Induction planned on wedensday- panic now setting in....

[millysimmons]

Think I've just got myself panicky today but am worried about induction not working. had a sweep on thursday & my cervix wasnt favourable.... having another one this afternoon & dreading that nothing will have changed. Been talking to my MW on phone this morning & she asked how many doses they where planning on giving me before moving to a secction..... at one point I was OK & quite keen for section, not now. Want nice easy birth & to come home- hate hospitals!!
Have tried most other methods to get things going, does anyone have any positive induction experiences & ways to prepare??

[mosschops30]

milly why are they talking about a section? are there underlying problems (sorry dont know your situation).

I had 3 sweeps to no effect then was induced at 40+15. It was a good experience, only took one pessary to get me started and the whole thing only lasted 7 hours which was preferable to dd (who took 25 hours).

Good luck, you will be fine whatever happens, and you will have a beautiful baby too

[millysimmons]

Thats encouragaging, so many people have told me induction makes for longer labour.
Section is due to having severe SPD & not being mobile, been bed bound for about 2-3 months, in wheelchair etc. Also baby is large & there is concern over my ability to deliver & mobilise etc. There is a little concern over a long labour that looks compliated putting permenant damage on pelvis.
I've had a rela u-turn in my thinking & really want to have a VB now!!

[mosschops30]

i suffered with spd but not on the scale you seem to have endured .
I heard lots of horror stories about induction, but there are horror stories about every kind of delivery and also lots of good ones.
Mobility wise, sorry but i am a lie on the bed in labour type of person, I am in far too much pain to be sitting on a bloody fit-ball , and i like plenty of pethidine which does not bode well for movement.

I would say just give it a try, birth is very unpredictable no matter whenther youve have 1 or 6 babies, each is different.

Will be thinking of you, let us know how you got on when you feel up to it

[katyjo]

Hi Milly, I was induced and had a really good birth experience! I was only in labour for about 4 hours only used gas and air and a tens machine. In some ways I think induction helps, because you know you are going into labour and you can prepare yourself mentally. I was really scared by the idea of labour before birth and the idea of a c-section really appealed, but by the time the birth came I was so fed up I just wanted to get it over with (I am sure you'll be that way too!)
Labour is not as scary as people make it out to be, you become very focused on your baby, breathing gas and air and listening to the midwife. Don't listen to scary birth stories, you'll be fine I would definately recommend a tens machine I think having it on in very early labour really helps.
Hope things happen soon for you, it is such an exciting time. XXX
P.s. I second the hospital thing, I wish I had, had the courage to leave earlier (not bad or anything)I didn't get much sleep, having a new baby next to you is such a huge responsibility, and I just loved looking at him!! Go home and let dh take some of the responsibility from your shoulders. Big hugs for You X

[katyjo]

I meant to say, I was keen on idea of c-section because I was worried about the effect on my 'bits' , but despite having stiches (2nd degree tear) I felt much better than I thought I would. I never had problems sitting, and my sex life was back to normal after 4 weeks (well as normal as it can be with a 4 week old baby).

[katyjo]

Sorry just read your update, I was told I was having a big baby, he was 8lb 1oz, so not that big!

[lilymolly]

Hi I was induced at 14 days over with pessary which caused waters to break and contractions to start but they later stopped and I had syntocin drip which made me "ILL" but whole thing lasted 7 hours and was ok, BUT i did have an epidural!!
I have heard the drip makes your contractions very painful, but I was numb from the boobs down so felt nothing, which was a good thing as I had episiotomy and stiches ouch x

[sct]

Hi
Very similar to Katyjo - i was induced because of big baby (actually he wasnt was me that was big could have told them that actually...) was pretty easy enjoyable labour actually. Having waters broken was not the most fun ive ever had, needed a bit of gas and air for that bit - but after that really quick (3hours) and manageable. i realise you have mobility problems, but if you can be at least vertical for some of the time - i just kept moving even though i wanted to lie down - seems to speed things up. And i saw a homeopath for various things to use during labour - really seemed to help - and gave me and dh something to do! good luck x

[BlueberryPancake]

Hi,
All inductions are different - mine wasn't a good experience, and ended up in a C section, but there are lots of stories about very successful inductions.

I would say, read as much as possible about it beforehand, ask your midwife what the 'procedure' is at the hospital (some will, for example, have a 'policy' of breaking your waters when you reach 3 cm, or will have a max of three sweeps beforehand, etc) so you won't have any surprises.

Also, if you want to think about an epidural nobody will judge you because of it. A lot of studies show that induced labour can increase the strenght of the contractions. Make sure you tell them from the start that if you can't handle the pain you will ask for an epi, they will be prepared and so will you. At my hospital, they even gave me an appointment with an anasthetist before booked induction date to make sure I knew exactly what was going to happen.

Also, buy lots of ready meals beforehand. I went to Waitrose and bought loads of their nice ready meals. You will not want to cook/clean, specially if you end up having a c section.

The advantage of have a c section is that you will be able to learn a lot when at hospital, I had problems BF and the midwives were great during the 4 days I was there.

C sections are not so bad, actually I am pregnant again and will ask if I can get a second c section. It can be a positive experience as well.

Much love,

BP

[Toady]

How overdue are you?

[MKG]

I was induced and it was wonderful. Perfectly wonderful birthing experience. The only reasons why they would move to a section would be, if the drugs put the baby into distress, or if you don't progress after a while. You can fight the doctors if time goes by and not much happens, (it took me 12 hours from start to finish) as long as you and baby are doing o.k. Remember that you need to call the shots, in the you are having this baby, the doctors and midwives are support players.