Induction? Your experience?

[ladymia]

For anyone that has had one, what was your experience?

At how many weeks did you have it?
Had you had any signs of labour before the induction?
How long did labour last?

Thanks!

[Liskey]

Induced at 36 weeks due to pre-eclampsia (if offered a sweep at this time make sure you decline it as it was very painful and had not hence of success!)

No signs of labour prior to induction.

Indiced at about 15.00 Monday afternoon at 02.00 hours had emergency c-section at 10cms dilated as DD was in distress and getting oxygen deprived.

If your getting induced soon hope it goes well.

[TinkyPeet]

Mine took 3 goes before it worked, labour after that wasn't long, but my first labour wasn't long either, my advice would be keep moving as much as you can. Walk around everywhere x

[sleepyhead]

I was induced at 40+10 with ds1. It was fine. I didn't have any signs of labour starting, but my cervix was more favourable than it had been when they tried a sweep at term (Google Bishop Score which can be a way of assessing how likely induction is to work).

I had one pessary about 4pm and was put on a monitor that showed I was having contractions (which I couldn't feel at that point). When I was due the second pessary they decided I was well on my way so just left me. Waters broke about 1am, ds born at 6.30am. Gas & air got me through as it was pretty quick.

[Flisspaps]

40+15 after being admitted for induction at 40+14 (no room available on delivery ward to start things off), no signs of labour. Waters broken as I was already 2-3cm. That did nothing. Syntocinon drip for 17 hours, epidural in for 12 of those.

Episiotomy, forceps, 3a tear PPH and manual removal of placenta afterwards.

Declined to discuss induction for second baby, and would have gone for expectant management and CS if problems showed up before labour started; fortunately I went into labour spontaneously second time around.

[ChairmanWow]

Keeping an eye on this thread as am currently 40+9 so unless baby makes an appearance I'll be induced this week.

[mrsbungle]

40+4 due to waters going but no labour, there was also meconium. I was put straight on the syntocinon (sp?) drip and gave birth less than 2 hours later!

That was with my second baby and it was quick and very easy.

My first baby was not an induction - natural labour at 40+8 and with that birth I had 52 hour labour, episiotomy, forceps, 3 degree tear. Horrendous.

[TeaAndCakeOrDeath]

I was induced on my due date as I has really very painful SPD and cried on the consultant

Went into hospital at 9.30am, got checked in and settled, then had first pessary at 10.30am. Had to lie still for an hour or so to let it 'dissolve' then was advised to walk around went to Subway

Pains started like period pains and got progressively stronger. Had second pessary 8 hours later at 6.30pm

Pains then got very strong about 9.30pm, got in the bath and tried gas&air but neither agreed with me and I was moved down to delivery at about 10.30pm

Had some pethidine then went to sleep, woke up on the peak of a huge contraction as my waters went at 1.30am, midwife came in and DS shot out at 1.38am

All in all, a nice experience really (hasnt put me off, I'm 30 weeks with DS2!) and if needed medically this time round I wouldnt worry

Good luck to everyone

[Fairlygrounded]

Waste of time, awful experience. Induced at 40 + 10, endless internals from different medics, went on for 3 days, nothing happened except by this time my cervix was in spasm, I was emotionally drained and requested a C section to end it. They helpfully explained it could have been a dodgy batch of gel!!
The only thing in my birth plan this time is no induction under any circumstances - booked in for c section.

[McPheetStink]

I had a round of 5 failed induction processes, bishops score of 0 all the way through and the sorest vag in history. Ended up with a C-section. Never again.

[MrSlant]

DS1 40 +10, 36 hours of 'syntocin pains' waters broken for me and a 6 hour labour.

DS2 Due date, One pessary, nothing happened, waters broken; 45 minutes later baby! (what a ride that was)

DS3 40 +12 One pessary, waters broke spontaneously, syntocin +++ because the damn child's head was too big to engage! (He came out in the end and everything was fine)

I don't think I posses whatever you need to labour spontaneously.

[Fakebook]

I was induced at 40+10 with dc1 with no signs of labour. I don't want to scare you, but it was the worse experience of my life and if they ever tried to induce me again I would flat out refuse.

It was all the internal examinations I was put through. I felt violated and humiliated. With every attempt (sweep, pessaries, manual rupture of waters) I would clench up with fear and was made to feel silly for not letting them get to my cervix.

I also found it much more painful as I didn't have time to get used to the contractions to build up as it would happen in natural labour. I was put on an oxytocin drip, that the mw cranked up so contractions came quicker and more intensely.

That is my experience though. There are loads of other mothers I know who had good inductions like my sister, who went into labour with the pessaries and didn't need drips and epidurals as a result.

[BlingBubbles]

I was induced with dd when I was 40+4, had 2 rounds of pessary, 1 at 1pm, nothing happened at all, had some more at 20:00, starting getting contractions an hour later. Dd was born the next morning at 7:02.

Good luck

[babyradio]

Read with interest because I'm going to be induced at 39 weeks for various health related reasons... kind of terrified now after reading some of these stories...

Am I right in thinking they try you with the pessaries and if nothing really happens they put you on the drip? I was hoping to be able to move around in the earlier stages but presumably if I'm on a drip I can't. If you have the drip in that case is it worth having an epidural as you're stuck in bed anyway? Or is that first time mum logic that doesn't apply in the real world? Is it different being induced early than being induced because you haven't gone into labour naturally?

