Induction - how was it for you?

[Teapig]

I'm 39+6 and baby isn't engaged yet. MW told me today that most babies are engaged by now so we could be looking at induction. I'm booked in for a sweep next week and if needed induction would be the following week.

I really wanted a water birth and understand that induction can be more painful or more of a shock as yoh don't have the build up in contractions. Any experiences of induction would be really welcome so I have more of an idea what to expect.
What pain relief did you have, how long was your labour and if you've delivered without being induced how do the two compare? If anyone has any tips on how to encourage baby to engage they'd be much appreciated. Currently bouncing on my birthing ball like a mad thing.

[Jsa1980]

In for one tomorrow at 40+12 so would also be very interested to know

[Twinklestarstwinklestars]

I've been induced twice and hope to be this time too, first labour 3 hours, normal no tears etc, 2nd 20 mins, very fast but glad it was fast! I had the pessary not the drop, nothing happened for 12 hours each time but I then went into labour. It was fine for me but maybe because I didn't have the drip, I could move round as much as I wanted and some rooms had pools I just didn't have time!

[getoffthecoffeetable]

I had a pessary induction and had my waters broken by the midwife.
I then had a 12 hour labour and the gas and air was fantastic.
The contractions are much closer together and are obviously painful but for me, they were manageable.
I'd recommend taking something to squeeze while you're having them, I squeezed a pillow in the end.
Good luck!

[MustTidyUpMustTidyUp]

Good experience here too. 3rd baby 42 weeks, 2 pessaries 6 hrs apart. Laboured quickly. Managed with G&A, quick delivery. By far my easiest birth.
Is this your first baby? Only reason I ask is that subsequent babies often don't engage until labour starts.

[desertbaby]

I didn't have a good experience. Pessary inserted, partner told to leave- luckily didn't. No where to fully dilated in less than an hour but with no one believing it to be the case.

Was in complete shock, pushed, baby distressed, theatre, forceps.
In total less than four hours from pessary inserted to seeing baby.

I requested my medical notes afterwards to try and make sense of it all.

I'd do anything not to be induced again but I understand that that was just my experience.

[Teapig]

Thanks to everyone for sharing experiences, it's really useful as I'm not sure what to expect if we get to that stage. It's great to hear that induction can be managable on G&A.

must, it is my first.

desert, that sounds like a really tough experience and I can absolutely understand why you'd be in shock. I'm shocked your partner was told to leave, glad they didn't and you had some support while going through that.

[Vix0809]

Fine.Induced at 40+14. Pessary in at 2pm. Contractions started at 5am, born at 8.30am. Was my first baby so nothing to compare it to but seemed fine, managed with just a bit of gas and air for last 45 mins. Only thing I would say is that midwives didn't believe I was ready to push when I was telling them I was and they had to rush to find me a bed in delivery suite. I didn't realise it could come on so quick. Would happily be induced again. Good luck.

[Teapig]

Thanks vix, that sounds like a really positive experience.

[Hadassah]

I induction of labour for my first baby last November, on the due date. I had it by artificial rupture of the membranes at 7am, had epidural analgesia at 1pm and had the baby at 2pm, so I think it can work out really well.

[Hamnvik]

Sorry negative experience here, induced at 40+12 had propess pessary that did nothing, had to wait 24 hours, then had gel which also did nothing. Then had waters broken and on drip which caused me to have too many contractions too close together so they had to turn it off. All in all took four days and ended up with a c section. Next time I will be going straight for a section! I hope it works for you, I think I am an unusual case but be warned it can take a long time and you will get millions of texts and calls asking if you have had the baby yet!

[Hadassah]

Meant to say, I "had" induction of labour.

[Teapig]

Thanks for sharing, it's good to hear experiences good and bad so I can be as prepared as possible.

hamnvik that sounds really tough I can see why you'd go straight for a c section in future. I kind of imagined things would kick off very quickly, it's useful to know that isn't necessarily the case.

