Induction of labour for twins

[Bibblebo]

Hi multiple mummies!

I am 36w today and have a sweep booked for 37 and an induction booked for 37+6. I was dead against the idea with my first pregnancy 3 years ago but I'm feeling a little fed up - very itchy stretched tummy (36w and both nearly 6lb) and backache and I'm afraid... boredom! So the young doc asked me when I wanted it all and let me choose the dates for it all completely. I think that they would even have been happy for me to have gone beyond 38w. But I chose to go with the plan originally suggested (btw 37 and 38w).
Any opinions, advice re inductions, stories welcome. I now find my self a little apprehensive about things like ARMS, uterine overstimulation etc etc!

[Bigbird01]

Hi bibblebo!
I was very reluctant to be induced with my twins (I was coping fairly well with the late pregnancy stuff - except the boredom!), but finally agreed in my 39th week when I was advised that they thought my placenta was starting to deteriorate.
I had a sweep and two days later another sweep. Then another day later they broke my waters and a few hours after that I was out on a drip to bring on contractions. Unfortunately, all that effort was for no results. My two had got to a very good size and during my pregnancy I had developed a very large fibroid. The combination meant there was no way baby 1 could turn and drop down. In the end he started to get distressed and I had an emergency c-section and both my baby boy and girl were born in perfect health.
Why the long story? I think you are right to hold off until you have had enough, but, even if it goes against your hopes for delivery, if the babies or you have reached the point that you need things to move on, you have to go with the flow. Although my labour was far from the natural experience I had wanted, I don't for one moment regret what happened - how can I with two perfect, beautiful bundles of mischief to show for it (now 4 and continuing to keep me on my toes!!). The most important thing is your babies and your well being.
Good luck with whatever kind of delivery you eventually have and I hope you are cuddling your gorgeous babies very soon. x

[Bibblebo]

Hi Bigbird,
Thank you so much for your story.
Any one else? Pls don't hold back as I want to hear it - good or bad!

[beachesandbuckets]

Had a great experience, consultant seemed (a bit too) relaxed about letting me go to term, but given that they were 2 big babies, and having done some (internet) research about letting twin labours go beyond 38wks wanted them out. Went into hospital on planned day (was 37 plus 2), had pessary at 11, sat around a bit reading magazines, walked around hospital grounds to get things moving, up and down stairs, started feeling movement at 5pm, epidural at 6pm, slept for an hour, babies born at 8pm, home next day. Don't believe all the horror stories, I did!

[Jemm16]

I had induction at 37+3. Went in at 5pm started induction at 7pm had some pains and spent most of night on the heart monitoring machine as they took turns to be little pickles!! 24 hours later everything had stopped and I had dilated 1cm (basically failed induction). They put me on a ward for a night and sent partner home to be reassessed in the morning. By this point I hadn't slept or eaten for 36hrs and asked for a c-section and the doctors and midwife were great. Had boys at 11am. Boys weighed 6lb 4 & 6lb 3! They were both head down so I really wanted to try to have them naturally but in the end it didn't work out that way. I did feel a bit of a failure for not being able to have a natural birth but it soon went when I held them in my arms! They are now 6 months and doing great :-) good luck xx

[QueenofKelsingra]

I originally wanted to wait for nature to do its job however I was so ill and uncomfortable I was begging for induction by 34 weeks! (to book it, not to actually be induced at 34w!!). consultant wanted 39, I wanted 38 so I was booked for 38+3.

1pm - first pessary - does diddly squat.
5pm - second pessary - does diddly squat. i', annoyed by this point as they keep telling me it will 'be quick once we get you going' as my first labour was short (7 hours active). unable to walk around due to crippling spd and sciatica which probably didn't help.
10pm - accept offer to have my waters broken. discover one twin is led on my nerve and I cant physically lie on the bed any more as it feels like a knife through my back. they want me monitored constantly so call epidural man.
10.30pm - epidural man comes, all is well! however i'm having little or no contractions so they hook me up to the synotocin (sp?) drip.
over night they increase the drip, eventually up to maximum level to get my contractions going. contractions remain stubbornly at 20mins apart.
8am - DT1's heartrate is dropping with contractions/due to the high level of synotocin. any reduction in the drip and contractions stop. About to take me for a CS but final check reveals i'm fully dilated. I attempt to push for nearly 2 hours - no movement at all. discover DT1s head is turned the wrong way.
10am - consultant, registrar, 2 paeds docs, 2 paeds nurses and my 2 midwives arrive. DT1 finally delivered with the aid of ventouse. DT2 followed 20 mins later.

it wasn't a great experience to be honest but I had two healthy babies (6lb 2 and 6lb 15) so in hindsight none of the rest matters. I was able to come home the following day (only because I forced the issue though).

I came to the conclusion that they just weren't done cooking! I had such an easy, on due date delivery with DS1 that I was very surprised how badly my body handled the second one! I can only conclude my body wasn't ready, and considering that DT1 had to be pulled out I guess the babies weren't ready either. I wish I had waited a bit later and given nature a chance to be honest.

hope that helps. I know it sounds quite negative but the only important thing was that the babies were ok, which they were.

