Positive stories of induction

[AlbusPercival]

Im 41+2 and looking at being induced next week.

I am absolutely terrified about it, wanted to give birth on mw led unit, birth pool etc and have spent all pregnancy pushing for this.

However baby doesn't seem to want to come, so induction seems a strong possibility.

Can you tell me your stories of it all being ok?

I am worried about a drip, pain, pain killers, episiotomy and instrumental delivery

[imsodizzy]

I got induced early due to preeclampsia. I had the pessary inserted and left to wait 6 hours, I begun to get period type cramps. After 6 hours I was 3cm and had my waters broken. The pain ramped up and baby was born 4 hours later and I only needed a few stitches. It was my first labour but i think it panned out quite well. Try not to scare yourself with horror stories!

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

What's the reason for the induction?

You could have a period of expectant management for a few extra days of that is something you would like to consider?

TBH, I have had 3 babies in the last 3 years. My plan has always been for an elective section rather than induction. I have always gone into labour spontaneously but - unless things are very favourable - induction is more likely than not to lead to intervention and I'd rather have control of that intervention rather than be having an EMCS.

That is just me, personally, however. I'm sure there will be lots of people with stories of success.

If you are worried though, it might be worth discussing a section, just as an option. You might discount it but at least you have considered everything.

A week is a long time though so plenty of time to go into labour in the meantime!

[lightcola]

I was gutted when I thought I was going to be induced, but then he came of his own accord the day before.

I don't really understand why people plan certain births as it can all change. You don't really have any control over what will happen. Once baby is here it won't matter how.

[Robinkitty]

I've been induced twice, first time I had the pessary, mild cramps then proper contractions and gave birth about ten hours from start to finish.
Second time I was hanging about with a pessary for a long time a couple days maybe, slightly uncomfortable still happy enough and then gave birth with about 6 hours of contractions.
Both easy births especially the second as I had no stitches!

[ferriswheel]

42 weeks. MW broke my waters. 2 hours later holding my baby. No drip, drugs etc. Second out of my three labouring experience and my most positive experience. I had planned on wanting a water birth. I love swimming and really though the birthing pool would have been for me. Didn't even want a bath.

[oklumberjack]

I was induced early with my second Dc. I was really scared as my first birth was not induced and that went really pear-shaped and I had been told that induction would be worse.

I needn't have worried. I was in for nearly 2 days and had 2 pessaries. Not much happened until a mW gave me the most painful sweep ever. Literally within minutes the contractions started! It was very quick. Labour progressed very quickly. No time for anything other than gas and air. Ds was with me within 45 minutes. I had a small tear but it was nothing compared to my first delivery.

So, my experience of induction was that it ended in a much more 'natural' labour than my first.

[girlwithamoonandstaronherhead]

Maybe not what you want to here but I had emcs after being induced, having wanted a natural birth. BUT me and baby were fine, bonded well, and I just wanted to let you know that when your plans go completely down the drain it's not the end of the world

[JC23]

I was induced at 37 weeks due to obstetric cholestasis.
Two doses of gel softened my cervix sufficiently so they broke my waters.
They hooked me up to the drip which got the contractions going. I was able to move around within reason. I used various techniques from Juju Sundin's excellent book to cope with the pain and didn't need any painkillers (not even gas). It took about six hours, unfortunately baby was a brow presentation and got rather stuck. It was a really positive experience though. I was scared of the contractions being too strong with the drip but it was fine.
Good luck!

[OrianaBanana]

Well my DM had 4 inductions without pain relief or intervention, fine.

My own at 42 weeks was more difficult but at the end of the day he was healthy and I recovered fine. Some are ok, some will need intervention etc... difficult to know in advance. I take it you've been offered sweeps?

[Thinkingblonde]

Induced early due to pre eclampsia, I was glad tbh, as I'd been in hospital for three weeks and was itching to get home. I had a drip pit in to my arm, the midwives checked on me every 30 minutes, after about 90 minutes they broke my waters, slightly uncomfortable but no worse than a smear. I got the first contraction soon after this, I'd been a few cm dilated for days so didn't need anything to soften my cervix. Things moved swiftly and DD was born 4 hours after I'd had the drop put in. My second was a normal spontaneous delivery, 3 hours from start to finish. Both deliveries were comparable re: pain levels.

[WiIdfire]

One friend was due to be induced, but went into labour at 5am on the day of induction anyway.

