Positive induction stories please...

[pocketsized]

So it's been designed idea today that I will be induced on Wednesday at 38+5 I am confident this is the correct decision for me and my baby but I am a it gutted as I was hoping for a home water birth. I'm also not able to have an epidural due to previous spinal surgery and I'm freaking out a it about pain management (as I really hate the way opiate painkillers make me feel).

Does anyone have any positive experiences of being relatively able to cope on gas and air during an induction? (if you don't, could you please refrain from sharing? I'm terrified and am looking for reassurance, not horror stories)

[Lilipot15]

I had an epidural with my induction - I wonder if given your situation and your concerns about painkillers you could ask to meet with a labour ward anaesthetist beforehand when everything is calm? No idea if it would be possible, just a thought. There may be other options you could consider.
From my experience, keep as mobile as possible, a TENS machine helped in the early stages, lying in the bath aiming a warm shower at my bump, and try to rest when you can. I was so agitated and impatient I didn't get enough sleep when I could and was cream-crackered by the time they finally took me through to labour ward to break my waters (I know realise that inductions are not a high priority for space on a busy labour ward!).
Some units have mobile monitoring and apparently even a monitor that can go in the water - it was away for repair on my admission!
Most importantly good luck and enjoy your new baby.

[iamusuallybeingunreasonable]

I was induced with my second, had a pessary, nothing happened all day, thought bugger this I'm going to relax and read my magazine, woosh waters popped - stood in a pool of water for half an hour buzzing the night staff, in they came to examine me, telling me oh it'll be ages yet, don't worry, 10cm dilated... Rushed through to delivery whilst pushing, 1 hour labour start to finish, no drugs, just a bit of gas and air, pushed about ten minutes, hurt yes but was manageable, good luck

[pocketsized]

Thank you for replying :)

I saw the aneathatist earlier on in my pregnancy and my options are gas and air, or a pcp with diamorphine - I know that I really don't like the way diamorphine makes me feel so hoping to manage on gas and air, but not sure how realistic that is.

Can you use a tens machine if you are hooked up to a monitor?

[iamusuallybeingunreasonable]

Yes you can use tens and be monitored... Keeping calm helps a lot, your body knows how to birth, I have had two purely on gas and air and I can promise you it's a lot to do with frame of mind, stay positive and regulate your breathing

[shaz1976]

I was induced with my first. Did have an epidural,however only after they broke my waters! I first had the propez on my cervix for 24 hours to start contractions. I used a tens machine and paracetamol was given.
I asked for something stronger, a pethidine injection was given that did help a lot!
when my waters were broken and I was taken to the labour ward I had to wait for an epidural for a while. Gas and air works wonders, just remember to inhale it when your contraction stops as it starts working when contraction starts if not your breathing it in and it wears off when the pain kicks in ( if that makes sense)
I'm really hoping that my baby comes naturally this time (40 weeks tomorrow) as being induced isn't the greatest, but I'm hoping for a water birth with just the gas and air so it's not that bad. Any birth is painful there are no two ways about it but there are other options to help you good luck xx

[Nunyabiz]

I gave birth in 38 mins flat to my second DD after being induced (41+1) because of big baby (9lb 8...smaller than expected).
My first was not induced. 10 hours. 10lb 4...lots of complications. So this was a walk in the park.
X

[HungryNearWestPier]

I was induced with DS at 40+13.

Had the pessary at about 10am, hung about being bored all day in hospital waiting for something to happen... Decided to try and get some sleep, contractions kicked off at about 1am, and DS put in an appearance around 2 hours later.

All was done with just gas and air - didn't have time for anything else!

My DSis also has a very similar induction story to me - although her DS turned up at a more civilised hour, and she wasn't quite so overdue.

Hope all goes well for you.

[butterfliesinmytummy]

I was induced with dd1 at 42 weeks. Had a pessary, went for a long walk round hospital grounds with dh, monitored on and off for a couple of hours, contractions started, tens machine on, no more monitoring, lots of moving around, morphine at 8cm, dd born 16 hours after pessary, no problem.

[iamusuallybeingunreasonable]

Also even if you are hooked up make sure, if you can, that you are comfortable position wise because without pain relief you are best stood up or off your back as long as you can be, I can remember them trying to get me off one bed onto another in delivery and that was just plain awful, trying to move while contracting and on your back is never going to be pleasant, stay mobile if you can, upright if you can, gravity makes it a shorter job

[PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom]

Can I share two positive stories from other people?

I have two friends who've done fine. One was so fast that there was no time for anything (still on antenatal until pushing!). One was about four hours and gas and air.

[5madthings]

Induced for all five of mine. Even with the drip managed fine with gas and air, lots of it! And had one in birth pool. Also laboured in the bath and sat on birth ball an dkneeling over end of bed. Even in the birth with the drip I was able to stay mobile etc. I had to be a bit stroppy and luckily had a dab midwife who helped me mobiIe but it can be done :)

[tigger32]

I was induced with dc2, I had the gel in the morning and was sent to walk around etc. Eventually things started mid afternoon and moved quite quickly, I just had a bit of gas and air and coped fine.
Not long until you meet your baby now, good luck OP

[weeblueberry]

I went straight to the drip and, because of this and DDs inconsistent heart rate, I had to labour on my back and couldn't move. No water birth. No mobility. I had to stay as still as I could with constant monitoring.

But in the end I had a four hour labour and she was born with 2 pushes. And it was done with gas and air only (I didn't find out until much later that it's quite unusual to go straight into the drip and not have an epidural).

So, not ideal, but wee one was good in the end and a four hour labour wasn't too bad at all...

[pocketsized]

Aww, thanks all. I'm sure it will be fine, just a bit of a shock to be told today that this is the best option for us as all has been hunky dory up until now.

[MrsBungle]

I was induced with dc2. I was out straight on the drip and I gave birth 1 hour 54 minutes later. I had gas and air which was fabulous and ds was out in 3 pushes. It was a lovely easy birth. My first birth was not lovely nor easy but that was not an induction. Good luck!

[Lilipot15]

If you need opiates there are medicines that can help with their side effects.

[HungryNearWestPier]

To lower the tone... as I've shared my story above.

pocket the one essential tip that I have from my induction experience is never let a fart slip out while sitting on a birthing ball for the following reasons...

1. It will not be silent
   
2. It will not be short
   
3. The ball acts as a massive amplifier
   

Thank goodness that only DH and I were on the ward at that point.

[pocketsized]

Lol, thanks guys. Feeling a bit calmer now I've had time for the idea to sink in. Hopefully all will be straightforward tomorrow!

[lexyloub]

I've had 2 inductions imo they were better labours than my only natural labour (39hrs from start to finish). Ds2 was 8.5 hrs from gel to delivery. Ds3 the 1st gel didn't do anything contractions only started after the 2nd gel he was born a few hours later. You may still be able to have your water birth I was monitored for an hour after the gel and then again 5/6 hrs later so was free to move around in between I think you'd only be continuously monitored if your on a drip to be induced. For me induction cut out all the slow labour build up which can be exhausting in itself my contractions both times started off every 3/4 min and grew in intensity as I progressed. Good luck

[DinoSnores]

I was induced with DC3. It was lovely. I've had an uncomplicated home birth as well and actually recovered so, so much more quickly after my induction and epidural!

I had have to have two epidurals as the first one only worked down one side (a known risk so it does just sometimes happen), but the anaesthetists always came quickly and seemed very nicely.

DC3 arrived in less than 4 hours and after 5 minutes of pushing, a big girl at more than 9lbs with the tiniest tear, and I was up and about feeling amazing the next day!