positive induction experiences.........please!

[dandycandyjellybean]

After planning a home birth which was scuppered by my b/p going up, I'm now facing induction on Wednesday (40+12). My midwife came out today to check my b/p and have a final attempt at a sweep but it's all as tight as a drum up there!!! (sorry if tmi!!) Looks like my dates are right after all - according to me he's not due till tomorrow anyway, but they won't let me go any later than Wednesday...I'm really disappointed that the one and only pregnancy i'll every have, that i've waited such a long time for (17 years!) will have to be very clinical and interventionist, but trying very hard to put a brave face on it and dwell on the positive i.e. by the end of the week I will definitely have my lovely baby boy in my arms at long last! Hence, I'm looking for some positive feedback / stories about others who have had inductions which did not end up in terribly traumatic births, as this is all I seem to read about when it comes to induction. Can it ever be good?

[hunkerpumpkin]

You don't need to be induced if you don't want to be. When you say they won't let you go longer than Wednesday, have they given you reasons why? Is it solely date-related?

If you are sure of your dates, perhaps you could ask them to monitor you for an extra week? When do you think you're due?

[SueW]

hp is right, you don't have to agree to anything.

It's as tight as a drum now but that doesn't mean it will be on Wednesday, or even tomorrow. Relax, think positive thoughts about how you want to meet your baby and have a look at your life to see if there's any unfinished business that might be stopping you psychologically as some people believe this can hinder things.

[Gobbledispook]

Like you cubby, I was booked in for induction with ds3 last August. I wasn't happy about it as by my dates he would only have been 2 days OD and I was 100% certain of my dates (I was planning the pg so knew when my LMP was). As the date of induction drew nearer I voiced my concerns and the midwife said noone could make me do it but I'd need a consultation with the consultant and I would have daily monitoring. The drawback of this would have been that I'd have lost my 'domino' birth (one of my own community midwives would deliver me and I could go home a few hours after birth). As it was, I went into spontaneous labour before the meeting with the consultant so all was well in the end.

However, I did have an induction with ds1 (y'know, whey you daren't argue with the 'experts' ) and actually, it wasn't bad at all. I went in at about 8am, induction by ARM and syntocin drip started about 11am, epidural after lunch and delivered at 8.37pm. The experience was honestly fine and I felt happy with my birth. I did have ventouse though which I'm sure was down to the fact that with an epidural in I couldn't really push that effectively - I wasn't in the best position either because of the epidural. But at the end of the day, both the baby and I were safe.

OTOH, I'm sooo glad my 2nd and 3rd births were natural and I didn't have pain relief (ok, few puffs of air at the end) - they were fantastic but also quick which helped!

So I guess what I'm saying is, obviously take their advice seriously but if you are certain of your dates, don't be pushed into induction if you don't want that. Many women don't go into spontaneous labour until up to 43 weeks. But do go for the extra monitoring just in case. And, if you do end up with induction, although it's not what you'd like ideally, I can honestly say my experience was not a bad one and I still enjoyed the birth.

Good luck!

[MamaG]

Agree with hunkerpumpkin, but if you do need to be induced try not to worry. I was induced with both of mine and think that both experiences were very positive, just slow.

With first baby, I had an epidural as it went on for so long, but it was not traumatic at all.

With second baby, I had no pain relief (not thru choice!! wanted an epi but DS was in too much of a hurry and I don't like gas & air).

Neither of my births was traumatic, apart from being induced they were very straightfoward.

Hopefully yours will be too!

[Coathanger]

I agree with Hunker and SueW, Cubby, things can change very quickly.

But if (and I mean "if") it comes to induction, it isn't all bad. I had 2 inductions using the gel pessaries and they were both beautiful experiences. They were both straight forward and I had no intervention at all. My first was with DS1 and I was in labour for 9 hours, and I had gas and air and pethadine. My other induction was with DS3 and I had no pain relief at all. I had very positive experiences of induction, so all is not lost. Just keep a positive outlook and as you said yourself, just focus on the fact you will have that beautiful baby boy in your arms very soon.

I really do hope things happen naturlly for you, there is still a lot of time, but if it comes to induction, it isn't all doom and gloom.

Good luck whichever route things go. Lots of love XXXX

[MamaG]

Forgot to say, with second baby I begged my midwife to get me in sooner for an indcution at 40+7 as I was so fed up of waiting! So it can't have been so bad with the first....

[SerahScarer]

Yes, it is good Cubby as at the end of it, you are right.... you get a beautiful baby in your arms at long last!

[dandycandyjellybean]

Thanks to all who've helped to put my mind at rest. My blood pressure has been an issue for the last couple of weeks, hence the early talk of induction (they wanted to induce him the day he was due by their dates, but I've managed to keep them at bay until 40+12! although according to me he's not due until today anyway, but they won't take any notice of that!!!). My b/p never materialised into anything more sinister, seems to have settled to about 130 or 140/90 when I'm at home and relaxed. So I have resigned myself to the idea of induction, hence the desire to get a bit of positive reassurance under my belt before the big day. Any other positive feedback would be most welcome! And thanks again.