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Childbirth

How long from being induced to active labour?

18 replies

TransatlanticCityGirl · 26/06/2011 18:04

I'm wondering how long it takes on average from being induced to moving into active labour? If you've been induced before, what's your experience?

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Flisspaps · 26/06/2011 18:12

I was had ARM at 9am, Syntocinon at 1pm and was the magic '4cm' at about 10pm, then had DD at 6.39am - so 9 hours of full-strength contractions before even being considered to be 'in labour' and 17 hours in total of Syntocinon.

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Flisspaps · 26/06/2011 18:14

I will add, I was already 2-3cm on arrival (40+14) so it took 9 hours to get me just over a centimetre further in dilation. I'd have been asked to consent to EMCS had I not been 4cm at that VE.

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MistressFrankly · 26/06/2011 20:10

I was induced via ARM and had a full strength contraction immediately, leiterally within 30secs. DD was born 5hrs later. I have no idea of what the average is but it was all very swift for me.

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ragdollismyname · 26/06/2011 21:05

I had a pessary inserted to soften the cervix, had no pains or tightenings. Was checked 6 hours later, had waters broken then was put on syntocin drip, dd was born 4 hours later. Intense contractions started immediately after put on drip but weren't regular so the midwives thought nothing was happening, i asked for an epidural after 3 hrs 45 mins, they checked me and said i was ready to push. I had a good induction experience with only gas and air for pain relief.

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mosschops30 · 26/06/2011 21:10

Its about as long as a piece of string.

Ds1 induced with pessary at 8pm, irregular contractions from midnight, in active labour bout 4am woke up screaming at 6cm. Ds1 birn 6 hours later no probs
Ds2 induced at 7pm with propess, started mild contractions 24 hours later, propess removed. Pessary inserted 12 hours later, no contractions at all. ARM the following day, never really in active labour, got to 5cm, refused syntocinon drip and ended with a emcs

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LifeOfKate · 26/06/2011 21:23

DS induced with a pessary at about 10pm. Mild contractions withing 30 mins, examined at 1.30pm the following afternoon when I was 5-6cm so in official active labour from then. DS born at just gone midnight that night, so 26 hours in total, 10 1/2 hours in active labour.

Agree with mosschops, every birth is different, so about as long as a piece of string!

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auburnlizzy78 · 26/06/2011 22:05

32 hours from first pessary to getting to 4cm. I am very sure of this because I made my DH write it all down and I've just looked for the notes. I was twelve days overdue at the start of induction so induced in line with local hospital trust policy. Not much fun at all I'm sorry to say, but I do think I had a more protracted process than most people do.....

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MaMattoo · 26/06/2011 22:13

I had propess - pessary, nothing happened. then had two rounds of gel and then also 2 sweeps. 8 hours of 'inactive labour' = 0 dilation and finally a c-sec. you never know which one will work, if at all. go with the flow :)

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happylittlebear · 26/06/2011 22:30

Definitely how long is a piece of string...
I was given a pessary at 7pm on the Thursday night and had tightenings pretty much straight away, but they died down during the night.
had another pessary at about 2pm on Friday and again more tightenings which slowed down, was examined early Saturday morning and I was 1cm and FED UP, agreed to another pessary and was told they would consider my options after that.
Examined again at 2pm Saturday and was still only 2cm Sad. Taken to delivery room and given ARM at 6pm and was 4cm within 1/2 hr, 8cm by 8pm and ds arrived just before 10pm Grin
Everyone is different, please dont scare yourself with induction horrors, mine dragged on a bit but labour was fine and v quick once it got started....bear in mind also that I was 38 weeks and being induced for medical reasons so he prob wasn't ready yet...
My friend was induced at 41+10, given pessary at 6pm and baby born at 2am Smile

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nocake · 26/06/2011 22:31

DW was just over 4 days from the first pessary to emcs. That's unusual but I'd say prepare for the worst and be pleased if it's quick.

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Cutiecat · 26/06/2011 23:46

I was in early labour with some mild contraction when they inserted prostoglandin gel pessary. I had it at 8am and was moved to labour ward at about 10.30 DS was born at 2pm.

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hillee · 27/06/2011 12:04

23 hours, or thereabouts...

I had a pessary inserted at 8pm and was then shipped back up to the ward where I promptly fell asleep. Felt nothing, so was promptly shipped back down to the birthing suites where I discovered I was in fact 3cm dilated (I was secretly high fiving myself, much to my shame...)

Obstetrician broke my waters, hooked up to the synto and I hit active labour in about an hour or so. Was 7cm by 11am by which time I lost the plot, had a very bad two hours. At 1pm I requested an epidural, which arrived in 7 minutes (lovely, lovely, punctual anaesthetist) and slept for four hours. Woke up and was ready to push!

DD was born at 6.45pm.

Would do it again in a second (and will have to in 13 weeks as that's when number two is due...)

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BertieBasset · 27/06/2011 12:47

I was fully effaced so straight onto the drip at 11am. Contractions from 1pm ish, epidural at 5, born at 8.30pm.

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TransatlanticCityGirl · 28/06/2011 11:23

Thanks for sharing. I was expecting a lot of variance... my doula told me she has seen it all done from start to finish in 1 hour! However I expected that it can go on for much longer, hence why I was curious what "most" people experienced (if MN is a good measure of "most", that is!) :)

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cowboylover · 30/06/2011 10:33

For me 1st persarry on Tuesday at 7, 2nd 24 hours later, then gel 12 hours, waters broke on there own Thursday 2am and started the drip Friday 9am and fully dilated 12 hours later.

From my experience and sharing the ward with 3 others we all took a while to get started but once we where going to it was fine and progressed well.

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La73 · 30/06/2011 10:40

Induced at 39+5 as waters broke on but no labour or dilation after 48 hours. Therefore went in at 8am had anti-biotics followed by syntocinon drip at approx 11am. Contractions finally kicked in at 5pm after upped to max dose but slow to progress until had epidural at midnight. Baby in distress but narrowly avoided C-Section and gave birth at 5.30am (ventouse).
So not quite the speed I was told to expect but all different as above ;)

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8Ace · 30/06/2011 10:47

I was induced when a week overdue because my previous birth had been a dystocia.

After the pessary and walking up and down the hospital stairs ALL DAY and nothing happening they took me down to the labour ward and broke my waters. One hour 36 mins later I had a cracking baby boy (he was my third though!). I was complaining cos I had missed "I'm a Celebrity". Downside was not having time for the morphine to act the upside was that recovery was so quick.

Everyone's experiences are different but the end result is the same x

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mejon · 30/06/2011 22:02

I was induced at 40+12 with DD2. Had gel inserted at 9am and had niggly pains for several hours. Had 2nd dose of gel at 3pm and within 30 minutes I was getting intense contractions - very painful and close together. Had ARM at around 5.30/6pm and DD2 was born at 7.30pm.

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