Mumsnet members get a 10% discount from Boden (including free returns and free delivery), The White Company, sweaty Betty, Luxury Family Hotels, JoJo Maman Bebe, Siblu, Blooming Marvellous, GLTC, Bump to 3 (the official online shop for Grobags) and more. Click here for more info Join mumsnet here.
I am 36 weeks pregnant with acute SPD so have been booked for an early induction in just two short weeks. Whilst this has given me the hope and perspective I was rapidly losing, I had a 'long talk' with the mw today at my check-up and she stressed that early inductions often end up in C-sections.
She outlined the process of being induced, (which the registrar forgot)so at least I have a vague idea of what is supposed to happen, and if I end up in theatre, so be it. But I was hoping that I'd be able to garner some stories of early inductions from the wonderful mnetters, who thus far have been a mine of information, and advice that might help avoid the dreaded c-section....
I was induced at 38 weeks (high blood pressure) and it was wonderful. I was brought in on a Friday night for a 12 hour round of prostiglandin. In the morning the checked me and saw that my cervix was nice a soft so they broke my water and hooked me up to a drip this was about 8:00 am. I didn't feel any contractions for about 6 hours. Then it was crazy. I was checked at 5pm and was at 4 cm. They thought I was going to be in until Sunday before I had the baby. Well at about 6:00 pm Saturday they checked me, because I started throwing up and was in a lot of pain and there was talk of an epidural. Well, I was 10cm. Ds1 was born at 8:12pm Saturday night. No epidural or other pain relief required
My midwife was great and increased the pitocin drip every so often and I can honestly say that there wasn't anything different with my induction than with my natural labor with ds2.
I had an induction at 41 weeks (so late) and had C-sec. But, don't stress! Am sure you have every chance of normal birth. Just wanting to give you balanced view. C-sec was actually fine too(even though really didn't want it)x
I was 39 wks, had one dose of the "gel" which started contractions, had waters broken about 6 hrs later to speed them up, then went into proper labour shortly after - then pushed for abotu 15 mins and out she popped!
It wasn't that different from my first which was spontaneous, except that it didn't involve a night time trip to the hospital (and the accompanying uncertainty) and flooding the car with waters etc.
I had an induction at 39 weeks for ds2 ten days ago. Wonderful experience. Here's why.
No crazy rush to the hospital. In fact, I took the bus. Was able to arrange child care for ds1 ahead of time. Relaxed beforehand with dh, had time to talk and focus, etc, in a nice room of our own at the hospital.
The actual experience (on the private ward of an NHS hospital, consultant led)... Two courses of prostaglandin. Had period-like pains after the first one. Dilated very quickly after the second prostaglandin ... labor lasted an hour and a half. The consultant was great, it did make a big difference that I knew ahead of time who would be delivering the baby and that he honored my birth plan.
I managed to get the epidural, which I had requested specifically ahead of time (didn't want gas and air, or pethidine/ morphine), went from 4 cm to 8 cm in a hour.
End result -- Natural delivery, no tearing, pushed baby out in 15 min. Partial epidural made it possible to joke as the baby was coming out. All in all, a beautiful experience.
I forgot to add .. I had acupuncture twice in the weeks preceding the induction, also saw an osteopath ahead of time. I believe both of those treatments helped my body get ready.
Mine was fine - although my waters had gone, perhaps I was more or less ready anyway. But I just needed prostin and had a fast, natural labour after that, ten minutes pushing, small internal grazing due to little tinker's hand being over her face - otherwise would've had nothing! I had a friend recently who had a 37w induction, drip, epidural from early stage, nice and easy (although this was her #2 which maybe helped).