Another was induced early for medical reasons. They had a sweep a couple of days before, then went in for induction, had another sweep, baby arrived in 6 hours. No drip/drugs/interventions or tear.

[WottyMcWottFace]

I was induced with my third baby, the booked me for induction at 40+10 and I was terrified having had two natural births already. When I got to the hospital I asked for a few more days, so they checked me over and booked me back in the following day as the have to check you over daily from that stage on, I did this for three days (40+13) until they advised that I needed to be induced to baby's heart rate change, I was given a pesary at 6pm and felt nothing but by midnight they checked and said I was ready, it was quite surreal but they took me to delivery broke my waters and we were off. The pain was slot stronger than the other labours but by 6am baby was deliverered. The midwives were fantastic and explained to me the process of induction as I'd gotten so worked up over it, everyone is different so it's hard to know but I can honestly say my experience was very positive. Hope all goes well for you, try not to worry xx

[EnglebertSlaptyback]

I have my 2 week old daughter, milk drunk on my knee, snoozing.
I ran to 41+10 and was booked for induction. I was terrified because I'd heard the drip made things even more painful!
My pregnancy was fine throughout; no complications, high or low measurements of anything and baby seemed comfy. I wasn't!

I was booked for induction on the Tuesday but early Sunday I felt a bit of damp down below. Got checked out and finally someone decided my waters were leaking. Contractions started but had no rhyme or reason.
I was sent home until CX intensified or until 8am the next day when I'd be induced.

I really wanted a water birth, which can still happen with induction but the next morning it was noted the baby had pooed in the womb.
No pessary & straight onto drip. CX pains were fine TBH but I felt like someone was giving me a smear with a toilet brush and opted for an epidural. Wow, they feel amazing! Still had some movement with it as well.
She was born less than 24 hours later because I failed to progress.
Even with EMCS, no delayed cord or immediate skin to skin and no waterbirth, it was still amazing and I'm proud of our story. I love her so much and don't feel like I've missed out on anything. Some of us just need a little more help.
I'm just so happy she is here and we're both okay.
I hope everything goes well for you!

[Losingtheplod]

I was induced, and it did end in ventouse and episiotomy, but it was a really positive experience. I had a very fast labour, 2 cm to 10 cm in 3 hours, which was very intense, and painful, then I was pushing for 2 hours, hence the ventouse, to deliver him, BUT, I asked for it, as I could feel I was getting tired, and I knew he needed to be out. I felt like I was listened to, and in control, and at the end of it I had a healthy baby. Everything healed up really well, and I was back horse riding 3 weeks after the birth.

I think the important thing is to go into it with an open mind. There are so many things you can't control with childbirth, and you can't predict how it will go for you, so be prepared for anything, and keep in mind the only important thing is that you and the baby come out of it healthy and well!

[Joinourclub]

I've been induced twice and both times labour was very quick and I managed with only gas and air. Yes the first time ended up with forceps and that was pretty painful, but it was quick.

[kipkipkip]

I'd heard so many induction horror stories and was dreading my own, I was overdue.
Actually it was fine, the first pessary started contractions, then they broke my waters for me, things progressed ok and I had gas & air and some pethadine as pain relief. My pushing stage was Llllong but that because she was sideways (ouch).
Overall if I have to have one again with my next dc I'll feel much more positive about it.

Every single birth is unpredictable.

Oh and try to move as much as possible once the pessary has started to act! I'm sure that helped me. I was terrified of the drip! But lots of people who go into birth spontaneously have the drip so it's not something unique to inductions.

[minijoeyjojo]

I was induced at 40+14, I had hoped for a home water birth, but it wasn't to be. I was absolutely gutted at the time and was putting a lot of pressure on myself to have the birth that I wanted. It made the wait for my DD so much more stressful than it needed to be.

I had the pessary and went into labour pretty quickly. Pain wise I didn't find it too bad and was happy just using breathing techniques and a tens machine for a long time. I didn't get to go to the birthing centre because of meconium in my waters so I was on the ward being monitored. It wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd feared. I had mobile monitoring so I could be on my feet and moving most of the time.

After 15hrs of labour and 9hrs of no progress I had an epidural - which was amazing. It allowed me to rest as I was exhausted by that stage. I nearly had a c-sec because of the failure to progress, but at the check before wheeling me into theatre I was fully dilated so I gave birth vaginally with an episiotomy. If I'm honest I don't recall that happening at all really, but my DD was distressed do they needed her out ASAP. As a result we had no delayed cord clamping etc, but my DD was out safe and sound. Had skin to skin as soon as she had finished being checked (a min or so) and managed to breastfeed almost immediately.

