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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for POSITIVE induction experiences?

60 replies

karmacoma1 · 05/03/2017 18:09

Posting here for traffic mainly, also when I search the question in MN, the server wouldn't open most of the topic pages 🙄

I am booked in for an induction this Wednesday. I am fully aware of the risks of c section, how long and drawn the whole process can be. I am a realist, but I would like to think positive, so if anyone could share a positive experience with me I'd be very grateful. Smile

Oh, I'm 38 weeks and it's my first baby.

OP posts:
corythatwas · 05/03/2017 18:17

oooh, mine was really nice: they gave me a baby at the end of it Grin

No, but seriously, it wasn't too bad.

First time I was 37 weeks+, induced in early afternoon, went into labour quite quickly, managed to keep mobile for a lot of it and used TENS machine with some gas towards the end, baby was born around 1 in the morning. Pain was not unbearable (certainly nowhere near as bad as having pleurisy) and I was able to distract myself to some extent by focusing on an imaginary scene. I did tear a bit but that could have happened anyway.

Second time I was 36 weeks+, induced and laboured for a few hours, but then ds' heartbeat went down so had an EMCS. It was actually a very pleasant occasion: operating team were lovely and I felt very much part of the whole thing, dh was there too, and I was able to have skin to skin contact straightaway. No trouble establishing breastfeeding.

AThousandTears · 05/03/2017 18:18

I've been induced twice. Both times it was all fine. Normal delivery, was still feeling fine when contractions were 3 mins apart, only needed gas and air.

I don't think labour is that bad at all. Obviously I have nothing to compare it to as I've never gone into labour naturally!

Good luck and don't worry!

Original poster
karmacoma1 · 05/03/2017 18:21

Thank you both very much - your experiences sounds a lot better than the dramatic horror stories I've heard so far!

OP posts:
Okite · 05/03/2017 18:26

My first was induced on the drip. Despite that, I had remote monitoring so I could stand up and wander around. I laboured entirely off the bed, only had gas and air and had a super short labour and pushing stage (2 hours 20 mins in total).

SummerHouse · 05/03/2017 18:28

You could read birth skills by Juju someone or other. Very positive book and I think it helped me.

AveEldon · 05/03/2017 18:30

Take food. And mags/crosswords/ a book. You may have to hang aroudn for ages.
Be prepared to hear other women in labour/deliver on the induction ward!
Ask for pain relief if you want it.
Remember staying mobile improves your chances of a natural delivery
Good luck!

gamerchick · 05/03/2017 18:30

I quite enjoyed my induction. A lot more than natural labour thats for sure. A lot of gas and air until I was seeing things and I especially liked the local that was injected into my perineum just before he crowned. Short pushing stage. Good luck.

londonrach · 05/03/2017 18:30

Intensive labour but dd arrived very quick and worth every second. Id go for induction every time mow as friend spent 2 days in labour...i had 30 minutes to 6 cm but 4 hours in total. First dc and believe me you forget every single second as dc is worth more than you cam image

RandomMess · 05/03/2017 18:33

Have been induced all 4 times!!!

1st time 41 weeks - took 3 pessaries and ARM, took the epidural option Wink
2nd time 42 + 3 - 1 pessary, took epidural option
3rd time Due date - 3 pessaries & ARM, epidural option
4th time 42 weeks - 2 pessaries - just gas & air and was a doddle - biggest difference was I completely relaxed about the whole thing and had given up on any idea of my "perfect birth"

Didn't need assisted deliveries, no tears or rips etc. the epidural wasn't ever fully effective so was in enough "pain" to push appropriately etc. So the getting into labour bit took quite a while with nos 1 & 3 which is tiring and it's not as nice being stuck in a hospital but it wasn't awful/horrific by any means.

mygorgeousmilo · 05/03/2017 18:34

My experience with no. 3 went like this: early labour for days... they kept doing the gel to no avail. But they then burst my waters, within probably an hour baby was born. No c-section, good labour, healthy baby. Not horrible. Although I must say, the constant messing around with my cervix was a bit Angry I said fuck a lot. It's just achey and uncomfortable, but it's over in seconds, and you soon get past it and into the business of giving birth.

allegretto · 05/03/2017 18:34

I know you only wanted positive experiences but I just wanted to warn you that if you are having the pessary first it might not work! I had pessaries for two days without contractions (so not painful, just boring!) I wish someone had told me that it is quite common as I hadn't prepared to be waiting around for so long and was quite disheartened. When I eventually had a drip, everything sped up considerably and, as others have said, the pushing stage was much quicker than I expected. Good luck!

mygorgeousmilo · 05/03/2017 18:35

Oh and yes to giving up on perfect birth. You just cannot steer it in any way, don't worry about it being anything other than safe for you and the baby, whatever form that takes

tinyterrors · 05/03/2017 18:36

I was induced at 38 weeks with my youngest.

I was induced at lunchtime and by 3pm contractions were evey 3 minutes and stayed there till he was born. Although the contractions were close together I was able to move about until the last couple of hours when I had to have the monitor on and it was too much of a pita to move. He was finally born at midnight.

It was my longest labour but wasn't much different from my natural labours. My contractions have always got to 3-5 minutes apart within an hour of labour starting.

