Induction tomorrow -what were your experiences?

[MrsJones1986]

So, at 11 days overdue and 3 failed sweeps I am being induced tomorrow. I am slightly disappointed and anxious as I had my heart set on a birth centre but I'm trying to remain focused and I'm getting my head around it.

Anyone got and first hand experience of induction that they would like to share?

This is my first baby and I'm currently 2cm dilated and 50-60% effaced. Had lots of cramps throughout today. Hoping it's not going to take too long to get things started.

 

[dollyminxture]

I wasn't induced but good luck

 

[Lil_Pixie]

I was induced with my son at 41+3

They broke my waters at 8 am and left me an hour to see if things would get going on their own and then put me on a drip. I think they did something wrong though because all my hand swelled up and I couldn't bend my fingers but my contractions never really got going. I found being hooked up to all the monitors very frustrating - especially since I had a water infection and wanted to pee every 30 mins the midwives were lovely though, they put the radio on and turned out the lights and I had a nap. It wasn't a stressful experience at all, but in my experience it wasn't at all successful.

They left me on the drip for 8 hours but I went down for an emcs at 6pm.

I think my trouble was due to my son not being engaged and he was 9lb 15 oz which at 4ft 11 was a bit of a chunk

Best of luck, I hope it all goes smoothly for you x

 

[Iren_iren]

No experience, but good luck, hope it will smoothly for you xx

 

[cl2010]

I was induced with my lil girl i went in on thursday 8am mrn.dey give me a pessery i didnt have my lil girl untill the sunday 7.03am they kept saying they would break my waters and didnt

 

[diz]

If you really want a birthing centre, how come you're being induced hun? Can you not just ask to be monitored? You're not 14 days over yet therefore unless there is good reason to, they could still leave you alone for a bit longer xx

 

[gemstone]

I have been induced 3 times over. All was fine no intervention. Good luck hunny

 

[Embo78]

I've been induced three times. The first time was with my second child at 40+12. Like you I was very favourable for induction. They put some gel near my cervix at 7.30am and by 11am she was in my arms. No other "help" apart from the gel.
Second I had the first gel, went for a long walk, got back to the ward and my waters literally BURST!!! Gave birth the next morning with no other interventions.
Third was a NIGHTMARE!!! Went in on the Friday morning (40+2) had first gel put in at 11am. Monitored and then more every six hours. On the Sunday night I'd progressed by half a cm so went to birth suite to have my waters broken. Left for a couple of hours to see if I'd start contracting by myself. I didn't so I had to have the drip. Couldn't deal with the pain after three previous, natural births. The pain felt so much worse to me ended up with an epi which I really didn't want but turned out to be a great decision because they had to keep taking blood from his scalp to check his oxygen levels. Gave birth at 11am Monday. So three days from start to finish. I must add though that he wasn't reading to come. My cervix was really unfavourable. I think that's why I had so many problems

 

[lau86]

I was induced at 42 weeks with my first, but I believe I was having some contractions by myself too. I had the pessary at about 11am and another at about 5. He was born at 11pm that night. I didn't have a great experience but to me that was down to the treatment I had from the midwives (think I went quickly for a first baby induction and they didn't believe I was in labour). Good luck you'll be fine x

 

[Buttercup84]

I've been induced post dates twice at 11 and 13 days over. With my first I was very unfavourable and I needed the gel, waters manually broken and then a drip to put me into labour. I progressed well on the drip but opted for the epidural as it was very intense (contractions very strong and close together quickly with not much build up) Whole process took about 30 hours but I was only in active labour for 8. second labour I was more favourable but they wanted to still use the gels first as it would give me more chance of a labour similar to a natural one. I had 2 gels and the second put me into labour, waters broke on their own and I didn't need the drip at all. This time induction took about 18 hours, recorded labour was 2 hours but that was from when I was moved to delivery suite. No time for pain relief other than gas and air which I wasn't keen on.
Good luck, I'm sure you'll be just fine

 

[Blu10]

No experience but good luck x

 

[mrs_sasquatch]

I don't have any experience, but wanted to wish you good luck! Mine is two weeks from Thursday if she doesn't arrive sooner, so I look forward to hearing your experience.

 

[loeylo]

My story is a bit different, I was induced at 40+1 due to a history of reduced movements.

I went to hospital at 8am, was put on monitors then waited around for a bit before being examined and I had the pessary inserted. It was a lovely day so we were allowed to walk around the hospital and grounds, I was a bit cheeky and we went to the burger van about a 5 minute drive away for lunch at 12pm and I wa having really painful cramps by then, we went straight back to hospital and I had paracetamol which didn't even touch the pain, I had dihydrocodiene which made me sick. At this point (about 2pm) a student midwife was sent to feel my stomach for 10 mins to see if I was contracting, I was having 3 moderate and 4 strong contractions in 10 minutes. They gave me gas and air which helped loads until it got too bad again, by this point I was over interacting (7in 10 mins lasting between 15 seconds and 2 minutes each) - I was only 2cm so they ended up putting me on a monitor an I had a c section due to fetal distress.

 

[LilyInk]

I was induced with my first at 41 weeks due to high blood pressure. I can't say it was a very enjoyable experience once on the drip but I believe it wasn't too bad either. I went into hospital on the MOnday and had gel on the MOnday afternoon, Tuesday morning and again Tuesday afternoon and it didn't work. I ended up with a Cook's catheter on the Tuesday night and that was the worse ordeal putting that in. At 6am Wednesday morning they managed to break my waters and left me for an hour to see what would happen. No contractions started so I was put on the drip. This was by far the worst part. The drip meant contractions came one after the other with absolutely no break. I went for 4 hours like this before my husband demanded an epidural for me as he could see I wasn't coping. After the epidural I managed some relief and a few hours of contractions without pain!!!

I had my beautiful boy at 7:13pm. So after three days of induction, labour and contractions I finally got to hold my boy. Was worth it in the end having my boy in my arms.

I think everyone's experience is different and if you can avoid the drip it's not too bad.

I wish you every luck and hope you get to hold your little one in your arms soon!!

 

[meg_bellamy]

Good luck! I'll be induced next Wednesday if nothing happens before then

 

[Iren_iren]

Hope your induction is going/went well
Please keep us updated when you can xx

 

[stormcloud96]

While I don't have personal experience, and am hoping not to, as I've had shortened cervix, but also have GD, so could go either way for me. My sister had GD with her first, and she was induced at 37 weeks. She got the epidural (as others have said since your body may not have time to build up and just jumps in you may have to be open to stronger pain management than you initially wanted), but she said it was fine, took 15 hours from start to finish and they told her when to push. She was healed quickly, 3 weeks. I hope it goes just as well for you!

 

[Qmama79]

I like that many seem to have a "soft" induction. I was put on Pitocin straight away and within 2 hours I was having strong contractions every 2 minutes. I was 2 cm!! Needless to say it was terrible! Epidural saved it fr me, but it was so strong I cld not push effectively. LO was pulled out with forceps when he became distressed.

The induction with pessarium seems a lot more gentle and brings on real labour. I might be wrong. Mine felt completely 'nurse controlled' - water broke at 36 weeks, but no labour followed.