Positive stories of induction?

[Dachshund]

Hi all.

I'm a first time mum, with a phobia of hospitals and of medical intervention generally. Even having a blood test has proven pretty traumatic... For that reason I opted for a home birth, and have been under the care of the home birth team.

I'm currently 41+6 Midwife came Tuesday and attempted a sweep only to say baby's head wasn't far down enough (3/5 engaged?) and she couldn't reach my cervix. She is coming back today to try again, but I have to face the reality that I'll be 42 weeks tomorrow and the maximum I'm prepared to wait it out is til Monday as I don't want to risk my baby.

Induction looks likely. So, please, help me out in feeling more calm about this! My number one fear is forceps. I'm terrified that I'll need an epidural to cope with the induction and all that can spiral from there.

My midwife has told me the pessary may not be an option if the baby hasn't come down by Friday?

Please tell me your stories of induction and help me see this might not be a horror show.

Thank you

[Dachshund]

bump

[PearlyFish]

Hi there, sorry to hear that you are so worried about hospital and medical interventions and that going overdue may mean you can't have the homebirth you planned.

If you do a mumsnet search for positive induction you will find lots of threads with the stories you need

I would also suggest you spend time doing relaxation exercises and positive visualisations of all the possible routes your birth might take. Imagine them all and picture yourself coping, it not being as bad as you feared, and meeting your beautiful baby at the end!

Think about your options too. I think some people continue with overdue pregnancies and ask for regular scans / checks to make sure baby is ok. You could also perhaps talk to your midwife about whether it would be possible to have a planned C section, if that gives you more certainty and reassurance than the 'what if' scenarios stemming from an induction.

You can do this, whatever happens! Best of luck and hope baby is with you soon.

[SparklyTinselTits]

Hi :)
I was terrified of induction, or any medical intervention too....I had an image of a beautiful, natural "just pop the baby out" birth.
My waters broke at 38 weeks but labour did not start. Stayed at home for 24 hours to see if anything happened. It didn't. Not even a twinge. So had to go to the hospital to be induced.
Pessary was inserted. Not going to sugar coat it....it fucking hurt. I was told that it could take up to 6 hours to work, and if it didn't, then a second pessary would be inserted. It took twenty minutes from the pessary going in, to big painful contractions starting!! I was taken over to delivery suite, but then things slowed a little bit, so I was put on a synto drip. People tell horror stories of how massively painful the synto makes your contractions....but it really wasn't that bad!!
I tried a bit of gas and air, but it made me throw up, so cracked on without, and three hours after my first contraction, my DD was born
Induction was not a scary experience for me. The same midwife stayed with me the whole time, and she was brilliant!
Try too focus on the end result, your beautiful baby
Childbirth is never a pleasant experience, but most of the time it's not as horrific as people try to make it out to be
You'll do great

[Dachshund]

Thank you both, I'll have a search for stories now

[NewMrsX]

I was induced 3 weeks ago with dc1 and I was terrified with all the stories of it being more painful. I'd planned a nice water birth in the MLU so was anxious that things weren't going to 'plan'

I was told the pessary would be in for 24 hours then other options considered such as gel/ARM/drip so I was expecting a long drawn out process but that wasnt the case.

I had pessary at 12pm Thurs, by 3pm started getting period type cramps which radiated down legs. Was expecting this as they'd told me about it. By 5pm had backache and thought I was constipated. Was given latulose and paracetamol. By now I was wondering how I would cope with actual labour as I was in so much pain from the pessary. By 7pm I had definite contractions I had to breathe through roughly 5 mins apart. These were manageable but the pain inbetween in my thighs was the worst and really getting me down so I was given oral morphine to get rid so I could concentrate on the contractions. Put tens on, examined but no change and not even 1cm. Examined at 10:30 when contractions were every 3 mins and only 1cm. Was told I may be moved down to delivery to have waters broken. Waters went naturally with a pop at 11ish and contractions really ramped up. Taken down to delivery

[NewMrsX]

Oops posted too soon...

