What is it like being induced at 42 weeks?

[Foodx123]

Hey!

Got my induction date today and I am being induced on Tuesday 14th July! Have to call up at 7am to see if there is space but it will definitely be Tuesday.

I'd like to hear your overdue induction stories? Was it a short or long labour? Was it more painful than previous? Any intervention requirements? C-section? With COVID-19 I am super nervous about going in all alone and not knowing how long until my husband can join me!

xxx

[HarrietM87]

I was induced at 40+12. They examined me before inserting the gel and my cervix was totally closed, posterior and baby wasn’t fully engaged. They said I was nowhere near labour and the induction might take a while.

Had the gel, went into labour a few hours later, baby born within 3hrs of first contraction in the pool in the birthing centre. No interventions and only gas and air in the last half an hour. It was fantastic. Best day of my life! I was terrified of induction but it doesn’t always mean cascade of interventions, especially if you are at full term.

[user1497787065]

I was induced at 42 weeks with both of my children. Both using a pessary, all
Quite straightforward and three to
Five hour labours and both almost nine pounds. People love to tell horror stories of induction. Not all inductions are awful!

[HenSolo]

Was induced at 42+2 with my second - they couldn’t get it going so eventually broke my waters with what felt like a coat hanger?? Was also put on the drip. Anyway that got things going, Labour was about 12 hours, exactly the same as my first birth but this time I asked for an epidural at about 6cm dilated cos the pain was obviously quite intense, got it and had a lovely calm birth.

[denbyellie]

@HarrietM87 did they let you use the birthing pool when you'd been induced? I got told that wasn't allowed xxx

[SquigglyOne]

I went in for my induction at 40+12.
After monitoring baby’s heart rate for a while they examined me and I was 3cm dilated so was taken up to delivery suit and had waters broken. Started feeling contractions about half an hour later and DS was here within 5 hours. He was my first so no idea if more painful than a natural labour. Wasn’t able to have an epidural as there was “no time” so had gas and air and pethidine.
No interventions however I did end up with a retained placenta which had to be manual removed - usually you are taken to theatre and have a spinal for this but luckily they were able to removed it in the delivery room and I just used the gas and air.
I also had a second degree tear which needed stitches but this really wasn’t so bad.

Good luck OP - labour is painful but it is so so worth it!

[Foreverbaffled]

Was induced at 40+12 and was a great experience. I was already 2cm dilated so went straight to drip although they offered me an epidural first which I took. Pain free labour although could feel contractions (as a tightening) so knew when to push. Could feel baby come out etc which was lovely. 8 hours from start to finish. Good luck. You’ll be okay! :)

[vampirethriller]

Induced at 42+3, contractions started about an hour later but after 48 ish hours I was still only 1.5cm. Had my waters broken and a drip, nothing happened, a day later I had a c section. I think I was unlucky though!

[Rosehipbrandy]

It was great actually, much better than my first. Arrived at hospital as requested at 9.30, pessary around 12.30, started getting contractions a little while later, and was holding my baby by 8.30.
What was wonderful, was that my midwife was looking out for me even in early labour and made sure I got my epidural at just the right moment - no debating when I could have one and hanging around like with my first.
And come to think if it, the arrival was very calm and ordered because I was booked in, and not waiting and wondering if my contractions were close enough together before heading in and then hoping you haven’t gone in too early and being sent home.

[CherryMaple]

I was induced at 42 weeks. My waters broke at home at midnight when I was due to go in for induction that morning. I went in to hospital and was induced by drip at 4am. My labour failed to progress - I never got past 7cm dilated - and was less dilated at 10pm than I had been at lunchtime. All the strong contractions meant my cervix was too swollen to dilate properly. I sat on a birth ball all through the labour, and pain was manageable with just gas and air despite intense contractions very close together.

I had a C section just after 11pm. It was great and I recovered really well. The section was a very positive experience - especially considering DD was 10lb!

[WoollyFoolly]

I was due to be induced at 42+2, called the hospital in the morning to be told they were too busy and to call back later. In the meantime my waters broke so decided to stay at home and wait instead. 2 days later, FINALLY went into labour and had a lovely, short, easy home birth. So don't rule out the possibility of it happening without intervention, even at this late stage!

[HarrietM87]

@denbyellie at my hospital they let you give birth in the midwife unit and use the pool if the induction only involves the gel (equivalent to the pessary). If I’d had to have my waters broken/the drip then I would have had to be on the labour ward and I think would have meant j couldn’t go in the pool.

[Pesimistic]

I was induced at 41+4 gel at 8.30 another lot at 12.30 water broken at 3 30, active labour at 5.30 had baby at 22.55 it was painful, contractions one on top of the other, no intervention. It was a good birth looking back but the speed in which it went fimrughtened me a little

[Inthesky42]

I was induced at 41+5 as had RFM and query waters leaking. They went straight for the gel due to this. Contractions came on slowly and were manageable without pain relief overnight but no progress in dilation in the morning meant they put me on the drip. Contractions came on really strong and really quickly, became very very painful. Gas and air wasn't cutting it as I was hyper contracting. No progress in dilation, big decels on baby's heart rate on the monitor. I had an epidural for the pain, shortly afterwards they decided baby was too distressed and couldn't cope with contractions anymore so EMCS. It was less scary than I thought it would be but still quite scary. I'm being honest here. I had always wanted to avoid the drip as I knew it was more painful and came with more interventions. If I'd have had a choice to do it again I would have gone for ELCS if the gel didn't work. I went through so much pain and worry for my baby for the same end result. I tried asking for CS after the first few instances of baby's heart rate bottoming out and they were insistant to put me through a vaginal birth, until of course it became clear that wasn't going to happen.
I had been hoping so much to labour naturally but sadly it doesn't always go the way we want it. Thankfully they did look after us and we are both OK now. DS had been in there too long and was only 3rd centile when born as my placenta had started to degrade. Thankfully he's 75th now!