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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To agree to/want to be induced?

23 replies

deliakate · 26/05/2011 21:14

This is my second pregnancy, I was induced last time at almost 42 weeks for severe pre-eclampsia, which only came on at the final check up. This time, they are obviously monitoring closely for that coming back (it hasn't yet) but today obst offered me an induction at 40 weeks + 4 for other reasons.

She asked if I wasn't coping very well with worry from last time, and my young toddler, and I agreed that potentially having over 2 weeks more of this is going to be hard. So she's written in notes that I'm booked for induction for 'psychological' reasons.

Now I feel a bit daft. Has anyone experienced both induced and natural onset of labour, and can compare experiences? I know the NCT line, cascade of intervention etc., but surely in some cases, knowing its going to be soon, that you will be where you need to be when it happens and that other children will be cared for might be more beneficial?

OP posts:

Firawla · 26/05/2011 21:20

I have experienced both and the natural one was easier but then he was the 2nd one and may well have been easier anyway, if you feel its the right thing to do then i would just go for it, if your decision has been made then don't doubt yourself. It is easier in terms of child care for older child etc..
I am v likely to have to be induced again for this one (3rd) and although its not 'ideal' im trying to think well induction does not necessarily HAVE to mean stuck on the bed totally immobile with an epidural, if you don't want that to be the case.. some people find they just have induction to start them off and it continues on like a pretty much normal labour? so you never know..
good luck!

rosie1979 · 26/05/2011 21:21

YANU - I went 41+5 with my first and almost went crazy! I was induced, but they only had to break my waters, no pessaries or drips.

I really believe that going more than 7 days overdue does funny things to you, I had had a great healthy pregnancy, the last 5 days I was a crazed sobbing, swollen thing. Good luck :)

RobynLou · 26/05/2011 21:25

I was induced at 40+1 with DD1 and went into labour spontaneously at 40+11 with DD2

I nearly went loopy with DD2, she was over 10lb, I was HUGE and having to deal with DD1 in that state was hideous.

my induced labour was absolutely fine, as was the none induced one, different hospitals meant the care was better second time, but the induction didn't affect anything really.

looking back it would've been better to be induced with DD2, she was so big which made things difficult and I was v worn down and anaemic.

CharliesAngela · 26/05/2011 22:34

I have experienced both and would do everything possible to avoid induction again (including considering elective c-sec in preference). However, YANBU, because it's up to you do decide what you feel is best for you and none of us can tell you that. There is also a big difference between an induction where they can burst your waters to kick things off, and hours and hours hooked up to a drip forcing you to contract.

What is the reason you are considering induction? Are you sure your dates are spot on?

Parietal · 26/05/2011 22:37

I was induced twice, both were fine. Asked for induction the second time, partly to be able to sort childcare in advance and avoid a 2am rush to hospital.

YANBU

Original poster

deliakate · 26/05/2011 22:39

I think my dates are pretty spot on, but I do have a long cycle (35 days) which is pretty regular, so that could affect things. Really am considering induction because of how badly I'm coping, and being offered it, I think it does have advantages. Have you had a section before Charlies? That's another option, but most ppl I know have had such bad recoveries, and the actual baby misses out on a few things coming out that way, so I believe....?

OP posts:

risingstar · 26/05/2011 22:41

actually i was induced all 3 times

dd1 was 21- yes 21 days overdue- she was flaky when she finally emerged. doubt they let people go that far now.

with dd2 i went to an appt on my due date and refused to leave unless i had a date within a week for induction- this was the smoothest delivery i had

SouthStar · 26/05/2011 22:50

Ive had both natural and induced, I was induced at 42+1.
Natural I had more time to mentally prepare and get my breathing right where as when i was induced I went from nothing to full blown labour within minutes. Natural labour was 15mins, induced was 6hrs!
The nice thing about being induced was the calm of getting to the hospital at a set time and being able to prepare someone to look after my ds. I got to the hospital at 4 in the afternoon, was induced at 7, was due to have the 2nd lot of gel at midnight but my labour started just as the midwife came in at midnight.
I tried everything under the sun to go into labour naturally, had 3 sweeps. I was desperate for a home birth.
I felt so so so much better afterwards with the induced labour than the natural. Whether that has anything to do with being induced or not I dont know but the midwifes had to tell me to slow down before I burn out. I had to go for a walk around the hospital because I had too much energy to be sat around waiting to be released.

MillyR · 26/05/2011 22:53

I was induced both times. The first time was with just the pessary and that was fine. The second time was with the drip because the pessary didn't work. It was too painful and I wouldn't want to have the drip again.

PacificDogwood · 26/05/2011 22:58

I was induced at 42+1 and had an absolutely OK time of it - yes, cascade of interventions followed but had DS1 by VB without much drama. I did very much feel I needed the epidural as I found contractions VERY painful very early on, synto drip followed etc etc

(DS2 was CS for placenta praevia, dosn't 'count' for the purposes of your question, OP )

I then had 2 VBAC at 40+10 and 40, both with natural onset of labour (DS3 contractions first, DS4 waters broke at first sign of things to come) and the contractions were much much more bearable. Like somebody said above, I am not sure whether it was much easier because it was not my first labour or because it was not medicated. I had only G+A, was in really good spirits throughout and experienced the fabled 'rush of love' after those delieveries which I did not get after the first 2. And they were both quite fast...

IMO and IME well worthwhile waiting for baby to come when it is ready, but like I said my induced labour/birth was fine as well.