I'm going to discuss it with my consultant in a few weeks anyway but wouldn't mind some more insight first.

[leaharrison11]

I got induced at 36 weeks because of static growth had three sweeps a few days before and had a show day of induction.

Had pessery ( cant spell ) at 9pm and walked around the hospital like a crazy person for 2 hours contractions started, about 11 , at 6am i was 2 cm dilated and had my waters broke an 2pm , wasnt dilating from 4cm so had the drip and the pains came quick and fast, started pushing at 8pm and delivered at 9.36

Just over 24 hours it was very painful but i also had back to back labour

Good luck

[ladymia]

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

babyradio I have not been through it but the info sheet I have been given says it will first be the gel (prostaglantis) then artificial rupture of membranes then syntocinon (for which they recommend an epidural) of course by the sound of things everyone's experience will differ.

Very tricky decision, I do not want to go past 40+12 but very weary of this induction procedure!

[MrSlant]

I managed active labours with all three babyradio, I just needed help with the drip stand and monitors with no 3. I still walked and bounced and kept upright, the midwives were fantastic. DS2 was only born with me lying down as he came so quick they made me get onto the bed and lie down to give them time to get the gloves on . I know people say it is more painful being induced but I have no experience of anything else and I would do it again tomorrow.

INMHE you get the pessary and if you progress enough to make space you have your waters broken. With DS1 there was no syntocin, I just got on with it. DS2 they gave me an hour after waters breaking before they were going to put me on a drip (the doctor came in with it, saw me holding DS2 and backed out again saying congratulations ) DS3 was more of a problem as I was bleeding so they prepped me for a C section but put the drip up and just let me carry on keeping a close eye on things. I honestly would do it all again happily I only don't because doing toddler years again would break me

[MrSlant]

I haven't ever had an epidural either. Suck on the gas and air like your life depends on it and I swear you can do anything.

[mrsbungle]

Like MrSlant even though I was hooked up to the drip and monitors I was not bed bound. No epidural either. Mine was absolutely fine. No problems at all.

[tilder]

There are always lots of these stories. Doesn't mean it will happen to you.

I was induced at 38 weeks, two lots of pessaries and then 6 hour labour. I have quick labour naturally too, most painful was a natural labour.

My experience has been yes i had a heart rate monitor, but could move if I wanted to, yes I had extra checks but its good to know things are progressing.

Please don't be worried. Its not that bad. You have a timetable by the end of which you will have your baby. No dash to hospital in labour. Extra monitoring and care.

Read up, know the process that will follow if your labour doesn't progress and focus on the endgame.

[nooka]

If I ever had another baby I think the only thing I'd put in the birth plan would be no induction under any circumstances. I was put on the syntocin drip for dd's birth and it was to me hellish. Very scary, and after six hours of no progress I had a c-section. But that might have been because I had a very unsupportive midwife, was not enabled to move around, hated the monitoring straps, found gas and air didn't touch the pain, and also as I had a previous c-section it may have simply been more painful. The moment when the epidural for my c-section went in was pure bliss though :)

[ladymia]

I wonder if you can agree to the first part of induction but refuse the syntocinon?

[scissy]

induction at 39 weeks for medical reasons. had 2 lots of pessaries at 12 and 6 where I was encouraged to wander around after letting them dissolve for a bit, waters went spontaneously at 3am. needed the drip as contractions weren't progressing enough by 8am. DD was back to back so I asked for the epidural before the drip went in, figured it was easier to do before the contractions were seriously ramped up! drip started at 12pm DD born at 10pm.

had no signs of labour before but it was an early induction.

[Zigzagwanderer]

I feel very regretful about having an induction. My waters broke after a pessary was inserted, so they took it out.
A consultant said I would only need a very mild dose of oxytocin because I was contracting irregularly, I agreed to it, but it turns out she lied and my drip was cranked right up because I wasn't going to go into labour apparently. I wish I refused because in the end I had to have an epidural with forceps, episiotomy and my baby's face was bruised.
His head faced to the side so I pushed until I was weak before the dr realised (ds heart rate was dipping too), hence the forceps.
I think it would have been different if I'd just been left to progress.
It upsets me that I was lied to. They obviously wanted me out quickly.

[Flisspaps]

ladymia legally you can decline any part of the process.

However once your waters have been broken there is a chance of infection but unlike a spontaneous rupture of membranes, it's not your body or your baby that has caused them to break so the timings are considered to be different to leaving them if they'd broken spontaneously. Think it's 4 hours for induction, vs 24-72 hours for spontaneous rupture.

If you can wait 24 hours or so to see if ctx start without the drip after ARM, you could just postpone the entire induction by 24 hours and see if spontaneous labour occurs.

I think with induction, you really have to accept that once it starts, you keep going until the baby is born (hence the general cascade of intervention) - any intervention risks introducing infection and/or distressing the baby. I'm a big fan of reminding people there's no allowed or not allowed when it comes to pregnancy and birth but I think once you start on the medical induction 'pathway' then you're on it until the end.

[workingonitagain]

Induced with dc2 at 40+11 in the morning got the gel to soften cervix. No real labour pain until 10 pm. Bounced on the ball all day. Baby came at 12am. Best labour so far. Would go with induction again! Good luck