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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Induction - how useful is it having your partner there?

13 replies

Babyhiccups · 15/01/2017 11:02

I'm 38+5 today and have GD, so unable to go over 41 weeks which means (barring a spontaneous labour miracle) I'm likely to be induced.

I keep hearing horror stories of five day inductions. DH only gets two weeks paternity and I'd rather have his support when I'm home with the baby, than him sitting next to me whilst we go through the boring bits of being induced (gels, pessaries, endless waiting etc...)

Hospital is about a 20 minute drive so he could get there fairly quickly if and when it all kicks off, but it is likely I'm going to need him during the first parts?

OP posts:

AppleMagic · 15/01/2017 11:08

I had two inductions (also for GD). Dh dropped me off then went to work and didn't really stay in hospital with me until
they moved me to the delivery suite to
break waters and start drip. This was between 48 and 72hrs after arrival in both cases but mainly because I had to wait so long for a bed on the delivery suite - I had one gel or pessary (it was different in each birth) each time, neither started labour but dilated me enough to move to next stage.

FrankAndBeans · 15/01/2017 11:10

I've been induced twice. Both my labours were 4 hours long so I'm glad DP didn't leave. Second time around I was waiting for two days for a bed on delivery suite. I was glad DP stayed as I'd have been bored stiff otherwise.

Original poster

Babyhiccups · 15/01/2017 11:52

Thanks Apple - so do you think it's worth waiting until I get to the ARM/drip stage before making him stay with me?

OP posts:

Sparrowlegs248 · 15/01/2017 12:41

My friend was recently induced, 11am one day, baby born teatime next day. She sent oh home til about mifldnighy of the first day.

sj257 · 15/01/2017 14:38

I've been thinking about this too. Induced with my other two, they were both born within 24 hours however they have now changed the method of induction so I'm not sure if it'll take longer. Think i will send him to work and then get him to come once on delivery suite

PotteringAlong · 15/01/2017 14:42

If you're only 38+5 you've got a fair while before you have to worry about being induced.

I was induced with my first - was holding the baby almost exactly 23 hours after walking through the doors of the hospital so not a 5 day extended thing!

I wasn't induced 2nd time but would have wanted DH with me.

FrankAndBeans · 15/01/2017 14:43

Yeah I wouldn't bank on it being a 5 day long thing. If I'd sent DP away either time when I was in slow labour he'd have missed the birth. I was holding my baby less than an hour after ARM each time.

Yankeedoodledickhead · 15/01/2017 14:44

My induction was over in 3 hours so don't bank on it being a really slow process.

Want2bSupermum · 15/01/2017 14:49

I was induced with my first and DH went home overnight about 2 hours after I had been induced. It was fine. However I was in the US and the staff were able to help me. In the UK, at least on the wards my dad has been on in the past year, you need someone there at all times to help and advocate for you if you can't do it yourself. The pull back on funding is real and horrible to witness.

RuskBaby · 15/01/2017 14:56

You have to wait and see. I am one of the horror story 5 day inductions but I saw many come and go so much quicker, 2 were induced and into full blown labour incredibly fast, 1 of which ended up giving birth on the induction ward.

SnugglySnerd · 15/01/2017 14:58

My induction took 4 days. I felt the same as you and so I made DH go into work until they actually broke my waters.

Minispringroll · 15/01/2017 17:49

It probably depends on how long your induction will take. I was induced at 40+12 and was in the delivery suite less than 24 hours later. DS arrived 28 hours after they put in the pessary.
I did appreciate DH staying (and he stayed all night and the next day and the next night). I'm not great with pain - although the midwife was disagreeing with me on that point - and it meant I had someone to moan at and get me some pain killers and food. We live nearly an hour from the hospital, though, and DH doesn't drive. Sending him away and then asking him to come back at short notice would have proven difficult. Additionally, he was already off school for half term, so it didn't affect his paternity leave.

PeachBellini123 · 16/01/2017 11:44

I was induced at 6.00pm on the Sunday evening. Sent DH home that night and I'm glad I did as the ward was so noisy at least one of us got some sleep! He came back Monday morning and I went into labour at 7.00pm on the Monday.

So for us I'm glad he didn't stay but the hospital was 10mins away so that made it easier.

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