Induction booked for thursday, v.nervous about what to expect

[whimsicalquark]

I'm currently 39 + 6, due to gestational diabetes (which is being managed by diet alone) i'm being induced thursday. Baby is fine size wise but due to the gd policy not to allow to go much over 40 weeks. I had a sweep today (quite uncomfortable but not a bad as expected) I'm booked in for 8am thurs and they said they will begin by using the gel and have warned me i'm likely to be there some time.
I'm quite nervous about the whole process, would anyone mind sharing their (hopefully positive) induction experiences with me. eg how long did it take, is there many internal examinations, am I free to move around etc

thanks

It depends on what they are planning to use for the induction (you said they plan to start with the gel) and how ready your body is for labour.

I had pre-eclampsia, I had several sweeps starting at 38 weeks but held off the induction until 39+4. I had the 24 hour pessary and was warned i'd be there for some time and would probably need other pessaries/interventions to get me started as my bishops score was 0.

Pessary went in ~6pm, contractions started ~10.50pm, baby born 6.54am. I was hyperstimulated which is why it went a bit quick. Contractions were intense, painful with no real break between them (first baby so I dont have anything to compare it to).

I moved around during the night, had a few baths, managed on co-codamol, but had to keep fairly quiet as I was on a ward (see if you can have a private room). Only bad part of the experience for me was the AWOL midwife, had to search out a midwife and beg to be checked as I felt ill. Had my only internal exam and she didn't want to give me 1 as she didn't believe I could be in labour after such a short time. Turned out my blood pressure had reached a dangerous level, moved from the ward to a delivery room, baby arrived 26 mins later, had gas/air for those 26 mins only, no other interventions or instruments and got away with a few internal grazes.

I'm a wuss and I managed only tip I have is if you feel something is wrong/happening insist they do something, dont listen if they insist the gel/pessary cant have worked yet!

Oh and be aware you wont be able to have a birth partner with you overnight if you are on a ward, bit hard as you could use the support and reasurrance but they will be able to be there for the birth.

Hope that helped, just stay as chilled as you can and distract yourself and picture your baba at the end of it.

I was induced a couple of weeks ago with my first DC, I was also very nervous but was glad that this would finally be it and I would soon have my baby in my arms one way or another (I was 40+10 overdue).
My experience was, like you said, that it's a very long process, lots of waiting around, and my best advice is to be as well rested and relaxed as possible when you get to the hospital. Take loads of magazines as well!
Your baby will be monitored first to check everything's ok then you will get the pessary and some more monitoring for an hour or so (sure hospitals vary but this is what happened in my case) and then be free to move around. After 6 hours they'll check how you are getting on and either give you another pessary and another 6 hours or move you straight onto the hormone drip. Once you have the drip in it starts to get serious and you'll permanently be also hooked-up to the monitoring machine, so you can't move about really. I found this hard tbh as coping with the contractions would have been easier if my movement hadn't been so restricted. Also going to the toilet was a real pain; having to be unhooked and reattached to everything and wheeling the bloody drip in there with you!

Once on the drip you'll get an internal exam every 4 hrs.

Induction is gruelling, and the contractions get very intense very quickly once the drip gets going. 24 hrs after arriving at the hospital I had my son, via emcs in the end which I was utterly relieved at as I was exhausted by then.

I'm sorry I know this isn't the answer you probably had hoped for! But on the plus side it is only 24 hrs in your life and you are guaranteed your baby at the end, however you get through it it'll be ok. Drop all expectations of yourself and rest as much as possible before contractions get too bad.

Good luck whimsical, I hope everything goes well for you.

I was induced after my waters broke at 36 weeks but no contractions had came on themselves 12 hours later. I'd not anticipated induction, or a premature baby, so I was in total shock, but looking back I regard my birthing experience as a positive one. Since you've had a bit of time to get your head around it hopefully it will be even better for you.

In my case they started with a pessary at 8am, waited 4 hours (one internal exam), did another exam and pessary at noon, then both again at 4pm - I think the latter ones were different drugs but not sure. I only started to get contractions about 8pm. They started out as a twinge and gradually got stronger. Very uncomfortable, but not too bad. Definitely bearable. I used a lot of deep breathing, walking and a long hot shower to get through them.

At about midnight I was still only about 3 cm dilated and because my waters had gone they wanted the baby out asap to avoid infection, so they decided to move on to the syntocinon drip. They STRONGLY encouraged me to have an epidural at that point, which I agreed to. Before then I had been dead against epidurals or drugs of any kind - I'd been planning to use my relaxation techniques - but the midwife was very convincing. I don't know how you feel either way about drugs, but in my case having the epidural was the best decision I made. So, I had the epidural, they dosed me with syntocinon and told me to get some sleep (by that time I'd been awake for almost 40 hours even though I'd only been having contractions for a few of those). I fell asleep for about an hour, until I felt that it was time to push, I pushed, and baby arrived about half an hour later with no other intervention. I had a good recovery, no problems.

My blood pressure and baby's heartbeat were checked every couple of hours, but once I had the epidural I was monitored constantly, but there was so much going on I didn't really notice the monitors.

My husband was allowed to stay with me the entire time - I guess it depends on hospital policy.

I realise since my induction wasn't planned it might be different to yours, but I hope this helps.

