Induction - what can I do to make it easier?

[japhrimel]

As I have OC (and now high bp as well), I'm not going to go over my EDD before I'll be induced and if my blood results get worse, I might be induced early. So it seems quite likely I'm heading for an induction.

Any tips as to what I can do to make it more effective and easier?

I spent a night in hospital a few weeks back and figured that the women in for induction who just lay on their backs in bed weren't doing everything they could to help the pessaries work! My CMW has already suggested taking my own birth ball in so that I have it on the ward and can sit/bounce on it to try and encourage LO to put pressure on my cervix.

I've also put it on my birth plan that if I have CTG or drip, I want to be supported to maintain a good position (e.g. sitting on ball).

Other than staying as upright and active as possible, is there anything I could do, either now or when I go in, that could make it go smoother?

After you have the pessary put in STAY IN BED for a good half an hour or so. If you leap up straight away it will dribble out and not do its job. Obvious perhaps, but they don't always tell you.

Then walk around as much as possible, stay upright and bounce on ball. I never got as far as the drip as my waters broke by themselves and everything else progressed naturally.

Good luck!

I did all I could but didn't help. you need a balance though. my induction took 36 hours till birth and I was exhausted by then. walk, bounce, walk sideways up a flight of stairs (midwife suggestion) but rest as well because at the end of it all you still have to push a baby out and you'll need your strength.

They made me stay in bed most of the time because i was on a trace monitor to check the baby was responding okay to the pessaries.

I will say, induction can be very painful in the later stages, so think about your pain management carefully. Don't be a martyr, you need to be fit to look after the baby afterwards too.

Definitely try some homeopathic remedies, they are BRILLIANT.....

....kidding!

As Jenny says I would be aware that inductions can be very intense and to take the pain relief if you need it. You dont get a bloody medal for having no drugs!

AFter the first 45mins from having the pessary inserted when you have to lay down then get them to take the monitor off.

Lol at AbiAbi!

My hospital's leaflet on monitoring says you should be able to sit on a birth ball while being monitored and my CMW has encouraged me to push for that (after the initial lie in bed for the pessaries).

I'm open to pain relief options but have a weird health complication that means epidural may be less likely to work for me - no-one knows - so I'm hoping to avoid that. My hospital does have Remifentanyl as an alternative though.

Don't let them break your waters without an epidural.

Agree with AliGrylls and will add - also don't agree to a synto drip without having an epidural first.

Ask if your hospital has any remote monitors rather than the wired ones as they mean you can be a bit more mobile too.