[MrsBungle]

I was induced with number 2. As it was number 2 and my waters had gone but no labour I was put straight onto the drip. 2 hours later I was holding my baby after a quick and very easy birth. Brill experience for me, personally and much much better than my natural labour with DC1.

[Flisspaps]

Mine was horrible. Induction at 40+15. Ended in forceps, haemmhorage, 3a tear and manual removal of placenta.

When it came to having DS, I told them I would refuse induction and go to expectant management. In the end I went into labour spontaneously so I didn't have to argue the toss. I too would have preferred CS over induction had it been indicated that he needed to be born quickly.

I think your MW was wrong in telling you that you might go to induction, with no medical indicators, before you've even reached your EDD - it wasn't discussed with me until 40+7 with either baby. For labour to commence, you need to be relaxed - stress doesn't help, and telling you that 'most babies are engaged by now and you might be looking at induction' can become a self-fulfilling prophecy! There's still time for your baby to engage and they come when they're ready.

If you wish to accept induction, should you go to 40+10/12/14 whatever is standard for your area, fine. If you do not, then expectant management (waiting and monitoring) should also be presented as an option to you - some women are presented with induction as a fait accompli because their hospital doesn't 'allow' women to go past so many days beyond their EDD.

[Overreactionoftheweek]

Very similar story to Hamnvik here...but they wouldn't break my waters until the fourth day, after baby's heartrate had rocketed, because they were too busy! Bloody baby boom! Also ended in c section, but that was due to ds's giant head.

I've heard lots of really long walks can be good for starting things off, worth a go?

Good luck

[Flisspaps]

I'll add, with DD I went in at 40+14 but they had no bed for me on the labour ward until the following day; so I spent 24 hours on the antenatal ward twiddling my thumbs - I was 2cm dilated so didn't need the pessary and they were going to go straight to breaking my waters. What a fucking waste of a perfectly nice day!

[MrsBungle]

Agree with Fliss re it being a bit early to be talking about induction.

I had DD at 40+8 (wasn't induced) and no induction had been mentioned at that stage.

With DS I was only induced (at 40+4) due to waters going, no labour and meconium.

Neither of my babies engaged until the last minutes before they were born.

[Teapig]

Wow mrsbungle, a 2 hour birth sounds great! Also good to know that lack of engagement doesn't necessarily mean induction will be needed.

flisspaps, I'm sorry you had a bad experience. It sounds very tough, thanks for sharing though as it's good to be informed. I hadn't realised that there was such a thing as expectant management, that wasn't presented as an option so I'll definitely ask the MW.

over, I can't believe they were too busy to break your waters
I've been walking as much as possible and will keep it up.

Hoping that baby will engage soon and labour will start naturally without induction but glad I know more about what to expect now should it come to it.

[narmada]

I think experience of induction can vary depending on whether it's ARM- or pessary- induced, or the drip. If drip, do consider an epidural. My induced labour was far more painful than my natural one - sorry. As with PPs, in future I would decline drip and skip to c-section but would be totally fine with pessary or ARM. They are fine.

Having said all this.... I too think it's daft of mwife to be talking about induction at this stage - far too early.

[emmyloo2]

I was induced for my first. It was absolutely fine. Long labour but it went perfectly smoothly and had natural birth with just gas and air. They used a pessary with gel for me and labour kicked off around 6-7 hours later with mild contractions. The whole thing was around 36 hours but the pain just built up gradually.

Am now almost 35 weeks with no. 2 and wondering whether I will have to be induced for this one. If so, I will be insisting on pessary not drip and not waters breaking.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

I was induced with DS (my second) 4 weeks ago.
I was already 2cm dilated so they broke my waters and then put me on the drip very soon after (wanted to move me on quickly as being induced on EDD for medical reasons rather than overdue...) epidural went in, blood pressure dropped, baby's heart rate decelerated, cue lots of additional monitoring including blood sample from baby's head, threatened section and trace clip (don't know tech terms for these!) After all thst minor drama, the epidural then started to only work on one side, but they were reluctant totop up due to BP/baby's heart rate issues etc (above) so soldiered on with half an epidural and gas and air! It was very intense in comparison to my last labour (long build up, pool labour etc) as from no cx at all, they were soon coming almost every minute, or at least that was how it felt! but was all done in 8 hours from start to finish and had none of the complications I had with DD (assisted delivery, PPH, retained placenta..)
Agree with comments above that what midwife said to you wasn't very helpful or encouraging! Good luck.

