Experienced ladies: Induction ending in c-section...

[dinkery]

If this has happened to you, please tell me about it. It looks like the road I am on and I am the type that needs to know everything that could happen, don't leave out the scary stuff...

 

[sue_88]

Why do you think it will end in c section?

I had a very positive induction 12 days overdue when my LO was very very comfy inside with no signs at all she'd be arriving of her own accord.

I had a fairly easy normal delivery after prostin gel, waters broke & the drip.

 

[Banshee]

I was induced at term +9 with ds2. I was hoping for vbac as I had an emergency c section under general anaesthetic with ds1.
They started me with a pessary at about 6am the first morning and said they'd give it 6 hrs and then check on progress and I was free to wander around the hospital. When they checked me there was no progress so I had a second pessary at about 3.30pm and again I could wander about etc. They left me overnight to see if anything would happen. By the following morning I was contracting but nothing much to talk about but enough to break my waters.
After that I still wasn't really progressing so they put me on a syntocinon drip and a monitor for baby. I was on that for quite a few hours and it became apparent that ds2 was having heart decelerations with contractions but I really wasn't progressing in my labour. They tried reducing the drip but that just slowed down the contractions and when they started it again ds2 was still having decelerations.
They told me that as I wasn't progressing the best option for ds2 was a c section again. It was all quite calm (unlike my first c section). They came in and discussed it all with me and then wheeled me through to give me my spinal (as I hadn't had any pain relief up to then) and then they did the c section.
It was all very straightforward, or at least felt it after my first disastrous birth.

 

[dinkery]

Why do you think it will end in c section?

I had a very positive induction 12 days overdue when my LO was very very comfy inside with no signs at all she'd be arriving of her own accord.

I had a fairly easy normal delivery after prostin gel, waters broke & the drip.

Well I feel that way because my doctors seem to feel that way. My due date was today. Sudden high blood pressure problems the last week or so. Cervix completely closed and super high, zero effaced. Baby not in correct position even though he's head down - he's up so high in there she said it looks like maybe he can't fit into my pelvis but there's no way to be sure.

So an induction has been scheduled for a week from now. I go in the night of Tues 4/8 to sleep with a balloon thingie in the cervix and see if that will help, medication induction to begin the morning of Wed 4/9. She warned me that there is a high likelihood that it will not work on him because he is just sooooooo high up and the fact that it appears he may not fit, but that we will try since some babies do manage a crazy corkscrew move and just bust out of there, but there is a very good possibility of it all ending in c-section.

Thank you for sharing your experience, I'm glad it went so well for you.

 

[halullat]

Hello! I've just answered your post in the third tri forum, but I hope it all works out for you x

 

[claudinator]

My lil guy was really high up not engaged and to the side and I wasn't even dilated I was 12days over due and I still went vaginally. I'm only 5'1 and he was 8'1. I wouldn't count yourself out yet.

You might not need a c section.

 

[sue_88]

Why do you think it will end in c section?

I had a very positive induction 12 days overdue when my LO was very very comfy inside with no signs at all she'd be arriving of her own accord.

I had a fairly easy normal delivery after prostin gel, waters broke & the drip.

Well I feel that way because my doctors seem to feel that way. My due date was today. Sudden high blood pressure problems the last week or so. Cervix completely closed and super high, zero effaced. Baby not in correct position even though he's head down - he's up so high in there she said it looks like maybe he can't fit into my pelvis but there's no way to be sure.

So an induction has been scheduled for a week from now. I go in the night of Tues 4/8 to sleep with a balloon thingie in the cervix and see if that will help, medication induction to begin the morning of Wed 4/9. She warned me that there is a high likelihood that it will not work on him because he is just sooooooo high up and the fact that it appears he may not fit, but that we will try since some babies do manage a crazy corkscrew move and just bust out of there, but there is a very good possibility of it all ending in c-section.

Thank you for sharing your experience, I'm glad it went so well for you.

Please don't worry about baby not being engaged, my LO was very high too and was never engaged until active labour on the drip. I was worried she wouldn't fit but my midwives were never concerned, it's very unlikely your body grows a baby it cannot birth.

