Scared of being induced

[2dogs1baby]

The thought of being induced absolutely terrifies me. Has anyone had any positive experiences that they can share with me?

Thanks x

Not me personally but a friend of mine was induced 2 weeks overdue with her ds. Apparantly she was very close to going into labour naturally anyway so it only took one pessary and a long walk round the hospital to get things going and she said it was no more painful than her first spontaneous labour. I believe they only use the drip after they have tried everything else first so it doesn't necessarily mean lots of intervention. I take it you are overdue?

Yes - was induced with DS1. Drip started at 6:30 pm, "proper" contractions at about 8 then DS born at 10:30. Just needed gas and air. It does speed things up quite a lot but nowt wrong with that in my opinion. No intervention required at all.

I was 2 weeks overdue and no sign of anything happening without some help. I had 1 pessary late in the evening, a second in the morning, and DS was born by lunchtime. My experience was really positive, I still felt in control which was really important to me. Got through labour on gas and air and I am totally pathetic when it comes to pain.

Trying to get a night's sleep on an ante-natal ward was not great - you've never heard snoring like it - take industrial strength earplugs....

Hope it goes well.x

Yes, I was induced after waters broke with meconium in them. I was told at the hospital that although my baby's heartbeat was ok they still needed to get labour going.

Like you, I dreaded the idea of being induced. However, the labour was entirely manageable. Yes, it was painful but I survived it on gas & air (great in my opinion despite other people's opinions) and 2 injections of meptid.

Apparently induced labours are more painful than others but I have nothing to compare it too so perhaps if I get pregnant again and have a non-induced labour the contractions may seem less. If that makes sense??

Anyway, my labour was not too bad all in all! I was hooked up and monitored so couldn't really move off the bed. However, I found that in the end I didn't really want to anyway!

Hope this helps - ask any questions if you want to.

When are you due?

I was induced with ds2 and ds3, 2 weeks prior due date. With ds2 I was very scared abnd nervous about being induced as I had heard so many horrible stories, but I had two very positive experiences!

with ds2 I had the gel - labour was VERY quick and intense, but I cant say it was more painful than labour with ds1 - which started naturally.

with ds3 I had oral tablets, and although it took nearly 12 hour for them to produce any 'proper' contractions, once they had started it only took 50 mins for ds3 to be born. like with ds1 and ds2 I managed without any pain relief.

Good luck!

I'm due on 17th - pretty much now! Head's not even close to being engaged and this is my first baby so they've booked me for an induction in 10 days time.

Really hoping I don't make it that far - they say its a big baby anyway and should be ready to come out.

The thing that scares me the most about being induced is all the 'faffing' with numerous pessary's, drips, breaking waters etc and it might not even work. I don't know. I'm sure I'm being irrationally worried about it all!

Thanks for all your positive stories though, makes me feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel maybe!!!

I had what you're dreading - 2 goes with the pessary (over 2 days), then a day on the drip (waters spontaneously burst at this point), then finally a c-section when the baby started being less than happy, and it was all just fine.

Really it was - I'm not saying it was fun - I gratefully took the epidural by the 3rd day - but I was consulted and supported at every point, everything that happened was my decision and done with real care and attention. A world away from the home water birth planned, but no trauma just the same.

Even if the worst happens it's often not as bad as you think.

Hi, hope everything goes well for you.

I was induced with DD2, 10 days overdue and had health problems that were making me miserable. I had the first contraction at 9.30 and DD2 was born at 1.30. I had no problems at all. After nearly 20 hours in labour with DD1 it was a relief.

i was induced with ds2, broke waters and then contractions started a couple of hours later, he was born naturally 6 hours later. I tend to go very overdue, so its likely I'll be induced with his baby too!

I'm 41 weeks + 3 and booked for an induction on Tuesday night and have been having the same worries as you. I've tried everything to get the baby going but I now just have the feeling it's not going to come on its own. I really didn't want a highly medicalised birth either but I guess we just have to accept we have no control over it and that 'birth plan' is an oxymoron. Good luck x

I was induced with DD2 at 12 days overdue. To say I was worried is an understatement - i burst into tears when the midwife told me my cervix was nowhere near ready and she had no doubt i'd end up being induced. I had been hoping for a water birth in a birthing centre, which is what i had with DD1.

But you know what, it was actually fine! I was stressed about it being in hospital and being over-medicalised and out of my control, but they were really supportive of my birth plan. I got there at 9, had one dose of gel at 11am, and then was encouraged to go for a walk around to help things start off. Even manage a little sleep! When contractions started getting more intense at about 5 the midwife helped put my tens machine on and got me a birthing ball. They checked me at 6 and said i didn't need another dose of gel as i was definitely in labour. They offered me pethadine, which i refused but asked for gas and air, which i got pretty quickly. Moved up to the delivery suite at 9 and DD2 was born at just after midnight - no tearing and just on gas and air.

Yes it was more medicalised and there was more 'faffing' than with DD1's birth, which was very natural. But the positive was that at least it took the guesswork out of it - I remember with DD1 being at home in pain and stressed as I didn't know if i was in established labour, and even went into the birth centre and got sent home as i was only 2cm dilated. At least with DD2 i got to pack my bag and go in at a specific time, knowing i would have a baby at the end of it! Plus as soon as the contractions started the support and pain relief was there.

I would just say make sure they know your birth plan and don't be afraid of asking for things like a birth ball, or tell them if you want to be upright etc. Good luck! x

I went in last week to be induced early and I was already 3 cm dilated. I had a sweep and it all happened from there. My waters were broken a few hrs later as contractions slowed down but hour and half afterwards it was all over. I needed to be on continuous ctg but I was upright and active throughout and whole experience not too far off my previous birth centre delivery

Best of luck

I was induced at 41+5 with DS3 and had the best labour of all of mine. He was born within 5 hours of my contractions starting in the birthing pool.
Had been nowhere near ready to come out so I did anticipate it being a 5 day event involving drips and the like.
I would go so far as to say I actually enjoyed his birth.

I went 12 days over and was terrified about induction after 2 sweeps didn't work BUT...
I went in for induction, had a pessary and spent a few hours taking the lift to the top of the hospital and walking down the stairs sideways (sounds bonkers, but this helps your pelvis open up). Pessary was at midday, had lunch, dinner, then re-checked at 8pm to see whether another pessary was needed. I contracted whilst being examined, and I was 3cm gone. They asked whether I wanted my waters broken, or whether I'd like to leave it and see what happened. I left it and carried on walking- it was about 9pm by then.
I started contracting as I was walking around the hospital and eventually, at about 930pm, my DH and DM, who were with me, decided it was probably time to go back to the ward as the contractions were strong and fast. Got back, was examined and found to be 6cm.
The midwife said I could go to the delivery suite, so I walked there and had another contraction on the way. I got there at about 10pm and demanded drugs because I hadn't even been offered G&A by this point. I was given G&A and examined and found to be 8cm.
After a little while, and 6mins of pushing, my DS was born weighing 7lb13 and only 1hr46min after labour started. No stitches, no drugs other than G&A, and nothing like the horrors like I'd heard about induction.
That's my birth story- induction can be very positive and I'd personally not worry about having it again. You'll be fine, and congratulations on the forthcoming birth!