Induction - yes or no?

[barnconversion5]

I have just read a similar thread to this on Childbirth but it didn't get any responses so I'm hoping the people in Chat would be able to offer some much needed pearls of wisdom?

I am 39 wks & have been offered an induction due to 3 instances of reduced fetal movements. To clarify, baby has been moving throughout but the patterns have changed quite significantly in the third trimester from quite violent kicks/punches to more the fluttering stomach of earlier pregnancy & much less often. At my routine midwife's appointment yesterday she advised me to go in to be on the safe side & this is when they started talking about an induction.

Since the positive monitoring session yesterday, baby has moved quite a lot overnight & today so I'm feeling reassured but I can't shake the feeling that I would rather he/she was here & safely via induction rather than hanging on for a (possible) spontaneous labour. On the other hand, I would rather avoid the medicalised nature of an induction & possible increased risk of c-section etc.

Has anybody been in a similar situation or has any helpful advice to give a nervous & possibly overthinking FTM?

Thank you for any replies!

Actually ladies need to know the pessary can and does put many ladies into labour.

I had no clue. I went in a bath to deal with the back ache. MW asked me to get out 2hrs later I was getting dried etc inbetween contractions.
I didn't realise until after my 2nd last contraction that my baby was en-route. MW came flying in the door to catch him just in time.

I've had one induction and one non-induction, and I'll be honest - the induction was pretty unpleasant. But that's not really what you need to hear right now! So what I will say is make sure you talk about your birth partner staying with you (DH was kicked off the ward just as I entered labour, because men weren't allowed on the ward at night) so I was on my own most of the time, which was pretty shit.

And also talk through your pain relief options. I hadn't realised that (because induction kicks things along artificially) there would be a point when I was having very strong frequent intense contractions, but because I wasn't dilated enough to be in established labour I wasn't allowed in the delivery suite, and so was only allowed paracetamol and codeine. (MW did eventually bring me some gas and air but apparently that was against the rules.) Hopefully your hospital is better about all that stuff!

Good luck - I'm sure you'll be fine. Just think about those couple of things first.

My induction didn't work and lasted ages but it was boring not traumatic.

For reduced movements I'd absolutely agree to it

I wasn't allowed in the delivery suite, and so was only allowed paracetamol and codeine

Cheers you've just confirmed what the 4 pills were. I thought I was given paracetamol and co-codamol but a pharmacist friend said they wouldn't normally give those together, she guessed maybe codeine!

I had a very similar situation with a change of pattern of movement - the consultant said I could be induced that night or go in for every other day monitoring which I opted for. I was then induced two weeks later and it wasn’t the horror story I was expecting - it was very quick. From pessary to baby in about 4 hours. Do you have the option to have more monitoring, if you wanted? Good luck with whatever you decide...

At least with an induction you know when it will be shit and you’ll get a dedicated midwife and a very quick epidural if you need one.

In my induction I got neither a dedicated midwife nor an epidural.

My induction didn't work and i was pretty knackered after 2 days of propess pains. However i would do it all over again to ensure the safety of my baby. Good luck OP!

Induced here, at 41+3. I tried everything to kickstart labour - everything!- DD wasn't having it. My score at the start was only 2, but it was about 23 hours from pessary to birth. I did also have the drip (after epidural) and went from 7 to 10cm in about half an hour!

I did end up with episiotomy and forceps but this was due to a cord issue (short cord, positioned over DDs shoulder so she was stretching it and risk of lowering oxygen). They wanted her out asap so 10cm to she's here happened very quickly.

All fine really, on paper it's the birth we'd rather avoid but in reality I'm 100% fine with it. This was thanks to the epidural though being honest, I was at 3cm when it went in and the pain was bad - it would have been a different story if not for that lovely anthesitist man. I'm glad I went for it, I was also advised to on the fact I'd been in a few times for movements (although DDs trick was to go quiet then once a monitor went on it was party time!)

I was induced for my first as I was 2 weeks over and quite honestly it was horrendous, despite all the inducing drugs it still took over 24 hours.

For my 2nd I was terrified of being induced again, and again went 2 weeks over but the day before I was due to be induced I went for several long walks and ate curry, drank raspberry leaf tea or something like that and was in full labour by 9pm thankfully and DS popped out 3 hours after getting to hospital.

However if I'd thought there was any risk to my child I would have gone through being induced again without a doubt.

So depends on what the medical staff/ midwife advise.