Induction tomorrow - please help!

[herethereandeverywhere]

I'm being induced tomorrow (41+5) and feel like a lamb to the slaughter. I've never even stayed overnight in hospital before and the thought of what lies ahead is terrifying to say the least. I literally feel I'm about to be tortured for 48 hours.

Please could some of you lovely ladies make me feel a bit better about what I'm about to go through.

PS: I know I can refuse the induction and wait but to be honest I'd worry myself sick about harm to the baby so have decided this is the "best" of a bad situation.

[MadameDefarge]

Um, not sure if this is helpful, but why do you have to be induced? Is this your first? Is there actually a real concern about the baby?

[herethereandeverywhere]

It's my first. I guess its just "policy" but I've been given all the info about increased risk of stillbirth after 42 weeks and I just don't want that on my conscience.

[MadameDefarge]

Ah. Um. Look, advice on here is obviously got to be taken with a pinch of salt, but perhaps you could have a chat with an independent childbirth specialist before deciding absolutely?

[pipWereRabbit]

I had an induction with my first birth. I'll tell you what happened, but first I want to let you know that I found it a surprisingly calm and fulfilling experience - in fact the word I've used to describe myself most often is 'serene' - so don't let the gory details put you off.

I was induced 10 days before my due date, admitted to hospital on the Wednesday night when I was given my first pessary to start things off. Didn't do a lot for me, although a couple of the ladies who came in with me were moved to the labour ward within a few hours.
Thursday I was given another pessary - again didn't do much, but all the fiddling around down there must have done something as my waters broke when I got up on Friday morning.

While waiting I spent lots of time walking around the ward and hospital and chatting to every other expectant mum I came across. Met some lovely people, with interesting stories... I'm not normally that sociable.

Friday night I had a few aches and pains, but nothing much. Saturday I watched England win the Rugby World Cup (hurrah!). Saturday night I kept waking up with regular pains, so I pottered off to the MWs station to tell them I was in labour - they gave me some co-codamol and I went back to sleep.

Sunday morning the pains had subsided, but had obviously been achieving something as I was 3cm dilated. Time to go to the labour ward. Before I went down I was offered an epidural, but politely declined.

I was put on a syntocin drip at lunch time, and have to admit the contractions did come hard and fast, and I quickly escalated from TENS machine, to gas and air, to pethidine, to an epidural and finally some form of morphine. I think the fact I was continually monitored and couldn't move around was probably the hardest thing to cope with.

DD was born at 7:50pm vaginally (about 7 hours since labour really kicked in and they started me on the drip). Both she and I recovered quickly and I only needed a couple of stitches where I tore slightly (my choice to tear).

The MWs were great - stuck to my birth plan (which took into account the fact that I knew I was going to be induced and might therefore not be able to have all the accessories of a completely natural labour), for which I am eternally grateful to them as it left me feeling in control.

Sorry this is such a long post, but I wanted to let you know that an induction can still be a really positive experience, even if the headline description of my birth story might sound like a bit of a nightmare.

Try to keep calm and relax (so that your adrenalin isn't fighting against your bodies attempts to dilate your cervix). You'll be fine, you aren't going to be tortured and soon you will have a wonderful baby to cuddle and adore.

Good Luck.

[piscesmoon]

Good luck. I was very apprehensive. I was started at 9am and had him mid afternoon. It was a completely normal birth, with nothing but gas and air. It wasn't any different from my other births except for a bit of help to start. I would always go with hospital opinion-maybe it wasn't necessary, but I wouldn't have wanted anything to go wrong just because I wanted things to suit me. It is much better to work with the staff and be friendly, than to start insisting on second opinions etc. As it was they started me off and then didn't see me until I was 8cm dilated so it wasn't exactly medical intervention.

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

i've never had a non-induced vb so can't compare but i really liked my induction. i was a bit dilated so they just put me straight on the drip, i bounced away on the ball and got really far into my labour (but then my bp went wild as predicted so they gave me an epidural to bring it down). epi didn't really work, just took the edge off, so was perfect for me.

honestly, it was lovely, i'd do it all again tomorrow. You're going to get to meet your wee baby!

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

oh yes, started about 11am, baby born at 6. no pain relief as i was doing fine until bp shot up, not even tens. kept calm by chatting to mw and dh and listening to radio four.

[pipWereRabbit]

AitchTwotoTangOh - not fair, you nicked my perfect induced birth .

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

oh dear, sorry, and there are you being so lovely on my books thread. will it help if i go into the 'shit, she's coming out NOW' 33 week scan that i had prior to c section with preemie dd2?

oh, and just a graze for me, OP, and a less than one cm tear so no stitching. they say that induced births tear less because that last bit is more 'managed' iykwim? [smug]

[pipWereRabbit]

OMG Aitch - 33 weeks? That is seriously scary. I hope DD2 is thriving now, I assume she's the one-year old in need of a boring book?

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

she is indeed. fit as a fiddle.

[pinkyp]

Good luck!! I was induced at 13days overdue and it was fine, your more mointered so i felt in safe hands and its so worth it!! It was being pregnant i wasnt too keen on! But i'd give birth tomorrow!!

[piscesmoon]

I agree with you pinkyp, I wouldn't want to be pregnant again, but I love the actual birth!