To feel petrified and devastated by induction

[PinkSchmoo]

New poster to Mumsnet and really would appreciate positive experiences re induction.
At 41 wks + 2 I am scheduled for an induction tomorrow and feel hugely negative about it. I know that people have real problems and that this is, in the scheme of things, utterly minor and ridiculous but I am quite simply devastated by the loss of any semblance of control that I associate with induction.
This is my second child, first was assisted delivery after spontaneous labour. I found it tough enough but coped pretty well up until decision making ability was taken out of my hands. Feel that it's gone already and I am in a bit of a state.

Flisspaps - That's the annoying thing, with my first I really didn't have any false "is this it" starts whereas this time, with the experience of giving birth once I have felt for days as if it's about to start.

I know that I can change the decision and I think I will really consider it come morning when I need to contact hospital. But part of me thinks I will be delaying the inevitable.

I had an induction at 38 weeks. It was fine, no pain and labour lasted 12 hours from when waters broke but about 6-7 hours of effort. I was continously monitored but stood up and leant over the bed for a lot of it and when to the toilet when I wanted to. I would happily be induced again. But if you don't want it, give them a ring in the morning and tell them you don't feel like it today.

PinkSchmoo Yip, 70's baby too Like I said my induction with dd2 was a pleasant surprise, having had a marathon back to back labour with dd1.

I was back to back with first baby too (DD I believe, really not up on MN speak). This one is OT (I think, basically babies back runs along my right side) which I understand should help a fair bit.

This has all really helped me folks and I will share with my sis (17 weeks preg and has to be induced at 37 weeks due to medical condn which increases risk of late stillbirth).

I would really think about delaying it PinkSchmoo - you might be "delaying the inevitable" as you say but even if you do need to be induced later on inductions are more likely to work well the further along you are.
If you wait the baby might fly out at the merest sniff of gel!
Best of luck, whatever you decide.

I see you are worried about not being able to move around, I was literally left to my own devices and told to walk around the hospital as much as possible to help things along. I spent a winter's evening patrolling the outdoor smoking area and getting funny looks from staff as I paced around deserted corridors. Looking back it seems almost funny, the midwives had no idea where I was and didn't seem too bothered.

Honestly, please don't stress!

I was in a really similar situation - DD1 was a lovely natural waterbirth. With DD2 I was induced at 12 days overdue. I was so scared about it, I cried when the midwife who tried to give me a sweep at 10 days overdue basically told me there was no way I was going into labour naturally with a cervix like that!

But in all honesty, it was fine. We arrived at 8am, I was given the gel at 11am. I went for a walk around the hospital, had a little sleep, read some magazines, chatted to DH, it was all quite nice and civilised! By the time I was examined again 6 hours later I had started contracting so there was no need for a 2nd dose of gel. The midwives had read my birth plan and knew I had been hoping for as natural a delivery as possible and they were lovely - got me a birthing ball, helped get my tens machine on correctly. We did lots more walking around the hospital to get things going. By 9pm I was definitely in full labour and on the gas and air, they finally found room for me in the delivery suite and moved us up there. I was offered pethidine but I was coping ok on gas and air so didn't want any. DD2 was born just after midnight.

Yes, it was more medicalised than DD1's birth, but I didn't have to be continuously monitored, just every now and then for 30 mins or so. They really did make every effort to accommodate the type of birth I wanted and in all honesty it was no more painful than DD1's birth. Apart from the beginning bit, it was just like any normal labour. I was told that induction is much more likely to take effect quickly if it is your 2nd baby.

In fact in some ways it was less stressful than 1st time round. I remember the worst bit of DD1's birth was when I was at home in pain having contractions but had no idea how dilated I was, whether to go into hospital yet etc. In fact I did go in and got sent home which was horrible! At least this time when the contractions started I was in the right place right from the start, so in some ways having the 'control' taken away was quite nice! The worst bit was all the fanjo-fiddling, I must admit

Take lots of trashy magazines and snacks and please try not to stress. Come back next week and let us know how it went

Like Bluebell99 I too was induced with my first dc and it all went pearshaped (won't go in to details) for me too and I ended up with an emergency c/section. But I suppose that could have also happened if I had gone in to labour naturally, i'll never know. I had the pessary at 5pm and had starting contracting by 6pm!!

Everyone is different, every labour /birth is different.
Good luck.