Good luck!

I was induced with dc3 at 12 days post my due date. I had the gel at 8 am then went for a very long walk around the hospital with dh. We did about 3 laps. Had lunch then thought would take the opportunity for a nap on the ante natal ward while it was quiet. Dh went home for a couple of hours to see our girls. While he was gone my contractions started and by the time he came back I was labouring and ready to go up to the delivery ward. It was about 3 pm. I got to delivery and asked for the birthing pool - got in the pool about 3:45 and our DS was with us by 4:30! I did not even have time for gas and air.

I hope this helps. I too was dreading the induction but I tried to not let the hospital bit get to me and after the initial monitoring and putting the gel in, we got off the ante natal ward. Try to keep mobile and let gravity do some of the work for you.

Thankyou all for your responses, I do find them reassuring that it may not be that bad. I'm going to try and keep calm about it, I suppose the main thing is that I get my baby at the end of it, it isnt the birth experience that I had hoped for but I suppose that doesnt matter as long as we are ok.

im going to pop into town and stock up on some books and trashy magazines just in case its a long one

My induction 3 weeks ago was a generally positive experience. I had a pessary put in at 10am in the morning and baby was born 12 hours later. The contractions started about midday, they did get quite intense quite quickly so I had the epidural pretty early and was able to relax and rest after that in preparation for the pushing. I don't think anyone has induction in mind when they get pregnant but for me it was very well managed and as it was done as the doctors were concerned about the baby due to low amniotic fluid I was just happy that the baby was delivered safely and was monitored closely. Hope it goes as well for you.

Stock up on snacks and cartons of drink too .

I was admitted for induction on the Wednesday evening. DD finally arrived on Sunday morning.

Wednesday - Saturday I had sweeps and gels. Waters went when I got out of bed on Friday morning. I had some contractions overnight on the Friday and Saturday nights. By Sunday morning I was 3cm so taken to the labour ward at noon, where I was put on a syntocin drip. I eventually pushed DD out at 8pm.

I loved being in the hospital, walking round chatting to people while I tried to get things started. It was a very relaxed, serene time.

Once I was in full labour I was glad to get an epidural as I found the synotcin made my contractions very painful.

Good luck, just try an be patient and go with the flow. Teh more realxed you are the better.

I was induced almost 3 weeks ago at 38 weeks also due to GD (my DS was on the large side!) I went in at 2pm Monday, was given gel by 4pm I had too strong a reaction to it and it made me contract more often than they like (I couldn't really feel most of them though they were more like Brixton hicks) as a result I was on a trace for almost 24 hours. Nothing really happened on the Tuesday as I was still contracting but at a safer rate I was taken off the trace and allowed to move around. My waters were broken and I was placed on several drips - one to get labour moving, one for the GD which you might not need I was insulin dependant - Wednesday afternoon and my DS was finally born early Thursday morning. I used gas and air to start with, had a pethadin injection (worked fantastically on me) then a spinal as I needed intervention. It was a tough labour that ended with intervention but that was more down to my DS size. The midwives were lovely and although it took a long time the safety of my DS was the priority. Do make sure you have some entertainment with you though even if you end up not needing/wanting it! My husband was with me the whole time and cut our DS cord. my main advice would be to stay as relaxed as you can at the beginning and listen to the midwives when things really get going. Good luck for Thursday, you'll be fine and it's all worth it when they hand your baby to you

I only ever bring my miserable experience (which I'll not regale again!) and one piece of advice to any induction thread.

Just because hospital policy is to not 'allow' you to go much over 40 weeks, you don't have to comply with that policy and if you are happy to wait a bit longer to see if it happens naturally because baby is expected to be fine size-wise and your GD is well controlled with diet then you are well within your rights to do so. The decision lies with you and you cannot be 'not allowed' to continue should you so wish.

Induction is not without it's own risks so I hope your consultant has discussed these with you to let you make an informed decision, rather than presenting early induction as a fait accomplit. I mention this as I posted this on a thread the other day, and the woman didn't have any idea that she could refuse the induction if she wanted to.

:) Best of luck, hope all goes smoothly.

Ooh I was induced exactly one year ago today! That's what made me look in Childbirth - sense of nostalgia now that it's back in the mists of time.

My experience was fine. Was induced at 38 wks due BP going up and the fact that I was 41. Had the pessary at 2pm, lazed around all afternoon, mild contractions started about 11pm after DP went home. Ended up pacing up and down all night, rocking and counting and wondering if I might be a bit further on ... nah, must be just early labour.

Was monitored at 2am and asked for an internal exam at 4.30am (the 2nd and final one) as it was quite intense by then but the midwife thought I was being a wuss. Turned out I was fully dilated, so there was a big rush down to the labour ward, DP ran in about 5.15 and DD was born at 5.40am.

The only thing I'd change is asking for pain relief sooner, but that's just the benefit of hindsight. I had no idea what was going on at the time.

So yes - take lots of drinks, snacks, things to read etc but keep them in a bags, don't scatter them all over the room so that when the midwife yells "get your things together, the baby's coming soon!" and runs out the door you'll be ready to roll rather than trying to pack while your waters break.

All good though and if I could have another birth just the same I'd definitely do it again but with more drugs

Good luck!