To be dreading the inevitable

[Nelly5678]

Induction. Tomorrow I'm being induced due to being 42 weeks. I'm terrified of it due to figure etc like 90% emergency C-section rate and a much higher chance of things going wrong in general so I really don't want to be induced.

Any advice on how to kick things off? This is my last chance to go into labour before induction and I'm desperate. Help!!!

It's definitely not a 90% EMCS for induction!

I had a lovely induction on my DD. Waters broken at 11am, she was born at 11pm. Very manageable for the most part - no epidural or gas and air, just a bit of pethidine.

Another successful induction here at over 42 weeks (about 42 plus 2) with DC2 who wasn't budging otherwise. No EMCS. He was 10lb 6 oz and the whole process took 5 hours start to finish, with no pain relief (the latter not entirely by choice - they didn't believe me about how quickly it was going).

Try to keep calm, have a supportive environment around you, prep your DH to advocate for you, the worst bit of the whole thing for me wasn't the labour pains but the fact I felt stressed and unsupported by the midwife who didn't believe me.

Also be firm about what you want. They were very rigid about lying on my back for an hour and a half after they broke my waters, to monitor the baby's heartbeat, then only wanted to let me be upright for half an hour before putting me on the drip, but I was firm about them giving me more time for labour to establish naturally, as the contractions were just starting to kick in - and am glad I did as things then went pretty fast.

so I really don't want to be induced

Just to be sure you know what your choices are... The NICE guidelines recommend induction due to a possible very small risk of stillbirth (0.2% - 500 inductions might prevent 1 stillbirth)

Or you can decline and the hospital will offer you regular monitoring instead, until spontaneous birth begins (or you choose to induce). The monitoring includes 30 mins on CTG and scans to check doppler flow and amniotic pool depth.

It's completely up to you, induction can be a great birth too - especially if your baby is ready so you respond to the pessary. But it's more of an unknown if you get to the drip, especially for a first baby.

(Had DD after 42 weeks at home)

I was induced, 3 hours later baby was born and he was a 10lber! All straight forward. I too was panicking! Ignore the stats, focus on keeping calm. Good luck!

I was induced at 38/40 with DC3 (unstable lie). Just ARM, no pessary, at around midday, and DC3 was born around 7pm. I was enouraged to walk up and down the corridors of the labour suite to get labour going and I think the contractions were a bit more powerful than my previous labours, but also more productive. I transferred to a birthing pool about half way through, I think. It was a pretty good birth. None of the cascade of intervention I was dreading happened. Good luck OP!

But yeah, try sex first! Why wouldn't you?

Acupuncture got DC3 out for me (started working within the hour).

Best £43 I ever spent

Like MrsLupo, I was induced with my eldest at 38/40 (obstetric cholestasis). I would agree that contractions came on a bit more powerfully than with my second, non induced labour. Aside from that, it was actually a more uneventful birth than my subsequent non-induced one. So try not to worry either way.

Curry and nipple stimulation worked for my second. You do risk the curry going through you a tad quickly, though!

I was induced at 42 weeks, everything progressed smoothly, no problems, beautiful baby at the end of it!

Nipple stimulation. I tried it and had contractions immediately.

I was induced with both of my dc and both times it was reasonably quick and completely doable on gas and air. Plus I had a private room both times. It's not as bad as it sounds.

f you are induced you need an epidural before they start any drips or break your water

Why, I didn't have an epidural when induced and it was fine? Gas n air and you're sorted.

Good luck OP

MsVestibule
Honestly, that really did make laugh out loud!