Induction and Water Birth

[parkj83]

I've been planning for a home water birth, but if LO doesn't make an appearance in the next 4 days, I may have to face an induction.

When I had DS, (albeit, this was 7+ years ago) I was vehemently told that no, you couldn't have a water birth if you were being induced.

Does this still stand or is it down to the local hospital?

DH's friend has said that his OH had WB after being induced, but I'm in a skeptical/disbelieving mood at the moment.

i was told no. Both my inductions were heavily monitored on a bed

Glad really as my 2nd induction went terrible so was good that I was continually monitored.
Water birth is generally for low risk midwife led births, and as soon as you are induced you become higher risk consultant led

Good luck with what you decide.

Oh dear, that doesn't bode well...

I was induced with DS, and it went so badly, I ended up having to have spinal anaesthetic and forceps delivery... I'm terrified that will happen again :(

If it were left up to me, I wouldn't even entertain the induction. Oh, I really hope it works out for the home birth

I am keeping eveything crossed for you
FWIW my 1st induction was a dream, 1 pessary and ds1 was born 6 hours later with no tearing or anything.
ds2 was a whole different ball game, my induction was badly managed and my EMCS badly performed leaving me pretty ruined

Try and stay positive, you could have your home water birth, or a great induction

It may be worth considering waiting for labour to start (expectant management) and going for regular monitoring.
One of my clients recently had a homebirth at 42+6. Her last birth also went to 43 weeks (appears to be a family trait) so she had discussed this with the consultant midwife at the hospital and refused induction before 43 weeks.
All went well.
Good luck!
Selina

while I was in being induced having my dc3 ( 12 days ago) midwife said that although all inductions are done on labour ward that they were wanting to get a pool up on labour ward in the hospital where I gave birth as there is no reason that inductions cannot also be water births depending on medical history.

my medical history is complex so theres no way they'd let me do it but if you're just being induced due to be being overdue then there might be a chance

great post selina wish I had waited

re the waterbirth.
Its unlikely most hospitals would allow you to use the pool.
If your contractions/labour started after the gel or breaking your waters with no other interventions, they might consider it, but if you have the drip, you have a cannula nd are attached to a machine for constant montoring (the drugs in the drip can effect the babies heartrate) so it would not be possible to use the pool.
S

I was hoping to have DS in a midwife lead unit and use the pool but as soon as I went overdue that was out the window and I had to go to the main hospital and no WB option was offered at any stage (2008). Even tho I had to go straight to waters broken and drip cos was 3cm and wasnt allowed the gel, it seemed none of the other gel inductions were able to have a WB either.

I think it depends how quickly you get going following induction

My friend had a water birth after induction, but the pessaries alone were enough to start labour

AFAIK once you're on the drip you can't get in the water

Selina, that's what happened with DS, so no WB allowed there either.

If I end up needing induction, hopefully it won't go as far as needing the drip... that's the part of induction that scares me the most!

Thank you all for your responses - I feel a bit more reassured/informed now x

NICE guidelines suggest water for pain relief for a labour induced with prostaglandin pessary/gel so there should be no problems using birth pool once a short period of monitoring after gel/pessary has been carried out. That is assuming you go into labour. If an oxytocin drip is used then water cannot be used as monitoring will be continuous.

Probably depends on the individual hospital. I've been told that if I end up being induced, even if it's "just" a pessary, then I can't use the MW led birthing suite, which is where the water births take place. Might be worth checking what their policy is. Good luck!!

IngridFletcher, do you happen to know where this can be found in black and white pls, I'm 41+4 and if nothing happens today, I'll be at the hospital tomorrow to look at options :(

www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG070NICEGuideline.pdf
Section 1.6.2.5

I was induced with pessary so wasn't allowed on the MLU either, but the ward had a bath that I stayed in until I was four centimetres...t'was fab. I read almost ALL of Captain Corelli's Mandolin (again). But once I was in active labour they insisted on constant monitoring so no more bath!

Was great for the time I was able to use it though.

Oh, and induction was really not bad at all, I was VERY worried after all the bad things you hear, but even ending up with forceps delivery was a brilliant experience. Hope it's the same for you

At our hospital water wasn't an option with induction, simply because the water birthing facilities were in the midwife led unit, but induction was done in the consultant led unit.

If it helps, I have had;
ds1 inducted at T+12, hospital birth
dd, homebirth at T+14, no monitoring, consultants happy for me to go over
ds2 homebirth at T+8
ds3 homebirth at T+12 (born 2 hours before was due to go in for induction - I had a fairly vigorous sweep in the afternoon, and that got things going that night).

So don't be afraid to explore all the options. If you are really keen for a homebirth, ask about monitoring. With dd I was really glad I did. I didn't ask to go over the 12 days with ds3, because I was worried about size (he was 10lb12) and I didn't want him any bigger than he was already! And also ds2 seemed a bit 'post-mature' and I didn't want to take any risks.

Thank you,

am T+9 today, and having a homeopathic induction at home this morning, to see if that'll help move things along a bit.

I've been getting lots of period-type pains and contractions over the weekend, so hopefully it'll take (fingers x-ed)

I wasn't allowed to go this far with DS - it was a case of "right, you're allowed to 41 weeks, then he's out" I honestly felt like I had no choice. So this is all new territory for me :o