induction tomorrow

[angnz]

Hi all. This is my first time to chat on this website. I am 9 days overdue with my first baby and despite my best efforts (I have tried all the old wives tales and I have had stern words with the baby), nothing has started me off. I am booked to go into hospital tomorrow night for the start of induction and I was just wondering how other people found the experience. Am I in for a long wait or does it happen quite quickly? I have heard that the contractions are much more painful if they use an oxytocin drip. Will I have to have an epidural? I am quite nervous and would be grateful for any advice and to hear others experiences. I keep telling the baby that s/he only has 24 hours until eviction day. Hope something happens in the next 24 hrs.

[ponygirl]

Hi angnz. I was induced with my third at 12 days over. The midwife said I would need two pessaries ("everyone does") but I got going within two hours of the first. I have had the oxytocin drip and it can speed things up: I'm not sure whether it ultimately makes it more painful or whether the fact that the build-up of the contractions is quicker makes it feel like it! You won't necessarily need an epidural, though I had them all three times and would quite happily have married all three anaesthetists at the time!

Have you had any signs of being ready? More regular Braxton Hicks, cramps, diahorrea? If so, go for a good walk if you can face it, that helped me with no 2. Good luck! Hope it goes the way you want it too!

[ponygirl]

Btw, meant to say, you don't have to be induced if you don't want to be.

[usandbump]

Hello there

My sister had an induction at 35 wks due to pre-ecl and it all happened very quickly. She did have an epidural and was strongly advised to do so because they said induction causes everything to happen much faster and can therefore be more painful. Her birth experience (her first) was great (I was lucky enough to be there!) and I think this was due to the fantastic midwives she had.
I hope everything starts naturally for you but if not try not to worry you are very soon going to meet your baby! Will be thinking of you

[SPARKLER1]

Hi - no experience with induction but just wanted to wish you all the best for tomorrow.

[SorenLorensen]

Hi angnz, I was induced with my first. I was given a pessary and was lucky that it started me off just about straight away. It was pretty intense - but, on the plus side, that meant I was not as tired as if I had laboured for hours/days. I just had gas and air, then pethidine when they broke my waters manually. I had the pessary at 2pm, ds1 was born just before midnight.

I hope things happen naturally for you - it's perfectly understandable that you're nervous: everyone is with their first baby (with any baby, I reckon) no matter how labour starts. Best of luck.

[cupcakes]

Good luck for tomorrow. I was induced with 2 pessaries with my first. I was 38 weeks and induced because of high blood pressure. Unfortunately it didn't go well and I had to have an emergency c-section. I really believe this was because I wasn't due yet and ds wasn't ready to come out! The only way I would consider another induction is if I was overdue like you.
It was more painful (I had a normal delivery with dd so can compare) and that was probably because the pain came on pretty quickly. I would definitely prepare yourself for an epidural. Sorry.
Hopefully though, this time tomorrow you might be holding your baby! What time are you due in?

[TuttiFrutti]

I was induced last year at 11 days overdue and it started really quickly. Within half an hour of having the gel put on my cervix I was having strong contractions 2 minutes apart. The midwives told me nothing would happen the first night (I was induced at 9pm). This is not necessarily true!

If you have the syntocinon drip, as I did, I strongly recommend an epidural because the contractions were stronger than I could bear. Of course everyone's body, and pain threshold, is different but most people I know who have had the drip have had an epidural at the same time or shortly afterwards.

I eventually had a C-section, but this was nothing to do with being induced. I have several friends who have given birth naturally - and quickly - after being induced. I think it just depends how "ready" your body is. Good luck Angnz, and let us know how it goes!

[pepperrabbit]

Hi, I was induced with DS, pessary at 8.30pm, contractions by 11pm, waters broke at 1am (I was in the loo at the time and didn't realise....).I had to have pethidine at about 4am and delivered just after midday in the end, naturally. I had nothing to compare it to but yes, it was very intense. I'd tend to agree with the comment about the baby just not quite being ready to come out - I was 7 days late but had GD. I had an epidural afterwards actually because I didn't deliver the placenta - and it was just the most fabulous thing! Didn't feel any of the malarky in theatre, and to this day could tell you nothing about my stitches - definitly asking for one on the way in this time round

[Calista]

Hi, good luck for tomorrow! I'm sure everything will go fine

I was due to be induced with my second baby but went into labour the night before and gave birth to him on the day I would have been induced at 10 days overdue. So there is still time yet, I think the worry can sometimes affect you and make you go into labour on your own. Fingers crossed X

On another note, I have several friends who went in to be induced in the morning and were sent home until the next day because the labour ward was too busy. So you may have extra time for that reason too.

