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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Choosing when to be induced...?!

13 replies

MummySSB · 24/10/2011 10:44

Hello ladies - I'm having a bit of a drama regarding possible induction and would be grateful for some thought or experiences...

So I have gestational diabetes, diet-controlled and all sugar levels have been within range and well managed. Growth scans are spot on dates too. I'm 38w tmrw. Hospital policy is to induce at 41w irrespective.
I would quite like my baby to have an 11/11/11 bday so have provisionally agreed to be induced on 10/11 - when I'll be 40+2.
What I wanted to know was - would you let it go t full way to 41w and see what happens naturally? Or is it reasonable to try and get it born on a certain day - even tho there's no telling how long I could go from induction to having t baby..?
Also, does induction mean a more painful labour??

Sorry if I sound silly, but just need some guidance...

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cravingcake · 24/10/2011 11:19

I started induction process on fri evening (waters went early thurs am) & it was long & slow for first 24 hrs with hardly any progress, then my body naturally got ctx going regular late sat pm & baby arrived just after 3 am on sunday. Even with induction theres no way of knowing how long it will take. But its your body so i would say why not, if theres chance of baby arriving on date thats important for you, just be prepared for it to maybe take longer & the higher chance of medical intervention.

cravingcake · 24/10/2011 11:22

Oh, & i found the syntoxim drip thing is very painful even with epidural as that started to wear off in the end.

Shangers · 24/10/2011 11:34

I don't have another birth to compare with but I think my induction was more intense than if I hadn't had it - it took a while to get going (went in at 9 and they broke my waters at 3 to move things along - not sure if they do that in the UK though). I did have an epidural but it was quite late and I think I could have coped without it if I hadn't been able to have it. I had my son at about 10.30pm but it was only after they broke my waters that I was in active labour - before that I was watching tv and saying "ooh I think that was a contraction" every few minutes!

Personally, I think that any reason that is valid for you to be induced, is a valid reason. I was very nervous and my doctor was due to go on holiday the next day so - despite being really anti-induction before hand! - I just wanted to know I had the doctor I trusted with me. Im sure many people would consider this a silly reason but for it me it was totally valid and I have absolutely no regrets at how I gave birth. You've got to do whatever is right for you.

plantsitter · 24/10/2011 11:40

Personally I would wait until at least 41 weeks because the more ready your body is the easier the induction will be.

BUT - there's no guarantee your body will be ready by then. I had GD with my first and was induced at 41 weeks and it took 2 days. Your reason is as good as any and a positive frame of mind is v important (no doubt you will hear that more than once). So as everyone else says, do what's best for you.

Northernlurker · 24/10/2011 11:43

Personally I would wait as long as possible because if you can avoid induction and labour naturally there is a better chance of an uncomplicated birth. Induction is a great thing, a life saving thing. It also subjects your body to a series of intereventions and some babies don't cope well with that.
Is induction more painful? Well I've had one induced labour (42 weeks) and two naturally occuring. Induced is more intense and your body doesn't cope as well with the pain. When all is said and done though labour hurts however you start it.

mumblejumble · 24/10/2011 12:03

I also have GD well controlled through diet alone, monitoring shows a healthy baby with no concerns re size etc.
I can't have an induction due to 2 previous c-sections, but have been offered a membrane sweep at term + 3, which I have turned down because they never work for me. Instead of any other intervention, I have said that I would have an ELC at 42 weeks.
I would rather try to labour naturally by then, however if I had not had 2 previous c-sections I would go for the induction.
I hope it all goes well for you.

Original poster

MummySSB · 24/10/2011 18:29

Thanks for all t responses ladies, it's all been really helpful. Spent a while thinking about it all since reading your responses...and think I might push back t induction date until t last possible date they let me (prob 4/5 days later), so give myself and my jelly baby time to get started naturally. As much as I want the baby to have 11/11 bday, it's dawned on me that it's not as important when faced with a possibly more intense and intervened with labour, which I'd like to avoid as far as possible.

Hope I don't need any inducing and it's all happens au naturale in a cpl of weeks time!

OP posts:

xlatia · 24/10/2011 19:31

Sorry for hijacking your thread mummy but my question is related.... had my 2nd sweept today (at 41+2) and if nothing will have happened by thursday (i.e. 41+5) i'll be induced. now just read the nice guidlines on induction and am not only shit scared but literally in tears because i've always wanted a natural birth and from what i've read there it all sounds pretty nightmarish.
so to everyone who's had an induction: who decided on the date for the induction and when was it? it all sounds pretty arbitrary to mee, tbh

BestLaidPlans · 24/10/2011 22:42

I had Gestational Diabetes and was induced 11pm on the 5th November, DD was born at 9pm on the 6th. The consultant decided on the date (38+1) as it's policy here to induce at around 38 weeks.

The NICE guidelines (and some threads on here) had me panicked about induction as well, especially as she also turned out to be back to back and I ended up hyperstimulated but I still had a fairly natural birth, just gas and air for pain relief. Not all inductions are nightmarish, I have read some positive stories on here. Good luck!

cory · 25/10/2011 00:02

I've been induced twice, both times before my due date (IUGR). Doctors decided on medical grounds, though the second time I suspect the actual day was also to do with the fact that they had a bed spare (I was already in hospital).

The first birth was fine- used TENS machine for the early stages and then had a little gas, did tear a bit right at the end but it wasn't horribly scary or painful.

The second time did end in a caesarian (because of baby's health, I could have kept going), but that was fine too: I was awake and had skin to skin contact immediately and breastfed him, it was really a good experience.

xlatia · 25/10/2011 14:23

Thanks ladies, for sharing and making me feel better about the whole thing!

breatheslowly · 25/10/2011 15:37

I went in for induction on a Monday and DD was born on the Thursday, so I wouldn't try to plan for any particular date as they all seem to take different lengths of time.

TotallyKerplunked · 25/10/2011 18:02

Induction date was picked by MW who was fed up seeing me every day cos high blood pressure, date 30 aug picked. Baby due 2 sep and I didnt want him born before that due to him being youngest in his school year and being disadvantaged I agreed to MW date as the induction was supposed to take a while but I was hyperstimulated and DS born 31 aug. Pessary in 6.11pm, first contraction 10.52pm born 6.54am.

I had the pessary, yes it was painful but I have nothing to compare it to and my first (lucid) comment after the birth was something like "wow, that was easier than I thought!" so it cant have been that bad because i'm a total wimp.

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