Is it possible to have a quick, straightforward induction at 38 weeks?

[BettyBi0]

My consultant has offered me the choice of induction at 38 weeks or planned c-section at 39 weeks. I've been googling around and seen nothing but horrible birth stories of people being induced at 38 weeks, struggling on for days and days and then having to have emergency c-sections anyway.

I couldn't find one straightforward happy birth story of the induction working :-/

Non-medical friends keep telling me to give the induction my best shot as it might mean no major surgery. But my instinct is to go straight to c-section so it can feel planned and calm and I won't be a wreck before it.

What would you do?

(If it is important then my dr's rationale for early induction was that I had a back injury at 20 weeks which has got really painful as my bump has grown. Basically I have very strong spd type symptoms and am house bound an dependent on crutches. Also it's my first birth/baby after long history of losses/ IVF/ multiple meds including blood thinning injections etc and I'm a bit old at 36 ???)

If you were me would you refuse the induction and go straight to c-section?

Hi, It is possible BUT this is your first birth which even at 40+ weeks are quite hard to get going. You have no idea how your body will be in labour and I am sure I read that for first time mothers, the failure of induction leading to C-section is significantly increased.

If there is even a small increased chance that you will end up with an emergency C-section vs. an elective, I would opt for the elective everytime.

BTW I had induction at 38 weeks and he was born in under 3 hours and was very easy so it is still possible. This was my third child though, my first was not induced but was a long drawn out birth ending in intervention.

Both my DC were inductions at 38 weeks as in both pregnancies my blood pressure starting rising at that point. DS was a tale of interventions ending with savage forceps delivery. DD was very straightforward; induced at 8 am and arrived at 3.00 pm.
Listen to your own thoughts- if it would help you to have an elective cs by easing the uncertainty and knowing what to plan for, then that may be what you need.

I was induced (first baby) at exactly 37 weeks because of cholestasis. I was really scared about it but I went into labour after the second dose of gel and gave birth about eight hours later without having to have the drip, though I did have my waters broken and that really speeded things up. There is some evidence that women with cholestasis often give birth early anyway, so maybe baby was ready to come out. But don't assume it will be hard.

I would be expecting a long drawn out labour if you go for an induction at 38 weeks. However, I would always want a normal birth over lscs.

Really difficult one. I hope you make the best decision for you.

Its impossible to say,i had a baby spontaneously at 38 weeks,my others were all 2 weeks late and all were under 3 hours.Your body might be ready to go into labour then,or before then,but it might not.

The thing about birth stories is that you do tend to hear mainly the negative ones. What does the consultant think?

I had an induction at 38+1, it worked immediately and labour was straightforward. I had a stretch and sweep the day before and I am certain that helped. I wanted to try induction first to avoid csection if possible and I was lucky, my sister had an induction that failed and had to have an EMCS so it is impossible to predict.

I was induced at 38 weeks too due to severe SPD and reduced movements. Pessary inserted at 5pm, contractions started at 8pm. Gas and air until 4am. Pain was bearable with just G&A. Needed forceps delivery in the end only because baby turned her head.

Betty, we (and your consultant) have no idea what would happen if you went for an induction so early.

I was induced (v reluctantly, if not actually against my will) at 42+1, and 3 DAYS later ended up with an emergency section.

I was an 'older mother' at 37 (apparently late babies much more common with older mums) and both my best friends had had issues with going overdue, one went straight for a section as offered by her consultant and the other being forced to go through a truly awful induction before also having an emergency section. Naturally this made us really think about it.

My DH and I had agreed that if it got to that point we would go straight for the section. It wasn't available for us, but given that you have been offered the choice I personally would take it.

We can only offer our stories, and you will make the right decision for you. I wish you the very best of luck, and remember that the only important thing is getting a healthy baby out. For all our our troubles at the time we are now thinking about baby no. 2!

I was induced with all three of my dc, dd was over due, I was in labour for 15 hours, birth was fine. Ds1 labour for 5 hours birth was so quick midwife Had to dive across the room and catch ds before he fell to he floor! Ds2 3 hour labour perfect birth

So from my experience induction each time was fine

I have heard horror stories of induction but when asked they were very anxious about bring induced and didn't really want it, where as people I've spoken to who were calm and happy to have the induction were fine, I think that has a big part to do with it.
I In no way wanted a c secton im petrified of needle, knifes and the thought of being cut open so induction was the happiest way for me to go

I was induced (at age 26, 40+12) and it was 4 days of hell, one of which was because I needed to move from ante natal to delivery and they didn't have room. Then ds was a forceps delivery in the end as well. I would not go all the wayup to the drip again. Take a c section above induction, definitely. I know where I'd rather have stitches.

And I was happy about the induction ahead of time, walked miles around the hospital with the pessary etc. Its not all physiological.

Early induction for a first baby is highly likely not to be straightforward.

But, it might work and if you want to have a chance of a normal birth then it might be your choice to have a go.

How about
: book el cs at 39 weeks but be assessed for induction at 38 weeks
: if cervix very favourable, try induction
: if not wait for cs
: if induction started but becomes slow and difficult, switch to emergency cs early. Your consultant can put instruction in notes to this effect.

