To expect my induction on Friday to be horrific

[MrsSeanBean1]

I was 7 days overdue with my 2nd baby on Sunday. My 1st baby was 12 days overdue, went into labour naturally, back to back, ventouse, traumatic delivery etc. etc. I went to the hospital today for a sweep but it could not be done as my cervix was posterior. I have polyhydramnias (too much fluid) with this pregnancy so baby has only just dropped head down into my pelvis after being breech throughout.

I have been talking into getting booked in for an induction on Friday at 12 days only. I am petrified as I have never known anyone who has had a good induction - all have tales of days in hospital, excruciating pain and often a c section anyway.

I am starting to think I should just kick up a fuss and try to just go straight for a c section even though it's not something I would want.

I had an epidural with my 1st baby and cannot image going though all the interventions I did without one so am really scared of having to have painful procedures without adequate pain relief. I even find vaginal exams excruciating when in labour.

Any advice? I cannot sleep due to this worry. I just want it all to be over now.

[ForTheLoveOfSocks]

I was induced with both my DD's.

DD1 - pressary put in Friday morning, broke waters Saturday tea time and put in drip. Ended up with an epidural, forceps and 3rd degree tear. She was delivered 9.30 Sunday morning. The only bad bit was when the pain got too much and I needed the epidural the doc was busy.

DD2 - broke my waters 4.30 am, she was delivered 12.01 noon. Had the epidural again but no drip and no intervention. 2nd degree tear this time.

My second induction was a much better experience than my first, but tbh I didn't think either were that bad.

[ukatlast]

You can fully medicate an induction with an epidural or at least I managed too? If you'd prefer it by all means ask for elective C-section instead though or agree that if it is not progressing well you will opt for C-Section.

[mrsjay]

yes i was on full drugs when i was induced

[ukatlast]

to do so....

[EverythingsDozy]

I have had two successful inductions. DD born 65 hrs after first pessary, 14.5 hrs after drip, with epidural. DS born 24 hrs after first pessary, 3 hrs after drip, on gas and air.
I can, without a doubt, tell you that DS birth was so much better without the epidural! DS came too quickly for any pain relief (believe me, even the gas and air wasn't working!). I could move around, managed to go to the toilet, showered myself afterwards (rather than a particularly embarrassing wash down by the midwife with DD!) etc.
Don't be put off by horror stories! They tend to be the minority. Think dilating thoughts!!!

[moosemama]

Ds1, 8 days overdue, went into labour naturally, he was back to back and I was in labour for 3 days - failure to progress and had scalp monitoring. I was told it was an epidural or c-section as my muscles weren't relaxing and the epi would help with that, which apparently it did, but I still ended up with the kiwi ventouse.

Ds2, 8 days over due again, went into labour naturally again, but stayed at home until an hour before he was born and managed with just gas and air.

dd, 2 weeks overdue, breech on and off right up to the end, cephalic version the afternoon before - 1 night spent sat bolt upright to stop the little monkey turning again . Induced with first pessary at 2.30 pm (was told cervix was still very posterior) - dd arrived at 3.30 pm after me trying desperately to get the midwives to listen to me for half an hour, when I told them I needed to push! It was painful and intense (no time for any pain relief other than the tens I was hooked up to, but didn't get chance to use properly) but incredible and much easier to get over than the other two, probably as it was so fast I didn't get so exhausted. Not a bad experience at all.

Out of the three, ds2 was probably the best way to go, but dd's was a very close second.

[Sixgeese]

I have been induced twice, both lovely short labours. Six hours after the first gel, both times, I have been dilated enough for my waters to be broken. Up to then I have had no pain at all, wouldn't have even known I was in early labour. Then it was 2 hours before DD1 was born and 1 1/2 hours before DD2. Yes it was painful, but labour hurts, and both induced labours were over very quickly. I tore slightly with one, but didn't with the other.

I tell everyone who asks that my inductions were nothing like the horror stories that people tell of their birth experiences.

[notoneforselfies]

My induction was on a Sunday and there were a LOT of staff around! Too many!

[mymiraclebubba]

Hi op

I haven't read all therapists but wanted to let you know that due to ill health on my part i had to be induced early with dd and it was amazing (although I have nothing to compare it to!) but I did have to have am epidural as at the last minute my various consultants decided I wasn't allowed any other pain relief (am allergic to codeine and have xchronic asthma and as it had flared up I wasn't allowed gas and air)

The pessary gel did feel like someone had set fire to my lady bits which was the only really unpleasant bit tbh. They let me spend most of the night sat in a birthing pool which was lush!

Hope it goes Ok for you!!

[mymiraclebubba]

Should add no real tearing from giving birth but dd was a wriggle bum and wouldn't stay on the monitor so I had to have the head clip and that tore my labia badly but that was nothing to do with the induction

[Allegrogirl]

I had two syntocin induced labours as waters broke with no contractions with both babies. Got offered epidural from the start with both. First labour was 7 hours from drip going in, second was 4 hours. Both from 1cm dilated.

