Please share good stories about being induced

[Babushka]

Hi all, I'm being induced this evening and I'm really scared as I am a FTM. Could anyone kindly share positive stories about being induced to help ease my anxiety?

 

[staralfur]

How are they inducing you?

 

[Babushka]

How are they inducing you?

Starting off with the gel. The MW I saw the other day seems to think that they should be able to break my waters after the first lot as I'm already a bit dilated. I really wish my waters would break on their own, I'm not keen on them up there with a hook!

 

[staralfur]

I was induced with the gel also and it went wonderfully! I was 1cm dilated when they gave me the first insertion and I started having contractions right away. They let me go home and I laboured there for 12 hours before heading back. I was 5cm when I got to the hospital and they broke my water. Sat in the shower for a couple of hours and was 7cm when I got out. Had some gas & air until I was fully dilated and then pushed for about an hour! It all went really smoothly.

Are they letting you go home after they put the gel in?

 

[Babushka]

You were lucky being allowed home. Unfortunately in Australia they won't let you go home which is really annoying as we live only 5 mins from the hospital. I might ask again tonight if nothing much is happening, nothing beats being at home

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

I was induced at 40+6 when the NST showed an irregularity with the baby's heartbeat. A doctor inserted a dose of Cervidil (which I think is similar to the gel) around 5:30 PM on Tuesday when I was 2cm. It started some pretty intense contractions for me that were coming every 1-2 minutes and lasting 40 seconds. Thankfully the OB on call at the hospital for my medical provider was amazing, and gave the okay for me to get the epidural when I asked for it so I could rest up. I lasted until 2:15 AM - the epidural was woooooonderful! Felt nothing after 10 minutes, no pain or side effects from getting it, and I could still move my lower body. It just took away the pain! I ended up sleeping on and off until about 8 AM. Around 5:30 AM they removed the Cervidil and found out it had been enough to push me to 5cm and into active labor! They let my body do it's thing until about 10 AM, when I was 8cm and 90 effaced. The OB decided to introduce a small dose of pitocin to help me get to the finish line while I was still rested and ready to go, and also broke my water. By 2 PM I was ready to push, and she was out by 3 PM.

I had been against getting induced because I wanted to let my body decide when it was ready, but after everything I LOVED my birth experience and would do it again in a heartbeat! The OB and nurses were a key part of my positive experience, and I'm still so very grateful that they worked with me to do their best to not do any unnecessary interventions (including fudging the numbers when I was 10cm but still had a lip to finish effacing so I had longer to push). And once I had the epidural I didn't feel any pain or discomfort, and just a little bit of pressure when it came time to push.

I hope everything goes well for you! Try to relax and let your body do what it has to do. Be open to options, and don't be afraid to ask questions if you're not sure why they are doing something! It's so worth it in the end, and the feeling afterward, especially when you're holding your baby in your arms... it's truly an amazing experience. Good luck!

 

[staralfur]

You were lucky being allowed home. Unfortunately in Australia they won't let you go home which is really annoying as we live only 5 mins from the hospital. I might ask again tonight if nothing much is happening, nothing beats being at home

Aww. Well either way, I recommend getting in the shower! Good luck!

 

[mhazzab]

I was induced by just breaking my waters with the hook, as I was favourable, as they put it! Anyway, I was a bit nervous as Im really not comfy with people going up 'there' lol but she told me to take a shot of the gas and air when she started, she was poking around for a while as my cervix was a bit squint, but honestly I never felt any pain. I was too busy laughing my head off...

Contractions picked up fairly quickly and baby was in my arms less than five hours later.
Good luck, just try to stay calm and relax as much as possible. I found focusing on something helped (I'd taken a pink and blue bunny as motivation, as we didn't know the sex and it was driving me nuts!)
It will all be over very soon and you will have your beautiful baby to cuddle x

ETA oops just realised you are in Australia so it's probably already started hope it went ok x

 

[lily28]

My biggest fear was being induced. I was so into natural childbirth and prepared for it so well, with hypnobirthing and all, that I couldn't even think the possibility of an induction.

Of course life is unpredictable and I was induced a week overdue (41+1) and gave birth vaginally without pain relief to a healthy baby boy (3,700 grams).

I was induced first with the pessary (worked but not too well), than pitocin (same, worked but not well) and breaking my waters with the hook . After my waters broke I gave birth within 30 min.

I had 4-5 painful contractions, and 4-5 pushes and out he came! It was so fast!

Pessary and pitocin supposedly cause a very painful labor, but I thought it was very cool, nothing too painful, more like painful gas, or irritable bowel syndrome. I was talking, joking, laughing the entire time, even flirted with a few cute interns
Thus I didn't ask for epidural, or any other pain relief, not even paracetamol.

Only those last 30 min were tough, but as it was so brief I didn't mind one bit. All I was thinking was to push my baby out and get over this.

I was up walking, took a shower on my own, organized our clothes, breastfed etc 3 h later.

 

[MiniKiwi]

I was induced after I went into labour naturally but failed to progress. First the MW broke my waters which didn't help and then I had a syntocin/pitocin drip. It definitely sped things up and I had a wonderful birth experience

I agree with staying in the shower as long as possible and at least if you're at the hospital the hot water can't run out! You will be totally fine hun but I was terrified of being induced as well. All that worry for nothing! Good luck

 

[Lady H]

Induced at 11am with a pessary, was 2cm at that point. Started to feel contractions around 12 and had paracetamol at 16.30 and was 3-4cm. At 17.30 suddenly went to 7cm, 10cm and baby out at 20.50. Hubby nearly missed it as I'd sent him home lunch time thinking it would be ages! It was quick with active labour at three hours, but I'd rather that than hours and hours of pain. I didn't need anything more than the one pessary. You'll be great, I was amazed at what I could do as I'm a complete wimp but I did it on gas and air.