Induction tomorrow: advice on things to stop getting bored?

[megonthemoon]

I'll be going in tomorrow to be induced (12 days overdue) and although I'm hoping things kick off straight away, this baby has barely seemed to realise she is due and may resist being forcibly evicted :o So DH and I may have a lot of spare time on our hands - 6 hours between pessaries, at least 2 attempts at that etc.

So we need to take some stuff with us to make the potential waiting around a bit less boring. Any suggestions?

I took about a years worth of Heat backissues In all seriousness, I would try and use the time to sleep. I went in with dd on the tuesday night for the first pessary, she wasn't born til Thursday morning, 3 pessaries and a 13 hour labour later. I wish I'd saved my strength and just slept through the first bit tbh. Assuming you're not stuck on the ward, it might be good to walk around as much as possible after the pessaries to see if that gets things moving. And don't forget, you don't have to be induced. In many ways I wish I'd not been so impatient

I took a load of stuff (playing cards, magazines, knitting) in with me and never used any of it. I had the first pessary at 6pm and by 9pm was in labour. Be prepared for it to happen very quickly as it took me totally by surprise - yeah, I know, labour after induction - big surprise! It was just the speed of it that shocked me, no gradual build up, just BAM!

BooBooGlass makes good points about sleeping and moving around though.

we watched episodes of Green Wing on the Ipod, played scrabble, cards, all sorts (but then it took DAYS)

Ah, I'd better go and raid the local beauty salon's waiting area for back issues of celebrity mags :)

Thanks - these are good suggestions. DH and I are not patient people and this little one is certainly teaching us the art - some playing cards and games may be needed to help as well!

It's DC2, so I'm really hoping once my body gets a few hormones to remind it what is supposed to happen then it will be full speed ahead and we won't have time to explore diversionary tactics, but this baby seems so cosy inside that I want to be prepared for a long long wait!

DH went to blockbuster to rent some DVDs for us to watch and to pick up his laptop soon after the first pessary, leaving me to have a rest (hadn't slept for worrying...). He got back to find me in labour and very cross with him for having taken so long (only an hour or two). Not sure if we ever did watch the DVDs before they had to go back.

Stock up with things to do and hopefully you won't need them! Best of luck

i found a load of magazines helped ,dh was sent home for a few hours and i spent a nice (apart from contractions) couple of hours with my feet up reading and having coffees made for me(thanks all you lovely midwives) i took my iphone too and text friends and family from the hospital , it was lovely getting supportive and loving messages when i was alone in the ward,

ps not boasting about iphone , they are just very good time killers :)

Didn't have time to get bored! I was induced at 38 wks but things moved on v quickly.