If your first birth was a failed induction....

[PushkinTheCat]

....what happened second time round?

My first was a failed induction, induced at 40+12 with a Bishop’s score of 1 (not that anyone explained the implications of that, oh no ). Two days later, I was the grand total of 2cm dilated and failing to progress at all despite max doses of syntocinon drip, so ended up with EMCS. I always wondered if position was a factor as DS was head down, back towards right hip (anterior placenta) from around 29 weeks.

Now pregnant again, I need to decide between ELCS and trying for VBAC and am struggling to get anything more concrete from the hospital beyond “70% of women are able to “achieve” VBAC”. I’m questioning whether the odds would be that high in my case and curious as to others’ experiences, though I appreciate the plural of “anecdote” is not “evidence.

At the moment, I question whether I would even go into labour...would be interested to hear from anyone else with a similar experience.

[ameliathomas84]

I believe everyone's experience will be different so it's difficult to say I had two failed inductions which both ended up after three days of labour with emcs, both identical in how everything went! However I was induced due to oc and was early 37,35 weeks preg
Respectively, I rhi o when your full term
It's higher chance will work xx

[Fatted]

My induction wasn't 'failed' as such. It just went very wrong, to the point where I was told not to have an induction second time around. So my choices were have a vbac if I went into labour myself or an elective section.

I chose the elective section and was booked in for 39 weeks. I ended up having him earlier than planned for that anyway as I had pre-eclampsia at 37 weeks. So would have needed a section anyway in the end.

[PushkinTheCat]

Thank you - I wish I had a crystal ball!

Anyone else with similar experience?

[LeslieYep]

Induced with DD. My waters went, contractions didn't so straight on drip next day.

I managed 3cm dilated then emcs. Absolutely fine. Great recovery.

Opted for csec with 2nd. All good, planned and slightly less emotional!

[Notnowokay]

Ds1, c-section after failure to dilate.

Ds2, vbac (induced but was given tablets as it was a stillbirth so I don't know if those tablets are suitable for when delivering a live baby).

Ds3, planned c-section after worries about my placenta failing. I did have a beautiful vbac plan but baby started moving less and I wanted him out asap as soon as I completed the steroids injections two days later.

[pancakes22]

Also only reached 2cm first time round with the drip resulting in EMCS.

Second time round was desperate for VBAC. Got to 3cm after 5 hours which was excruciating and so I was trying to elect at that point because I was scared I was going to get stuck at 3cm again. Instead I went 3-10 in hour which baby did not like, heart rate dropped and nearly had to have general but ended up with cat 1 EMCS which was so much worse than first time round.

There is a part of me that still feels desperate for vaginal birth however if we ever have another then I will elect to try and get a calmer birth with skin to skin etc rather than these emergency situations where baby gets taken away.

[RosamundButterfly]

I had to make this choice. Went for ELCS on advice of doctor (was also told most obstetricians chose ELCS for themselves). Not without regrets but it was so calm and smooth and lovely and my baby was happy and calm and there was hardly any stress.

First one was induced at 40+11 days and ended up as EMCS after both forceps and ventouse failed, really stressful for all concerned. Dc2 had a much calmer arrival. Would choose same option again for this reason I think

[PushkinTheCat]

@RosamundButterfly, that’s interesting as my consultant is pushing VBAC - she has made it clear it’s my choice and she will support an ELCS, which is great, but she has made a few comments about vaginal birth which really raised my eyebrows, such as that you’re as recovered as you’re going to get within a few days (sure everyone who’s ever had an episiotomy would agree, no?). So I feel she’s keen to emphasise the risks of surgery while ignoring the risks of vaginal birth.

[Ragwort]

I vowed never to have another , sorry, not very helpful!

[PushkinTheCat]

@Ragwort, I hear you, but at 31 weeks it’s a bit late for me to come to that decision! I have sworn not to be induced under any circumstances though...

[MadamBuxton]

My first was a nearly failed induction - I’ll spare you the long story but suffice to say it didn’t go well although I narrowly avoided a c-section in the end.

My second was a dream - spontaneous labour, water birth with zero intervention and basically one push.

[spaniorita]

1st - induced was measuring big for dates and I didn't dilate it contract or anything so I ended up having c-sec - born at 40+3 healthy 10lbs

2nd - planned c-sec as again measured large for dates. I was all for a vbac until he measured large at 20wk scan and subsequent growth scans, and consultant advised against in the end. I was given the choice but weighed up the risks and had him by c-sec at 38+6 very healthy 10lbs. Wouldn't have forgiven myself had he got stuck and ended up in trouble so it was the right decision for me.