I was induced with ds1 at 42 +5.
I had a pessary at 9pm after being monitored for an hour, was monitored for 1/2 hour after that.
Started getting pains about 11pm, had cocodamol and used my TENS for abit then got into a hot bath about 2am.
Thought I was having prostin pains as I'd been warned about but was examined about 3.45am and was 9cms dilated. DS was born at 4.55am.
Fingers crossed it all goes well for you.
xx

YABU! Induction is just a way to get labour started and your precious baby out safely.
I've had one ds by induction and another ds by c-section (he was breech), so haven't ever had a "normal" birth experience, and never will. I don't lose sleep over it, as I - thank God - have two beautiful healthy boys.
Neither experience was a horror story - far from it. And in fact, there's no way of knowing if you'll "lose control" or not. I had an epidural with mine, as the contractions came thick and fast, but there wasn't a feeling of losing control. Possibly the opposite. All the midwives did was get it all started off. I still decided when I wanted gas and air, when / if I wanted an epidural etc .

Oh, and in any labour, the control is only ever taken out of your hands if the baby is distressed or in any kind of danger, so please don't get hung up on losing control. This time tomorrow you'll have met your new baby - try to focus on that, and be positive x

Induced twice.

First time - 41 +3, started in labour, then 4 days of "on-off". Foetal distress, drip, epidural, waters broken - everything thrown at me. Almost an emergency Caesarean.

Second time - gel at 9am, contractions (fairly suddenly, I will admit) at 4pm, baby by 8.30 pm. I had an epidural, but it didn't work. Not a piece of cake, but nothing scary about it at all, and a lot quicker and easier than the first time.

At 41 weeks +2 you probably only have another 5 days grace at best, so I'd just go right ahead. Second induced DC was far more settled than the first one, and I put it down to the difference in their births.

Very, very good luck - please let us know what you decide, and report back soon on the babe.

I was in duced with my first and so far only DS and was petrified about loss of control, forceps etc. However apart from the endless waiting around in hospital (4 days) between pessarys it was absolutely fine and that shouldn't happen to you because it is your second baby - one or 2 (pessaries not days)should do the trick!

Anyway I then had the drip (would advise early WALKING epidural) once I had the epidural was great - walked around, bounced on the ball even did squats! Had DS 8 hours later with no forceps or vanteuse - out he came - all 10lb12oz of him!!! I had the world and his wife in the room as they were worried about his size but honestly the day I gave birth was the least stressful of my whole stay (broke my foot the next day but thats another story - not to be recommended!)

My top tips would be: early walking epidural, portable dvd player (while waiting for pessary) and take plenty of food (and in my case a mum bringing flasks of proper coffee as per my nickname!)

Good luck really hope it all goes well. I looked into all the stats before mine and second time around things are likely to be absolutely fine so sending lots of positive thoughts your way x

Aaargh - message to me - do not post on MN while talking to DC in corridor.

First one was induced by drip. Second one was 41 +5.

oh i was terrified of my induction - 3rd baby following 2 water births, with the 2nd being a damn site easier than the first! I couldn't stop shaking once they told me i would have to be induced!

Anyway do you know what - it was the easiest quickest loveliest birth of them all. I had the drip, he was born in an hour and i didn't need any pain relief at all. Totally manageable.

You don't have to agree to anything, you know (although obv you should listen to the reasons they want to do stuff, and consider risk/benefit). Even if they give you the gel, they can't put you on a drip or break your waters without consent - you have to consent to each step of induction, you don't "pre-consent" to the whole thing (although do be aware that they may well put a huge amount of pressure on you to do what they want). If you would rather a cs than a drip, discuss that when you go in. Look up the risks of induction and raise them - some medics have a habit of presenting their "preferred option" without also presenting all of the associated risks, or downplaying them.

If you do agree to be induced, you can insist on them siting an epi before they break waters/the drip goes in (I did this and the anaesthetist arrived 10 mins later!). Do give this some thought if you're worried it will be v painful.

VMCD - goes without saying that healthy baby out safely is paramount, know that everything else is secondary but doesn't mean it doesn't scare the pants of me.
Think part of my issue is that I was really close to Emergency CS (narrowly avoided due to best consultant ever) last time and that was without induction and cascade of intervention.
Really great to hear about being ignored - sounds fantastic.

I was terrified before as well. I'd heard all sorts of horror stories about massive and sudden, unendurable contractions. Even though the epidural didn't work, it really wasn't that bad.

