Induction experiences please.

[FDTLuckyMumma]

42 weeks on monday, being induced. Third baby, DS1 and DS2 labour started naturally. Bit apprehensive.. dont want to refuse induction tho (I know I can). Have tried all natural methods (inc 3 sweeps) but nothing occuring.
Last check on fri cervix softish but still quite posterior and only about 1 cm, only 50% effaced.
Anyone been in a similar sit? How did it go? Thanks.

I am currently being induced. Am on day 3 of pessaries which are not working. Not sure what they gonna do next but I am not going to lie to you, it's not pleasant. However most women that have been and gone since ive been here have not taken very long.

Hi Sierra. Poor you you must be soooo frustrated and fed up. How late are u? Do you know how 'favourable' u were when they started? How much longer will they keep u going for? x

Went in on the Thursday, examined (felt like a bloody sweep to me though) and was 2-3cm, so no prostin needed.

Wasted day/night in hospital as no labour room free until 8am Friday.

ARM at 9am, walked round for four hours and no ctx, Synto drip at about 12.00. G&A at 3pm, MW offered me an epidural at 7pm as I was still only 3cm and was going to be in it for the long haul despite excruciating ctx with the Synto on full. Epidural at 7.30pm.

Was monitored throughout so couldn't move from the bed - I did try a birthing ball when I first had the G&A but they kept losing the trace on the monitor so told me I had to encouraged me to get back on the bed so they could continue monitoring. I knew I didn't have to do but did anyway (for myself)

10pm - 4cm (woohoo), 2am 8cm.

Started pushing at 4am. DD finally delivered at 6.39am following episiotomy and forceps.

Unfortunately, had a 3rd degree tear, minor PPH and retained placenta so ended up with a spinal and an hour in theatre.

MWs were lovely, and tried so hard to make it all as natural as possible but in the end it just wasn't. Personally I'd go for expectant monitoring next time if I could.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tell you that they had a better experience, to balance out my tale of woe!

I really want to avoid induction this time as was induced with DS2 and the constant monitoring was a problem for me.

However, to balance out the ladies experience above, once they actually gave me the pessary I went straight into labour and had DS2 within 5 hours.

I will be honest the contractions were hard and fast from the start, no build up as with DS1.

My experience was more about them asking me to come in at 8am and not bothering to get on with it until 6.00pm when DH insisted and not listening to me when I said I was having contraCTIONS and when i was ready to push - but I suspect that was not about the actual induction rather the hospital and staff who were present.

I did nearly hit someone when they said I would have to go back on the monitor to prove that I was having contractions otherwise I wouldnt be admitted to the labour ward.

Good luck.

I have a happy induction story for you, if you'd like one

I was induced for DD2, due to prolongued rupture of membranes. Despite this and 2 other "risk" factors (that I was only 35 weeks pregnant, and being induced) the midwife gave me no grief whatsoever about my polite refusal of constant monitoring. I refused to wear the straps and be tethered down; she supported my decision and used the hand held monitor. We agreed she could use that as much as she wanted, and at points she held it to my stomach continually for half an hour or more, but I still had complete freedom of movement.

The fab mw also supported me by following by instruction, given before the drip started, to not let me have an epidural, however much I asked for one once the pain started. (Following a previous bad experience with an epidural, and having done it naturally since then, I knew I would ultimately cope better without.)

It was a positive induction, with me and the baby safe and healthy, and no pain relief other than g&a. No stitches for me. And it was completely on a synt drip, they couldn't do the pessary as my waters had gone 4 days earlier.

The difference in my first birth (induced on synt, strapped up to cfm, unable to move from my back on the bed so pain excutiating, so then getting an epidural and it resulting in a forceps delivery with severe damage to me and mild damage to DD1 was immense.

Thanks all. Am still hoping to go into labour tomorrow and avoid the induction. Had a show this aft so maybe things are rumbling away...:

I was taken in to be induced with my son 6 years ago on my due date. 6 days, 5 doses of prostin later and quite a bit of poking and prodding and I still don't know what a contraction feels like. I did end up with a very pleasant and relaxed section which I'm looking forward to repeating in 3 weeks time. I just wish someone had even once mentioned that an induction might not work. I'm sure a failed induction isn't all that common but there you go, according to my consultant this time round it's just one of those things.

I am 39+3 so not overdue but have pre eclampsia. Spent a night in pain before finally being given morphine. They want to do a drip but have been told that as pessaries have done nothing then drip probably won't be effective. Am so down :-(

Am going to refuse the drip unless they give me an epidural first. Am so exhausted after spending 4 nights in here I can't take anymore.

Bloody right too.... Get the epi and get some sleep. Hopefully drip will get u moving. Hope so. Gd luck and enjoy the wonderful epi xx

Oh ladies, i really hope that those who are being induced, have a fast labour.

I'm 40+3 and I have had my second sweep today. Very uncomfortable and nothing is happening. To make things worse, this bloody weather doesn't improve and my husband and I can't go for a long walk.

I don't want to be induced, but if nothing happens this week, my induction will be next sunday.

