Being induced on Thursday, can anyone answer my non urgent/non medical questions?!

[Pootle78]

So, of this little one doesn't arrive on the next 40 hours (and no signs it wants to come) they're inducing me so

How quickly do they start the process, due on pre-natal at 9am (obviously if they're busy there'll be a slight delay)

Dr thinks I'll just need gel as already 2cm which can be stretched to 4, will I need to stay on ward or will they let me out?

Will they have me strapped up to monitors, I really don't want to be lying down until somewhere near the end!

Is being induced instant high risk and no water birth? I want to labour in water and had been told that's fine but that was 5 weeks ago when I was measuring 6lb 11oz and now they think I'm well over .

Is it recommended to take food for dh, we have snacks but if there all day )all night) they'll obviously cater for me? But not him?

Obviously induction carries greater risks, of everything goes ok will they let me out same day?

Think that's it for now but will be back if I think of Nything else

Thsnks

Over 10lb and sorry for the typos!

I was induced (nearly 5y ago now though so might be a bit hazy and things might be different in your hospital anyway!)

I went in at 8:30 on a Sunday night, booked in, had the first gel pessary at ~9:30pm. Next one was next morning. Third one around 2pm. I doubt they'll let you go home again once they've given you the pessary, but you are allowed to wander around - in fact, I was encouraged to do so after the first one.

I had a monitor on for a bit to see what, if anything, was happening, but it was taken off overnight so I could sleep and reattached the next day, but not all the time.

No idea re. the water birth

Take food for both of you. And extra cheapy pillows.

Whether or not they let you out depends on more factors than just you having the baby - including whether or not you plan to breastfeed and have established that. DS was born early hours of Tuesday morning (about 28h after induction started) and I didn't leave hospital until Thursday afternoon, with no complications for me, but DS was having troubles feeding.

HTH a bit - hope someone else has more answers for you and good luck!

How quickly do they start the process, due on pre-natal at 9am (obviously if they're busy there'll be a slight delay)

I had to phone so when I went in they were immediately ready

Dr thinks I'll just need gel as already 2cm which can be stretched to 4, will I need to stay on ward or will they let me out?

They let me walk about the hospital, but I was a patient and asked not to leave the grounds. In fact walking (on a lovely sunny day) was very much encouraged.

Will they have me strapped up to monitors, I really don't want to be lying down until somewhere near the end!

You will be monitored at first for a while, then if all is well it should go down to intermittent monitoring.

Is it recommended to take food for dh, we have snacks but if there all day )all night) they'll obviously cater for me? But not him?

DH was fed, but only on "spare" meals IYSWIM. Take some sandwiches for him and a toothbrush/change of underwear and socks. He probably won't be able to shower, but he can at least freshen up a bit if he needs to. I was in 3 days before DS was born and DH didn't want to leave .

I don't know what happens later in a straightforward induction I'm afraid as DS was trickier for a few reasons (unrelated to the induction process). Just be ready to go wit the flow a bit. And take something to do whilst you wait for everything to start (I have pages filled in my journal and got through a good book).

For me I had to go in at 7.30am on the Tuesday but the induction wasn't started until 2.30am on the Thursday. So I'd say ring before you go. I did but they weren't expecting the massive influx of people starting off on their own and needing to close labour ward for admissions and so we waited and waited and waited and....you get the idea.

Once things got properly started for me it all happened quite quickly so I didn't have the walk around hospital part but that's about as far as you'll be allowed to go.

They put the CTG on me for before and after gel and then that was it until I went up to labour ward. I was told it was their policy to continuously monitor inductions once on labour ward. But I kept moving how ever I needed to. The midwife just held it on. That might have been because they weren't expecting me to take very long though. Not sure on all labouring in water. I was encouraged to have a bath on antenatal ward post gel and when contractions were gearing up. But as birthing pools are on labour ward I don't know if that will be ok.

No food for DP, but I knew it would be like that. They will feed you though. Just say yes to all drinks though when the trolley comes round as even if you don't want it DH can have it.

All being well you should be able to go the same day after the birth. Will depend on a lot of things though.

Are you being induced because of estimated size or being overdue?

Thank you for all your advice, may need to start re-pack my bag!

Starting me off due to size (although will be 39+3), this is dc number 2 and has such an awful experience on post natal ward with ds just hoping to get in and our as quickly as possible, doing it my way! Think there may be words between me and dh as I'm not prepared to take any of the crap I had last time!!!

I had an expected big baby but was left to go over as normal. Ended up being 40+14 due to the delays but they were never overly concerned about the size as a reason to induce just about me being overdue. Do you have to go in? Or is there a reason for big baby ie GD type thing?

I know what you mean about wanting to get in and out. I had hospital birth for DC1 then home birth for DC2 and desperately wanted another home birth for DC3. It wasn't to be though. Due to PPH and a few other things and also the time of DC3 birth it was another 2 nights before I got home. Hopefully you'll get to be a quick turnaround though! (and take no shit!)

Oh and DC3 ended up being 11lb

They are concerned about shoulder dystocia only and my bmi was 35 to start with,, no diabetes or other problems, although having read the royal college of obs and gyny guidance on dystocia they don't recommend inducing.

I've had 2 sweeps, first gave me a bit of a show but second one did nothing.

Sounds like Thursday could be a long day!!!

There is always the risk of shoulder dystocia though. Yes it does increase slightly with bigger babies but it tends to be those with associated issues like GD.

I had big discussions with my midwife about the risks of SD/PPH and made the decision to still try for my homebirth. She fully supported me.

I'd have been tempted to quote back the non recommended induction part of what you've read and see what they say. But that's probably because of me wanting to be at home.

How big was DC1?

Hopefully Thursday will go smoothly and quickly for you. It won't be long until you have that super squidgey baby in your arms. DC3 is still very very squidgey at 7mo

Ds was 8lb 9oz, my mums kids were 8, 9 and 10lb. My sisters 2 8's and a 9 and my mum was 10lb 7 so we do, "do" big babies in our family!!!

Forgot to check back....you'll be fine then!!

Good luck for tomorrow :)

Here's some in advance!

Hi Terracotta

Ds2 finally arrived yesterday after 2 failed inductions, 5 sweeps and had shoulder dystocia too but no complications, he's lovely and chubby (10lb 2.5oz!) and sleeping and feeding like a dream (long may it last!)

Thank you for your advice and assistance

Awww, that's lovely! Thank you for coming back and letting me know. I had been wondering about you.

10lb 2.5oz...well done you!!

Hope you're recovering well from it all. And a big yay for squidgey chubby babies