Being induced - experiences

[k4th]

Hi

I'm 40+4 today and have been given an induction date for Friday. I'm high risk and consultant led, so they want to induce me at 41+2.

What can I expect? I'm resigning myself to needing the induction at this point so I'm trying to prepare.

I've been told that I am likely to have gel to soften my cervix, followed by breaking my water about 24 hours later and then a pitocin drip four hours after that if there are still no contractions.

It all sounds so long & drawn out. I'm feeling pretty anxious tbh!

I'm in the UK & expecting those timescales to slip on the NHS if the wards are busy. Could it really take all weekend?

Can anyone share their experiences of being induced?

 

[amelia26]

I was induced at 42 weeks. Also UK, so nhs. I went in Thursday evening about 8pm and waited for ages. Eventually given a pessary about 2am. The were 3 other ladies being induced and one went into labour and was taken to delivery suite during the wait! Most people I know didn't have to wait this long though.

I was monitored for a while and left to 'sleep' (yeah right). Next day I was encouraged to be as active as possible and I spent most of my time off Ward walking about. I had tightenings but not painful. It kind of went on and on. 24 hours after I was given the pessary my cervix was still closed so I was given gel and given a private room for the night. The gel made the tightenings more painful. 6 hours later cervix still closed so given another gel. This ramped things up and I was contracting properly now every 2 to 3 minutes. I continued to be active but still didn't dilate.
I was offered a c section but declined. Started on gas and air. About 48 hours after I started the induction I was 1cm.

I was given a very painful sweep and told they would take me down to delivery suite in 15 minutes. 4 hours later I was taken down (nhs).
They broke my waters and this ramped things up further. I had meconium in my ways so put on continuous monitoring. Shortly after I had pethidine. 6 hours later I was still 1cm despite contracting really well. They started the drip and I was given an epidural. Shortly after I was 3cm. Another 8 or 10 hours later I was still 3cm. It had been 3 days by then and I was showing signs of infection so I consented to an emergency c section.

So my induction was 3 days long and I got to 3cm. However the other 3 women I came in with were all taken down to delivery within the first day, replaced by more women being induced, who were also taken down to delivery before me.

Induction could take days. It could take a few hours. I was never favourable (cervix was posterior, long, hard and closed) so I think the odds are stscked against me.

 

[k4th]

Thanks Amelia!! Sounds like you had a tough time of it - are you having an elective section with this one?

It's good to be realistic about the timescales I think so thanks for that! And it's good to know other ladies went faster than you - although I bet that was really horrible at the time!!

 

[amelia26]

It was a bit like that episode of friends when Rachel is in labour and other women keep going ahead of her!

Mine wasn't the best experience but I know others that just need one lot of gel and that kick starts things nicely and they have a normal labour and birth.

I was really determined not to have a c section. Perhaps a bit too determined!

This time I was planning a vbac if spontaneous labour or c section at 42 weeks.

As it happens I'm having a planned c section at 39 weeks for other reasons.

 

[Hopespring]

I was induced at 39+ 2 with DD due to polyhydromnios and reduced movement.
Anyway I went in at 9am and they checked me in and did blood pressure etc, put in cannulas and then at 11am examined me, my cervix was not favourable at all but they put a pessary in and said they will monitor baby every few hours and check progression if things got painful but other than that I was free (and encouraged) to wander the hospital. They said the pessary usually stays in about 12 hours to soften things up.
I started to get really frequent tightenings (not painful) about an hour after it went in. I kept going back for ctg monitoring and everything looked good and they could see the tightenings on the monitor. About 6 hours after the pessary went in my tightenings were a little too frequent so they took out the pessary. They advised if I was still getting tightenings to keep moving and put on my TENS machine, which I did (the earlier you out it on the more effect it has in the long term).
I kept moving (not really experiencing pain as such) and at 11pm they checked me and I was 3cm so said it was time to move me round to delivery where they would break my waters. They had to wait for a room and a midwife to be free so I was given a paracetamol and told to try and get some rest for a while. At about 3am they moved me to delivery where they broke my waters. I started to feel a fair bit of pain in my back then so I was encouraged to get up to use the bathroom as they were going to hook me up to the drip to move things along. When I got up the pain moved to all round the front to I think it helped to shift baby a little.
They hooked me up to the drip and I started to use the gas and air along with my TENS. I wanted to move around more to help but unfortunately when being induced they have to continually monitor baby making that difficult.
They kept ramping up the drip and examined me and said I was 5cm so they were going to speed the drip uo even more and advised me to have an epidural as I was going to be a good few more hours and with the drip it makes it more painful.
They sat me up to do the epidural and I suddenly felt alot of pressure below and alot more pain (we did not realise at the time but I must have been going through transition, that combined with them taking off my TENS made.things seem unbearable) I could not keep still for the epidural very well and kept telling them I needed to push but as they had just examined me and I was only 5cm they told me I didn't. Anyway they failed to get the epidural in twice and I asked for a rest from them trying. As I felt like I still needed to push they examined me and they were shocked to find I was 10cm! I had gone from 5cm to 10cm in 45minutes! No wonder it all felt a little overwhelming. Anyway about 30 mins later my DD was born with the guidance of a vontuse.
So from pessary going in to giving birth was exactly 24 hours and 12 minutes. And I would say I was only in proper labour pain for about 5 hours of that.
So some inductions are not too bad. I think it sometimes depends on how your body reacts to drugs, I think I am quite sensitive so it did not take much to get me into labour.

