Midwife said at sweep…

[Sleepdeprivedmamma]

Hello!

Im 37+3
i have to be induced next weekend as i suddenly have really high blood pressure and my placenta has started to slow down (they knew this from a blood test and then a scan that confirmed the placenta is starting to calcify).

terrified of an induction after two really good very very quick births with my first two, they were both a week overdue i feel like thats just when my body is ready so to force it at 39 weeks feels scary - but obviously whatever is safest for baby !

anyway went for a sweep today - as i suspected she said she couldnt really do it as i wasnt ready but that my cervix was soft and shortening ‘only has about 2cm left’ - what does that actually mean?

any positive induction stories?

With my second baby I had a sweep at 41 weeks and I wasn't dilated or softened or shortened atall. She was still born naturally the next day.

But the positive is your cervix is already getting ready. Good luck!

I do hope you’re doing ok @Sleepdeprivedmamma and baby is ok

@Elphamouche it’s the interventions that are the bad part! Every mother I know who had induction had interventions.
My first was late no induction labour naturally gas and air all fine. 2nd induction, forceps delivery.

But I didn’t have a bad experience so I would still go down that route. My baby was stuck and would have been stuck REGARDLESS of the induction.

Hi!

really grateful for everyones messages

going in to hospital for induction tommorrow (well today now i guess) at 12
soooo nervous
had 3 failed sweeps and then when the midwife couldnt do it today she got another midwife to do it (fun) she said still 2cm of length left
she said i was 1cm dialated but i think
at this point they felt sorry for me as i was a bit teary with worry
i asked about my bishop score but was just palmed off x

Calm and all will be fine.
You'll be meeting that baby soon.
Get something down loaded onto your phone, so you have something to watch that will take your mind off what's happening or not as the case maybe.

Standup Comedy stuff is good, doesn't matter to much if you get interrupted you might miss one punch line but not the whole film

Good luck @Sleepdeprivedmamma - you got this… just remember you’ll be meeting your baby soon xx the calmer you are the easier the birth, you don’t want your body all tense and fighting against its natural instincts x

I haven't had a sweep but I had an induction. I had a pessary , labour started about ten hours after it was put in. Labour was about 2.5 hours (similar to last labour which was not induced) Good luck .

Good luck! Don't be afraid to ask for a c-section if you are getting worried/ lack of progress etc. After 2 quick previous births all should be well though.

What are you terrified about? I was induced with my first and it was non invasive or at least as non invasive as a sweep. I went into labour about 12 hours later and that was it?

Easy to say but try and stay relaxed.

@SALaw i think its a mixture of hearing soo many bad things about induction/ the fact its so different and early to my other births and hugely that my eldest is autistic with high care needs so im worried if it ends in a section because my body isnt ready - recovery would be a lot harder / worried about the fact generaly nobody helps with DC1 but today they will be and that will be hard for all of them x

Honestly not bad. My first induction was long and drawn out - if I'd known it was going to be I'd have been OK.

Had another induction 18m later all fine. Rods were used this time - way better

Had a third induction 2 years 1m after that - the easiest one.

You'll be fine. Stay calm ❤️

@BiffandChip2 thank you x what are the rods ive not heard of that one? X

Good luck @Sleepdeprivedmamma

I had a fairly quick first birth after just pessary at 41+6. Second time I needed much earlier induction around 39 weeks and it didn't work at all - tried gels, drip, manual water breaking, ended up c section 4 days later. BUT I still found it a really positive experience- it was all very calm, everything well explained, I had lots of input to decisions & lovely midwives. I watched lots of TV & listened to audiobooks in peace & went for lots of walks, including to park next door. I enjoyed lots of time listening to baby's heartbeat when being monitored.

And section was absolutely fine, really nice, happy atmosphere & they played stevie wonder happy birthday for the moment of birth 🤣. Recovery was also nowhere near as bad as I had anticipated at all. Overall it was still my favourite birth of the two, I felt much more in control despite it being nothing like the desired water birth.

I will keep everything crossed that you have a birth you feel good about. I was really resistant to & nervous of early induction but I really do feel very positive about it despite it sounding rubbish on paper!

I was induced and it was fine. Very easy. I’ve never understood why people are worried about it?

Good luck OP. You will be absolutely fine. I’ve had two inductions. Beautifully managed, quick and with no issues. First at 42 weeks and second at 37 weeks. Definitely ask for epidural though before they put you on the drip. It’s recommended by nhs/NICE now.

I was induced with all 3- first time because I was overdue, other 2 for medical reasons at 39 weeks. They were all good, positive experiences- 1st took 9 hours, 2nd took 36 hours in total for pessary.to work and to give birth (only 3 hours in actual labour) and 3rd took 24 hours (4 hours labour). In each case I was home within about 12 hours of the birth. Fingers crossed yours is nice and quick,.you'll be home.with baby before you know it, it's such a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things.

OP, I am also getting induced today! Best of luck to us both ☺️

I had a positive induction experience with my first, but that was after my waters broke spontaneously. So I share your worries about my body not being ready. But I'm going to think positive thoughts and can't wait to meet my baby!

I was at Leeds - these:

Let us know how you get on xx

Although I was not dilated or anything (induced due to GDM) so you might get a faster route ❤️ xx

Ahh @muddlingthrou good luck! X what time are you going in? Do you know what your are having? X

I was like you with previous children both arriving a week late . Due to rising blood pressure I was induced . I had 5 failed attempts at induction. I felt baby wasn’t “ready” . In the end I had a c section as they wanted baby out. Recovery was fine though.

I was induced with both..and both very different births.
My second I reckon I would of gone into labour anyway..I started cramping within an hour. No one believed I was in labour and it was so quick, he shot out in his waters onto the bed with a midwife the other side of the room 😂

@Sleepdeprivedmamma Id definitely ask the midwife at your induction about your bishop score. I was in a similar position, induced because of a placenta problem, and although it was my first I’m from
a family where everyone’s baby is born at 42 weeks, so was sure DD wouldn’t come easily at 39. But my bishops score was 6 and she came really quickly, didn’t even need the inductions drip