Any ladies had both an induction and can compare with a "natural" birth

[Rickles]

So I had an induction with DD and for various reasons it got fairly traumatic - ended up with a forceps delivery on only gas and air... (I have a blood disorder which means I cannot have an epidural/spinal unless under a general).

Well I'm already super nervous about this one's exit strategy - I was insisting on a c-section but then had a very good chat with my midwife who explained that for lots of reasons I should expect a natural birth would be "easier" (not easy - just better) this time compared to an induced birth.

It was actually very reassuring and has made me rethink what I want to do - but I guess I'd love to know what has happened in real life as opposed to just the scientific reasons why it might be better when not induced... At the moment we've kind of agreed I'll give it a go but if I get to 41 weeks or PROM again it's a c-section rather than another induction...

So for better or worse - anyone here been induced for one birth and not another? How did they compare??

 

[EmzyJA]

Id like to know what peoples opinions on this is too. I was induced and found it very painful but labour didn't progress well for me and I ended up on the drip. I would hope that a natural labour would be 'easier'. I'd much rather not have to be induced again this time round. I've heard that it is better and that gives me hope lol. Sorry to hear about your traumatic time though, I couldn't imagine having to have a forceps delivery with only has and air. Hope this time round will be much better for you

 

[UnderPressure]

We're pregnant with our first... But my SIL had an induction+epidural on her first and a med-free birth with her second. She said that she enjoyed the birth experience more with the first because it was without pain (but you should have seen her BEFORE the epidural). She chose a natural birth for the second because she had recovery issues after the Meds and really seemed to bounce back faster on the second baby.

 

[CaptainMummy]

With my dd1 I was induced, and after 3 pessaries they were only JUST able to break my waters (I was contracting but very randomly and not very strong.) I was 41+3 when I went in for induction. As I wasn't in labour, I was put straight into pitocin drip and it was quickly upped to the maximum. I did get the epidural as it was all so intense. After 4.5hrs I was ready to push and it took me almost 2hrs of pushing to get her out. I ended up with a huge graze and a second degree tear. My experience wasn't negative (only he aftermath due to graze lol) but t definitely wasn't my perfect birth!

Dd2, I was also 'induced' but not really... I went in at 41+4 at 8pm and was given a dose of the gel and a sweep (midwife said my cervix was very soft, it was 1cm at the time.) I was gutted because I assumed it wouldn't do anything and I'd end up in the same situation as with my first. I was then left overnight (absolutely nothing happened at night.) At about 9am I started getting contractions, and they were only 3 or so minutes apart and quite strong for just starting. I was put on the monitor and it was going crazy haha, the midwife examined me and I was 5/6cm! (I was still on the ward at this point lol.) i was moved to a delivery room (with pool) and got in the pool. Was only in there for all of 45 minutes and she was born. Less than 10 minutes of pushing and out she popped. I did use a bit of g&a durig contractions before I started pushing. The midwife took a back seat and just observed and I was told to take her out of the water myself. It was definitely a million times better than my first delivery, and I really hope for similar this time. Overall, I was in labour less than 2 hours and only got a small first degree tear that required no stitches (I was absolutely elated when I was told this!)

 

[PumpkinBump]

When i was induced it was a piece of cake. I was able to have my epidural before i felt ANY contractions. So i didnt feel a thing the whole time. When i had an (almost) "natural" labor, it was the most painful thing i have ever experienced. I say almost natural because i was not induced, but the baby came 5 weeks early and came so fast i could only get my epidural when i was dialated to an 8. I would never ever recommend natural labor to anyone. I thought i was going to die from the contraction pain, i am still traumatized by it.

 

[Sour_Skittle]

With my first I went natural... It took 22 hours of labor before she was born. 10 hours of intense contractions before I was far enough along for pain meds.

My second was an induction.... MUCH faster labor and delivery. The petosin (sp?) wasn't working that great and I wasn't feeling the contractions they said I was having. It wasn't until they broke my waters did my contractions get EXTREMELY intense but labor progressed very fast and soon after gave birth.

To me natural birth takes extremely long and painful.
Induction not as long but the pain is so much more intense because it occurs suddenly instead of increasing slowly over time.

If I had to choose... I'd pick induction... But that's because I can have meds whenever I want and will take them without feeling guilty like some people feel guilty for taking them...

 

[Rickles]

I guess they think I'll progress quickly naturally because when I turned up at the hospital I was 3cm and hadn't felt a thing - I was induced because my waters had broken 36 hours before! But I can't have an epidural and according to the midwife - with the natural route (apparently !!!!) the contractions will be further apart and my body will release endorphins to counteract the oxytocin

My Mum was induced with me and then my little brother was born at home (delivered by my Dad) because he came so quick - she keeps telling me it will be quick and easy..... sigh!

 

[BigAl]

Well I was induced (with drip), and had forceps, no g&a as it made me sick. The stitches afterwards were the worse. But I figure that is the hard way, so a natural birth can't be any harder. I'm not planning on pain relief this time, just hope i won't be induced again.

