Normal Labour after Induction?

[TheBooMonster]

I was induced at 36 weeks with my first child due to IUGR. I had a pessary and within about 6 hours contractions had started that lasted 12 hours, and despite being intense and painful were unproductive. I then went from 1cm to 10 cm in the time it took a student midwife to run me a bath, and baby was out within a few pushes, my labour is listed simply as being 'precipitate' but lasted about 15 minutes from 1cm to birth.

This time round the serial growth scans seem to be fine, so it's likely they'll let me go into labour naturally, everyone says that your second labour is shorter than your first, but is that the case after induction? Should I expect something closer to a 'normal' long drawn out, taking days labour, or should I get my husband to don a catchers mitt?

What are peoples experiences?

I had induction first time round (GD) and every consultant has said that DS was the "investment" who "paved the way" for a faster and smoother 2nd birth. Catchers mitt might be a good idea but every story i read on here shows that every labour is different. Maybe the gtadual build up will allow things to move along at a slower overall pace?

Hmm I've only been induced at the actual established labour part did get quicker each time IME...

I would book for a homebirth so you have the stuff you need at home ready just in case - you can go to the hospital/transfer at any point in time.

random they absolutely ruled out a home birth, I had a postpartum haemorrhage last time so the consultant wants me to have an active third stage (and the idea of a home birth scares the living day lights out of me, gimme the drugs!)

Blimey no home birth.

If you went into spontaneous labour and it was another 10 minute event I'm afraid you wouldn't have time for drugs...

Well when I say drugs, I mostly mean Gas and Air, and that's all they'd give me last time for the 12 hours that they thought I was just being the worlds biggest wimp they didn't give into my begging for an epidural (unsurprisingly) because at the time I was still not dilating, though an anaesthetist did come in to talk to me about an epidural when it was all over!

You do get gas & air at home!!

I have to say IME established labour is no more painful than the contractions before hand...