Come and talk to me about your Induction

[McPhee]

I'm booked in for an induction this friday, first baby, and no idea really what to expect. In an ideal world, going in with an open mind is preferable. But in practice I'm probably going to be prone to losing it

I'm currently 37 weeks, but measuring 41 weeks with Polyhydramnios, large baby with enlarged abdomen, plus being back to back

So, what should I expect? What was your experience?

Be honest, I can take it

Aw mcphee I really do feel for you. I was very anxious when I went to be induced and was also absolutely desperate for my DH to be with me (I had a very horrible time in a previous pregnancy, very preterm birth nothing whatsoever to do with induction and so get freaked out by hospitals!) I also wanted there to be A PLAN so that I could know what was going to happen but I just had to try and relax and go with the flow. Easier said than done I know.

I was induced at 38 weeks with my third for large baby and polyhydraminos. Not back to back though.

Went in at 7am, had a pessary mid-morning, nothing really happening. Another pessary mid-afternoon, walked around with dh to try and get things going. Nothing happening. At about 11pm, with very slight pains, discharged myself so could go home with DH at this point I should say that we live three minutes drive away from the hospital.

Back in next morning, trusty DH in tow, still nothing happening. Labour started in earnest at about two that afternoon but no space in labour and delivery so went and sat in the bath on antenatal for a while. Bliss!

Finally got admitted onto delivery at 4 in the afternoon and was actually feeling quite fine, pain not too bad. The midwife broke my waters and then I started to progress really fast.

I would say that, like some of the previous posters, there were no gaps between my contractions. I did use quite a bit of gas and air! I had hired a TENS machine but I never got a change to even get it out (in fact I abandoned it in the hospital and had to go back and get it a few days later)

My little boy was born at 8 that evening so my labour was really quick. Would have been quicker had his head not been on the 99th centile and he got stuck.

So it can be really nice and straightforward after the kind of frustrating hanging around bit at the beginning! Wishing you the very, very best and if it helps at all, I have had some of my finest NOT COPING moments in hospitals. Doctors and nurses are well used to it and most of them are very kind and sympathetic. Please try not to worry.

My first piece of advice would be not to let your DH leave unless you live close and have a telephone you can use to summon him (unlike me 16 years ago).

The birth of my first child was induced as the waters broke and labour didn't start.

I was given the pessary at about 10pm and started having a lot pain within a few hours. DH had been sent home. The nurses refused to give me anything saying I could be like that for 2 or 3 days. I was told to have a bath which really freaked me out as I was leaking bloody water.

By around 10am I was in agony hooked up to a monitor. Nobody had examined me. This was on a rather public ante natal ward, no privacy not even the curtains pulled and other patients and their visitors were staring at me. My DH finally arrived about 11am after ringing that morning and being told I just had a bit of backache. I sent him straight to get the doctor as the nurses had refused to call one. When the doctor approached me the fucking nurse tried to pull him away to see another patient. He could see the state I was in, I was found to be 7cm dilated. And in absolute agony because DD's spine was rubbing against mine.

I was finally taken to the labour ward, but asked for an epidural which was finally given. Contractions then petered out and DD was finally born around 11pm by forceps (after the ventouse had fallen apart). DD was ok and I only had one stitch. DD was taken away, given antibiotics and washed, she became jaundiced, refused to breast feed and screamed solidly for the first 3 months of her life.

It was a totally horrible experience largely because the fucking bitches on the antenatal labour ward did not believe I was in labour and left me in absolute agony. If you can't contact your DH to speak for you, don't let him leave.

reastie that must have been a long wait! I'd have been getting SO frustrated as I have no patience whatsoever.

Fluffy I'm so sorry, that sounds absolutely awful. Wish your DH could have been with you through that.

I also had Polyhydramnios and because of this, I wasn't allowed on the normal induction ward, where DH would not have been allowed stay overnight, but was instead sent straight to Delivery Suite ( ie private room). DH stayed with me the whole time I was in hospital, three days and two nights.