V best of luck .

CointreauVersial · 26/05/2011 22:59

I had two natural births and one induced (the middle one). There were concerns about the growth tailing off so I was induced at 38 weeks; the other PGs went to 41 weeks.

It did not go well, and I really think she "wasn't ready" to come out. Eventually she went into distress and I had to have an EMCS under GA.

The two natural births were perfectly fine, with no intervention.

I guess I can't complain, as I ended up with a healthy child (now 10), but I can't help wonder what would have happened if we left nature to take its course.

bubblecoral · 26/05/2011 22:59

I've done it both ways, induced with ds1, and I wouldn't say one was better or easier than the other.

But I was 42+4 when I was induced, so definately ready, and didn't have to have the drip, only pessaries and broken waters. The drip would be the thing that put me off because I was quite mobile for both my labours. Having to be tied to a monitor at regular intervals was bad enough so they let me go on and off it.

I'd say if you want to be fairly mobile, try to hold off for as long as you can. If you're not bothered about that, then enjoy the convenience of knowing when your baby will arrive and being able to sort childcare in advance.

fastedwina · 26/05/2011 23:02

was induced twice with the drip (sintocin or summat) and would have liked to have experienced having a natural labour a I always wonder if being induced started my problems in both labours so that both had lots of intervention. But then some here have had good experiences with being induced and I might have had awkward births no matter what.

MrsGerardButler · 26/05/2011 23:11

I was induced early both times for severe SPD as well as the distance from home to hospital. 1st time lots of pessaries then 6 hours active labour before DD was born. 2nd time, 1 dose of pessary then 2 hour labour. Gas & air both times, no intervention, no stitches. Wasn't as bad as some of the stories I've heard.

IprivateI · 26/05/2011 23:29

I was induced with the oxytocin drip. Painful. Horrible just horrible. If you really want that pain again, then by all means do it, but my sister had natural and induction, and she said natural was 10x easier.

7to25 · 27/05/2011 00:03

Have had five natural births and one induced. I did not want to be induced and was putting it off but was told that "if nothing happens by the time I get back I'm going to do a cs" by the consultant. No difference. What was I fussing about? I wished I'd had it at 38 weeks as he had originally suggested!

LordOfTheFlies · 27/05/2011 00:12

DD -2nd baby- was induced.I was booked in for induction but the waters went and no progress 2 days later. Loads of people warned me it was painful but I can honestly say it wasn't.
I had the pessary then the drip whacked up to maximum doseage, consultant came in and it was "what happens next" because she wasn't shifting.
She did eventually, 22 hours later but I can honestly say the only pains were when she stretched out( feet under ribs,head on cervix ouch) and those flippin internals!

5DollarShake · 27/05/2011 02:58

I was induced with both - had an epidural with DS (my first) who was 6lb 13 oz.

I had no painkillers whatsoever with DD (my second), who was 9lb 4oz. Not through choice, I hasten to add, it was just all so quick.

Just because you have an induction, doesn't mean intervention will automatically follow. Especially if it's a second or subsequent baby.

Good luck! :)

skybluepearl · 27/05/2011 04:14

first was a c section

second was induced by drip. went from zero to 100 miles per hour in seconds - ie) from standing still to full blown contractions. the pain was unbearable and i had a semi failed epidural. gave birth after 3.5 hours. i was so proud i'd given birth that way instead of having a second c - section though.

third was a natural labor. light pain free braxtons for a few hours. took me a while to realise i was in labor and then went to hospital and gave birth an hour later. i had gas and air although i didn't really need it. it was just amazing, really positive and so much less painful.

what i would recomend is that you have a pessarie/gel first as thats meant to encourage a very normal natural labour. if having a drip ask them to do it gradually and keep the hormones on low - mine was too fast.

InFlames · 27/05/2011 06:35

Induced at 38 because of pre existing diabetes, risk of stillbirth tickets after that point with p.e diabetes. 37 hours, 3 lots of prostin, agonising contractions every 2 mins and a lot of monitoring later, we had an emcs... BUT I loved my labor and would do exactly the same again. I had a good 15 hours where I could gave/ do all the things I'd been told I couldn't like birth pool, being able to eat and drink, not being stuck to bed from start to finish but only 85% of the time, ways it was quite lovely :-) mega prob post c-sec for me but DS wasn't 'missing'
anything....just some mucusy vomit overnigt? Good luck!

InFlames · 27/05/2011 06:37

Tickets... Ffs iPhone...... Rockets. Of course.

3ismylot · 27/05/2011 06:53

Ds1 was natural labour started by waters breaking at 41+1 and a 3 hr easy labour
DTs I begged to be induced at 37 weeks as I was massive and exhausted and my Mum was due to have knee surgery and I would have no childcare at short notice! Had first set of waters broke which did nothing and then started on the drip, from first contraction to both babies took 47 mins and was easier than first labour worst part was still being hooked up to the drip for hours after as it had to "run its course" and trying to look after newborn twins!
Not having anymore but certainly wouldnt mind being induced again if the situation suited my needs

EmmaBemma · 27/05/2011 08:59

My first delivery was induced (with pessary only) and my second was spontaneous. Both were at 10 days overdue. Both were straightfoward and quick requiring no interventions. There wasn't much to choose between the two in terms of pain, I think I was more relaxed the second time round and felt more in control - as much as you ever can - but that might have been because I'd done it before so it wasn't new and frightening.

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