I wanted to know this. Can you have an epidural after being induced? I know that contractions can start very quickly and be horrible. So can you have it?

Thanks

Induced with DS1 due to high blood pressure. Took ages to start and get into established labour but with an epidural it was all fine. Just took a long time but felt looked after.

With my DTs (numbers 3 and 4) I was induced. It only took one pessary to get me going and the DTs arrived 9 hours after it, which was 3hours after my waters were broken.

I suspect that if its not your first baby, things will start happening fast after the first pessary. With DS1, they recommended an epidural before they hooked me up to the drip but with the DTs induction, there was no need for the drip as contractions started once the waters were broken.

Good luck.

I was terrified about being induced. I'd had 2 water births and one home birth but this time my waters went with no labour starting naturally.

I was terrified of 'the drip'.

As it turned out - it was my shortest and easiest labour of all :)

1.5 hours. Straightforward. No pain relief needed, no tears or grazes. Totally calm and in control. Felt totally manageable and infact a better version of my 'normal labour'.

I wouldn't hesitate to be induced again if i needed to be. :)

2 yrs ago was induced with drip as waters gone but not enough CX. All fine, had to have constant monitoring so after 4cm dilated had epidural. Didn't work fully but g&a was effective. Contractions and dilation speeded up so drip taken off after 1/2 hour. Ds delivered after 30 mins pushing, 6 hrs after arrived at hospital. He was first Dc but had had termination at 16 weeks previously for abnormalities, so don't know if that was practice run. Had tearing and pph but am now 25wks pg again so not bad really!

Paula30CWR - yes you can have the epidural after being induced. However, if I were to have another induction, I'd consider telling them they could put the synto drip in after siting the epidural.

You don't have to be induced next Sunday you know :)

don't assume you'll need an epidural:)

siting one in case means you have all the risks and you may well not even need it.

I cam nowhere close to even needing gas and air, let alone an epidural.

I'm gonna hope for one like yours then Remember! It's now an hour till I leave for hosp and still no labour- do feel like someone will touch me and I'll pop tho! Thanks all for your contributions- I feel a bitmore prepared about what could happen. I'll let u know....

Good luck!

Sorry to say did not have a great experience with being induced. 2 weeks over, went in the morning and had the 'stuff' put in. Husband told to go home at tea time as nothing would happen until the next day. Unfortunately was not prepared (my first child) for the labour that followed. Staff not helpful at all, was in full blown labour but nurses kept telling me to be quiet and get back in bed. In absolute agony, no pain relief, finally begged nurses at midnight to help me, they finally agreed to look at me, rushed down to delivery suite just after midnight, husband called in quickly, had son at 2 am! Dont want to fighten you, but it may happen quite quickly so be prepared. Good luck

Hi jubee, it sounds like you had a terrible experience. Poor you..I hope you had recovered from it.

Where was this? I'm having mine (if i need it) at King's College Hospital in London...please tell me it wasn't here!

Sorry me again...I find it extremely unfair that the husbands/partners are sent back home when you're induced given the fact you need them the most. I understand sometimes hospitals don't have the space to have another person, but let's face it, labour - although it hasn't started in my case - must be hard, painful and all the things, and you need him there with you!!!

Why on earth do they do this? It's ridiculous! With all due respect to midviwes, I think they just get it all wrong sometimes...

Just an update. Baby arrived on day 5 of induction. Got epidural before starting the drip. Had to have the epi re sited as it stopped working when I was about 7cm (not fun) and delivered within 8 hours of starting the drip. Unfortunately had to have placenta manually removed in theatre afterwards which was not pleasant and involved losing 3 pints of blood. However this was not related to being induced.

Just an update. Baby arrived on day 5 of induction. Got epidural before starting the drip. Had to have the epi re sited as it stopped working when I was about 7cm (not fun) and delivered within 8 hours of starting the drip. Unfortunately had to have placenta manually removed in theatre afterwards which was not pleasant and involved losing 3 pints of blood. However this was not related to being induced.

I have a DS (5) congrats BTW, my sweeps never worked with him as had rear facing cervix, went in to be induced which is when they foudn he was double breach. I had not waters breaking or contractions, just an elective CS after turning down that 'turning thing' I was 13 days overdue.

I am now waiting to be induced with my fourth child, previous three were all induced as well. My cervix weren't ripe at all and was still completely shut, high and posterior. I had several doses of pessaries to start my labours off but that did the trick and I didn't need anything else. Its a long and boring wait once you go into hospital to be induced (rarely happens straight away) so take something to do. As for more painfull than a natural labour, I couldn't say, but none of mine were horrific. Labour is a very individual thing and in my experience very differrent with each baby, so just try and relax and think you will have your baby in your arms shortly.

Well, today I had my 3rd sweep and it was veryyyyyyyy painful. The MW couldn't reach the cervix but probably she could've been a bit more gentle.

I am booked for an induction on Sunday - unless something happens...but the feeling of not feeling absolutely anything, just the baby moves, worries me a lot.

Oh well...