Had lovely gas and air second time as I was convinced the second degree tear was due to epidural. Turns out it was due to my children inheriting dh's massive head. Still I was glad to go epidural free the second time even though the mw thought I was a bit mad. Hurt like hell but a really positive experience.

Wouldn't choose to be induced but good outcomes for me.

[PansOnFire]

I don't have time to go through the whole thread but I have a little bit of experience to share. I wasn't induced initially with my DS but my contractions failed so I had to be induced - it was after about 12 hours of no progress - I was given a drip to make contractions more effective and was given an epidural before the drip was administered. I didn't have to ask for it, I'd been wailing like a banshee and DS was back to back which made things more painful (I have heard, but nothing to compare to yet!). I found the midwives and drs to be very responsive to what I requested and I felt nothing but relief when they have me induction drugs because I knew they would actually do something that my body thought it was doing but failing miserably at. Please don't worry about being induced, I have read awful stories too but I always think that the worst experiences of anything are shared as it's a form of therapy. The simple and straightforward stories are rarely shared as there's nothing to tell! Good luck, you'll soon have your snuggly newborn and all of your fears will be miles away.

[maddening]

my sister had a traumatic first birth, overdue on 2nd dc - one lot of gel and she went that night - did the breathing in the bath and they wouldn't believe that she felt the urge to push as she had't had the 2nd lot of gel - she was 10 cm and three pushes in the delivery room and her ds was born.

get eating that pineapple - give the hormones a head start!

[Nocturne123]

I have a positive story !

I was induced the day before dds due date because of raised blood pressure . I had a peasant at 10 am . Didn't have any pain at all until 5pm when my waters broke . Contractions came really fast but dd was born at 10pm ! I didn't even have time for an epidural despite begging for one anyway !

Best of luck and by my experience not all inductions are bad but I feel for those who had bad experiences .

[Nocturne123]

A pessary ... Not a peasant

[MrsSeanBean1]

Haha nocturne123 that made me laugh. I certainly felt like I had every member of the medical staff up my hoo-ha during my 1st labour but luckily no peasants

[MrsSeanBean1]

Thank you all so much for the continued positive stories. They do really make me feel better. They have now managed to fit me in for my induction on Friday at 4.30pm - not ideal as I was hoping for an early slot as I am petrified of my husband being sent home.

Anyway, my compromise is that if I get there and they have a side room for me (which they do say they should have unless super busy) then I'll stay but if they try to put me on a ward I shall be leaving as quickly as possible.

Just made the mistake of watching One Born Every Minute...not the best idea in my highly emotional state

[RandomMess]

My first induction was the worst, the others were definitely much better - body just pushed baby out without me doing anything!!! I actually had the last one without an epidural - mainly I think because I was so much more relaxed over the whole thing, was going to be induced, no home birth, big baby, no "perfect" birth etc.

I would book the induction for the Monday when you are 15 days over, sounds highly likely you'll start off on your own before then anyway.

[LucyBabs]

I had a fairly easy induction on my second dc.

First birth was long, ventouse,episiotomy and lots of stitches.
Poor dd had a 3 inch cut on her head from the suction cup.

I was put on the drip at 11pm with ds. It was painful and watching the midwife ramp up the machine increasing the contractions was the worst part.
Ds was born at 3.30am. Success, as far as I'm concerned

[McPheezingMyButtOff]

Dreadful experience here

Went in for an induction, failed 5 times. Bishops score of 0 all the way through, with my body in full labour.

Ended in an EMCS

[NoodleOodle]

Positive experience here. I was induced, and had a quick and relatively pain free labour (from what I compare to One Born Every Minute, haven't had any others myself to compare against.)

[floatyflo]

I am booked in for an induction Friday too. I don't know the time as I have to ring the ward 8.30.Friday morning and they will give me a time to come in. I am nervous but just focusing on having my baby here at the weekend!

Is my second baby, first was a natural Labour. I have low fluid and will be 39 weeks.

Doesn't Friday feel forever away! Let's keep each other posted :)

[MrsSeanBean1]

FloatyFlo - ooooo are you as nervous as me? I have the opposite fluid problem......gallons of the stuff!!

[nennypops]

It's not too likely that they'll send your husband home, is it? Unless labour completely fails to start, in which case you'll probably want to sleep anyway.

With ds1 the hospital sent dh home at around 9 p.m. because everything seemed to have ground to a halt, then they decided that maybe it hadn't and called him back at around 11 p.m., and he stayed till ds was born at 8 a.m. To this day he dines out on his dreadful sufferings what with being up all night, expected to help with lifting me because the midwife was pregnant, and having run out of sandwiches. Poor dear.

With ds2 I had an induction starting at around 6 p.m. because dh was stuck 100 miles away and couldn't get back before then. He stayed with me through a pretty quick labour and I gave birth at 10 p.m. naturally, with no stitches.

[HadABadDay2014]

I have had 2 induced births with gas and air and slept right through < I am a freak>

One way or another you will have your baby in your arms very soon.