To still be waiting to be induced 6 hours after being told to arrive at hospital?

[Justfeckingdoit]

St Georges.

No one can tell me when it will be. Should I go home to rest and come back tomorrow?

[bubblecoral]

Unless they have told you to go home, I wouldn't.

They have probably just had an unusual rush of people all going into labour at the same time or something.

Frustrating for you, but also very exciting! I hope it all goes well for you. Baby will be here soon!

[swash]

Sit and breathe, and maybe it will start on its own.

Good luck!

[Pandemoniaa]

DIL was told to turn up at the crack of silly o'clock to be induced. Some hours later the process started. So I'd sit tight for now.

[BooyHoo]

they didn't tell you you would be induced 6 hours ago though did they? they told you to be there 6 hours ago.

[AurraSing]

How frustrating for you. But I'm sure there must be a good reason - has the MW spoken to you at all?

[Zimm]

Go To Sleep. It may well be your last chance for some time!!! Good luck!!

[IprivateI]

Have they injected that gel into your cervix yet? If so, they're probably waiting for that to kick in. If they haven't then they must be rushed off their feet. You've got your own bed haven't you? Just relax before the storm begins. Being induced isn't fun - it's actually pretty damn violating and painful. I'd be worried about the hook they'll stick up you to break your waters right now.

[snoozin]

Both times I was induced no one even came to see me until 2 hours after I arrived and can't remember how long after that until they actually started the induction. hang in there, baby will be here soon enough : )

[Hassled]

With DS2 I came it at 7.30 on the Sunday morning, at 10 am they did the gel thing, then they got busy and nothing happened at all until 10 the following morning, when they broke waters. Then another long pause and they started the drip. DS2 was born 7 on the Monday evening.

But you need to sit tight - when they get a free minute they'll start things off. Just be prepared for busyness/gaps.

[kidsinamerica]

Just chill. It's frustrating - yes, but is it being done deliberately to waste your time - no! TBH you are being ever so slightly unreasonable. Be calm - you'll be holding your baby soon enough - good luck x

[BooyHoo]

my induction was very fast and very, very painful. sorry OP but it was.

[BooyHoo]

compared to prior labour taht wasn't induced i mean.

[MadamMemoo]

I waited 5 days with dd2!

[LadyAlex]

I sat there for 3.5 days! 6hrs is nothing! (And 3 days was after the pessery!)

[Sirzy]

I agree hushed tones.

The problem with being induced is you have to fit in around what is happening on the ward at the time. I had to wait 13 hours to have my waters broken because there was no beds on the labour ward. I had already been in 24 hours before that decision was made!

Just try to rest as much as you can.

[ShushBaby]

I waited hours for my induction but had a rather nice time eating snacks and doing sudoku. As someone has pointed out this is not being done to annoy you and is also probably not down to anyone being crap . In fact it is reassuring that they don't just send women into labour if they know they don't have the resources to deal with it at that time.

The induction itself was FINE btw. In fact I didn't even realise I had gone into labour, it crept up on me. V annoying when people declare childbirth to be definitively one thing or another. When in truth there are as many different sorts of birth, ranging from horrifying to amazing, as there are women. And I'm sure there are many many women like me who did not find induction violating at all!

[Justfeckingdoit]

Thanks guys. No gel, nothing.

They are very busy but it's getting on for 7 hours now!

Midwife has just told us it's because there's only one doctor on duty

[DreamingOfABump]

delivery suites are unpredictable, despite best intentions if the unit fills up with women coming in in labour they cant be put off and it would be irresponsible to start you off if they dont have room/staff to care for you. Be patient. But dont go home unless they suggest it because as soon as the workload calms down they can quickly move on to you.

[Snowsquonk]

If they already have lots of women in labour, they are not going to deliberately start another one off if they don't have enough staff to manage the unit safely.

Is there a good clinical reason for the induction or are you overdue? If it's overdue, request some monitoring - if the trace is normal and they are still busy you could suggest that you go home and come back in tomorrow when they may be quieter.

[rosyveryposy]

It is frustrating but not deliberate. They won't put you into labour until everything [in case of emergencies] is available..also, your baby is not at risk, so try to relax. Frustrating I know but it is in your best interest and that of your new baby too. There has to be staff available to monitor you and the baby, once labour commences, so if they are tied up, they can't attend to you. On delivery suite, no-one can anticpate with any accuracy the amount of people that will arrive, in labour, on one shift and therefore cannot put staff on duty at will.
You never know, you may go into labour by yourself. My best advice [as midwife of 25yrs standing] for induction of labour [as long as your waters haven't 'gone', or if you have been advised not to] is to have a bit of 'nooky' The prostalandins in your partner's semen are the same one's they put around the cervix to soften it...just a thought, good luck, relax, enjoy x

[BooyHoo]

OP if tehre is only one doctor on then i would be in no rush to go into labour!! you don't know what might happen during it and you may need the doctor. not so good if tehre is only one and another emergency has come up.

[Debs75]

With dd2 I was told induction must start the day after. I went in that day and was sent home, the next day, again sent home. Then the next week I went in on Tuesday and it was thursday teatime before I was sent to labour ward. The hospital was fit to bursting and as i didn't respond to gel the first week i was sent home. the 2nd week the night mw couldn't be arsed to do her job so wouldn't give me the 2nd set of gel. All the 'immediate need for delivery' resulted in me in and out of hospital for a week and dd finally arriving 4 days early

with dd3 they would of induced me that day but i needed a day to sort childcare. When i went in i was there at 1pm and it was the next morning before i was took to labour, and the next day before labour finally took hold and dd was born.

6/7 hous is nothing and as others have said if the wards are super busy they won't induce you unless really neccessary.
Why are you in for induction?

[TheNumberTaker]

As others have said, they will fit you in around other women's labours. I waited for over 12 hours for my induction at the Whittington. I had a great time, read the papers, went out for lunch and a wonder around the local shops, generally hung out with DH.....have they told you to stay there or can you go out? The Whittington called me up to let me know to come back when a bed was freed up.

Good luck, hope all goes well when it does happen!