Induction stories

[LouGPC]

Morning, I am 37 weeks pregnant and due to be induced at 38 weeks due to reduced fluid and some bleeding in my 2nd trimester.

I am so confused about what’s best - slight back story….

I have had three natural labours, 1st sweep at 40+4 and then labour progressed well. 2nd 37+5 spontaneous water breaking and 3rd 39 weeks spontaneous waters breaking all labours from sweep/waters breaking were roughly 18/20 hours. Either my last birth I ended up having a PPH they think because baby was back to back which resulted in a more difficult pushing phase….

anyway long story short in TERRIFIED about being induced and heard some pretty rough horror stories, of course for every horror story is a positive one just like birth!

does any one have any experience of induction?

from what I gather so far they start things off slow…sweep then methods to dilate cervix so they can break waters. The consultant is certain my body will respond well to these interventions but you cannot guarantee anything. My last baby was 8 years ago so it’s not like I have had a baby recently which would fall in my favour.

I have read induction can make labour long and hard and result in more interventions and even raise my risk of a PPH.

the consultant seems very relaxed and positive about the whole thing. But I’m stuck between wanting a natural onset and getting the baby out healthy

help

I was induced for the first and it took quite a while compared to my later babies who came naturally, but I wouldn't say it was more painful as some people say. It looked like I might have needed induction for our 4th (ended up a very different scenario in the end) and they all said that when it's not your first it should be a lot easier for you because your body has done it before. Best of luck!

I had an induction with DD2 at 37 weeks because my waters broke at 34.

It was completely fine. I had one dose of the internal gel which kicked things off straight away and then it progressed just like my labour with DD1, just a bit more quickly. It was 11 hrs total, DD1’s labour was 24 hrs.

I also had a PPH with DD1, but was fine with DD2.

Thank you so much ☺️

Two inductions here, both very different and for different reasons.

DC1 at 38 weeks due to ICP. Needed two pessery doses and it was FAST but normal birth pain. Needed manual removal of plcenta not sure if that was due to the speed of the whole thing. Also milk came through slow, again wonder if it was the speed and body not ready.

DC2 at 38 weeks due to partial water breakage. Pesseries unsuccessful so they dripped slowly Oxytocin until it was really high but still weak contractions. Then more than 24 hours later realised they needed to release more water but first dial back Oxytocin, then release. Then it was slow and painful, epidural followed by a 2 hour wait at 10cm. Labour was long but the bit afterwards (passing placenta and milk production) was fine. The complication for me was the extra water they didn't realise and the build up of unnecessary hormones followed by further drugs to counter it. I've was violently sick from all the interventions, so I would suggest don't let them dial oxy up too fast, make sure they know waters are not inhibiting contractions if having intravenous induction.

Hi, I presume you’ve had your little one now
so might be able to add your own story to the thread! I wasn’t far behind you - I was due in late January and had been booked in for an induction due to being over 40 (no other risk factors- growth scans had been all fine). Despite all hopes, I didn’t start before my induction….I tried to have a sweep at 39+1, but my cervix was still closed; I went in for my scheduled Foley’s balloon induction the Sunday before last, but my cervix was still unfavourable, so I went back home and then came back the following day to have the gel (1ml). Things started slowly, but as things had finally got going, when I had the second dose it was another 1ml dose late on Monday evening. That seemed to do the trick for more regular contractions, although throughout Tuesday I was able to breathe through them. However, by Tuesday evening that was getting trickier, and although they were only every 6 minutes or so, they were long and intense, and from Tuesday night I was struggling not to cry out, which I was really conscious about, as I was in a shared antenatal ward. Late Tuesday I had an examination and was 3cm, but I wasn’t re-examined for another 16 hours or so (partly because the Labour ward was full, so they had nowhere to put me even if I was dilated enough). This pissed me off so much, as the way they described it, although I was on the list for the Labour ward, people coming in with spontaneous labours would be prioritised, even if less dilated, I was seriously worried I’d end up giving birth in the antenatal ward and by that point was desperate for gas and air after two days labouring on paracetamol and codeine which did precisely nothing! Luckily, I finally got reexamined mid Wednesday afternoon and eventually got into the Labour ward at about 4.30, so could use a birthing ball, gas and air, and had an epidural at about 7, which was a huge relief after 2 days of relentless contractions! When I got to the pushing stage, I was reminded how rubbish I am at that bit - ended up with about 6 people in the room urging me on - but I finally managed it, without needing to resort to the instrument tray, and Freya was born on her due date at 22.11! In the end, though I’d say the induction was nowhere near as bad as I’d feared.