Please share stories of being induced

[Mariacbw]

I'm 41+10 and am booked into be induced at 41+12. I know everyone will have different experiences but I am in a state of panic and having a burning urge to hear other people's experiences. . What type you had. How long induction and then labor took . . .

[TwentyTinyToes]

Induced at 39+6 due to high blood pressure. Had pessary at 11am, crampy backache about 2pm, regular contractions by about 4pm, waters leaking about 6pm, went to labour room at midnight, was 3cm, DD born at 2am. Had some gas and air.

She is my second baby, went into labour naturally the first time and progressed well. But honestly, being induced was totally fine. Good luck.

[StripeyOrangeTrousers]

I was induced at exactly 37 weeks because of cholestasis. First dose of gel at 10pm did nothing. Second dose at 10am the next day got things going and I was having contractions every 5 minutes by 1pm. Then they were every two minutes and I found that hard to cope with so I asked for an epidural. It didn't work, but eventually they redid it and it was a great relief when it finally kicked in. DD's heart rate was dropping by this point but I was fully dilated so the doctor used a ventouse and had her out in about three minutes. That was at 8.48pm. Everyone was very calm throughout so it wasn't as bad as it sounds.
Next time (and I probably will have to be induced again if I have another baby) I would ask to be induced during the day. They checked my temp etc every hour all night so I got almost no sleep and was exhausted by the time I went into labour. I actually nodded off while having skin to skin with DD in the delivery room!
Of course everyone's experience is different, but I really recommend going in with a positive attitude. It probably won't be as bad as you fear, and worrying wont help. Good luck!

[Teapig]

I was induced 3 weeks ago and it wasn't as I had feared.

I'd wanted an active labour and a water birth and ended up on the bed the whole time as I was induced by drip and they monitored baby.

I did hurt like crazy but somehow it wasn't as bad as I thought though to be fair I did have an epidural.

My labour was pretty quick, I was induced at 8.30pm and DD arrived at 12.30pm. As soon as she was in my arms all the pain was gone and forgotten.

It's 3 weeks on now and I'd do it all again tomorrow for DD, it was so worth it and not as bad as I'd feared.

Focus on meeting your gorgeous baby. Good luck x

[HamletsSister]

Fine. Pessary to get started. About 12 hours from that point. Natural birth with gas and air. Very active / in the bath reading until the last 3 hours. Good luck.

[Teapig]

Meant to say DD arrived at 12.30am not pm, labour was 4 hours.

Try not to worry, each contraction brings you one step closer to your baby.

[katkoala]

watching with interest, booked in for induction on Sat, not what I had planned, but reading your posts has made me feel a wee bit more relaxed about the whole thing

[Jsa1980]

Had DS three weeks ago. Was started off on Thurs am with a pessary, nothing happened, had another on Friday am. Early evening I started bleeding so was taken Down to delivery suite at about 8.30. They started me on the drip (I had an epidural at the same time) and DS was born at 4.30 on Sat morning. It took a long time but was pretty painless. It wasn't the birth i wanted but at 15 days late I'd had enough.

[legallyblond]

I was dreading being induced as I feared that it would lead to unnecessary medical complications (emcs, forceps etc). But.... It was fantastic!

I got to 40+12 with DD (she's now 2.5!!) and was induced. On Sat at midday I was given a pessary to soften the cervix (kinda like a tampon!). I had to lie down for about an hour after, then was just up and about as normal (in hospital). Nothing. I was given a further pessary at midday on Sunday. Same routine. By about 4pm I started contracting. Cue me walking walking walking round the hospital to get things going! By 8pm I was contracting fairly regularly. They put a belt thing in me to measure the strength on contractions, but only for about half an hour. The rest of the time I bounced on a ball watching tv. DH went home at 9.30pm. Shortly after he left, the lovely midwives suggested I had a bath and ran one for me with lavender oil in. I was in the bath for 2 hours and contractions were becoming v regular and strong during that time. I got out and the midwife did an inspection - I was 9cm dilated! Cue quick call to DH to GET THERE QUICK. I moved to the labour ward and was with my labour midwife and still moving about a lot (leaning on bed, squatting etc), despite wearing a belt to monitor the baby's heartbeat. All great, got to pushing stage at 2am. Pushing pushing pushing then contractions inexplicably slowed and practically ceased. Apparently this isn't uncommon with inductions like mine. Anyway, I was doing all the pushing myself with no "help" from contractions so we decided to put me on a very strong drip to induce contractions. Baby's heart rate still fine. When the drip kicked in, I did ask for an epidural but was midway through pushing, so not possible! Anyway, I did have to lie on the bed because of the drip, but was very supported by the midwife. DD arrived safe and sound, after just gas and air, at 5.06am. For the last two pushes, I had an episiotomy as the v experienced midwife (who asked me in good time before if I would be happy with it) felt that I needed the help as I was Si exhausted by then.

Throughout I felt informed, in control, supported and, until the last 45 mins or so was very active. Although I was in hospital, I had that great time in a bath (albeit a hospital institutional bath with a light I'm a timer that kept on going out!) with lavender oil that got me dilated very swiftly. It wasn't all candles and aromatherapy, but it was safe and not at all scary.

Don't worry too much and good luck!!!

[legallyblond]

Excuse typos - belt on to monitor contractions, light in bathroom on a timer etc!

