Induced labour - any positive stories?

[Smarshian]

I am 40 weeks today with baby #2. I'm hoping that this baby will come naturally, DD was 10 days overdue but spontaneous labour.
I'm terrified of being induced. I've heard lots of horror stories about induction and most I've heard of have ended in csection which I really don't want.
Has anyone had a positive induction? Can I hear about it please?

[delilabell]

Me! I was induced in the Friday. Had to be induced another couple of times ( but quite enjoyed the break of being in hospital due to 1st ds.
Saturday night contractions coming more strongly. Sunday afternoon waters were broke. Had to have the drip but wasn't hideous. Baby born 2.11 am Monday morning.
I had a few stitches but was a really good labour.

[MummyMummy01]

Induced midday. Went into labour at midnight with first pain and waters breaking. 55 mins later all done and perfect baby. Good luck

[delilabell]

I think you just need to go with the flow with inductions and know you'll have your baby at the end of it. Good luck!

[Justmuddlingalong]

3 DC here. 3 inductions. 3 happy healthy deliveries. 0 c sections. Good luck either way.

[Smarshian]

Wow 55 minutes! Did you end up with pain relief? Were either of you in hospital for long?

[MaisieMoo02]

I was induced at 11am. Had a bath at about 2pm then DD was born at 16.32pm!! First baby too! Good luck

[Chalkitup]

I have nothing but positive memories of the birth of my first baby. Induced at 38 weeks for a complication. Had 24 hours of the propess then waters broken and hormone drip. In active labour for 5 hours which is really quick for first baby had a normal delivery no complications. If you've laboured before the active part will.prob be fairly quick don't worry and good luck x

[Smarshian]

Did you all have easy recovery?
What pain relief did you use?

[Aintnobodygottimeforthatshit]

My induction with my first child went really well. I was induced at 4:30am ish at 42+1 day, I was put on a drip once they had broken my waters, labour lasted 5 hours and my daughter came at 9:28am that same day.

The contractions were painful, I had gas and air and a pethidine injection to help with that but no horror story here. I'm currently pregnant with my second and worried about the uncertainty of when she will come, but if I have to have another induction I would want it to go as smoothly as last time.

Good luck, it definitely made my labour fast.

[Smarshian]

I had a quick active stage last time (4 hours) and managed on gas and air which I was happy about, but I've heard induction can be more painful and quicker.

[MaisieMoo02]

It was painful because it happened so quick! I've only had 1 baby so I don't have anything to compare it to but have also heard it can be more painful.

I didn't have any pain relief as didn't have time! A bath definitely helped me though 100%

[Rose1983]

I was induced with my second child and it went very smoothly. Induced at 9am, contractions started around 12pm, waters broke at 4.55pm and he was born at 5.10pm. No pain relief at all, no complications

[Chalkitup]

I had gas and air and then diamorphine (Which was amazing) it was painful but most births are induced or not. I'd say just be aware of what they've got for pain relief, have an open mind and see how you go.
I was back home within a few hours.

[MummyMummy01]

Smarshian

Wow 55 minutes! Did you end up with pain relief? Were either of you in hospital for long?

Had 2 paracetamol at midday and nothing else. Was first baby and had a few stitches after but I never really noticed pain due to speed. I was 38 weeks also as baby was pole dancing on the cord😏. Kept setting alarms off. She’s still that way inclined 11 years later. You’ll be fine as others say relax and go with flow. Worst thing is to panic and try making plans.

[butlerswharf]

I was induced recently . It was really fine. I was fully dilated after 2 hrs and pushing! I did it on two paracetamol so really not nightmare inducing! Please don't worry.

[Changedmaname]

Yes, very positive here! First baby so nothing to compare it to, but my fears about induction were misplaced. Waters broke at 38+6 and then the following day I went on the drip as still only irregular contractions happening. 4.5 hrs from drip starting to baby out (1.5 pushing). Needed an episiotomy, but that wasn't the inductions fault! Used a TENS machine for pain relief.