[Randomkath]

I was dead set against being induced having heard the horror stories and wanting to experience a natural birth, but by 38 weeks was so fed up and could hardly walk so just wanted to get them out!
My induction was absolutely fine. Gel at 9am, just a little discomfort over the next few hours so suprised to find that by early afternoon was nicely dilating. Didn't need the hormone drip. Broke my waters mid afternoon and that set me off on intense continuous contractions which was horrendous, but soon got the epidural in and then pretty straightforward. Both born with forceps before midnight. Try not too worry :)

[toomuchpink]

I was induced at 38 weeks. I was so ready for it by then. In the last week a number of my pregnancy problems got worse and I really wasn't that well - although I didn't really realise it.
The babies were fine size wise and I was lucky. When it came to induction they found I was dilated enough to just break my waters and then the whole thing began really quickly.

[HighVoltage]

Induction at 37+6, both head down. I was already 4-5cm dilated (they said because of previous birth [DS1 was a water birth, no pain relief - v v different!]) so they broke my waters around 9 am and I was in active labour by about 1pm. I had had 2 sweeps in the week before.

I had an epidural around 2:30pm as advised by consultant and was 6cm. Fell asleep. 4 hours later still 6cm. Started to cry because I thought I'd screwed up getting an epidural and falling asleep/lying down.

Syntocin drip started at around 4pm, they went very gradually and I kept as mobile as I could and bounced on the ball etc. At 10pm they said I was 9cm and they wanted me to go into theatre. I went into theatre at 11:30pm, DTS born just before midnight - pushing went really well, DTD born twenty minutes later. Both fine, over 6lbs.

Actually very good experience despite the hoards of people with me in the theatre. I did have first degree tears but they healed really quickly (with DS1 had second degree that ended up infected ...). Spent two days in hospital - admitted on Friday morning, discharged on Sunday afternoon.

[Bibblebo]

Great, thank you all. More stories!

By the way I took a tablespoon or castor oil about 6hrs ago and have been having loads of tightenings a since. Not painful contractions though. Hopefully this will help soften up cervix ready for a sweep on Wed!

[Bibblebo]

So I'm going in tomorrow for my induction.
At 37w on Wednesday I had a sweep, midwife said that I was 2cm (prob due to previous birth). On Friday 37+2 another more intense stretch and sweep, lots more 'bloody show' this time and lots of downward pressure feelings afterward and cramps like period pains but no contractions. Tomorrow I'll be 37+6. The midwife at last sweep said that by the time I have the pessary 37+6 It should work - I really hope so! I suppose the only thing now is for me to decide to do it or wait even longer? I'm so fed up and feel ready because of the weight etc (I think they are both 6lbs +, but my DS1 was born at 42 weeks without induction and I'm worried about a failed induction at 37+6 with these twins. Anyway, wish me luck!

[Bumbez]

Good luck :)

[Franchini]

Yes good luck - keep us posted

[harrygracejessica]

Good luck x

[Twinsplusonesurprise]

My only advice would be to be strong and don't be too brave.
My induction at 38weeks took 4 days and ended in emergency section. I can't remover my DDs birth as was so drugged up.
It was all in all a fairly grim experience. I wish I had been more forceful with the medics and not let it go on so long which would have made going home and then caring for them much easier.
Good luck!!! And - once you get through the difficult first months - twins are ace and I adore mine and am so lucky to have them.

[Twinsplusonesurprise]

Dummy - should have read whole thread. You've had yours by now ! Hope this is useful for anyone else.

[MissSmiley]

I didn't want to be induced. Went into labour naturally at 38w 3d. Was already 4cm before labour started. Got to 7cm on gas and air. Had epidural at their request eventually and was going great until a midwife thought she could feel a blood vessel in my amniotic sac (vasa prévia?) so I had to have a section. Turned out to be the join of the two sacs and not a blood vessel after all so i was bit miffed. Both boys 7lbs.
Glad I waited. I was on crutches from 7m as I couldn't walk, had major problems with SPD and left hip (all resolved now). I'm glad I waited for them to come at the right time. The pregnancy (I've had three others that were easy by comparison) was the hardest thing I've been through but so worth it.
Good luck. Looking after them as new Norns was a breeze compared to the pregnancy. But that's another thread.

[caz1967]

Morning My Son and his partner are expecting Twins, they were eventually admitted yesterday afternoon after a 6 hr wait for soace. It was arranged some time ago that this would be the plan at 37weeks, they apparently have so far used a gel to ripen the cervix and start labour, from what my son has said that's all they' did yesterday, there still sat on delivery and when I last heard this morning she had no pain and they were waiting to hear if gel was being used again, however they do use it again if labour doesn't start they cannot do anything different for 12hours. I could understand this approach if it was a single pregnancy and the baby was late. I was surprised nothing else has been tried like a sweep or breaking waters that gel seems as bad as those passaries, I had 2 inducements and 1 Ceaser some yrs ago in the same hosp where my daughter in law is, at that time early medical inducements were always given a sweep 24hrs before planned induction then placed on hormone drip with breaking waters, apparently they've been told no hormone drip will be tried and they may break waters it seems to me they will leave her then when she's exhausted and had 2 failed attempts the decision will be removed and they will say she's no longer fit enough for a twin birth and section her. Ive tried texting my soon and advising him to insist there consultant is called and a plan talked through so they can then relax knowing exactly what's going on. The midwives can control too much especially if delivery is very busy .Im praying for them and hoping a good decision is made sooner