Anyone with positive induction stories to encourage me please?!

[wellieboots]

So at 40+7 I have finally allowed my doc to book induction at 40+10. I have been terrified of induction for the entire pregnancy, in case I don't cope with the sudden, unnatural onset of labour - very low pain threshold, you see!

I have heard all the horrific stories about labour ramping up out of control, wild escalation, one thing leading to another - gel, to drip, to epidural, to bad tearing/episiotomy or emcs. Just wondered if anyone had a good story to tell to balance that out!

I just had one dose of gel, and then my labour proceeded pretty much naturally, with just tens, water and gas & air. Only annoyance was the need for cfm every few hours which was agony as I hated lying down and baby was OP so had 12 hours of labour, 2 of pushing.

Please try not to build it up too negatively. Although I appreciate there are stories out there that can scare you! Pain thresholds will vary enormously, I know. I had terrible monthly cramps so for me it was no worse than that.

I was in tears the night before I was induced with DC1 as I too had heard how painful it was.
I had prostaglandin and it took a few hours to work. It was not that bad at all. I was in an induction ward with 6 other girls all going through the same thing. It was great to feel there was someone to chat to about how I was feeling. We were all first time mums and a little aprehensive.

Also, as you're already in hospital you'll have midwives to ask any questions at any time and ask for pain relief if you feel it's getting too much. They have a good selection!

I really was glad I was there in the end. No ringing in or back and forth to the hospital to be assessed. I could relax on my bed watching trash tv and think if it gets too bad I can get pain relief straight away at the touch of a button.

Try not to fret. I know it is scary, especially if it's your first and you google!
No more Googling!
I am in the early stages of labour (distracting myself with mumsnetting) now and am thinking I'd quite like to be there!
Good luck.

I don't know if my experience counts as I wasn't induced in the end. I went to the hospital in the morning (9am) and was admitted to the antenatal ward. The midwife examined me and I was 3cm dilated even though I hadn't been in pain. She said I was too far on for the pessary so I needed the drip but I needed to be on the labour ward for that. So she rang the labour ward and there wasn't a room free so she said I would have to wait. She brought me tea and toast and I read my book. Every so often I went for a walk round the hospital. My inlaws brought DS2 in and I pushed him round the corridors in his buggy. At lunchtime I started getting contractions when I was walking but they would stop when I lay down.

By 5pm there were rooms available but not enough midwives as I would need one to one care if I was induced. The midwife put my name on the door of the labour room I'd asked for as it was empty so I would definately get it. Contractions got a bit more painful but still went away when I stopped walking. I went for a last walk at about 7:30pm but it was cold, dark and raining so we came back inside. Midwife kept apologising and bringing more tea and toast.

Finally at 8:30pm there was a midwife on labour ward free. I practically ran down to labour ward and when I lay down on the bed my contractions carried on! I said I wouldn't be needing that drip now thanks and the midwife said I was 5cm and that I ought to have the drip but we could see how it was going in 2 hours if I wanted. 2 hours later I was pushing DS3 out.

Not really an induction story but it was very positive despite the long wait. I was glad I had a really good book though.

I was induced at 1pm and then again at 7pm, at 702am my dd was born naturally, I didn't need stitches, didn't have any pain relief except for gas and air (I demanded an epidural but couldn't have on, but that's another story!) we left hospital that night at 2200 and I was Tesco the next day picking up bits and bobs

I also have such a low pain threshold and I did, so can you, don't stress about it, just think that it's helping baby come out.

Good luck,

I was induced with DD1. Pessary in the evening at 40+13, another the next day, contractions started in the evening of 40+14, moved to delivery room, put on the syntocin drip, waters broken artificially, then after 2.5 hours established labour she was born vaginally with the help of gas & air. A fantastic midwife's guidance during the pushing stage meant no tearing at all and we were home the next day.

Yes it is intense but that doesn't mean you won't cope or that you will need more intervention. It's always the scary stories that get told more often but for every scary one there will be twice as many straightforward ones.

Good luck, try not to worry too much, you will be meeting your beautiful baby very soon :)

I felt the same as you due to the stories id heard, but my induction was great! 40 + 12. One dose of gel at 4pm. Baby arrived at 11pm.(same day) All fine, some gas & air. Midwifes didn't believe me when I said I had to push. Hope it goes well.

Woohoo, thank you ladies for the happy stories! It will be brought forward now in any case as my waters have now gone, I have been in for monitoring, not in labour yet so came back home and will be induced tomorrow if it doesn't kick off by itself.

Feeling much better, thanks for the stories :) :)

I was induced at 40 weeks for medical reasons and nothing had kicked off by itself at that point, so I ended up with the full works - pessary, waters broken, drip.
It was a long labour and the drip did make the contractions more intense so I did need more pain relief than gas and air ( I had pethidine) and having to lie down and be monitored did not help. However, it was all fine in the end - normal vaginal delivery with only 4 stitches afterwards. Baby was fine and so was I.