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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Shaking with fear of induction

174 replies

peachandplum · 12/09/2017 03:27

I'm about to be induced at 37+4 due to medicinal needs and I am terrified.
My DH is making everything worse fannying about and being a nervous wreck. Someone please help me stay calm.

OP posts:
ClearlyOpaque · 12/09/2017 03:36

I was induced with my first and it was all fine. Very speedy, but I'll take that as a birth experience.

What is it you're most worried about?

inlawsareasses · 12/09/2017 03:38

I've had two inductions and they were both fab! Well as fab as childbirth can be!
Take the drugs and try to calm down x

Marley45 · 12/09/2017 03:39

You'll be fine. I promise. Are you going to have the pessary first or straight to the drip?

I was induced with my son in Feb because of an infection risk. I had an epidural sited at the same time as I had the drip. Is this an option for you?

Original poster
peachandplum · 12/09/2017 03:41

Apparently I'll be having a hormone tampon that can take 24 hours!
I'm scared I'm going to be in labour for days. I'm scared my baby will die.

OP posts:
Haudyerwheesht · 12/09/2017 04:01

Don't worry! I've been induced twice (yes had the pessary you mention) and I was only in labour for 6 hours each time - didn't need any pain relief. Honestly just relax.

ChilliMary · 12/09/2017 04:10

It will be! Nothing to worry about. x

Original poster
peachandplum · 12/09/2017 04:14

I've been in hospital for 8 days. All they've done is constantly observed me. I can't eat or sleep. They just leave me for hours and days.
They moved me to an induction room over an hour ago and haven't even been in once. I am losing my mind. I can't keep waiting for days and days and days.

OP posts:
ricepolo · 12/09/2017 04:15

Four childbirths here. One 'natural', three induced. Of the induced, two were pessary.

You'll be fine. You get way more attention when you're being induced than when you're in natural labour so nobody is going to die.

If the pessary takes a while to work (you can have a second after 6hrs), then you won't be in proper labour: maybe niggly contractions but not properly painful ones. So you might be bored, but not in agony.

I'd rather be induced than wait for a natural labour. Ask the midwives for the procedure so you understand what the steps are and try to relax: you're definitely going to meet your baby soon!!

ricepolo · 12/09/2017 04:16

Just read your last post. You need to call someone and ask what's going on. Find out the plan and you will feel so much better.

shakingmyhead1 · 12/09/2017 04:16

turn your thinking around and start thinking im meeting my baby tomorrow instead of freaking out at what it will be like, each time you get a bout of nervousness think omg! im meeting my baby tomorrow!

steff13 · 12/09/2017 04:17

When I was induced they gave me the tampon thing the night before, to thin my cervix, then pitocin at about 7am. I was in labor about 13.5 hours. No big deal. You'll be fine.

Original poster
peachandplum · 12/09/2017 04:18

They keep saying they'll come and start but they leave me for hours not knowing what's going to happen. It's been 8 days of not knowing and being left all day and night bar observerations. I'm not coping. I feel like I'm going to have a complete mental breakdown from uncertainty.

OP posts:
steff13 · 12/09/2017 04:23

That does sound unpleasant. They should be telling you what's going on. Have you had visitors?

Lelly0503 · 12/09/2017 04:30

Hi OP I hope you're ok. I was induced last Wednesday night. I was Overdue and a little bit dilated before they started me off with the pessary. The pessary is over and done with in seconds. Once you've had that, they will monitor you closely, the whole time they monitored me and my baby and analysed every little twinge and change to make sure we were both OK. I had the same fears as you, but try to tell yourself that you are literally hours away from meeting your baby. Your body will work with you to labour this baby out and you can trust it and the midwives to get it out safely. I accepted all of the pain relief going and when things were progressed I was really in my own world and had no worries. I just kept my eyes closed and listened to the voices of the midwives telling me when to breathe/push etc. I had my baby just over 12 hours later and it was absolutely fine. You can do this xxx

nogrip · 12/09/2017 04:41

Listen to Lelly OP. And good luck

chelseapritch · 12/09/2017 04:49

Please don't panic you'll make yourself worse. Ive been induced with bith my kids with the sane as you and both went really smoothly. Everything will be fine. I gave birth 15 days ago from induction. I was also started off with the tampon tablet. They out it on for 24 hours, after 24 hours they check to see if there's any progress and if cervix have dilated a few cm they can pop your waters then, which again doesn't hurt. After having mine inserted then having waters popped baby was here within 3 1/2 hours with no pain reliefe.