Taken to delivery and requested epidural as the pain was really bad and I thought I was still 1cm or so. Refused vaginal examination as I thought I would be refused epi for not being far enough along even though I was feeling urge to push Tried g&a but made me nauseas so ditched that. Epi put in after 45 mins. Didn't really feel it going in and it was wonderful. I then had an exam where I was found to be 10cm. I had the epi as I was scared of the pain of 10cm if that was how much it hurt at 1cm. If I'd have known how far along I was I would have soldiered on! Baby born at 5am after I'd relaxed a bit. I had a top up button on the epi so I let it wear off a bit so I could feel to push but it didn't hurt. Ended up with vontouse and episiotomy as baby needed to come quick at the end due to heart rate but had problems with this prior to induction so not sure if it was related to the epi or not. Then stitched up pain free holding my lovely ds

I was surprised by how much worry disappeared when I was in the moment in labour. I was terrified of epidurals because my sister had a bad experience and I'd read loads of induction stories but when it came to it I was just focused and in the moment and forgot all that.

I also used a hypno birth cd occasionally before labour and although the visualisation techniques didn't work for me the breathing exercises really helped. I also tried to remember to relax my body and not fight the pain which was hard at first but I doon got into a rhythm.

I was able to be mobile up until the epi but I found I couldn't bear to be on my feet as I'd planned. Instead I leant over the back of the hospital bed and kind of rocked which was helpful.

Anyway sorry for the epic post but just wanted to show its not always a long drawn out excruciating process. I'm a but of a wimp but I'd do it again! Even though I had the epi and intervention it was fine and apart from one horrible student midwife at the beginning who made me cry as I was nervous, I felt listened to and respected.

Good luck

[SunnyDays1987]

I was induced with dc1 at 36 weeks due to preeclampsia. First pessary went in at 12pm on 1st January. Had period pains on and off for the next day, nothing too serious. Second one went in at 1pm 2nd January. That night I had some more period pains and cramping, but was still thinking nothing was happening. At about 10pm I started with quite bad back ache and asked for paracemtol. Didn't help. Asked for codeine which didn't help. Then it started to get much more painful. Phoned my husband at 1.10am telling him I was in a lot of pain and he needed to come to the hospital. I gave birth at 2.31am! So once it got going it was really quick and I don't know if the initial delay was just because my body was no where near ready to go in to natural labour. I did it all on gas and air though so it's not always unmanageable pain. Agree with the above though in that I started saying I wanted an epidural because I thought I was only in the very early stages, but then they checked me and said I was 8cm so I managed to carry on.

Good luck!

[mercifulTehlu]

I was induced with both of mine, so I don't know if it's more painful because it's the only way I've given birth! But I had forceps with one and it was no worse than the one where I didn't. Also, the two births were pretty different - one was really slow and the other quick, so I don't think you can assume it will all be dependent on the fact you are being induced. I was fine afterwards (apart from temporarily ragingly high blood pressure, which was the main reason for the induction).

[DinoSnores]

I've posted about this on other similar threads but will post here too!

I was induced early with my DD. Breaking my waters did nothing (apart from soak the junior doctor who was doing it!) so after waiting for things to start, we started the drip and I did have an epidural, as gas and air really weren't enough for me at that point, which (once they'd sorted it, there was a bit of a problem as it only worked on one side at first) was lovely. It was nice and light, so I could still move my legs around the bed (I didn't try standing so not sure whether I could have managed that) and could still feel the contractions. They just didn't hurt until the very end, when I pushed her out (9lbs+) in a couple of pushes!

Overall labour was only about 3.5 hours and my recovery, compared to my first delivery at home/unmedicated/textbook, was really, really quick. I was up and about and home within 12 hours, and felt great and was back to normal much, much more quickly.

Hope things go as smoothly for you!

[ButtonMoon88]

I was induced at 38 weeks because of a mature placenta, I don't think my baby was ready to come at all, but the induction was fine, just long!! I went in at 8pm on a weds, doctor didn't arrive with the persary gel until midnight. Nothing happened. I went to sleep, woke up at about 6am and was examined, they decided to give me another gel, doctor arrives at 9am, and then contractions start almost immediately. I managed to get to 5cm by 1pm, sent to delivery suite, my waters still hadn't broken so the midwife did that for me about 6pm. I was still only 5cm, so they hooked me up to hormone drip, it got very intense very quickly, I tried to carry on without pain relief but I couldn't! The doc came round to give me an epidural about 10pm and then baby arrived Friday morning 1.50am.