 

[jamesmomma201]

I don't have anything to compare to, but with ds I was completely med free, natural. I was only in labor at the hospital for about 4-5 hours. An hour and a half of that was spent pushing. I had a small tear with a couple stitches, nothing major. I plan on going med free again for this one as I was so impressed with recovery with my first. I was up walking around within hours!

 

[Zeri]

With my 1st, I had started labour on the Sunday but the Dr. broke my waters on Monday and induced with Pitocin to speed things up. The contractions were extremely intense and painful on Pitocin, but it did help speed things up a lot...I think I got the Pitocin at about 1 pm and had the baby by about 3 or 4 pm. I don't know how long or painful it would've been if I hadn't induced. I'm curious about that too.

 

[PumpkinBump]

id like to mention that even with me being induced and having the epidural, i was up walking around a couple of hours after i had my baby. Inductions/ Epidurals are amazing. I am choosing to be induced this time around also, and of course with an Epidural before i feel any pain from contractions, again.

 

[notmommyyet]

I wish when I was induced I would have such great quick labors like these ladies. I was on the full drip and it took me 26 hours. It was frigging awful. I do not want to be induced every again lol

I did talk to a lady at a baby store who told me she was both induced and had natural and she said the contractions are way stronger for induction. I mean it makes sense.

So with this one I will wait till the baby is ready to come on its own. I would like to try med free. I mean I lasted about 14 hours with DD, plus the epi wore off by the time she came. It actually just gave me enough time to gets some sleep for the night and I was happy with that. lol

 

[Rickles]

id like to mention that even with me being induced and having the epidural, i was up walking around a couple of hours after i had my baby. Inductions/ Epidurals are amazing. I am choosing to be induced this time around also, and of course with an Epidural before i feel any pain from contractions, again.

Yeah I'd probably have less of an issue with inductions if I could have an epidural... but as I can't it's a scary prospect.

 

[BigAl]

I wish when I was induced I would have such great quick labors like these ladies. I was on the full drip and it took me 26 hours. It was frigging awful. I do not want to be induced every again lol

Ha, totally agree. I was 17hrs on the drip, dread to think how long for natural!

 

[PumpkinBump]

id like to mention that even with me being induced and having the epidural, i was up walking around a couple of hours after i had my baby. Inductions/ Epidurals are amazing. I am choosing to be induced this time around also, and of course with an Epidural before i feel any pain from contractions, again.

Yeah I'd probably have less of an issue with inductions if I could have an epidural... but as I can't it's a scary prospect.

Why can't you have an epidural?

 

[Selaphyna]

I can't really compare, as I have only had my son. But I think it depends on how you were induced really.

With DS, I was 41 weeks. I was already in labor for the past couple weeks (just didn't know as I couldn't feel any of the contractions and water was intact) and was already at 4 cm when I went in on the day of the induction. I went in at 12:30, they broke my water by 1pm (and that's when I finally started feeling my contractions), put me on pitocin at about 1:15-1:30, I got my epidural around 2:15, tried to rest until I was ready to start pushing but I was in so much pain. Epidural wasn't doing a thing to edge the pain, so I couldn't rest. I started pushing about 4 or so, and had him by 6:15. It was way too quick, and very painful.

My plan this time around, especially if I have the same experience (meaning I don't feel my contractions at all the month leading up, but have dilated), I plan to make sure that if I have to be induced to not put me on pitocin. I'm pretty sure that if they had just broken my water, I would have progressed fine.

I would say yes to the pitocin, only, and I do mean only if I'm not progressing.

 

[Rickles]

id like to mention that even with me being induced and having the epidural, i was up walking around a couple of hours after i had my baby. Inductions/ Epidurals are amazing. I am choosing to be induced this time around also, and of course with an Epidural before i feel any pain from contractions, again.

Yeah I'd probably have less of an issue with inductions if I could have an epidural... but as I can't it's a scary prospect.

Why can't you have an epidural?

I have low platelets in pregnancy - there is a risk of bleeding in the spinal cord and causing damage. So as I said in my original post - no epidural, no ventouse.

I totally agree if you could be induced with an epidural in, it would be a lot easier and probably quicker!!!

 

[ChristiansMum]

With DS I had a natural labour I had no pain meds and went from 7cm to 9cm in the time it took to have a wee! But with dd I was induced I was in labor for 26hours had every pain med they were offering and after 26hours of labor she was born.

I forgot to add with DS I didn't even have time to get changed to give birth! This time I want a natural labor as it was much faster x

 

[Hoping4Four]

I was induced with my first and third, second was spontaneous labour.

I hated the inductions.. It was so intense right from the word go. I coped with the pain a lot better with my second; it was more gradual and I got to 7cm without any pain relief. With the inductions I was begging for pain relief by 3-4cm! I didn't have an epidural in any of my labours, only gas and air. I also had pethidine with my first but it made me feel totally out of it and that put me off having it again.

I'm praying for another spontaneous delivery this time! It was an amazing experience.

 

[Buttercup84]

I really don't want to be induced again as I hemmorhaged badly after dd's birth which I believe was partly down to being induced via drip. Also I hated being continuously monitored, found it v stressful and harder to cope with the pain as I couldn't be mobile. I had an epidudal but would prefer to not have one next time.