# anyone been induced whilest baby head still free?



## nickynora

The reason I ask is that I'm due to be induced on thurs due to GD. I was due to have a sweep done today but mw wouldn't do it due to baby not being anywhere near engaged, though she is head down. Mw even cancelled my next apt for sweep (weds) as she didn't think baby would budge before then and the fact am due to be induced o thurs anyways!

I know the consultant mentioned breaking my waters to induce if cervix was favourable, but I now know there's a risk a cord prolapse and that's why mw refuses to do sweep.

So now I have no idea what to expect on thurs :dohh:

Anyone in or been in similar situation? Good or bad?


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## smithface24

I had same problem as u with my daughter. All went ok in end although the delivery was difficult due to her being stuck. But mw said that was because she was back to back. Tlry bouncing on birthing ball and walking lots to bring baby's head down. And good luck. xxx


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## smileyfaces

My 2nd baby was not engaged at all, head still very high when induced. Was is it that you need to know? Xx


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## nickynora

Just what your experience was really!

Ive worried myself about it as I googled it, and lets jus say that the experiences I found weren't great :( a few talked about emcs due to cord prolapse, emcs due to distressed/stuck baby etc.

Their plan was to look at breaking my waters but I'm not sure I want that if head is still free due to all be it tiny but risk of cord prolapse.

I guess I'd set my sights on it being fairly straightforward, and now I have no idea what to expect till I go in on thurs and I'm a natural worrier :dohh:


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## smileyfaces

If you are worried about cord prolapse then just opt for a pessary :thumbup: They will only break your watersif you score a certain number of points on the Bishops Score...usually that involves being around 3cm dilated, your cervix being quite short and soft...if not then they will not break them. I cant remember what score you have to get on the Bishops Score, sorry.

With my second baby, he was floating free when I was induced at 40+3 (induced due to repeated reduced fetal movements). I was given a Propess pessary which they inserted at 7pm on a wednesday evening. With Propess they leave it in for 24hours and then reassess you after your 24hrs is up (if you havent had baby by then).

6am the next morning (thursday) I started having contractions...they were coming every few minutes and lasting 30-40 seconds. They continued to get stronger until about 4pm that day when I was begging the midwife to check me for progression becausse I was in agony. They put me on the trace...contractions were registering up to 70 on the chart and coming every 1-2 minutes. The amount of pain was horrid. Finaly, they agreed to an internal but was on,y 2cm.

Basically, all of these strong painful contractions were not doing much to progress me but were working to move the baby into position. I was checked again at 7pm (24hrs after pessary was inserted) and I was just about 3cm so I was able to go to labour ward and have waters broken (no room on labour ward until 4am the next morning though arrggh). Pessary was removed at 7pm. Contractions stopped completely.

Went to labour ward for waters broke...they left me for a few hours to see if labour would start but it never so I was put onto a drip at about 8am. Was on the syntocinon drip all day up until 2pm when it was cranked up to maximum and it still wasnt bringing on my labour and I was still 3cm! No pain no nothing! All of a sudden I just started contracting at about 2.30pm and he was born at 4.39pm on the friday (nearly 48hours after induction started).

Sorry for the long post, just trying to give you as much detail as poss about timescales :haha: Moral of the story for me was that because he was so high up it took a lot of work for my body to get him into position and it took a lot of painful contractions to get him there! But once he was there and I finally went into labour it was much more straightforward. There was no real risk of cord prolapse because by the time my waters were broken I was already 3cm and babys head had come down into position. 

Hope that helps xxx


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## nickynora

Thanks hun, that helps a lot.

I had a long slow labour with my first due to his size (10lb 6!) so I'm worried that the same is going to happen again this time as my body is clearly not ready to have this baby yet - unfortunately they wo t let me go longer because of my GD :(

I guess I just have to go with the flow when I get there on thurs!


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## smileyfaces

I was induced with my first and it was 7hiurs from first cntraction to having him...but he was already fully engaged and I was 1-2cm when i went to hosp for induction.

2nd time round was so much longer but purely because he was not engaged. You might find it takes you a while to get going to move him down but then your avtual labour will be a breeze like mine!

Best of luck, you never know, she might start to engage before your due date and if she does engageeven a little bit then most of the hard work has been done for you! 

Come back and update us when you have had her and let us know how you got on :) Try not to worry! Even though my second induction was a hell of a lot longer, it was much easier, less painful, quicker established labour and better recovery....so it is not all bad :haha:


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## nickynora

I'm being induced on thurs so chances are she wont be engaged by then but I'm trying to remain positive.

I will update when I know more x


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## SisterRose

I was induced at 38+4 and baby wast engaged at all, nobody ever mentioned anything about that being a risk for cord prolapse to me or anything about risks of not being engaged and you mentioning it is the first I've heard of it (slightly worried now lol) 

Anyway, they gave me a pessary 24hrs before they broke my waters and DD was born 4 hours after waters were broken. So I don't think the fact that she wasnt engaged had any bad effects on the induction.

x


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