I agree about having loads of food to hand - I think I got a lettuce leaf and half a tomato at some point during the 7 hour wait, and both of those saw daylight again within an hour of the contractions starting. DH was absolutely starving by 8.30pm, but he refused to leave me to get some food.

I think the psychological problem with induction is that it is a feeling of "failure" to be able to go into labour naturally, and that is quite a modern concept.

Theoretically we all have the ability, but those of us who seem to lack whatever the magic ingredient/hormone is are the ones who would have had stillborn babies in centuries past.

OP, you are not in that position, because you have gone into labour quite naturally once before. I still wouldn't hang about though.

I haven't read all the replies so I hope I'm not repeating, but I'm happy to share my positive induction story!

I was induced with ds1 at 42+6. They wanted to do it earlier but when I told the community midwife she told me to tell the hospital that I didn't want it that early, especially as I was so unsure of dates. I didn't find out till 5 months that I was pregnant so only got the one scan, but as soon as I stuck up for myself, the hospital agreed to wait.

Anyway, I was given a pessary at about 10pm, had a bit of tummyache through the night, then another pessary at about 8am the next day.

Had the baby at 1.00pm that afternoon. I was also back to back at the start of labour, but I naturally wanted to contort myself into a few wierd positions, and the MW was happy to let me do what came naturally. I had really wanted to use a physio ball, but it wasn't at all comfortable when the time came. I did have to be monitored regularly, but I was allowed to be monitored for short amounts of time inbetween doing my own thing, I was lucky with the MW I think. I didn't have continuous monitoring, a drip, or anything other than gas and air. Baby was ready I think, just needed a little nudge. He turned himself round the right way during labour, probably because of the positions I found myself in. I was allowed to give birth kneeling over the back of the bed. It was all absolutely fine.

I quite like being able to go into hospital at a time I knew in advance, it helped me be organised!

I think you just need to stick up for yourself and insist that you have a say on the delivery of your own baby, and make sure your birthing partner uses a voice as well if needs be.

pinkschmoo - sorry if I've worried you about the being ignored bit, I was being lighthearted as I was totally happy to be left alone. I enjoyed the peace and quiet and I'm sure if I'd wanted some attention I could have called one of the midwives all of whom were very nice.

Caughtinanet - No, you haven't worried me - I was being genuine in wanting to be ignored in the early stages! Would prefer to labour at home in early stages (9cm dilated before I troubled a midwife last time). Think it's a pretty primal thing.

I was induced with DC2, a 10 lb baby who was 9 days OD.

It was fine, all went very easily, under 4 hour labour, pushed him out in 6 contractions.

Had a back to back labour with DC 1, and, after induction, kept asking when the pain would begin (it never did get anywhere near the level of my first labour).

Good luck.

Thanks everyone.
Heading off to bed for last half decent nights sleep for a very long time!
Will post and tell you all how it went.
Genuinely can't say how grateful I am to you for sharing your experiences. I was in complete meltdown and know that bringing all that fear and negativity into a labour is the best way of ending up HAVING a bad experience.

I hope this is a positive story for you. DS1 born at 36.3 back to back posterior labour, apgar score of 6, DS2 born at 27 weeks nothing wrong with labour or birth except too early (and no happy ending), DD miraculously stayed in there until 41 weeks at which point I was hysterical with fear that something would go wrong and it was agreed she would be induced. Went into hospital at 10am, gel inserted about 11am - not a lot happened and sent for a walk at lunchtime - m/wives a bit because our idea of a little walk was a circuit of Kingston and theirs a shuffle to the hospital shop. Not a lot of progress and registrar came to break waters but I didn't like his attitude so told him to go away. At 6pm still not a lot happening and a lot of humming and hawing and I agreed to have waters broken when shift changed at 9pm. At 8pm waters broke naturally. At 9pm still not much happening and midwives wanted to set up syntocynon drip and I said OK providing I had an epidural first. Anaesthetist arrived at about 9.45 by which time things were starting to happen and they didn't switch on the syntocynon. By 11pm I wanted to push and the midwife went hee hee and gave a graphic description of the babies head rotating into the pelvis as labour was becoming established. At that point the senior midwife appears and lifted the cover and boomed "get a birthing bag - right now". At 11.50pm our beautiful dd arrived 8lb13oz, apgar of 9+ and no stitches.

Good luck OP - it can all happen wonderfully well.