[HippyChickMama]

First birth induced at 42 weeks, 36 hours in labour and EMCS as ds was posterior brow and moved into posterior facial presentation. Second pregnancy I wanted a VBAC and was offered ELCS at 10 days post due date if necessary, no induction. I laboured spontaneously and had a successful VBAC at 40+3.

[highheelsandweathercocks]

Similar experience.
DS1. Waters broke Tuesday 10am. Examined at birthing centre, sent home to wait. Kept in touch by phone. Sent to hospital on my due date, Thursday 10am for induction. Contractions started 11pm Wednesday, but examination at 11am Thursday showed only 1/2 cm dilation.
Put on drip. Made DS heartrate do funky things. Remove from drip, heartrate stabilise. Rinse and repeat until 2am throwing in a failed epidural (fun!), pethadine and a second epidural. Examination showed that I was 5cm. Begged for EMCS. DS born at 0220 on Friday morning. Had to have a spinal block as had maxed out the epidural.

DS2 is 22 months younger. I was adamant I wanted an ELCS, and went along to consultant appointment to book it. Consultant (with 18mo old DS in the room with me) tells me that DS had been back to back, which is probably why it failed. That was the first I heard of that! Came out of the appointment feeling positive about a VBAC. Booked a second appointment a couple of weeks later to ask some more questions. Got a member of the consultants team instead.

I told her that nothing in the world would get me on that drip again and that I'd like a water birth as gas and air made me ill. She said that they'd want me in bed monitored the whole time. I said that I didn't want that, she told me to take it up with the MW in charge during labour!! I asked her what the procedure was for overdue ladies who did not want a drip induction. She told me straight that I would have no other choice. I cried and booked my ELCS on the spot.

With the power of hindsight I wish that I'd told her to get stuffed. She couldn't make me do anything. She wasn't going to be there and the midwives certainly couldn't have made me wear a monitor. I wish that I'd been more assertive and had fought for myself and my right to give birth in a way that I wanted. Or at least try!! But you're feeling vulnerable and you think that the doctors know better.

My friend had a similar experience with her eldest (same hospital three weeks later) but did go on to successfully have a VBAC six months after my ELCS. Her failed induction didn't faze her in the slightest, whereas I'm convinced that I still carry some trauma from mine and DS1 is 8 now. So for me, 18 months later it was all to fresh to even contemplate repeating.

[Noneedtocry]

Similar story with my first. I dilated to 9.5 but baby never descended... my Bishops score was 0 on admission.

With number 2 I ended up with ELCS. Got the RCOG guidelines covering the stats on successful VBACs and concluded in almost every category (height, age, weight, medical history) my odds were worse than the average ... so my personal odds much lower than 75%. The only thing that might have made them improve was a spontaneous labour before 40 weeks, so I agreed with consultant that if baby came before then I'd give it a try. That didn't happen and I had a calm and controlled ELCS at 40+2.

I understand why the NHS encourage VBAC and, had I felt like I had a decent shot, I'd like to have had a vaginal birth, but when medical literature is saying it'll be 50/50 VBAC or EMCS and you know emergency sections have worse outcomes than elective it just didn't make sense for me to risk it.

[sparkle67]

First and only DD - failed induction at 37 weeks, attempted to break waters 3 times, failed epidural, failed vaginal (only thing I gave birth to was a heartbeat monitor clip... yaay me!) rushes to theatre, failed suction/forceps finally emcs.



I would opt for an elective next time, it's just the safest option for me.

[Justasecondnow]

First child failed induction resulted in emergency section, second baby 18 months later opted for planned section. A decision I’ve never regretted.

If someone could have assured me a relatively straightforward vaginal birth, with no induction and not ending up with another emergency section I would have gone for that. But of course no one can.

Relative certainty of planned section was best for me.

[Boobahs]

Induced at 39 weeks first time around due to gestational diabetes. I had 4 pessary gels, none of which worked. Then they tried to break my waters twice, and I had the syntocinon drip as well. After 12 hours on it, I finally started having contractions but never dilated so I did end up with a EMCS. Took 5 days.

Asked for a ELCS second time around. It was a much better experience. Easier recovery as I hadn't been messed with so much, could organise childcare, knew what to expect.

[missanony]

In your shoes I’d go for elcs at due date and if you go before then that’s great. Elcs was a great experience for me - going into it without labour exhaustion is very different