Being induced tomorrow, how do they do it?

[FurryFox]

You would think this being dc3 and having been induced both times before I would know .

Will be 40+12 tomorrow and booked in for induction. Dc1 was 40+14 but I had been having rather useless contractions for a few days so on day of induction they put me on a drip to, I presume, speed up and maybe regulate contractions.

With dc2 went in for induction at 40+14, was examined and had a gel. I don't know if I was already dilated at all but I hadn't had any contractions at all. Didn't at any point have a drip.

So I'm wondering how I'm likely to be induced tomorrow or does it depend? Is there a reason they use one way over another?

Dc1 birth was frankly a long and horrible labour which resulted in an episiotomy and ventouse. Dc2 was much quicker and easier with no intervention.

I am suddenly ridiculously nervous about induction which I think is in part because I am worried about how I will be induced and nervous they will put me on a drip and I will have a repeat of dc1's birth.

Sorry for rambling, I only had a quick question but my nerves are making me ramble .

If you are about 2cm dilated or less, they'll use prostaglandin to ripen your cervix. That in itself might be enough to get things going. They can't do ARM before this because they just won't be able to get to the amniotic sac!

If you're more than about 2cm, they'll probably go straight to ARM (waters being broken) and you're then on a clock to see if ctx start. If they don't start within that time, then you'll be offered the drip.

Remember, at no point are you obliged to accept induction (expectant management should have been presented as an option, along with the risks and benefits of both courses of action) but once you start, there's no stopping!

The likelihood of intervention is higher with induction but first babies are generally harder, your body has now done this twice before :)

Best of luck.

I was induced both times due to PET and all they did was break my waters. Had drip to regulate contractions but was fine.

This makes me quite cross actually - how can women make an informed choice about consenting to induction if no-one goes through the process with them before it's arranged?

I was induced last year for my third. I was told they'd just break my waters but it was decided instead (much to my dismay) to give me a propess pessary. I was induced with dc1 with the old fashioned (9 years ago) pessaries. That hurt, but this was worse. The propess itself is tiny, really like a kind of thread. But it irritated me beyond belief and I spent a good 6 or 7 hours in massive discomfort, like cystitis almost :( Apparently this reaction is not uncommon. But I begged for it to be taken out, the relief was instant, and then contractions really ramped up. They didn't really believe I was that far gone as I wasn;t making a fuss, just breathing through them, but ds was born in what was officially recorded as a 40 minute labour. I too was worried I'd be on a drip, be strapped to monitors, all the things that went wrong with ym first labour. In fact I had a very quick water birth. Just fab. I tend to go massively over dates though, all 3 dc of mine have been almsot 2 weeks late, only the middle one was a spontaneous labour. I'd be tempted, with hindsight, to put off the induction a few more days if you can (and yes, I remember jkust how uncomfortable and impatient I was a year ago.) If everythign else is fine, they can monitor you for a few more days I think.

Thank you both

Flisspaps Thank you . I wasn't offered expectant management but was aware of it from reading the many helpful threads on MN. I'm happy to go ahead with the induction rather than opt for expectant management but just started to get about panicky about it, I have no idea why because yesterday I was just glad the end was in sight.

I guess i'll just have to see tomorrow if I am dilated at all. With dc2 my contractions started about 7 hours after having the prostaglandin and then they tried to break my waters a few hours later but it turned out they had already broken but I had no idea when .