I hope to go into labour myself this time though and let my body do all the work.

Sorry that was a little long......

 

[k4th]

Thanks for taking the time to describe it hope spring!! I really appreciate it

Sounds like you had a pretty good (if fast!!) experience

 

[donnarobinson]

I was induced with both mine second was much faster had peasary around 11am my cervix was already really forward but quite hard they could have broke my waters but wanted to soften it abit I went to delivery about 10pm that night and he was born at 4.29am I was only in labour 6 hours and was home the day he was born which was only they say after goin into being induced x

 

[Twag]

I was induced at 40+10 also UK

I went in at 9.30 was checked and then given a pessary and monitored for 20 mins, I was then told I could leave or stay my choice so DH and I left went got some petrol and something to eat - before we left I was getting back pains (later realised I have back labour) anyway we went to my Mum's as she lives close to the hospital and the back pains were coming thick and fast to the point my mum said they were every 3 mins so at 2pm I went back to the hospital barely able to walk or talk through them!

I got checked was only 2cm anyway decided to stay in the ward and my waters went on their own

I was 8cm and moved to delivery suite at 7pm and my son was born 10.35pm that same day

All in all my induction was a fairly positive experience and tbh I am a little scared of going naturally this time which is mad

Good luck I hope it all goes well for you

 

[k4th]

Thank you twag!!! Sounds like you had a good experience too! My cervix is still not very favourable today so it's looking like induction on Friday is my destiny. Thanks for the insight

 

[Bumblebee2408]

I was induced at 41+3 with my DS!

It went really well, I was in hospital at 10am they traced baby hb on a monitor for a while then gave me a pessary which was a little uncomfortable on insertion but not awful by 3pm I was contracting away frequently. I was given pethadine at around 5pm as contractions were horrendous and I was only 1-2cm. By 6 they checked on me again as pethadine was wearing off quickly and I was in agony and they found I was 4cm. Transferred me straight to delivery suite and when I went to transfer beds my waters broke and baby passed meconium and the pain became unbearable I couldn't walk. Checked me again and I was 7-8cm in the 30 mins it took to move me!!

From 8-10pm I was contracting on just gas and air as nhs decided they couldn't give me anything else as they were concerned how quick things had changed and due to meconium I was being monitored and prepped for emergency c section!

At 10pm I was 10cm and they decided to let me start pushing but said if he didn't come quick we'd be rushed to theatre.