Not scary but full- take scrabble!

[ButtonMoon88]

Should say not scary but long!

[ElasticPants]

I was induced a week early with dd2. I was given a pessary at 2pm on a Tuesday. It got removed the same time on Wednesday. There has to be so many hours between doses, so was left until the following morning. dh had to leave at 10pm until 9:30am. They attempted and failed to break my waters, but inserted a tablet, that started weak contractions immediately. They got stronger until my waters broke at lunch time. Then they turned up a notch and got painful. By that time I was so fed up of waiting I was pleased they were coming. ( I remember trying to eat lunch between contractions as the midwife wanted me to eat before going to delivery). The midwife from the labour suite came over and introduced herself and helped us move bags over. DD was born at 6pm after abit of pethadine. I stayed mobile and off the monitors.

DS was over due and I was again induced. It's the waiting around that is the worst imo. I had been having irregular contractions for the previous 3 weeks, and they showed on the monitor. So the midwife was convinced I was going into labour and we were left for several hours. Once it had all stopped, like I knew it would, I was given a pessary and contractions started immediately. So intense that the removed the pessary. It was a quiet night, so dh and I went to the delivery room, despite not being in actual labour yet, so he didn't have to go home. I delivered ds at half 12 the next day with no pain relief and was allowed to labour on the floor. I had been to an active birth class and was intent on staying off the bed. The midwifes were quite happy to let me crack on.

[Scotinoz]

I've been induced with both children, one late and the other early. I've had three-ish hour labours with gas&air and minimal intervention, on the synoconcinin drip, both times.

Induction for me was very positive Best of luck

[typetytypetypes]

I was induced at 41+6 with DC2. DC1 was a spontaneous labour a few days before due date, born in birthing centre with no interventions, so I was mildly terrified the second time around!

No need though Had the pessary in place late evening, slept, waters went while having breakfast! Then contractions started and about an hour later I had a baby It was very quick for me. No interventions to get baby out although we had some monitoring due to distress and meconium but all was fine. 2nd degree tear but only just. Felt good after, hopped off for my shower, no real issues.

First time around had minor PPH and worse 2nd degree tear and a vaginal laceration Sore and weak for ages after! My induced birth ended up being much better than the 'natural' birth in terms of how I felt.

For both I had G&A which was great, but lots of people recommended to opt for the epidural if you're having the drip at induction so I would have strongly considered that if I'd required the drip.

Best wishes for it all

[typetytypetypes]

Close friend also had drip induction around 42 weeks. Within 4 hours went from low level contractions to baby born, no epidural and didn't like G&A so sort of braved it out really! Not a 'tough' person who had a plan for it, it just happened that way and she went with it. 2nd degree tear but generally all fine and induction experience was positive, well looked after, no interventions like ventouse or forceps etc and no haemorrhage. That was her first DC.

[Lemonfizzypop]

I was induced about 3 weeks ago, I was another one who was hoping for a natural water birth at my local midwife-led birth centre but unfortunately dd did not want to budge so there you go!

Was admitted at 8pm on a Wednesday, had pessary inserted at midnight, slept until about 7am when contractions started, I was desperate for just the pessary to work and to not have he gel or drip so I did lots of walking around, bouncing on a ball etc, was checked about 11pm and I was 4cm dilated so they sent me down to the labour ward. They broke my waters there and things started ramping up, found the pain awful obviously but manageable with breathing and gas and air! She arrived at 9am Friday morning. Had to have an episiotomy but that's because she came out sideways and with her hand up by her head (ouch thanks kiddo).

Hardest bit for me was having to do the initial part of labour in hospital rather than in the comfort of my own home, but aside from that it was pretty successful really! It's not nice having to wave goodbye and your original birth plan but the end result is always the same, you get to meet your gorgeous baby!