I'd would try some relaxation techniques, some deep breathing and some positive thoughts. Tell your mind that you can, and you will be able to deliver your baby.

And 1 week is a long time for baby to decide to come by himself, even without signs that it could be imminent.

Best of luck

 

[sheldonsmommy]

I was induced with ds1 due to pre-eclampsia. Went in on Thursday night for Cervadil, it dilated me but nothing progressed really. Friday my waters were broken by the obgyn, I was started on the Pitocin drip and contractions started pretty strong but bearable and I was walking around all day letting things progress. I got an epidural at around 7 pm when I was around 6 cm and went to 10 cm very quickly. It was great, maybe a little too great because I couldn't feel when I was having a contraction. I think I started pushing around 9pm. For 2 or 3 hours I pushed during every contraction with very little progress. So they brought out the barbaric forceps and the obgyn tried 3 or 4 times. Literally his foot was on the bed and he was pulling so hard, it felt like my insides were going to be ripped out. But my big-headed son was stuck tight in my pelvis. He was born by emcs at just past midnight weighing 9lbs 1 oz. Poor little guy was born with a huge bruise on his forehead in the shape of the forceps. I stayed in the hospital until the Tuesday.

In my case, the induction was a success because I got fully dilated, but he just wouldn't come out, partly because of his huge head, but also because I had an undiagnosed ovarian cyst the size of a grapefruit which probably made the birth canal smaller.

 

[zorak]

It sounds a bit like your OB may be one of the US doctors that are a bit too quick to jump to a section. Nothing you have said would indicate an induction can't work so try and be positive.

 

[spunky84]

I was induced at 41+6. The day of induction I was 3-4cm dilated and 100% effaced. LO was either -2 or +2 station (which ever one is almost fully engaged - if i got that right anyway).

I was started on the pitocin. They said I was having mild contractions (I honestly didn't even feel them - so not really sure). Within maybe 10 minutes of being started on the drip, LO's heart rate started dropping.

They gave me oxygen, put in an internal monitor (so they could monitor her better) and put me on my left side. Her heart rate kept dropping with the very mild contractions which meant that she wouldn't have been able to handle the strong contractions to even get me fully dilated or for pushing.

They gave me an injection to try and stop the contractions, but they were wouldn't stop. From there I went on to have a csection. All overdue babies don't always need induction - sometimes they just need a little more time.

Being induced doesn't always mean a csection and not being induced doesn't always mean that you won't have a cesction. SIL#1 was induced with #1 due to high blood pressure and she didn't need a csection. She was also induced w/ #2, but from my understanding it wasn't out of medical necessity (more of the fact that it was her due date).

SIL#2's water broke a little after 38 weeks & was induced due to lack of contractions & went on to deliver vaginally.

I don't think the reasons your doctor listed will necessarily mean you'll need a csection. I've read so many stories where women have had the same as you & they've delivered vaginally. When labor happens, things can change very quickly & baby may not work his way down until you start having contractions.

 

[Giggs]

I'm going to be completely honest as you have asked... I was induced on the thursday evening, 4 x pessaries 6 hours after each other, multiple painful sweeps, waters broke after 4th pessary but I didnt progress further than 2cm so they started me on the drip, got to 10cm in 2 hours, pushed for 2ish hours then told I have an abnormal shaped birth canal and babies head is getting stuck, rushed to surgery as babies heart beat was dropping, tried forceps and the suction and ended with a c-section.

I was told by my specialist at around 37 weeks that more than likely I would end up with a failed induction and a emcs, I chose to ignore it and go ahead with a natural birth but still ended up having a section.

Looking back, I wish I'd chosen the section as soon as the 2nd pessary failed as my baby and body would have both gone through a lot less stress and I would have been able to lift my baby and enjoy her in the earlier weeks.

Just keep an open mind and listen to your doctors once the induction has started, they know what they are doing.

