Waters broken! Now Hormone Drip Induction and Epidural?

[goggles43]

Hi guys,

So I’m still in hospital (after waters broke yesterday evening), waiting for labour to begin. I’ve had a few contractions here and there every hour and it is becoming slightly painful but not actual full on contractions yet.
As I’m 37 weeks tomorrow, the doctor said we wait till tomorrow and if still no labour then they will consider inducing me on hormone drip.
I’d already showed my reluctance to induction due to the intense pain I experienced for DC1 and long labour after being induced. But the doctor insisted that it’s just a helping nudge and doesn’t necessarily mean it will be painful and/or a long labour.

I may well start labour between now and then but wanted to ask if anyone had the hormone drip to be induced after waters breaking, and whether they were able to have a “natural birth” using birthing ball, being mobile/on all fours etc whilst also having an epidural.
I really don’t think I can cope with the pain again.

Thank you

[ALC1985]

Probably not what you want to hear but after being on the drip for 17 hours I had an emcs, due to many reasons, one of which was I never got past 3cm dilated.

[goggles43]

Ohh noo @ALC1985 this is exactly what I’m bloody afraid of. I don’t know what else I can do. The doctor said it’s a “misconception” that the drip makes it longer and more painful but I have heard that so many women struggle with labour after being induced

[CillaBall]

I was induced on drip and was pain free with epidural and baby was born in 9 hours
Good luck!

[CillaBall]

Much better experience then ever imagined and this was my 1st child just to add

[ShirleyPhallus]

@ALC1985

Probably not what you want to hear but after being on the drip for 17 hours I had an emcs, due to many reasons, one of which was I never got past 3cm dilated.

Same thing happened to me. Good luck!!

[MichelleOR84]

Hey !!! I had my waters break at 37+1 . Contractions started right away but after 2 days I wasn’t progressing so they put me on the hormone drip . They highly recommended an epidural but I declined . I wanted to experience labour, pain and all ( I found it weirdly empowering). I didn’t find the contractions that much more painful than I was already getting . It hurt but it was manageable. However baby was sitting too high to push out so I needed an assisted forceps delivery and they gave me a spinal ( incase I needed a csection ). I was gutted but glad I was able to deliver vaginally in the end .

[Metallicalover]

They broke my waters artificially and then 2 hours later commenced me on the hormone drip. 3 hours later baby was born! They said it was going to be a long slog and they would check me after 5 hours (I had already been in for 2 days prior to this!) but my little one had other plans! I asked for diamorphine just as I was about to push (obviously too late for it!)
Hope you meet your little one soon xxx

[EcoCustard]

I had the drip with my third baby, she arrived 25 minutes later and with 1 push. No pain relief, they broke my waters prior to that.
My waters went with my first child at 36 weeks, Labour started 16 hours later all by itself.

[TheMandalorian]

Ds1 was induced with hormone drip at 41+3 after waters broke but failed to labour. After 16hrs of lternating excruciating pain and nothing resulting in only 3cm dilation. Epidural administered so they could crank the hormone up to max. Ds became distressed. Cord wrapped around neck. Prepped for emcs. Specialist managed to turn him and get him out with forceps. Ds2 almost fell out in the hospital corridor.
Good luck. Ask for the epidural earlier rather than later.

[CentrifugalBumblePuppy]

Drip & epidural after waters broke & failed pessary induction with DS at nearly 42 weeks. Very fast labour, shot out like a pea from a cannon. Virtually pain free. 4hrs from drip to cuddles.

DD - waters broke at 39 weeks & sweep to start labour. 2hrs from sweep to birth. Much more painful (but was back to back).

I’d have drip induction with epidural versus sweep & pethidine if I ever had more (more chance of spontaneously turning into a unicorn than that happening!).

[CentrifugalBumblePuppy]

(Son now 27 & still late for everything).

[CentrifugalBumblePuppy]

The only downside to drip & epidural were the drips everywhere; syntocin (1), potassium (2) & something else that I can’t recall (but was rather busy at the time). Drip stands are a pain to shuffle around, but overall won hands down. Shame his Dad wasn’t more helpful, but newer model for DD made things easier.

[Grumpy19]

Hi. I had a terrible excruciating induction with DC1 that ended in emcs. I was adamant that I would never be induced again but with DC3 my blood pressure went sky high and my consultant was insistent I had an induction there and then (39 weeks).
I was terrified it was going to be terrible all over again but it was fine. I stayed on my feet throughout. Had gas and air and she was born 8hours later. Totally different experience.
Good luck x

[Dyra]

Remaining mobile with drip and an epidural will be very tough. Not all trusts offer a 'walking' epidural. I don't know if midwives would be willing to manoeuvre you into an all fours position when you have numb lower legs.

I thought that if you're on the drip, you should have continuous fetal monitoring. Which also lessens the ability to move around, though wireless monitoring is much more readily available.

I had my waters broken as part of my induction at 37 weeks. As I didn't go into labour after 2 hours I was put on the drip. As with a PP, I didn't want an epidural for the same reasons PP gave. I did need morphine for the pain, and the gas & air could not be prised from my hands. But labour in the end was pretty uneventful. I needed a foetal scalp electrode to monitor baby as the monitoring kept slipping off, but that was the worst of it. Baby arrived after 11 hours on the drip.

Hopefully you'll go into labour tonight, but if you don't, good luck for tomorrow.

[goggles43]

Hi all just an update. My labour started on its own within 36 hours and I delivered naturally within 6.5 hours. I only used gas & air which I’m utterly shocked about and feel bloody proud of myself too! Both of us doing well and DC looks absolutely perfect.
Thank you for your responses/help/advice.

[ShirleyPhallus]

What a positive experience! Huge congratulations OP, take a million photos and bask in the deliciousness of your new baby

(And add a photo here, if you want....!)

[Grumpy19]

Congratulations

[Metallicalover]

Congratulations 😊😊

[MichelleOR84]

That’s so amazing!!!! Congratulations!!!!

[PoodlesAreMySpiritAnimal]

Yay!! Congratulations!!

[CillaBall]

Congratulations 💐