[Longfufu]

I was induced with the dreaded drip, it failed. It wasn't a nice experience and ended in emcs.

This time round I've stated I Will refuse induction (found out now they don't like to induce after cs anyway) sorry prob not what you wanted to hear...

Good luck x

[Dynababy]

I was 41 & 3 when the process started. Pessary inserted and sent home with instructions to one back next day at 2pm if nothing happened... Nothing happened! Had another pessary and nowt.. Then 3 rounds of gel... Had a tiny amount of period type pain (nothing bothersome) and that was it. By this point I was 42 weeks consultant reckoned DC's head could not come far enough through my pelvis to start labour or indeed come out so ended in EMCS. They say E but was really ok as DC was not in distress so no panic. In fact I had to wait almost 12 hrs for the theatre to become free as there were true emergencies. So all I would say is prepare for it to be quick ... And prepare for it to be long and prepare for the fact inductions can fail if your body is just not going to labour.

[HadALittleFaithBaby]

I was induced at 38+5 because my waters went but my labour didn't get established. I had a pessary and a sweep. At 5.30am I was about 1cm dilated so she went ahead. I was meant to go down to the ante-natal ward but I went into spasm so they gave me pain killers (paracetamol and dihydrocodiene) and waited for the pain to subside...but it didn't! I was in lots of pain and while they didn't say I knew both DH and the MW thought I was being dramatic! They were good at reminding me to breathe through the pain which was clearly contractions by this point. About 7am I said I wanted to push - 2 midwives by that point said Oh you can't push yet!. Then I said I thought I was pooing so they asked if they could check me (I was still in my jeans!) and DH said a look went between them - I was crowning! So they said Ok, push! I was thinking Thank God for that! because the MW had said 1/2cm dilation an hour and I couldn't face hours more of pain like that! She came out in 3 contractions/pushes, that was the easy part! Born at 7.22am! So rather rapid in the end but not too bad.

[helpineedajob]

Be prepaired for it to take a few days I was induced with a 24 hour pessary on the Tuesday morning.

Was 3cm by wed morning then waited for a bed on delivery Ward to brake my waters, waited till 5:30 Thursday. Water broke but no progression started the drip about 7. Contraction were too painfully by 9, drip turned down till anitatist was available around 11:30.

Ds2 born on the Friday at 2:15 am

[DawnOfTheDee]

Pessary to get started. Water broke naturally 15 hours later. Was then put on drip. DD was born via EMCS 19 hours after that. Intense contractions right the way through but I wouldn't be too worried if it happens to me again.

[SettlersofKezan]

Induced at 40+12. Pessary in at 11am, spent the day playing cards. Some pain in afternoon, went out for dinner to the pub. Started having regular pains but told not strong enough to be labour. Started to feel the need to push and really strong pains. Examined and was 9cm, waters went, they wheeled me to delivery, got there just in time and DD was born at 10.29pm. Tried gas and air and hated it, so no pain relief. Actually found it all to be a really positive experience, even though it was about as far from the active home waterbirth I'd planned as you could get!

[Kafri]

Went into labour 5am. Consultant appt 4pm and BP was through the roof so sent to maternity ward and kept in. Contractions eased off over night (thank you DS, gave me a good nights sleep) and started again about 10am.
Consultant came back at midday and decided to give me pessary. 6pm was on delivery and waters were broken by Dr and 8.37pm - DS entered the world.
Nothing to compare it to but I thought the whole experience was ok - obviously painful - but tolerable. I did it with Gas & Air. Was told induction could make labour pains more intense but like I said, nothing to compare it too.

disclaimer: i'm fully aware that I seem to ave got off lightly compared to other birth stories.

[Hawkmoth]

One pessary, DD born at 38 weeks about eight hours later. Was walking about, they didn't think I was in real labour! Got stuck in a bath, then told I was 2cm and given co-codamol. 40 minutes later was pushing and my mum managed to get MWs to come in. DDs heart rate was dropping with the speed of it all and she was born by ventouse. Got Gas and air for episiotomy repair.

Was all a bit frantic, more so for DD than me cos I was expecting the long haul and was just going along with it! I think those sort of hyperstimulation reactions to pessaries are uncommon, and they use gel now? Second labour was about four hours so I guess it was never going to be a very long job.

Good luck x

[mummyTP2]

With my second I went into labour at 37+4 and due to high blood pressure I had to spend most my labour in hospital, it started on the Friday, it wasn't that bad so I stayed home for as long as I could, by the monday I was still in labour my midwife checked me and said I was still only 2cm but having intense contractions so I needed to stay in hospital because of the bp, although my contractions were very strong and regular i was still going by the Saturday so after 8 days they did a sweep and let me home under strict bedrest to hope that my own surroundings might help me relax, and was told to report back to the hospital on the monday, when I went back I was 3cm and still having strong contractions so they said I'd need to be induced to stop baby becoming distressed so I was booked in for 10am the next day (day 11 of labour) I had the pessary which is stage one of induction and was left to relax then at 4pm I had my waters broken (stage 2) and told they would leave me another 6 hours then start stage 3 which is an injection I think but then at 10pm even though I was still 3cm my cervix was very short so they said to give me until morning and I should go on my own but booked me in for a section at 9am just incase I didn't because my bp was high and he was a bit distressed, at half past 1am on day 12 of labour things finally got going and I got to 4cm, it went quick after that and my little man was born at 2.15am so it worked for me