I'm being induced tomorrow - please share your happy induction stories with me...

[Astrophe]

...cos I am a bit scared. This is DC #4, never been induced before. I don't have to be, but baby is suspected to be large (other 3 were large too) and I am just hanging on physically - don't feel as though I can wait another week (am 40+6). My doctor feels confident baby is ready and it wont be a difficult induction, and I do feel that too (have had some intermittent contractions, baby low, cervix effaced...), but I'm still scared.

DC #3 was a difficult labour and we had a midwife who didn't respect our wishes which meant I didn't have the pain relief I requested (pethadine) and she wouldn't do the episiotomy I wanted and needed, resulting in nasty tears and large blood loss.

We've got a private obstetrician this time, because of the above, and I do feel confident that he really respects my wishes...but I'm still scared.

I'd love to hear about your inductions that went well and weren't horrible and resulted in sweet babies to cuddle :)

I was induced with dd2 (3 years ago) I was given 2 gel packs in the morning, walked about the ward, listened to i-pod, read. Things I didn't get a chance to do when at home with dd1 . I kept mobile, had a few baths. Went into labour at 4pm, dd2 was born at 6.30pm. I gave birth kneeling at side of bed. Had g&a, didn't need any interventions etc. Have given birth 3 times and it was the most enjoyable and easiest (well not easy but you know what I mean )

She is now 3 and an absolute joy if a bit challenging!! Good luck.

I'm being induced on wednesday (my second child and second induction). I think what you want is happy stories from people who it wasn't their first baby for as the doc I just saw for my sweep says it really is much quicker after the first one... Also they give different stuff at the start if you've already had a baby.

My first induction wasn't terrible but was v long and tedious and a bit depressing living at hospital but despite all the stages of induction it was without instruments, which is great.

Good luck and fingers crossed for you. It's a shame to be induced but probably a good idea to avoid risks for the baby.

Thanks :)

I think just knowing what I will be doing tomorrow (ie shouting, screaming etc!) is freaking me out, and making me think about it more.

I'm hopeful that I might be slightly dilated and the doc will just have to break my waters. Last check was on Friday and he said I'd need the gel, but he'd check again when I come to hospital, obviously.

I was induced on Thursday. Had two lots of Prostin which got me to 4cm and gave me niggly cramps all night but nothing else, than on Friday morning they broke my waters which gave another 1cm. Put me on the Synto drip at 2pm and DD shot out like a rocket at 3.25pm!

It was extremely intense - the 55mins that I was in actual labour were very painful, I can't lie. BUT it was amazingly positive too. I could tell it was so painful because she was coming quickly, so I knew it would be over soon, and thanks to my lovely mw reminding me to pant at the critical stage, I escaped with just a tiny tear and no stitches. Compared to DS's birth (14 hours of knackering effort, 2nd degree tearing, lots of stitches, awful piles, weeks of exhaustion) it was a walk in the park. I was induced due to gestational diabetes and had lots of worry about having a very over-medicalised birth but in the event there was not a sniff of intervention or meddling about it. I really felt like the mws helped me to have the birth I wanted.

We came home on Saturday and I feel absolutely fine :) Good luck for tomorrow!

oh and good luck to you, dycey :) 3/8/11 is a nice date - easy to remember (3+8=11). I think 2/8/11 is going to confuse me forever (I'm so daft with numbers/dates!)

thanks astar :) I'm preparing for it to be intense but fast if I need the drip. Really hoping it will be like DC2's birth - was 7 hours from 1st contraction to birth - about 3 hours of full on intense labour - but I found it much easier than DCs1 and 2 which were much longer and far more exhausting and traumatic.

You might well not be screaming and shouting you know.... Mine was long but as soon as they put me on the drip, I asked for an epidural (perhaps too early as I don't think that helped with the length aspect). But really it was a ll relatively painless (had got to 3/4 cm with a tens machine over 2 days.... )Slow, like I said.

I am planning to do the same this time - have an epidural if I have to have syntocinon.

It's the exhaustion that knocked me out because it all took so long and I couldn't sleep until the epidural (and then getting no kip on the postnatal ward).... But I do think that is mostly because it was the first baby.

What are your pain relief plans?

O I like that 3 8 11 - thank you - I would never have thought of it!

And having read your last post, which I crossed with, I think youll be fine and fast!

with DC 1 I had pethadine (helped a lot with back paid as DD was posterior) and G&A (hated it).

With DC2 I just had pethadine - great.

With DC3 midwife wouldn;t give me pethadine - had G&A in desperation - hated it (makes me very panicky).

So my plan is to use pethadine . I also have borrowed a tens, which I havne't used before. I wouldn't rule out epidural if I need it, but hope not to (and have been advised to avoid if possible, as I really need to be able to control my pushing v carefully in attemp to control tearing).

my DH thought of the numbers thing - he is a nerd :o . I never see patterns like that! I find my other kids birthdays really hard to remember!

I've been induced with both DCs with synotocin drips and had 2 very positive experiences :) DD1 took 2 days but only 11 hours of labour. With DD2 had a pessary in the morning, broke my waters at 2pm, labour kicked off, and she was born at 5.19 No intervention etc with either of them.

Sorry, forgot to say good luck

See this thread here and good luck!