Induction, eek!!! : Any tips?

[Sunny4124]

Hi All,

I am 40+10 tomorrow and suspect they'll book me in for an induction in the next few days. Zero signs of imminent birth yet, and this is my first pregnancy. I'm a bit terrified!

I'm so clueless! Has anyone had an induction? How did you find it? Any tips? What do I need to know? Did you have an epidural? Did you need assisted delivery?

ANYTHING you think I need to know would be much appreciated! Thank you :-)

[ridemesideways]

Induction certainly increases your chance of intervention if your cervix isn't looking remotely ready and it's your first baby.

There's a higher chance that you might not go into natural labour with the pessary on its own - so it's more likely you'll be on the drip after a day or so, which makes it more likely you'll opt for an epidural (increased risk of forceps/ventouse), which means you'll have continuous monitoring, which makes it more likely you'll have a c-section.

But none of the above needs to be traumatic if you're feeling positive - it's all about meeting your baby. And in fact it may all go really well - the thing with induction is that it's a bit of an unknown. Because of this, some mums decline. Some mums choose c/s instead.

My tip - It's your choice. If you'd rather not be induced you can choose monitoring instead. You can take every few days as they come and re-assess how you're feeling. The risk of stillbirth might be increased, but it's still very small at 0.2%

[Sunny4124]

Thank you :-)

It does all sound like it could be a bit traumatic though and that's why I'm terrified.

When they give you the pessary or gel, are you just put on the ward rather than in the delivery suite? Sounds wimpy but I hate the thought of my partner then having to go home while I'm waiting for things to happen on my own.

How come an epidural is more likely, is it because contractions can be stronger?

Thanks!

[locomomma]

I had a great induction experience... If you're favourable, they'll skip the gels and break your waters. This is not bad at all. For me, nothing happened at that stage so 24 hours later I was induced by oxytocin drip. It can lead to more intense contractions but I think my midwife was adjusting it to what I could cope with. I did gas / air although they did seem to think epidural more necessary than in a non-induced labour. The best thing was that it was over quickly!

[locomomma]

PS I only moved to delivery room for drip, waters broken on the ward.

[SunnyDays1987]

I was induced with pessaries. Took two, 24 hours apart to get labour started (I was being induced prematurely) but it flew when it got started. No drip, no interventions, no epidural. So it doesn't have to be that way. My advice is walk as much as you can to try and help get things going. Also take something to do because it's boring waiting. Oh and some earplugs! It gets noisy on the wards and I was exhausted before I even started, don't even get me started on the post natal wards!

Good luck!

[ridemesideways]

Aye - if your cervix is unfavourable (not ready), you're on the antenatal ward in a shared room for the pessary / gel, and your partner can't stay outside of visiting times. It can can take 24 hours or more, but you can leave the ward and go out for lunch nearby even - as long as you're back for more monitoring later.

The drip (next stage if you haven't gone into natural labour) causes contractions that aren't being controlled by your brain. In a normal birth your body is in control and releases endorphins, relaxin etc to help you cope, but it can't do that with the drip.

Why be induced if you're so terrified of it though? My friend declined induction and went to 42 weeks and 3 days. She found out the stillbirth risk was only 1 in 500 and preferred to carry on waiting. But it's a personal decision of course

[SunnyDays1987]

I was on an induction ward in my own room from the night they decided they would induce me and also DH could have stayed over if he wanted, so not every hospital is the same! But was still noisy because they came and checked the heart rates regularly and women are being moved to the labour ward. One woman actually gave birth on the induction ward. She'd had about 3 kids before though I think!

[ridemesideways]

Aye - check it out. At ours, you only get your own room where your partner can stay, if you are considered to be in a particularly vulnerable state / shocked / bad news, or otherwise you have to pay for one @ £400 per night!

[SunnyDays1987]

Wow that's so expensive! It was just standard at my hospital. I was on an antenatal ward until they decided to induce me and then they moved me down there until I went to the labour ward. Then on to the post natal ward!

[1frenchfoodie]

Think poster I saw at local midwife unit gave £60, wards are only 4 beds too so you are not in huge room whatever happens.

[MrsBenWyatt]

I had a really positive induction experience. Peasant didn't work so I ended up on the drip. No epidural (managed with gas and air), no interventions and only 15 minutes pushing.

I was induced slightly early due to PE, and wasn't dilated or effaced when I first went in.

Obviously I was lucky, but inductions aren't always terrible.

