Being induced tomorrow - what to expect?

[Piccalilli]

I'll be 14 days overdue with my first child tomorrow and as there's absolutely no sign of labour starting I'm booked in for an induction tomorrow evening. I'm not really sure what to expect - is there anythng you wish you'd known before you were induced?

i was induced for my third daughter - she was 12 days late. I think it was a quicker labour than the first 2. Remember having to walk around the corridors to get things moving!
Actual procedure was OK.

Advice I would give you - don't worry - you never can tell what you will want/how it will go beforehand, so don't spend time worrying now.

Get some sleep while you can!

Enjoy it (honestly)- does hurt at times, but you really feel as if you are achieving something & so the pain is bearable & holding your baby for the first time is so amazing

Believe what you feel - I remember telling one midwife that the birth was very imminent - she said i wouldn't have progressed that quickly - but i was right.

For my first I didn't take enough baby clothes into hospital & for my third those I took were too small! (a 9ib 10oz baby does not fit 'new baby' clothes!), also hard to get tight clothes on, especially with your first baby!

Good luck - have a wonderful day - don't forget your camera!

Oh best of luck I was induced with no 1 but not other 2. It might take a few goes to get things going - my induction didn't but lots of my friends needed a few pessaries over a few hours to startit off. And just be open-minded about how you might want to manage the labour. I wasn't wanting an epidural but ended up with one and an episiotomy (huge nr. 10lb baby). It was still fantastic and his birth a very magical moment. My other 2 deliveries were v. different and more rapid, but equally magical. wish you lots of luck. You'll soon have a beautiful new baby..Now I'm getting all emotional and wanting a 4th...

Good luck! I was induced after sweep didn't work. Had 2 doses of the pessary and then finally things started to happen. I would say go with the flow don't rule anything out pain relief wise as you don't know what to expect or how well you will cope with it. Something that surprised me was how quick the contractions came once things started moving which I believe is true of a lot of inductions. As the others say you do forget the pain as soon as you hold your baby. Yes its painful but somehow your body deals with it and manages it (and then forgets!)

I haven't been induced but my friend was..she expected to have baby the day she induced but it took 4 days till baby arrived. Like others have said be prepared for eveything possible as with births noone can predict them...either natural or induced...

It is scary having a baby but it's also the best and biggest thing you will even go through in your life. My dh always says to me that its the biggest thing I will ever do in life and I think, if I never do anything else I don't need to because I have given birth to my dd and thats an amazing thing in itself.

Remember to chill and to think of the baby you will have at the end. I hope it all goes to plan.
xx

It should have been discussed with you how the induction will be started off. Most are started with the pessaries but mine was slightly different.

Being my 5th baby, my cervix was found to "be favourable" to breaking my waters straight away without any pessaries or gel. I had period like pains almost straight away, walked about a bit, pains got more like contractions but after 4 hours I was put on a drip which really got the contractions going very quickly so it was turned down slightly. After another hour it was turned off completely and my contractions kept going on their own so they kept it off. Only 3 hours after being on the drip ds4 arrived!!

Of all my babies, this one was one of the best as it was quick. Of course it will prob make a difference that this is your first. Having had 4 previously, this one followed the same pattern as before, as predicted by the mw's.

Good luck whatever happens anyway!

I was induced at 37 weeks with ds. He was my second baby. Went into hospital at 8.20am. Waters were broken at 10am. Went into labour at 12.30pm and he was born at 13.35pm. Went home in time to put dd1 to bed at 6.30am. Good luck.

good luck, piccalilli!

is your sprog's head engaged?

wekll as sure as eggs is eggs you will go into labour tnonight

I'm 29wks with first reading this got me weepy and wistful to meet mine best of luck.

Hello and thanks for all your messages - I'm not in labour yet although I suppose there's still just about time for me to avoid the induction. The baby's head was 2/5 engaged at my last MW appointment but I haven't been examined since Monday so who knows.

I just can't wait to finally meet my little girl.

Good luck Piccalilli!!!

Good luck! I agree the best advice is to be open-minded. I have been induced twice, with ds2 my cervix was 'unfavourable' and it took 9 pessaries over 2 days - I wish I had stayed in day clothes and moved around a lot and kept busy rather than stress and obsess over contractions, you may only get pains without progress initially. Also, try to sleep through it, the worst part is how long it takes and how tired mentally and physically you get. I'm afraid it will probably take a while.

With dd however 22 months later, I was already 3cm and within an hour's monitoring was 5 cm and in rapid labour having to get my trousers off!

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