I look forward to seeing your baby's birth announcement in the next few days!

[tribpot]

Best of luck to you! Another one backing the "syntocinon goes best with epidural" theory; because I was partially dilated (as you may be?) they went straight to breaking the water, but things didn't progress fast enough (I had pre-eclampsia) so they advised syntocinon. My advice to everyone now is: insist on the epidural before they start with that.

I'm sure you'll do brilliantly, looking forward to your birth announcement soon!

[PeachyClair]

Good luck for tomorrow. Was induced at 38 weeks with my first and it wasn't much different to the other two labours, both spontaneous. Didn't get an epidural with any. (Notice get not ask for!) ).I was told it would take 4 days took about 18 hours! And that included several more hours for labour to start anyhow.

This time tomorow you could be with your baby. Wow!

[Frizbetheexpansionset]

Sorry no personal experience, but feel free to join us on the Due in Feb thread, as some of the girls on there have!

[bubblepop]

hi angnz. gotta agree with tuttifutti here, it could all happen quite quickly if your body is ready,they said to me 'your baby won't be born tonight my dear', and i had him 3.5 hours later. good luck, hope all goes well.

[coppertop]

Good luck for tomorrow.

I've had 2 inductions and both were pretty positive experiences. I was wary of having an epidural the first time around as I'd heard so many bad things about them. Eventually I gave in and it was bliss! Second time around I went straight for the epidural option.

My only real advice would be to ask for pain relief as soon as you think you might need it. Sometimes there's a bit of a wait so it's best to get your request in sooner rather than later.

[Squarer]

I was induced at 40+14 and baby arrived late 40+15. Don't panic! I didn't start labour til 2 and a quarter hours previously Two pessaries and it finally took my waters being broken for anything to start.

Keep an open mind - all inductions are different, just as natural births are. Be prepared to go with the flow - and sound advice from Coppertop re pain relief if you feel like you might need it. Get your request in!

Good luck!

[Nemo1977]

good luck for tommorow. I was induced with both my children and it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. How long it takes completely depends on how ready your body is. AS for being more painful I dont know as both were induced [DS at 40+14 and he arrived at 14+15 with no pains until 90mins before he was born.]
DD was induced at 39+6 and was born at 40wks exactly with 17hrs of pains but 8hrs of established labour.

[angnz]

Thanks to all for the advice. It is really good to hear other peoples experiences. I don't have to go in until tonight but at this stage still nothing more the strong braxton hicks so I think I will end up being induced. Who knows maybe they won't have a bed for me tonight. I will let you all know how it goes and thanks again for the advice. I am very excited!!!

[cupcakes]

Wondering how things went. Let us know!

[usandbump]

I've been thinking about you too!

[Hulababy]

Fingers crossed for a quick delivery

[JO29]

hi
i have had 2 babies now 3 and a half and 11 months old, both boys were induced as i had gone over my dates. 1st born 10 days over the other 11 days over. Found being induced ok, though labour was very quick and intense. 1st was 7 hours 2nd was 6 hours. The hardest part was being in hospital so long before any 'action' started!

[angnz]

Thanks to you all for the ideas last week. I can finally sit down again which is good news so I thought I would write.
When I got to the hospital on Saturday night they discovered that I was already having contractions 2-3 minutes apart (heres me thinking they were strong braxton hicks!!) They kept me in and by the morning I was 2cm. Unfortunately progress was slow. Waters broke Sun night and there was a lot of merconium but little progress. To cut a long story short I ended up having syntocin and luckily by Mon morn was fully dilated. The baby was quite distressed so we had a forceps delivery with a large episiotomy (hence the sitting problems). My fantastic daughter Zara Joy was born at 11:11am on 20th and we are now having a fabulous time getting to know her. I can hear her stirring so thats all for now but thanks for the advice.