Hi Emjay, I was induced at 40 +13 and had a fairly rough time -ended up with forceps - but, and I am being completely honest here, it wasn't that bad. It wasn't great, it wasn't the natural waterbirth I'd dreamt of, but it was totally cope able with.
Rough outline below. Skip it if you're not feeling brave, but I found it helpful to read accounts beforehand - offered in that spirit. And the point of this is to illustrate a bad labour and how it's ok - to give you a liveable not quite worst case scenario. Your labour is likely to be much, much smoother.
Went in for induction/monitoring at 8.30 Mon morning, pessary inserted midmorning, home after lunch and spent the afternoon watching trashy telly with DH. At 5pm started getting period type pains - low level, aches in lower back. At 10pm my waters went, phoned hospital, got told to wait an hour. By 11 I was contracting every 2 mins or so, but not that severely. We went in.
We were kept in triage (in a room, though) from midnight to 6 as I wasn't very dilated, but was contracting too frequently for doc to be happy sending me home. I managed on TENS and swearing at this point, and to be completely honest what distressed me most was that my waters were still coming and I had soaked trackie bottoms and knickers. It was sore, but the pain stops dead between contractions, so you can ride it out. I was hooked up to a monitor so couldn't walk around.
at 6 on Tues was moved up to labour ward as dilated 4cm, and had a lovely room and ensuite. Change out of soggy clothes and started walking around, all got much better, still managing pain although got a bit scared as I was tired and didn't feel I could cope indefinitely Contractions started slowing, however, and at about 1 decision was made to put me on a drip (I felt consulted in this) and I was offered epidural. Doc said she wanted me and DH to sleep for a bit so I was able to push. Took it as was so tired, felt no discomfort at all and drifted in and out of sleep all afternoon. There was ALWAYS a midwife in the room after I was put on the drip - we weren't left alone for a second.
Was fully dilated by early evening with what felt like no effort from me, and the epidural was allowed to wear off so I could push. This was sore - baby had gone back to back. However, I was subsequently told I was pushing for an hour and a half and I still don't believe it - it felt much much quicker. However, at this point I did start having difficulty coping, and said so to the midwife.
Doctors and anaesthetists appeared as if by magic. Everything was explained to me and I consented to forceps and emergency CS if required. An anaesthetist gave a spinal block and diamorphine, and the pain stopped. Instantly.
I was taken in to surgery, introduced to everyone in theatre, given an episiotomy and had a forceps delivery. I felt what was happening, but no pain at all. I remember at one point as they used the forceps wondering woozily why they were trying to pull me down the bed by the hoo ha, but it didn't hurt. Baby had turned during the pushing and popped out at 9.30 Tuesday evening.
DH cut cord, told me she was a girl, and accompanied her as she was checked over and I was stitched up.
My stitches hurt for about a week, but ibuprofen and paracetamol kept it manageable. No after effects after a fortnight.
The next morning I felt better than I had before going into labour. The consultant came to see me to answer any questions I had and reassured me that any subsequent labours wouldn't be that bad
I'm writing this while my 10 week old daughter sleeps on my lap. She's wonderful.
I'm not a particularly strong person. I'm not good at handling pain. I'm fat and unfit, and it was a 'bad' labour.
It was FINE. Honest. I wouldn't do it for fun, but for my daughter? Totally worth it. The thing is, it ends. And you get your baby.
And once again for the record - I was unlucky, your labour is unlikely to be like mine. But if it is, you'll cope.
Good luck - and sorry for the essay! x