Would you rather be induced or have a cesarean?

[macdat]

I've heard that many women who are induced don't progress fast enough so end up needing a cesarean anyway so you may as well skip the whole induction and go straight for the section.
I've also read that at other times the labour progresses too fast and you go from nothing to full on contractions too quickly and don't have time to build yourself up with the pain.
But obviously, cesarean is a major surgery...
Both seem to have pros and cons.

I always like hearing from people on here because you all tell it like it is. It makes it much better for first time mums like myself to make choices. So please give your opinions on this.
My situation right now is- 33 weeks, transverse baby and being told to consider being induced because they think the baby will be quite large if I go to 40 weeks. I've been scared of labour since day one anyway and have even been having nightmares because of it.
If baby doesn't turn I'll have cesarean anyway, but if she does turn, I'm considering asking for a cesarean instead of being induced.

Oh induction, definitely.

Induction for dd2 - not easy, epidural, passed out (reaction to epidural), tore, stitched up badly

ELCS - nightmare from start to finish

I had a failed induction. 2 days of lots of pain and discomfort to only get to 2-3cm dilated. Ended up with a c section 50 hours later, which in comparison was a breeze.

If I were to ever have a second child - unlikely now tbh - I'd opt for cs.

Ceasearean

I was induced with the sytonin drip due to waters breaking but no contractions. Took 20hrs to deliver. Whenever they cranked up the hormone? levels to try and get things moving it was bloody painful. Tbf I should have opted for epidural earlier, but was pretty out of it on g and a. However, baby who was in perfect position prior to induction, decided to turn back to back and got cord wrapped round neck. Prepped for emcs, but consultant managed to turn and deliver with forceps. No experience with emcs. But nct friend seemed to recover in same amount of time.

I was induced with syntocinon at 39+5 as my waters broke and there was meconium in the waters. DS seemed to be distressed and was thrashing about the whole time, and all the pain was in my back, dunno why, he came out not back to back and no one said he was.

So I had an epi even though I had previously been freaked out by the idea. I had worked out the rate I was dilating even though I couldn't talk from the gas and air and I knew I couldn't handle another 3 hours or whatever it was. MWs said afterwards that they reckoned it would only be another hour though! DS came out on the last push before they were threatening to suck him out. I had a PPH and blacked out while they were stitching me up. I think the 1.1l (IIRC) PPH and no transfusion messed up breastfeeding for me and I think the induction made the PPH more likely.

So anyway, after all that I think that if I was having an induction as I was due and there were good arguments for not going past due date id have another induction and get the epidural organised straight away, but if I was being induced because the baby was upset I'd argue for a Caesarian instead.

I was induced at 36+6 with dc3. Took 12 hours, much preferable to major surgery. Dc1 was augmented back to back ventouse, still preferable to surgery imo (all 3 of mine were vaginal deliveries).

Never had a cs so can't give a comparison but from folks I know who have, I'm delighted that even given my interventions, I never had to go down that route.

I was induced at 38+3. Had the pessary at lunchtime, at 10pm my waters went spontaneously, straight into established labour. Had an epidural overnight, it had started to wear off by about 8.30am, pushing at 9.30, DD was born at 10.30am. No interventions, 2nd degree tear.

I wasn't overjoyed at the idea of being induced but actually it was a generally positive experience and if it was the choice of that or surgery I would personally do that again without a doubt.

I had a induction which progressed to emcs. As my baby got distressed and needed to be out. Went in on a Thursday am had him on a Friday am. And was given pessarys then waters broken at 4 am but nothing really happening the pain wasn't even that bad (was out of it on gas and air lol) I would have carried on but like I say baby got in distress so emcs for me. If I have another I think I will as for an elective I was up and about quiet quickly. And the painkillers they prescribed so worked.

Natural birth resulted in significantly more damage, pain and recovery time than my c-section. Induction was painful, slow and pointless ultimately plus I HATED having to be examined all the time by midwives who seemed oblivious to the fact that what they were doing was acutely painful as opposed to 'uncomfortable'! There are no guarantees with anything - the only way you will walk out of the hospital carrying your baby is with a natural birth, but there are fewer unknowns with a c-section.

Yes DoJo, I was just about to post re. recovery times! I'm still having physio 9 months on from my 3rd degree tear and therefore planning a section next time. Sorry you had a bad experience!

Although I'm sure an ELCS recovery is much different to an EMCS recovery, not trying to downplay all the EMCS stories here! But if you're gonna plan it like the OP...

Op you could always opt for induction but with conditions firstly that they check how ready your body is, they will need to check your cervix and they can give you a score, basically yhe higher the score the better your chances induction will work.

Also you can say you will try the pessary but if they don't work you would rather proceed to c section than the drip (o have had the drip twice and it was fine). You could insist on epidural before the drip though again I was fine with the drip, yes it hurt but I insisted on remaining mobile etc and managed with gas and air.

Or discuss a time limit if things aren't progressing after so many hours you want to then go for section. These are all reasonable things to discuss with your hcp and ultimately it is your choice, they can't make you do anything you don't want.

Make sure your birth partner is on board with you so they can help advocate if necessary.

Re the exams by midwife, you don't need loads even if induced you can refuse and insist on gas and air during them if you want as yes they can hurt, more likely to if your body isn't ready for labour and also depending on technique of who is doing it. And if you say stop then they have to respect tgst.

Anyway good luck op you have a but of time to do your research and make an informed choice and what is right for one woman is not what's right for another but being informed and having a bit of a plan including what you would prefer if things don't go smoothly is a good idea.