[birdofthenorth]

I was induced a week ago! It was at 39 weeks due to gestational diabetes & large baby. I had a sweep at 38 weeks which promoted a bloody show and a few days of Braxtpb Hicks but no labour. I went in for induction on Weds at 8am, got hooked up to monitoring stuff and had a pessary inserted about 9:30am. Was free to walk around the hospital, go for lunch, sit on a gym ball. Monitored again at 3pm and appeared to be having contractions but was examined and still only 1cm dialated. Had a sweep. Contractions began to feel painful, had some paracetamol. They then tailed off over a few hours and basically stopped. DH was sent home at 8pm and told to return during next normal visiting hours at 10am. Had another pessary inserted at 11pm. Still only 1 dialated. Went to sleep. Woke up to mild contractions at 7am, asked for paracetamol. At 8am doctor said nothing much was happening & I'd be re-examined at 1pm with a view to a possible CSection or breaking my waters. Still only 1cm dialated. At 8:30am contractions started really hurting, I asked if DH could come now, they agreed and I called him mid-contraction yelling "get here now!!". Think got offered some cocodomol at this stage. DH arrived at 9am and I was yelling the corridor down with each contraction. DH fitted tens machine to me which helped a lot, and midwife brought me gas & air machine. Midwife rang Dr to ask permission to examine me then rather than wait til 1pm. Was 3cm dialated and moved to labour ward, screaming. Had pethidine injection at 10am. Lay on bed on my side for next two hours drifting out of sleep to shout during contractions (still using tens operated by DH and gas & air). Waters broke naturally at 12:20. Baby appeared after three pushing contractions at 12:47, midwife had to call for help as it happened so quickly after my waters going that she hadn't had time to prepare the cord clamp etc!

This was DC2 and a million times better labour than DC1. Baby was 9lb 10oz so it did hurt and the speed at which contractions got painful in the morning was a bit alarming, but it was basically 4 hours work and voila. DC1 was a 28 hour labour including hours of pushing, an episiotomy and tear. Baby was 9lbs 6oz and I felt like the crowning tore me in two! Couldn't believe it when they told me DC2 was heavier as it was a dream labour comparatively with only a minor tear. I was going down a slide with DC1 36 hours later!

Sorry to get all that off my chest... basically a relatively uncomplicated, positive induction story, made much easier by well timed pethidine.

Wish you all the very best with it, hope it is quick and stress free for you!

[Teapig]

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences bird, narmada, emmy and ethelred.

I'm hoping that things will start off naturally and MW was just being a bit previous. Baby still isn't engaged though so it's good to know as much as possible.

It's interesting to hear how different induction via pessary and drip can be.

[narmada]

Experience of drip can also be different from person to person. While most I've spoken to have said it was painful, two friends had drip and managed on just gas and air hard nuts

[bitbot]

Horrible experience here....induced at 11am tue by pessary, contractions started by 1pm and coming quite strong and regular...however no delivery suite beds so had to stay on the assessment unit all night and day through the Wednesday with no option of gas and air and with people 32 weeks and spotting in the next bed. Lots of complaining and meetings on the Wednesday with the consultant (between contractions). Plan was for me to give birth in the matrons office minus pain relief, by this point I was 8cms dilated. Baby got stuck, rushed to theatre emcs followed by haemorrage and losing 3litres of blood....not a good story but both fine now. Before anyone goes any where near u with a pessary ask how busy the delivery suite is... I still cannot believe they induced me while they were full upstairs good luck