Does an induced birth with pessaries go faster than a 'normal' birth?

[SunnyDays1987]

I was induced with DS at 36 weeks due to pre eclampsia with pessaries only. Took about a day and a half ish for things to get going but when they did a gave birth very quickly. I went from ringing my husband because the pain was getting bad to delivery in an hour and 20 minutes. I think I pushed properly about 3/4 times. The midwife took the pessary out at 1-2cm dilated and I didn't have a drip or anything else.

I'm wondering if it went so quickly because of the induction process or whether if I had a second naturally I should be prepared for a quick birth too?

There isn't really an answer, because you can't know how quickly you'd have gone without the pessary.

It does seem to be the case that, if people are about to go into labour naturally, induction sort of kicks it up a gear. I have three friends induced with no. 2 who had a baby within an hour. Not sure that would be that relevant to an induction at 36 weeks though. These were all in the 41-42 week bracket and having niggles.

Yeah I understand that I can't possibly know what would have happened. I do think generally it seems to be quicker for people who are ready to deliver, obviously at 36 weeks I really wasn't so that probably slowed down the initial stage.

Suppose I'm just wondering if anyone has had any experience?

I don't think so. There is a higher rate of assisted birth in induced births than not

I was induced at nearly 42 weeks with DC. It took over 24 hours for anything to start happening, but when it did it was quick! I think I was pushing for less then a hour.

With dc2 I went into labour the day I was due to be induced. Went to the hospital at 6am due to bleeding (but not in labour) and had the baby by 10am!

So if I was you. I'd prepare for a fairly quick birth.

I had pre eclampsia and was induced by pessary at 38 weeks.
First pessary monday morning at 6.3am. think there was 2 more pessaries, i went into labour tuesday about 11pm and ds was born on wednesday at 10.40pm, which was after a failed ventuese and was forceps in theatre ready for emergency cs if forceps didnt work, so no your experience was nothing like my experience.

Forgot to say with DC2 i wasnt induced and dd arrived at 37 weeks in less than 4 hours from when my waters broke.

My induction was way quicker than any of my other spontaneous labours.

It took 2 pessaries, 6 hours apart to get the ball rolling but after the second one I delivered in 3 hours and 6 minutes. Came as quite a shock as there wasn't any build up with pain, I was just thrown in at the deep end so to speak.

My next baby was 7 hours. And the one after that, 10.

I'm sure it's not like that for everyone though.

Oh god not for me , was induced at midnight on a Wednesday with just the pessary and gave birth 9am on the Friday with 2-3 hours pushing, she was in a weird position though which slowed the pushing stage.

All three of my births have been sub 3 hours and only the first was induced (by pessary).

I had a quick birth with DD1. DD2 was induced with the pessary, and once it got going it was just as quick! So I'd say it's down to you, not the induction.

I was induced and it wasn't quick - pessary went in at 5pm Sunday baby was born 2.30 pm Monday. She got stuck and had to be yanked out with forceps!

I'm jealous of all your fast induction stories

I'm with longhair, was 42 weeks and had one round of pessaties, 24 hours of nothing then all relatively fast, couple of hours of contractions and no more than 30 mins pushing.

my friend on the other hand was three days and nothing, ended up with an ECS so it's pot luck I think!

Thanks for sharing your stories everyone. Sounds like it possibly isn't induction related then. The midwife said to me that I would 'breeze' any future labours at that speed but I thought she was just trying to make me feel better. Although like people have said it's very scary when you go from a slight backache to thinking someone is trying to rip out your spine in a matter of minutes!

I was induced at 39 weeks, pessary on Sunday 10pm. Waters broken by early staff. I was 9cm dilated by 8:30 but ended up having emergency CS as she was distressed. I was told that pre-eclampsia can mean a faster birth, never looked into that though.

I agree, it's scary going from no pain or warning to "omg I think I'm dying!" pain, with no build up. Just me?

I was induced 2 after my waters broke at 36 weeks and had 4 days of full on contractions and very little progression so ended up with an emcs so for me Nope.
I suspect that was me though and following a similar experience with my miscarraige I've been told that it looks like I have a cervix that's rather reluctant to open, that combined with a few other problems as led me to go for an elective section this time round.

LongHair that was me too! I think it was worse because I was thinking I seriously can't have this level of pain for hours and hours! They wouldn't even give me gas and air because they didn't think I was that far gone. I got about two drags in the end!!!

Sorry about your miscarriage wonky, sounds like a section is a good idea for you. Hope it all goes well.

I had gas & air but was begging for something stronger, they said it was too late, I was too far gone. I said I'd changed my mind too, didn't want another baby now.. Apparently it was too late for that too

At one point the midwife suggested I let go of the gas and air and just breathe through the pushing.. I nearly punched DP when he tried to take it!!

Hahaha yeah no going back at that stage is there!! They actually gave me pethidine, about 5 minutes before I gave birth! It was a bit of a blessing though because it didn't have time to affect my son but I had a retained placenta and lost a load of blood and ended up in theatre so I think being slightly out of it helped that!

Were you allowed the g&a whilst pushing?! They said I couldn't have it at that stage?!!

Oh dear, thank God for the drugs! Yeah had gas and air the whole way through both labours

I was induced at just over 42 weeks with pessary in at 10am, baby born 25 hours later.Needed the syntocin drip to get things going. Back to back, asynclitic baby, forceps delivery

Was for me, 24 hours of pessary, few mild contractions but nothing much happened, all kicked off 2 hours after pessary was removed, 15 minutes from 3cm to birth. It was one contraction I asked for caeserean as DDs heart dipped, next one consent form was out, next one we saw her head offered forceps; next one she was born. Very quick and easy especially at 39 weeks for a first baby.
Apparently the propess pessary does affect some people that way.