Ideally, a crystal ball so you can see whether induction will work or not. Sorry, not helpful! My experience was very similar to Hulababy in that I never dilated past 2cm and ended up with an EMCS at 42 weeks exactly.

I'm glad I gave induction a go, because it might have worked, but ultimately it didn't. Despite being overdue, my cervix was unfavourable.

Haven't decided whether to try for a VBAC if and when we have a second but, if I did, I would insist on a CS if I went overdue rather than any form of induction, simply because it didn't work for me last time. I know many people it worked for just fine, though.

I've had 2 inductions and would happily have a third.

First one needed 2 pessarys to get going (given at 11am and 6pm) but no drip needed. Laboured quickly but never felt out of control or paniced about it and only needed gas and air for pain relief. Time in labour 4 and a half hours (first birth).

Second was much the same but quicker. Only one pessary required despite my cervix not being as favourable as my first labour and time in labour was only 74 minutes. Again,never felt out of control and only used gas and air.

Interventions are more common with an induction but not inevitable. Only you can make the decision but honestly,you can still have a perfect,intervention free labour if you are induced.

(I know induction IS an intervention but you get my point)

Thank you everybody. This has definitely given me more to think about and I think make better choices on what will be right for me.

Induced last time 19 hours of contractions with a large and 2 minis in between then taken to theatre had forceps poor DS pretty much had to be dragged out I was torn to bits, this time I'm going for a section I knew I would from day 1 of ttc.

C section.

I've had three now. With my first I laboured for days, she was back to back and it was very painful. Went the full 10cms and started pushing only for her to get stuck and become distressed and whipped away for am emergency section.

2nd baby I was ready to fight for another section, no way was I gong through that again but my consultant said 'i doubt you will ever be able to push a baby out'. I'm only 4ft 11 and quite small so wonder if that had something to do with it.

I wasn't progressing so they wanted to induce me. I was in a foreign country and terrifed of birth anyway, but inducing stories sounded even more painful than usual and I didn't want any instruments used on me. So I pushed for a c-section until I got one! Best thing for me.. Yes it was painful for a few weeks but it was predictable pain and I could deal with it on my own. The idea of being out of control and being surrounded by people whilst in horrific pain made me feel sick. I know most people are scared but I really think it would have affected my mental health afterwards. My c-section was so calm.

Induction recovery time is quicker. Contractions got a bit intense at one point but that was because drip was put too high with my ds but both babies delievered without any medical instruments.

Induction

6 month old DS was induced, took a while to get the drip high enough to actually do anything but when it did it was quick, no need for pain relief and I carried him back to bed myself (gave birth in the bathroom), then was able to shower and move round, left hospital for home feeling great when he was 6 hours old.

The obstetrician tried to convince me to give up and have CS after first day but we were both quite comfortable so refused. I wouldn't willingly agree to major surgery unless absolutely necessary especially with the increased recovery time. I was in the mall the following morning buying more sleep suits as I thought he was going to be bigger, not possible with a CS.

I've had both, and c-section was best hands down.

It hurts both ways:

C-section is like being the loser in a sword fight.

But induction is like being in a medieval torture chamber.

I would have twenty c-sections rather than another induction.

There are no absolutes with either way though

For me, csection (elective) was agony, I felt out of control and terrified and had long lasting effects that were much worse than either of my other 2 births (gas and air, 3 day labour, episiotomy, ventouse, 3rd degree tear, surgery and induction, epidural, 6 hour birth, 2nd degree tear, surgery)

It is so hard because no 2 births are the same and no 2 women are the same.

Tbf I think the midwives turned my induction drip up too high, as I have a good pain threshold but it was out of this world.

I was offered this choice with DC2 as during labour with DC1 her shoulder was stuck in my pelvis and she suffered a brachial plexus injury leading to her arm being paralysed. In order to try to prevent this a second time I was offered either a c-section at 39 weeks or to be induced at 38 weeks so that the baby would be smaller than my first baby was. I was scanned at 36 weeks and as the baby was measuring smaller I decided to go for the induction. I went in in the morning, was monitored for an hour, had a sweep and pessary at about 12.30pm, had omelette and chips for lunch, went for a walk up and down the stairs (no mean feat when you are in crutches for pgp) then went I to full blown labour at 3.30-4pm. Midwives didn't quite believe me when is said he was coming and out me in the bath. Measured me at 5pm and was 5cm. Wheeled me down to delivery (that was an embarrassing journey round the hospital, I can tell you! Who knows what other visitors heard me shouting and not even sure I was fully covered up...) and he shot out at 5.30pm. So it was pretty quick and the best bit was that I was up and about straight away, in a lovely lavender oil bath and eating tea and toast by 6.30pm! Lovely! I would have had the c-section if they had deemed it safer, but induction worked out well for me. I have a few friends who have had both emergency and planned c-section and the planned ones are said to be lovely and laid back and a wonderful experience.

Having had an induction that ended in EMCS, I would never opt for another section. I'm 29 weeks with my 2nd and aiming for VBAC, and my consultant has said I can't be induced with drip due to uterine rupture risk, but if I go over - and other methods don't work - I'll be booked in for an elective. I sobbed my heart out in his office. Recovery was difficult; I have a clutch of mental scars from the operation and I'm terrified of going under the knife again.

I think the best thing to take from this is that everyone's experience is different and it's hard to predict how you'll feel.