The worst part for me was being on a monitor as in my natural labours they just used a doppler every so often. It's standard for inductions but I hated it, especially because it kept losing contact with contractions so had to be held in place. I hate being touched in labour but it was only a minor irritation.

DMCWelshCakes · 05/03/2017 18:36

1 pessary, gas & air, 42 minutes all done. Grin

KeepSmiling83 · 05/03/2017 18:37

I had the pessary at about 10am and contractions started about an hour later. Completely manageable and I went for a walk, went to have to lunch etc. Got examined about 5pm and was 4cm. By 5.30pm the contractions were more painful and I had some gas and air. Felt like I needed to push (was my second DD so I knew the feeling) and DD2 was born at 6.07pm. Think I was in labour for 45 mins! I was 10 days overdue.

Changednamesorry · 05/03/2017 18:39

Mine was all right. Only 1 hour longer than natural labour I had the second time. 2 stitches. Natural delivery at the end. No drama.

Sixgeese · 05/03/2017 18:43

2 inductions, both at 37 weeks.

No pain at all (nor did I feel any contractions) until 6 hour check when they broke my waters, then lots of pain manageable on gas and air until the babies were born after 2 hours for DD1 and 90 minutes for DD2, minimal pushing, less than 5 minutes for each, a few stitches for DD1, none for DD2.

I had horrid pregnancies but really lovely induced Labours.

CountFosco · 05/03/2017 18:44

I've had 3 kids, 2 were induced. I didn't think they were any more painful than a natural birth.

DD1 I had a pessary overnight (I won't lie, that bit was hideous, I had horrible period like pains that made me vomit), then they put the drip in the next morning. Had gas and air and pethidine but didn't like the pethidine. DD1 born after 15h of labour (counting from when I had regular contractions - middle of the night after being induced in the morning), 2 hour of pushing but I was quite tired at that point.

DS was my third child and my waters broke at 36 weeks, went into hospital and they said they might have to do a CS but would try and induce me since I'd had 2 vaginal births. Contractions ramped up pretty quick and he was born after 2.5 h of labour. Had a bit of gas and air and that was all. His heart rate dropped in the last half hour but I went from 5cm to birth in 10 minutes at that point so they didn't have time to give me a CS. Our local hospital is a 'baby friendly' hospital and the MW told the consultant that I wanted to BF as soon as they started talking about a CS, it really felt like she was a good advocate for me and DS. They were all fab actually, after he was born the consultant who delivered him, one of the theatre staff (I was her first 'normal' birth!) and the MW all popped in on me at various points during the day to check how I was doing and to tell me they thought I was amazing and was dealing with a dramatic birth very well which was lovely to hear.

RandomMess · 05/03/2017 18:45

I refused continuous monitoring with my last one, just let them monitor every few hours for 30 minutes or so I think. Found the TENS machine really helpful, my official labours with the last 3 were actually incredibly short (2 mins with #4) it was just the ball ache of actually getting into established labour and dilating!

I found sitting on the birthing ball really good, they could still monitor me and far less painful than laying back on the bed. Gas & Air you need to get the knack of inhaling as the contraction builds up!

Joinourclub · 05/03/2017 18:49

Both my inductions were quick, and I coped fine with just gas and air. Both babies were born in the early hours of the morning and I went home the same day.

DrinksFewAndPeopleMany · 05/03/2017 18:50

Also first baby. Had the pessary, which got me from 2cm to um 2cm (but fully effaced) 24 hours later, but then I had a lovely epidural, and the syntocin drip, and was fully dilated 2.5 hours later. Baby 15 mins after.

KatyN · 05/03/2017 18:51

My two positive stories are tucked up in bed. Induction was boring, much quicker the second time round but never painful either time. I had an epidural both times. Knitted through my first labour (while my husband played chess next to me).

I had stitches but so did everyone I know who's had a baby. It's not something I'd do again for giggles but I had an elected induction for my second. You might want to ask for some numbing gel for the internals that they do. They have to measure how dilated you are and I found it quite painful after a couple of days (our delivery suite was full so I had to wait. It's a VERY rare occurrence). First one took 4 days because of full delivery suit, second one I was home in 24 hours.
And you'll be a mummy by next weekend! A mummy, you!!!

Almostfifty · 05/03/2017 18:52

I was induced with number four. It was totally different from my other three labours, definitely sharper pain, but I managed with gas and air.

I kept moving around, I found that easier with all my labours. Leaning on the bed during contractions, (Midwife moved the bed right up for me) but standing up all the time otherwise.

Good luck!

TiredMumToTwo · 05/03/2017 18:53

I always thought being induced was easier than starting labour naturally as a friend of mine at the time (before I had kids) raved about how easy it was, went into hospital, hooked up to drip, three hours later - push then baby!! I'm sure it's not that easy but it goes to show there are positive stories out there. Good luck.

fuckoffdailysnail · 05/03/2017 18:53

I was induced with both my DC, both times went really smooth.
Has natural birth both times with just gas and air
I had the pessary to start me off both times and contractions started about 2 hours after
Both lovely calm births
Good luck OP FlowersFlowersFlowers

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