Started to push and I had to have an episiotomy to help me get him out quick but by 10.27pm he was here :-D xx

 

[laura109]

i had the pessary at nine pm. its abit uncomfortable... at 11pm my contractions were every 3 mins. 7 and half hours later my daughter was born. it was intense. i had gas & air and a shot of pethidine.

apparently i was extremely fast for induction. the dr was suprised how fast it happened xx

 

[Eleanor ace]

I was induced with my 1st at 40+13. I went in in the morning (I think it was 10am), got monitored, had a pessary inserted and basically chilled out for the rest of the day with my DH. He went home at 8pm when visiting hours were up, I had another pessary in and was found to have no signs of readiness for labour so was preparing to go on the drip the next day. About 11pm I started to get contractions, 12am they stepped up and I knew I was in labour. It progressed quickly, 6cm in about 1.5-2 hours. Moved to L&D, labour slowed as I had to be on my back for constant monitoring (issues with both our heart rates and there was meconium in my waters) and pushing took a couple of hours, but labour still only took 6 hours start to finish so pretty quick once it got going! It was a good experience

 

[shinona]

I was induced with my third (other two came on their own) at 40+13. I went in at 8.30am, got the pessary about 10.30am then promptly fell asleep for an hour and a half. When I woke up I started to bounce on a ball and that got things going. I contracted all afternoon but nothing too sore and I was walking about the whole time. My waters went at about 4.30pm which took me by surprise as it had never happened like that before (with my first they were broken once I had my epidural and with my second I was in transition when they went and she was born about a minute later). I was then examined and was 2-3cms so taken to labour ward for monitoring. Everything was fine so I was moved to the midwifery suite. I laboured away there but it still wasn't very painful (v similar to second labour). Told my midwife he'd be born before midnight and she humoured me but didn't believe me! At 10om it got a lot sorer but more time between contractions. She examined me at 10.30pm and said I hadn't progressed since 4.30pm so she went to speak to the consultant who said to let me go a bit longer before we did anything else. I got my gas and air at 11pm and midwife went to run the pool. After about maybe 5 mins I knew he was coming so shouted at hubby to get the midwife. They came running in, called another midwife who was tearing packets of pads and things open. I pushed a few times and my son was born at 11.34pm. He took everyone by surprise. The midwife kept saying "you.were only 2-3cm when I examined you an hour ago". Second labour was the same, I dilated quickly and transition was really short.
It was a lovely experience and I love the NHS.
Good luck,I hope it goes well for you. Stay relaxed. Keep walking and take a book or your iPad. Bounce on a ball when you can too.

Xx

 

[k4th]

Thanks everyone!! In the end my baby arrived by himself last night after a pretty fast & furious labour. So in love with our new little boy!!

Hopefully this thread will help others who are going to be induced!

 

[pgfairy]

Yay I'm so happy to hear you went into labour naturally, I know thats what you wanted and Congratulations on your new arrival! Hope you are both well

My induction experience doesn't really add anything over and above any of the other ladies stories that have been added since I was here last.

 

[laura109]

congratulations and welcome to the world baby boy x

 

[Gucci1owner]

Hi
Looks like we're both busy tomorrow!!

I was induced with our first child (reduced movements.) As I was strep b positive, my induction happened pretty quickly.

Awoke in hospital at 8am (had been in hospital for 4 days prior to induction in case there was a space available on delivery.)

The pessary did not hurt on bit: in fact I didn't know the midwife had inserted it! I was told that I wouldn't need 2 pessaries as I was already 2 cms dilated so they hoped I would be ok. This happened at 10am.

At lunchtime I started with mild contractions and then at 4pm my waters were broken. Didn't feel a thing with that either. It felt like someone had poured a hot cup of tea on the bed haha.

Then the contractions started properly and I was transferred straight away to the delivery suite (I'd been on delivery ward side ward up until then.) I was put on a hormone drip, plus fluids and gas and air. I had to stay on the bed due to the drip.

By 10pm I was given remifentalin (still can't spell that) and by 3.18am our little boy was born.

The final stages went very quickly. I went from 6cm to 10 in half an hour with 2 hours of pushing. Didn't need any intervention for the final delivery. The easiest bit is the pushing! Wasn't painful at all.

Good luck and I'm sure you'll be fine!

 

[shinona]

Congratulations on your new arrival! Xx

 

[Mummy2b88]

Thank you twag!!! Sounds like you had a good experience too! My cervix is still not very favourable today so it's looking like induction on Friday is my destiny. Thanks for the insight

I had to edit this post due to posting before reading the whole thread *d'oh* as I wished you luck on the induction.

We have 2 weeks to go til I get induced to see our boy.

I want to wish you a huge congratulations on your new arrival. I hope you and little one are doing well

 

[Bumblebee2408]

Glad you went into labour naturally :-D

Congratulations xxx