As it is your first birth I would go for a c-section. An early induction for a prima gravida is more than likely to be long a d drawn out ending in exhaustion, ineffective pushing and an instrumental delivery if not an emergency c section. Instrumental deliveries wreck your pelvic floor which you will need to be strong if you have a bad back.

My first induction was at 38 weeks and was 72 hours of hell ending in forceps and a massive PPH. My second was at 39 weeks and took 60 minutes from start of induction to cuddling my baby.

I was induced at 38wks with my first. I went into labour as soon as the gel went in, within about 8 jhours I was 6cms and she was born in 12 hours fron start to finish so not really that drawn out. I needed the vacuum and a few small stitches but other than that it was straightforward, I did get an epidural however because I was put on the pitocin drip which was extremely intense.

I'd much prefer all that to a c section, i recovered very quickly and was up showering within 5 hrs of giving birth and home the following day.

I really feel for you. I was offered induction or c-section at 37 weeks and opted for c-section. My second baby though.

The section was great - very calm, no problems afterwards and I recovered reasonably quickly and well. But it is a big op and coming to terms with being cut and recovering from a major op as a new mum is quite something....its quite shocking, in a way. Especially if you have never had major surgery before.

Can you not opt for induction, and if things havent progressed well at a certain stage, goto section? I dont know what the score is these days with these kinds of decisions.

Good luck x

No personal experience but my SIL was induced with her first at 38 weeks. It did take a few days to get going, but in those few day's she wasn't uncomfortable or anything. Then on the third day in the evening her waters went unexpectedly and 3 hours later she was cuddling her lovely little boy.

From what she says, she'd prefer an induction over waiting for labour to start spontaneously anyday. She loved the control and loved having the set day things would get going in her head. She had been terrified of the pain and planned to have an epidural, but in the end coped fine with G+A.

Truthfully this is a very important personal decision. You need to pick what will work best for you. Try not to worry about the horror stories, they are always the minority regardless of which way you choose. Good luck! I hope you have the best birthing experience possible.

I was offered the same choice at 35 weeks (waters had broken but no labour so no choice). I went for ELCS because I thought a baby who wasn't ready to come would make an induction even worse and my sister's induced labour at 42 weeks was bad.

My obstetrician said the order of safety is normal birth with no intervention, ELCS, normal birth with ventouse or forceps, emergency CS.

It seemed to me that an early induction was quite likely to end in the third or fourth option and I was better off opting for the second best option and ending with the second best option than opting for the best option and ending with the worst option, IYSWIM!

So had ELCS and it was actually calm and easy and recovery was fine (I was older too but had no problems with recovery other than taking it easy which I would want to anyway)

Good luck, by the way!

I was induced with my first at 38 weeks and 8hrs after starting the drip dd was born. Only 4hrs active labour and 8mins pushing.

The whole process did take a few days as I had to wait for a bed and midwife to be free (guaranteed one-to-one care if on drip), but I because I wasn't in labour I wasn't in pain or discomfort just bored.

In 4 weeks I'm being induced again at 38 weeks with number 2 and hoping it'll go exactly the same way.

I'd really rather not have a section though because I've had abdominal surgery before and can't imagine doing the recovery with a newborn and toddler.

Just wanted to add that I wasn't at all favourable for induction when I first went in and only dilated to one cm with the pessary whilst waiting for a bed so effectively went from nothing to birth in 8hrs.

It was intense though and I had a great mobile epidural at about 5/6hrs in which took away all the pain but not the pressure so I could still feel to push.

Thanks for your responses. It is good to know that induction has worked well for some people. I think my main worry is that I feel really unfit, immobile and out of control of my body and muscles which is killing my confidence in my body's ability to push a baby out. Some days I'm struggling to do really basic physio exercises as my back goes into spasm and pelvic goes all crunchy and wrong. My fear is that this inability to keep moving and hold good open postures will slow down any induction.

I'm also worried about doing more damage to my back by being mobile during epidural and unknowingly moving/ sitting/ laying the wrong way while I'm pain free and causing further damage.

So at the moment I'm leaning further towards planned section just for the level of control and perceived safety that brings. Which feels a bit strange and contrary to what should just come naturally but nothing about my body feels very normal right now. It does feel a bit strange to be weighing up major surgery as not that big a risk compared with midwives pushing my legs the wrong way

I was induced at 38 weeks (high blood pressure), 9 hour labour, 20 mins pushing, very straight forward and very happy experience :)

Induced with 3rd baby at 38 weeks. I was a private patient so they deviated from NHS protocol but went into hospital at 8am, had immediate epidural, put on drip, waters broken as soon as epidural kicked in, the consultant didn't do pessaries for 2nd/3rd time mums. Baby born by 11.15 am, a totally painless unassisted birth. Previous babies all born at 41 weeks so highly unlikely this one would have been early.

My DSis was had an induction at her request at 37 weeks (MH related reasons) and cannot recommend it highly enough. However it was her second baby so that seems to be a factor. A friend's induction with her first went wrong and ended in EMCS so she chose ELCS for #2.

I will probably have to make this choice (am currently 22 weeks with a big for dates baby, previous abruption & will be 40 on my due date) so am watching this thread with interest.

I don't want a c-section OR an induction - I want one of those nice natural hypno-births in a pool.

C section! Sounds like your body is going through enough. Good luck.