I had 3 gels and my cervix never budged an inch, decided to skip the drip and DS was finally born by C-Section.
Good luck, how exciting!

aw that was nothing compared to the 5 day long failed induction attempt

mcphee I really feel for you as just over a year ago that was exactly me - I'm a control freak and like knowing what I'm doing and couldn't take having everything out of my control and changing all the time. I think I was a nightmare for the staff . Make sure you tell them, all the time, every time they see you, how anxious and nervous you are. They will write this on your notes and will do what they can within the time etc they have to help you and let you know what's going on. I think maybe if you expect things to be very up in the air and unpredictable then hopefully when you get there it won't be as bad as you worried about which will make you relax a bit more (I realise this isn't great advice, but tbh I think both of us would struggle no matter what in this kind of situ so it's more a case of making the best of a hard situation). All the best to you and hope everything goes smoothly and quickly for you.

mcphee I felt like that too the second time round, especially cos I knew exactly what I didn't want. I even managed to break down in tears in front of the consultant just before the ARM (breaking my waters) I was so nervous about how it was gonna go. Once they knew how I felt they were amazing, and really helped me to have the labour I wanted.

I'd echo the others and say do your utmost to have dh there or as close as possible for the duration. You never know when it might all kick off!

I am not very up-to-date, as DC are 23 and 20, but with 1st my waters broke, ambulance to hospital, then my body didn't seem to want to do much, so on drip. And induced 2nd time. I tried gas and air and hated it! Do they still use pethidine? 1st time I asked for, and got, a half dose, which put me in a brown drowsy state until I was ready for birth, which was pain free. 2nd time was similar, thought I would find it easier 2nd time round but no, eventually asked for pethedine but forgot to ask for half dose, so was more out of it that time, but still came to for the birth - I presume they gave some sort of antidote as the time approached?.

Anyway, just wanted to say a)chance g&a might not suit b)half doses are poss if you go the injected painkiller route (at least, I hope they still are).

No paracetomol offered. TENS machines were known, but not widely available.

All the best .

I haven't written a birth plan, nor has my midwife ever even mentioned doing one. Now I'm wondering if I should spend some time writing down what I do or don't want, and also my fears. Do they actually get read though?

I have had 2 babies and never written a birth plan. But then I have had great midwives who have stayed with me to chat and jot down my wishes during my labour. I'm of the opinion that you cannot plan birth, but if it makes you feel better to note things down then go ahead. I instead drilled it into my husband that I would like x but not y etc.

Just wanted to say been induced twice. Please note I generally am a bit rubbish with pain.

First time I had pessary, then another pessary, then waters broken, then syntocin drip. This all took a long time (around 2 days)!!

Due to it being an induction my midwives did completely restrict my moving around and I spent majority of time lying on my back, monitored, both times. Also when induced the first time, when drip went up I could move even less - essentially 13 hours in one position (this is difficult to cope with!) plus the contractions were then very painful, during this time I got the epidural (allowed to sit up for this!) and following that was catheterised several times.

Over those 2 days I was so nervous/excited I didnt sleep at all, so by the time I got to established labour I was knackered, then had an episitomy before ventouse delivery.

However all the monitoring did make me feel quite sure baby was doing fine throughout which I didnt expect to find as reasurring as I did. Also after epidural whole thing was virtually painless and I read paper/did puzzles whilst labour progressed.

Second time I got night sleep after first pessary and then easier faster induction and delivery.

I really dont think they would send your DP away if you needed him or if anything was happening. I sent mine away after first pessary both times (given in evening) so he'd be awake/alert when I needed him. But this was on understanding if any contractions were starting, the plan was to ring him to come back (only the mildest twinges for 12 hours to start with both times so I didnt bother). Ring midwife to put your mind at rest.

So my main advice is to sleep after first pessary and when possible if at all possible! Easier said than done!

My second advice is if they put up syntocin drip, consider epidural if this is an option for you.

Its definitely worth a go with TENS machine.

