Pessary induction hasn't worked, what next? Advice for a scared ftm please.

[macdat]

They've tried twice, all it has done is left me with horrible cramps. My cervix has remained exactly the same, contractions aren't anything to write home about they're low on the scale of things.
Since I've had no changes whatsoever, I'm thinking the third (and final) try with the pessary that they want to do won't work either. If it doesn't, they want to do a c section.
Thankfully they've let me go and wait at home tonight so I can actually rest and see how things go. I'll go back early in the morning and they want to try the final pessary.

I'm considering telling them to just skip straight to the c section so a- I don't have to have that painful cervical examination again and the pessary, and b- don't have to have the awful cramps, all for it to (quite likely) not even work again.

What would you personally do if you were in my situation?
Are there any risks if I just tell them to leave it alone now and see if baby will make its own way into the world soon without any intervention? They've told me once they have started the induction process baby must come out one way or another and I can't leave it.

I'm 40 weeks today, only being induced because I had symptoms of pre eclampsia. I don't have pre eclampsia it seems, as my blood pressure has started to improve and become normal again. Other symptoms remain the same, but they can just happen anyway it doesn't definitely mean pre eclampsia.

[pitterpatterrain]

Good luck which ever way you choose. It is always your choice!

If you would prefer the CS then go ahead - I am probably biased (!) as had pessary, then drip, pushed with no success and ended up with EMCS. So with hindsight skipping to the end would have helped sleep-wise. Good that they let you go home.

I don't know about no interventions and monitoring in your situation. Ask about it - get clarification whether you are still considered to be high risk if your BP has improved

[1frenchfoodie]

I was also told starting induction was 1 way street i.e. can't then leave to nature, not sure how true that is - can you ask for reasoning? In the end I held on to 42 wks before having waters broken (I was 4cm dialated after 22h of contractions following 3rd sweep) then drip. Led to normal vaginal delivery on gas and air. Any reason why they'd not try drip if pessary hasn't worked? Not saying this is better than CS, it is just good to have all options before you. Sorry to hear cervical exam is painful though, guess I was prepared to mess around with multiple sweeps as I didn't find all the fiddling about with manipulation of cervix painful.

[macdat]

I'm back for monitoring today, if nothing has changed I think I'll ask them to send me home again. I dread something like pitterpatterrain and just doing all that, then an an emergency c section all on no sleep. I see how horrible the lack of sleep there is now, can't imagine doing all that and then an emc, I feel for you, but it's worth it in the end I suppose.

1frenchfoodie honestly, the cervical exam, I think it's down to the person doing it. The first midwife was uncomfortable pain but not unbearable, the second midwife was so horrible and rough. I heard her doing other women's ones and some were actually screaming in pain! I thought somebody was going into labour at first haha.

As for why they say induction is a one way thing, I think it's just because if they do send people away after they could be in danger. Labour can progress faster than expected with inductions sometimes so the mother may not get back in time to deliver baby in hospital. Babies can have difficulties sometimes when being induced, higher or lower heart rates than they'd like or breathing problems, so if that happens and the mother isn't around any medical staff, it could be dangerous.

Thank you both for your opinions and sharing your experiences. It's given me more to think about.

[Mummyme87]

Suspected pre eclampsia? Interesting and odd to be inducing if not actually confirmed. Are you on medication for blood pressure? If all is now normal, bloods, BP (not medicated), no protein in urine and normal CTG, I would be discussing stopping IOL and review in a few days.

[pepperrabbit]

macdat when I had DS2 they attempted an induction at 39 weeks (on a Wed), it failed exactly as you describe and they sent me home on the Friday night for the weekend.
I went back on the Monday and they did 2 more pessaries (am & pm) which were indeed miserable but the 2nd one (& last chance pre section) did the trick. I actually had the best recovery after him off all 3DC and I you can bear it to avoid a C-section that's something to consider?
He was born at 1am on his due date in the end on the Tues
Cons - DH "lost" a week of paternity leave when I was still PG as he had to look after DS1, and being induced for a week was really quite grim.
I had gestational diabetes which is why they wanted him early. He's not been early for anything else since either!

[TiggeryBear]

I was in your position 7 weeks ago. They induced me due to high blood pressure, uric acid in my blood & baby's high heart rate. I had the prostin(?) Followed by 2 gels with no effect. They wanted to rest me for 48hours then start all over again but they weren't going to let me go home whilst I rested! So I refused that option. We agreed that I'd rest 24 hours in hospital & see if any progress had been made in the morning (not likely!) if not then a c-section. Following morning they came down to the ward & took me to Labour ward for an examination, as predicted, no change. They tried to convince me again to try the induction again, but I was adamant that I wasn't going through that again so they prepared me for a c-section there & then. I can't say it was a great experience, IMO the only positive of the whole thing was the arrival of my baby. All I will say is be firm in your decision. I got rather upsethysterical which I don't think helped with getting them to agree with me. But after 4 days of being poked & prodded & CTG monitoring combined with next to no sleep & not being allowed to go home, safe to say I'd had enough! I wanted my bed!