Good luck x

 

[babybaker2011]

I was 40+4 and went in to L&D around 10:30 p.m. because I didn't feel right. Since I was overdue, they had me stay to monitor the baby. I wasn't dilated at all and my cervix was high and soft. Within several hours, I was put on Pitocin. After being on Pitocin for almost 12 hours, I was only dilated 1 cm. Somewhere during this time, my baby decided to turn back to the transverse position. They increased the amount of Pitocin for another 10 hours or so and finally just decided to break my water (I was 40+5). 5 minutes after my waters had been broken, my baby's heart rate started to drop and the nurse discovered that I had a cord prolapse, which is why it ended in an emergency C-section and of course, my baby was transverse, so I really didn't have much of a choice.

 

[Nicolalove353]

I was induced at 39+4 because of gd. Started petocin drip in the morning, I was already 3cm and I think 80% effaced. The drip didn't do much until they broke my waters at 6 that evening. As soon as my waters broke, my contractions started. I'm not gonna lie, they were nothing like I had imagined. They hurt so bad and it made everything worse because I could barely get out of bed because of all the wires I was hooked up to. I finally got the epidural 4 hours in and I had only dilated to a 4. Once I got the epidural, everything was so much better! I could relax and sleep some. It was nice until my epidural disconnected and no one knew. I started feeling the contractions again for 2 hours until we finally figured out what happened. My first Dr was trying to scare me into getting a csection because I had gd and the baby could be really big and have shoulder displasia. I told him no and finally got another dr. I was dilating but my baby was not dropping. My new dr told me that he though my baby was face up and that he was too big to fit through my pelvis. He wanted to take me to csection then. My baby was not stressed so I asked to try for another hour and he let me. I was at 9cm and by the time the dr came back I went down to a 7-8cm and I agreed on a csection. Looking back it would have just been nice to do a csection off the bat but I am still glad I didn't. I didn't like the dr and didn't trust what he was telling me. My baby was face up which was why he was not dropping properly and what ended up causing me to have a section.

Try to go in with positive thoughts. Drs can't say for sure if you will need a section for sure. My gyno thought I would be able to deliver vaginally and I ended up needing a section. Try and talk to your gyno and ask all the questions you can. I would suggest if you get induced to get an epidural (just my opinion, everything is so much more intense. I so know many people that had an induction without an epidural). If you decide on an epidural, ask about what kind you are getting, will you be able to move your legs? My friend had one and could not move anything but I could move my legs and they just tingled. Talk to your dr about if you will be able to walk around at all once you are induced.

In the end, I was terrified about being induced and also getting an epidural. It was not fun to go through but I got through it and now have a beautiful baby. If it happens to you, you will get through it too go in with an open mind, nothing went the way I had hoped. If you plan on something happening a certain way and it doesn't, that will stress you out more! If my epidural had not disconnected and stopped working in the end, the induction would have not been that bad. Good luck and whatever happens you will do great!

 

[kmr1763]

Both my kids were waaay high when I got into hospital. DD was induced and not engaged at all when I went in. Regardless, it all went very smoothly and I was even able to do it without pain relief. I think it's good you want to be prepared for the scenario, but try to go in with a positive mindset! Massive congrats to you!

 

[CaptainMummy]

There is still plenty of time Hun. I was induced with both of my girls. With dd1, I went in at 41+3 and cervix was tightly closed, high and firm... It took 3 pessaries to get me started but once they broke my waters, things got going and after a 6hr labour, she was born naturally.
With dd2, I went for a midwife appointment at 40+3 and she couldn't do a sweep as cervix was again closed and too high... Went in at 41+4 and cervix was 1cm but very soft. Got a sweep and one dose of gel just before I went to sleep and went into labour in the morning. Labour was less than 2hrs and got a water birth!

Things can change so quickly!

Oh, neither of my girls were ever engaged until the very end too

 

[supertabby]

As others have said things can change quickly however...

First of all make sure they are monitoring that high BP as it can be related to pre-eclampsia. Familiarise yourself with the symptoms and go straight to hospital if you get any. It's probably not pre-e but I had pre-e and HELLP (a related condition) so get a bit worried about other pregnant mamas!