Overall I would like to go into labour myself next time but wouldnt be worried about induction again. And its true what they say about it all being worth it. Good luck for Friday.

mcphee I'd definitely write some kind of birth plan if you get the chance, even if it's not to do with the actual birth and more just that you are very anxious and worried about the induction/birth and would like DH to be there whenever possible - it can't hurt.

I've just been thinking about this, and I think what I'll do is jot a few things down, pop it in a sealed envelope and ask DP to make sure the midwives read it.

Ours had space in the labour notes which is the only reason I joted a few things down. Just pain relief preferences, and that I wanted the vit K injection. Make sure your DH knows your wishes too.

As for the cervix being moved, that was one of the most painful parts. at 40+12 my cervix was up behind DS's head. It was only the third MW who managed to reach it to check progress, and she moved it by pulling it around to below his head. I'd only taken paracetamol, I nearly bit through my thumb as she did it! But I had a late birth and DS was flipping big.

For me the most important thing was that DP knew what I wanted, and I trusted him to speak on my behalf. I was very much like you, worried about the lack of control, but I decided with him there I didn't need to worry, and that was the way it went. Main things for me were no pethidine or meptid (sp?!) and that everything was explained to me. There was one point where a midwife and two consultants, all women, were talking all at once and I was getting confused by three similar voices. I remember saying to DP, I don't know who to listen to, and he repeated all the bits that were directed at me and that worked really well. Not sure how happy the consultants were, but I just ignored them and listened to him repeat them!

Not sure how much you need to write stuff down, why not just make sure your DP tells the midwives what you've agreed?

DD1 was back to back, i was induced, only some gas and air for pain relief. 12 hours labour from start of drip.

DD2 was back to back too. Natural labour, no gas and air but semi epidural (born overseas) after 4 hours. 7 hours labour.

Most painful labour of the two was DD2 despite me not being induced, i was just not relaxed as i was worried about DD1.

My tip, try your very very best to relax.

I'd completely forgotten I'm meant to be seeing my midwife Thursday morning, which was booked before this Induction. Now....I'll be one day shy of 38 weeks....would she sweep me just to get a head start do you think. Or are those done much later?

She may sweep knowing that your going in to be induced.

I just wanted to say that i had a back to back with my first (not induced, she came early 37+3) and the pain was at either side of the bottom of my back bone (just above the buttock area) and the thing that would have helped enormously would have been two tennis balls to put in each of the areas on my back and to have pushed against them whilst either sat down against back of chair or against the wall, partner tried to rub/massage area but what i needed was a more intense neading, deep within (if you get what i mean???) and also used the TENS machine exactly for the above reason, it was lovely to feel it working the area of the pain (plus, the TENS machines works on the summise of realeasing happy endorphins into the brain, so the earlier you have it on, the better) :o

I've had two births, one natural and one induced and both were great, Just make sure you relax where you can and try to zone out everything else that is going on around you and just concentrate on your breathing and climbing up stairs (mentally) with the rising contraction, then back down the stairs when contraction is easing

I don't want anymore children but would happily go through childbirth again!!!! Enjoy, it's a means to a lovely end :)

Mine was just fineMcPhee lots of wating around after they inserted the gel pessaries, walk around as much as possible. I fell asleep in labout but only because I responded well to the epidural, I opted for the pain relief. So induction isn't all that bad at all, I had a positive experience. Best of luck and enjoy those newborn snuggles!

I was induced at 38+5 with Obstetric Cholestasis. baby was measuring on the 90th centile.

I went in the Saturday morning for gel, went home, in again that night for more gel, stayed in (all on delivery suite as high risk so in a 2 bed room where I was mostly on my own as weekend). I think she was back to back as had a lot of back pain on the Sunday evening and had pethidine/ diamorphone to help. Broke my waters on the Monday morning and hung the drip at noon, I had her just after midnight on the TUesday. SHe was delivered face up by forceps and we were lucky enough to avoid a section.