It really wasn't what I'd planned at all, but we made the most of the situation we were in. We had music and low lighting in the room, moved as much as I could etc. What I'd say is try not to get too hung up on how you'look give birth, there are so many factors that influence whether you'll be able to have a birthing centre or water birth and sadly you can control very few of them.

Instead focus on how you'd like your labour ward birth to be - can you bring some music, electric candles, nice pillows or anything else that might make it feel a bit more like the birthing centre? Plan for the least favoured option and then anything else will seem like a win!

[AlbusPercival]

Thanks all. Spoke to hospital this morning and they were very reassuring. Still hoping baby decides to come spontaneously this weekend though

[SirNiallDementia]

I was induced with DC2 at 36 weeks and it was a far better experience then when I went into labour naturally with DC1.

Has a pessary and sweep at 10, waters broke at 2 and DC2 arrived 45 minutes after that. No drip or drugs required although it was flipping painful (as labour is! I had an epidural with DC1).

If he hadn't been prem, Dr said we could have gone home straight away.

[DappledThings]

Induced at 41+4. Had pessary at 19.45 and started cramps quickly. By 23.00 contractions were every 2 minutes and by 2.00 I was really struggling. Was told wasn't even 1cm. Had pethidine at 5.00 which was great and and examined again at 7.45. Doctor's words were something like, "We're having a look but it was only a few hours ago you were less than a centimetre so let's not get discouraged if there isn't much progress and woh, you're 10cm. Start pushing!"

Pushing was pretty easy after that and DS born at 9.20. so the induction made the contractions quick and labour fast but I had no other intervention and honestly after I was in a lot of panic in the early hours of the morning and panicking because I thought I wasn't dilating the next bit was so much easier as soon as they told me to start pushing.

Would be happy to be induced again which is a pretty postie thing!

[DappledThings]

Postie = positive, obviously!

[destinywidow]

I was induced early with my fourth due to blood pressure. Had a pessary Monday lunch, a pessary Monday evening and finally had another on tuesday lunch. Contractions finally ramped up at 9pm and we went to delivery suite. I'd decided I wanted an epidural so I had a drip and wasn't able to be too mobile. Dd was born at 5am on the weds morning.

[Oscha]

I said something similar on another thread yesterday, but I just wanted to say you don't have to be induced. Have a look at the AIMS booklet on induction if you can. It's not as uncommon as you'd think to decline induction and just wait. Some women who choose that also choose to have regular monitoring after 42 weeks, but not all. It really is up to you.

[TheCaptainsCat]

I was induced at 41 weeks because of leaking waters, no sign of labour. Stretch didn't work, pessary didn't work because the leaking waters kept washing it out! So onto the drip - my active labour was about six hours and I had no further intervention, and no pain relief but for a bit of gas and air right at the end. It wasn't what I had hoped for at all, but was a positive experience that I like to think back on! I think the hypbobrthing techniques I learned during pregnancy really really helped me to stay in control, the midwives and doctors were amazed by my calmness and lack of pain relief

[silverfishlondon]

I was induced 12 days overdue. I had planned a homebirth and going over 2 weeks or being induced ruined that plan. I cried on the bus on the way in as not sure i was doing the right thing, then they got a dr to come talk to me as i wasnt yet sure to consent. She explained risk of stillbirth increased if late - tho no exact statistics . she had had a homebirth herself and was sympathetic. My cervix wasnt looking favorable but induction worked fine.
My hospitals policy was 1 pessary, 24 hours later another pessary, then drip if still no labour. I really didnt want a drip!
The first pessary was put in - much more painfuly scratchy than i expected! Then i was allowed to go home to wait for effect. It worked and i went into labour that night. I was given permission to use birth centre if the first pessary worked. (Not sure if this is routine?). The birth centre was great and i had a pretty normal labour in the birth pool. So far so positive!
Unfortunitly it was not ment to be and after 2 hours pushing she hadnt even descended atall and i ended up with a csection. However i was happy i managed to experience labour and give it a good shot. I do wonder if i hadnt gone into labour due to her awkward position so was doomed to fail. But i would do the same again.
Long essay but hope its useful