[Changedmaname]

Also, I'm sure you know you can refuse induction if you wish, and opt for daily monitoring. It's a very small risk to do so, if you don't have any other complications. This was my plan if I went overdue with first pregnancy, and probably will be again with this one TBH.
I really believe that most of the induction horror stories I have heard seem to be from women who weren't actually ready to labour and that is why inductions often fail/go on for daaaays.

[Hannabee123]

First baby I was induced over Christmas. I didn't have to go through any of the gels to start things off. They popped my waters hooked me Upto a drip. I went in hospital at 3pm they popped my waters around 4 / 5pm. I was hooked up to the drip at around 6pm then not alot happened. My waters never broke properly so they did it again. Turned up the drip and baby appeared at 2.25 am!
It wasn't super quick but it was painful. The midwife told me being induced can be a little more intense.
I had an epidural put in (I wish I'd had it alot sooner)
The pushing stage was brilliant she was out in 2 or 3 pushes!
Overall it was a positive experience but labour is painful regardless. Keep an open mind and see how you feel. If I ever have another (which I doubt I will tbh) I would ask for an epidural no questions asked. It was funny because I remember being shit scared of epidurals and I hated the idea of them

[Thetimehascometo]

I ended up needing a section but have found them nowhere near as bad as the horror stories! 2 weeks later and I’m pretty much back to normal!

[Hannabee123]

The best advice I can give you is don't listen to the horror stories!! For some bizarre strange reason which to this day I still haven't figured out... people love telling pregnant women a good horror story! At work I would get random people coming up to me telling me all about their horror Labour, their friends horror labour. They might aswell of thrown in some mortality statistics to top it all off! I even had a panic attack Christmas eve because everyone thought it was an awesome idea to tell me how horrific it is!
People can be dicks. Insensitive dicks!

Please just don't listen. We are all amazing and we all get through it no matter how and what we use. Spend your last few moments relaxing and unwinding before the birth instead of worrying (I know it's tough not to think about it) I was much happier when I cut people off from telling me these awful things. It will be positive because you will have a little baby to enjoy at the end of it :)

[SockQueen]

If you've already had a spontaneous labour and vaginal delivery, then IF you need induction your chances of it working are higher.

I was induced with DS at 42 weeks. Pessary in at 1.30am, never needed anything more than that as I went into labour (hyperstimulated so was contracting 7 in 10 mins at one point!) and he was born almost exactly 12 hours later. 10lbs, gas & air only, 2nd degree tear which has healed absolutely fine.

[Raaaaaah]

Great experience here. Had an epidural sited at the same time as the drip. I was still able to mobilise though. I gave birth squatting. I can’t describe what I felt as pain at all just intense tightenings. I felt the urge to push. It was the most gentle of my three births and that includes the textbook spontaneous vaginal delivery. Honestly it was great.

[QueenAravisOfArchenland]

Since you've had a spontaneous labour and vaginal delivery previously, your chances of induction ending in vaginal birth is 90+%. It's a different ballgame to inducing a FTM where it is significantly more likely to end in EMCS.

I was induced at 37wks for DC2 because of growth concerns. It took some time to get going - the pessary didn't induce sustained labour and I had to go on the drip, I think mostly because I'd never have gone into labour myself at that gestation. But it was fine. I coped with most of the time on the drip with TENS and was able to move around. Had epidural for the last few hours. Pushed him out with nary a tear and was on my feet again within the hour. Active labour about 5-6 hours total. Almost no recovery, just a bit knackered.

[Girlwiththearabstrap]

I've been induced with both of mine- once at 35 weeks for pre eclampsia, one at 42 weeks for post dates.
Both fine, no c sections, no forceps etc (and both back to back which always seems to elicit cries of "demand an elcs" on mumsnet).
I had an epidural first time as after 3 hours on the drip I was in a lot of pain and the pre eclampsia had made me unwell. It didn't slow my labour and I could still feel the pressure telling me when to push. Took about 8 hours from waters breaking to delivery.
Second time about 3 hours from waters breaking, with no pain relief. It was very intense but manageable.

[Clairetree1]

induced 9pm in the evening, labour started 9am in the morning - perfect baby 6 hours later, first baby, vaginal delivery