I had an induction when I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, I was 41 weeks but not engaged or dilated at all. After 14 hours and 2 pessaries my blood tests revealed the HELLP Syndrome which is very serious (and very rare), my induction had progressed absolutely nowhere so they took me to theatre for a section. Because of the HELLP Syndrome I wasn't allowed a spinal so had a general.

I've since had a planned section that I was awake for. I was very nervous but it really was much easier than I expected. I had a spinal, I had to sit in a slightly hunched position while it was done. There were two scratches no more painful than a blood test and then pressure that was like a thumb being pushed against my back quite strongly. Then my legs went numb. My son was born very quickly and hubby got to hold him virtually straight away. Then the stitching back up took about 45 mins but we were just concentrating on our baby. I didn't feel any pain but could feel sensation - it was like the stronger kicks when baby is inside you. I thought that bit would be too weird but it was fine.

I felt a bit nauseous early on because my BP was dropping but that's common and when I told the anesthetist she adjusted the IV and the nausea went in a couple of minutes. Apart from that I felt fine and was making jokes during the surgery!

 

[JenX]

My induction took a couple of days and eventually ended in C-section. I had two failed epidurals and a failed spinal block, was finally put under general. It was horrid, but if it makes you feel any better, the details of it are already pretty fuzzy and it was only 11 months ago. You'll be fine in the end.

 

[Sinead82]

I was induced at term with pre-eclampsia and was warned that it would most likely end in a section and it did. I had 2 pessaries 6 hours apart on day 1, then a third on day 2. I was free to wander round the hospital and I did to try and get things moving, however I didn't even dilate a fingertip and on the 3rd day I was taken for a section. It's really ok, everyone was so nice, the whole procedure was explained and everything was very laid back. (Well as it could be!) I was told afterwards that lo was never going to come on her own (even though she was fully engaged) and I am now so thankful I didn't go into labour as I would have had a labour and then an emcs.

Hopefully you will not need a section, but if you do it's really not that bad, and as good as an elective section really. I got a full nights sleep before hand which was another bonus I wouldn't have got if I'd went into labour x

 

[MrsPear]

I was induced at 40+12 with a pessary and had progressed to active labour 12 hours later. Next, I had an epidural (at my choice) and things slowed down. I was in active labour 20 hours with all the drips etc as high as they can go, but I never fully dilated and LO got stuck in a 'malposition' (or something, I wasn't really fully listening at that point...) and she couldn't descend any further and her head was stopping my cervix dilating, so I had an EMCS.

It wasn't ideal because I was so tired after being induced 10:00am on Sunday and not giving birth until nearly 10:00pm on Monday night and in so much pain because the epidural did not work. BUT in a way it was a positive experience. After all, my baby was fine and never distressed throughout, and after the EMCS I made a good recovery although I lost a lot of blood and was quite weak.

I'm keen to avoid that situation again, but I feel quite philosophical. It just is what it is. Since there were no life-threatening complications, and I ended the night with a baby in my arms, and the staff were very caring and reassuring, I felt very positive about it afterwards. My scar healed fine and I'd like a VBAC this time but even if the same thing happened again, I know it'd be okay.

Good luck with everything.

xx

 

[Equreuil]

When I developed high BP I was told to expect induction because they like to be able to control the situation from the start, but that a vaginal delivery wasn't off the table.

I was induced at 38 weeks, after weeks of monitoring because protein started to spill into my urine. They started with a pessary, which I did not react well to, so they removed it early, let me get some sleep and then started IV pitocin. Meanwhile, they were also giving me something to try and lower my BP, also by IV (I felt like a science experiment).

I got an epidural early on, so I was pretty much out of it by the time they decided normal labor wasn't working. But basically, my BP was fluctuating too much and causing worries. But it was going to be a non-emergency section. They had time to let my husband get suited up and go prep the OR.

And then once they had me moved and hooked back up, the baby's heart rate had dropped drastically during the move and they kicked it into high gear. It was so fast they didn't have time to get my husband who was waiting outside for them to get me situated.

In the end, the worst of it was the recovery, afterwards. I was so spaced out coming off the epidural and all that I couldn't register anything. and then the pain afterwards. Getting in and out of bed to take care of the newborn was rough.