[Sunny4124]

Thanks all for your advice, it's really helped and made me feel less nervous :-) xxx

[LBOCS2]

I was induced at 38+4 with DD. I had the gel pessary at lunchtime, waters went spontaneously at 10pm, put me straight into established labour (3x contractions in 10 minutes lasting 90sec each). Dilated well, had an epidural at around 1.30am, no drip, epidural started to wear off the next morning, pushed for an hour and out popped DD at 10.30am.

It wasn't exactly the birth I'd necessarily imagined or hoped for but it was a positive experience. I had no interventions and my labour progressed well, I went home 36hrs later. It's not always bad :)

[1frenchfoodie]

Hi Sunny, any update? I am 40+12 today, usual point at which my local hospital induces but they were happy to check baby was fine and send me home today. The placenta does not 'go' on a certain date, it is just risks of failure are higher the older it is so regular (daily here) monitoring is needed.

[Melmam]

Hey Op, Congratulations on your pregnancy I was induced 4 months ago on my first too I was only 40+4 but I had reduced movements.. I got the pessary at 11am on the Tuesday morning my contractions started at 2pm they came very strong from the beginning every 2 mins apart lasting 1 minute from my first I really wasn't expecting this as all I read was about it taken ages from my first contraction I was on gas and air for 3 hours then got the epidural then I had my baby boy at 21.51 that evening I did need an assisted delivery as my little boys heart rate kept going up and I got a temperature so I had a forceps and they cut me too.. In the end I was so happy I got the epidural as I don't think I would have been able to have him natural.. I wanted to be honest with you as most people I talked to during pregnancy wouldn't tell me anything negative.. I hope all goes well for you and they are so worth it. Keep us updated

[Missdee2014]

I've been induced with pessary in my 3 pregnancies.

Dd1 - pessary at 9am, waters broken at 1 and delivered at 5pm. No other interventions. Pain relief - gas and air and diamorphine.

Dd2 - pessary at 3.30pm, contractions started around 6pm but bare able and I genuinely didn't realise I was in labour until around 10pm. Waters broke themselves around 11.40pm. Delivered at 11.52pm. No other interventions. Pain relief - 2 paracetamol and 2 puffs of gas and air!

Ds1 (3 weeks ago) - pessary at 9.30am, prostin pains (like mild contractions which some people mistake for labour but they tend to stop) from about 3pm, came and went til the evening. At one point I was having 'contractions' every 2 mins but they were totally bearable and eventually more or less stopped around 10ish. Waters broken for me at 11.35pm and delivered at 00.17. No further intervention and pain relief - gas and air.

Would I be induced again if need be - YES. All I would say is that be prepared to be monitored regularly and then constantly once you are in established labour. For me, that's the thing I dislike about induction - the constant monitoring as I like to keep mobile and I move about on my feet when I'm in full blown labour. I hate being restricted with the monitor. Although, they can attach a clip to babies head rather than have it strapped to you if need be. Although, they wanted to do that with me with dc3 but it all happened so fast once my waters broke, plus there was no way I could've allowed anything to go up there by that point as as soon as my waters break my contractions come thick and fast!

Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine.

[Missdee2014]

I'm actually more scared now of going into labour/my waters breaking st home. As I know that there is no way I could travel sitting down to get to hospital as the pain is too much when I sit or attempt to sit once in labour. I would probably opt for induction given the choice if I were to have another baby.

[SilverHoney]

I had no issues with my induction. 1st baby, 40+12. I'd had sweeps, acupuncture etc. No Braxton hicks, no signs of being 'ready'. I was induced with a pessary Friday morning, DD was born Saturday morning. Laboured and delivered in the pool. Pain gradually building and manageable (with drugs ).

I know it's hard, but try to go in feeling positive and with an open mind. No one knows what their labour / birth will be like ahead of time. Just see what you need and go with it.

[nuggles]

My induction was very quick.

Pessary went in, 15 mins later strong contractions started. Went from 1-10cm in just over 4 hours. Had gas and air plus epidural (was amazing!) - the whole thing was over very quickly.

I hope yours OP went/goes well 😀

[Sunny4124]

Thanks all for your lovely advice! I ended up needing an emergency c section in the end as baby was in distress, but good news is that here I am with a beautiful and healthy 5 day old girl asleep on my tummy!!

Really appreciate your advice and hope the rest of your pregnancies go well!! xxx

[Melmam]

Congratulations enjoy all those lovely newborn cuddles

[Newlywed56]

Bring lucozade sport.... Lots and lots of it .... I drunk three 4 packs as my contractions were 1.5 minutes apart for 10 hours.and something you can eat without chewing like custards as it also won't go off in the best of the hospital!