Honestly it is a very scary thing but it's not as bad as people make out. And just think you'll have your beautoful baby in your arms soon.

Good luck OP. Xx

ButtMuncher · 12/09/2017 04:53

I'm going to take a different train of thought here OP because I was where you are right now exactly a year ago. Everything was chaotic and I'd been in hospital four days in boiling weather and I couldn't sleep either - I was on a ward where lots of lovely ladies were in active labour.

My mental health nosedived and I had reduced movement throughout my pregnancy so my anxiety was ridiculously high. I had about 3 hours sleep over 5 days and by the 6th day I sat one of the night Midwife's down and said I couldn't do it anymore and I was so afraid of not being able to deliver my baby properly because of chronic sleep deprivation (which had lasted for weeks prior) so could I please have a c section. I felt absolutely awful asking, and I felt like I'd 'chickened' out of doing natural labour, but at the end of the day, I was going crazy - quite literally delusional with tiredness, and I knew that once I was in active labour I would completely freak out at not being able to control it and I too was petrified I would lose my son.

You can request a c section as part of NICE guidelines. Hospitals usually want a reason, because c sections generally cost more to a hospital and they are limited to how many they can perform a day due to time constraints and needing to allow for emergencies. But mental health, in my opinion (and thankfully my consultants too) was a very valid reason indeed.

You will be fine if you are induced and have a natural labour - but you'll also be fine if you have a c section on your own terms that you can control.

Best of luck OP Flowers

EssentialHummus · 12/09/2017 04:54

OP, no wonder you're distressed, the hospital are being shit with timing/info. Your DH needs to direct his energy to telling every member of staff he sees that you are in distress because of their failure to communicate with you, and ask that person's name, and their supervisor's name, and where he can find that supervisor to escalate things (write that all down, he's not going to be remembering Jan from Mary in the circumstances).

I'm thinking of you. As others have said the induction itself doesn't have to be more painful or difficult than "ordinary" labour.

EssentialHummus · 12/09/2017 04:54

FlowersFlowers

Original poster
peachandplum · 12/09/2017 04:54

I have begged for a c section and they keep saying no.
I'm not doing well. My mental health is terrible and they aren't listening to me.

OP posts:
MrsKoala · 12/09/2017 05:03

You poor thing. I'm going to say this in the nicest possible way OP. Sometimes the birth we have is not the one we want or expect. Sometimes things may happen which we didn't visualise. This can really throw us. It did me and i found myself focussing too much on the actual birth process and not the reason i was there, which was to have my babies. Whatever happens, you will have a lovely gorgeous squishy baby in your arms. The rest, while sometimes not perfect is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. My labours didn't go to plan. But i have 3 beautiful children and that's what matters.

Can you try to gain a little control? Get someone in to explain what they are planning and at what time? tell them this is making you anxious (anxiety and adrenaline impede the progress of labour so do try to relax and not stress) and they need to have a clear plan. Can you tell DH he is making you feel more stressed and to calm down? Can you play a game or do something to distract you both?

EssentialHummus · 12/09/2017 05:05

You're doing as well as can be in tough circumstances. It's nearly morning. When can dh turn up, if not to see you then to start doing the above?

Firstimefreaked · 12/09/2017 05:05

I was induced a month ago, I'm currently BF my LO right now...I started with the pessary which didn't work if it's your first they leave it in for a bit over 24 hours it's. Not too bad having it in it didn't work for me so I was moved onto the drip I was in kind of labour for 24 hours I requested pain relief when I needed it so it wasn't that bad. Having your baby through induction is safer than a c-section so don't stress too much, the pessary is far more gentle than the drip (so fingers crossed). I know hospitals are horrid and you feel like you've lost control, try asking for something to help you sleep just be persistent the NHS is over stretched and people are overworked and stressed but your important too X

MrsKoala · 12/09/2017 05:06

I would also say, be firm. I wasn't with my first and i wish i had been. They fobbed me off and i was too British and polite. If i could go back and give myself any advice it would be, kick up a fuss and be much firmer.

Original poster
peachandplum · 12/09/2017 05:09

DH is here with me.
Baby's heart rate is high but they won't put the induction medication in because of that.

OP posts:
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