience.

[ww2002]

Hi Finn,
Try to go in thinking new baby new labour, it will never be the same twice. You and your body know what you're doing this time round. Remember, whatever happens you are going to have a fabulous new baby and you will forget the "real" details in a week or so!
xxx

[Bugsy2]

I had prostin gel induction when I was 40 + 12, but apparently my cervix was not ripe or giving any signs of readiness. However within 5 hours of the prostin being applied I was holding my second baby in its arms!
Very quick labour, very quick second stage - all in all a big success.

[margo1974]

I had the gel and didn't have any pain releif until just before they broke my waters.

For me, it felt like a dull ache in my lower back and it felt better just to have my back rubbed.

[margo1974]

Sorry about my spelling!

Was not dilated but went to 4 cm in a couple of hours after the gel was applied

It seemed like a quick labour to me, went to the delivery suite at about 10.30 had dd2 at 2.19

[noodlehead]

I was induced with gel at 40+7. all over in 6.5 hours, no pain relief. Not too bad I thought, although maybe I am remembering it better than what it was!

[Caitlynsmummy]

Hello Finn,

I had Gel for my first and lets say only child, I was rather shocked as got taken in for induction at 6pm gel at 6.15pm and bang contractions straight away and that was at 40 wks plus 11 days as no sign of baby apearing, Labour pains got stronger and stronger until i had my little girl at 8.08am the following morning, but i was such a wimp I had gas + Air, oramorph and then Diamorphine as could not handle the pain. So all in all the Gel Worked very very quickly.

[Finn77]

Hulababy, don't mind at all. I'd rather be aware of all outcomes, and the most important one is healthy baby at the end!

Bugsy2, I was reassured to hear you did it in 5 hours, despite the cervix being unfabourable, just shows, there seems to be no set pattern for this gel stuff to follow.

Margo 1974, the backache is a new one...I never had that before in labour...and hopefully not this one as its a terrible sort of pain to deal with. Yours was certainly quick though which must help!

Caitlynsmummy, again, its good to hear one where it starts up fairly soon after application, never mind the pain relief, there's no medals, except perhaps sainthood in a later life!!! I just want to do it without pain relief, but am perpared to consider anything if I think it gets too hard to handle. After the last two experiences I realise that severe pain can be totally different in different situations and with the syntocin drip, if I had had to go on much longer I would have probable mugged the doctor for drugs!

[margo1974]

Finn - the backache wasn't too bad though, I was really surprised as to how far along I was

[incy]

Had gel at 40+11. Nothing after first application but rapidly after the second was in full blown labour with contractions 2 mins apart. Had baby in 1.5 hours with only 10 mins pushing - for a first birth not bad.

Only downside was a 3rd degree tear but was caused by baby having hands up rather than induced.

[Finn77]

Thanks all for the info, its certainly given me something to think about - everyone seems to have very different experiences.