Thoughts: Yes to the tens - I had mine on till 4 cm and it definitely helped. Don't be afraied to ask for pain relief for the induction pains, ime they can be worse than early labour pains (constant and niggling rather than in short bursts). If it's quiet ask to use the birthing pool for pain relief - they won't let you deliver in the pool but you can use it for a bath!

They told me I should have an epidural because I'd had morphine for the induction pains but actually I'd only had half a dose and tbh the morphine was fab so I wish I'd tried that first. But for high risk you need constant monitoring anyway so likely to be less mobile. Worth asking if they have a mibile monitor (radio/ wireless) as then you can be more mobile early on if you wish.

And don't consent to ARM when you are 1cm dilated like I did. It fucking hurts.

Oh and my DD was only 8lb 2 when she was delivered :)

I get very anxious if I don't know what's going on or if plans change and I've not had time to get used to the idea. I'm the same in my personal life too, and people think it's about being on control, but it's really not. I have to plan and know things or I find it really hard to cope . Which another reason I need DP to be able to speak for me if I become unable to.

This could be me! I was induced at 40+8 with pre-eclampsia. I had full on panic attacks several time the days before (pre-ec can bring on anxiety but I didn't know that at the time).

I was really worried my husband wouldn't be there (he was) and freaked out whenever I was examined.

In the end I had the pessary at about 7.30pm. I then slept, whilst DH went home to get a few hours kip. I had my first contraction at 10.45pm, and reached full labour at about 1am. DH was then called, and arrived at the hospital 30 mins later in time to find me on the labour suite, and at 7cm. My waters broke without my knowledge, first stage lasted 35 minutes, and suddenly I was being told to push!

A swift ventouse later, and 2 stitches - and suddenly I was a mum! My son was born at 2.47am. It was fine - and so quick I didn't even have time for an epidural.

All the best - it will all be a distant memory soon.

21 years ago I was induced because my waters had broken yet I wasn't having contractions and there was a risk of infection to the baby. Waters started leaking at lunchtime on Monday. I had to go to the maternity ward and stay there until the contractions started. I dribbled all night on the ward but no contractions, so at 08:00 on the Tuesday they wheeled me off to induce me. DH had been warned to come in at 08:00. From then on until DD was born at 18:02 he did not leave my side (no, not even for a pee!). I had hardly slept and hadn't eaten the previous evening, having been in the assessment ward for a couple of hours and sent up to the maternity ward too late to get dinner. Labour on an empty stomach is not to be recommended!

I had had other plans for the birth of course, and when it became clear that I would have to be induced I started to cry. I'm not a weepy person, but I felt by now that everything was out of my control! I had G&A and a Tens but, thanks to monitoring I had to stay in the bed. Contractions were irregular and unpredictable - MW said this is to be expected with inductions. It all turned out wel in the end - hope yours does too.

It's getting closer

I've been having pains in my pelvis since last night, it feels like babys head rubbing on my bone and fecking hurts. I'm guessing it's because babys head is round the wrong way due to B2B? Paracetamol helps a bit, a very tiny bit. When I was checked on Friday I was 4/5, baby must be trying to get the rest of the way in.

And why is it everyone else is fast asleep and I'm gagging for a

I was induced with both my boys as was +10 days overdue both times. My first was 9 pound 4 and was a back to back labour. I strongly reacted to the prostin gel so had a quick but v painful labour. Induced at 9:30am and baby born just after 1pm.

Second time around I was a bit nervous at being given the prostin gel again so asked the midwife to just use 2/3 of the amount. Nothing happened much apart from some tiny pains but when she was examined me again at lunchtime I was fully dilated and had my Ds2 15 minutes later after one push. Brilliant!
He was also big at 9 pounds 9 and head was 38.5cm - off the top of the graph (and still is) :)

So for me induction was short, and first time round v painful - but the good thing about going quickly is I didn't miss a nights sleep in labour (even managed to get my lunch both times).

Good luck - my advice is to focus on your actual labour, not the labour you thought you might have. During my first labour I couldn't get my head round the pain and thought it meant something was wrong. I think that made everything worse whereas second time I was ready for it. x

Low and tearful

I need this over so badly today