Induction experiences!

[nicholar]

I'm probably asking for trouble but what are your experiences of being induced? Booked in for this weekend if nothing happens before then!

My experience is that it was frustrating, boring, tiring and stressful! I was induced at 39+2 and had an EMCS at 40+0 when the induction was listed as failed.

Nothing they did would make established labour begin; I managed 12 hours of latent labour on day 4, reached 4cm, waited 17 hours until someone was available to break my waters, by which point I was 0cm dilated.

The EMCS was lovely and it was such a relief to meet DS!

Lots of people have textbook inductions so don't get too hung up on what I've just said - I've posted because I wish someone had warned me things aren't always quick or straightforward.

Take snacks, change for machines and entertainment. It was hard for DH because we thought it would all be over in a day or two. I was in 8 days in total which is a lot of money on parking and tricky with work commitments.

Good luck to you - hope you have a straightforward time

It does seem that a lot of them end in EMCS. I have also heard that labour is more painful than if you go into labour naturally. I'm hoping I have movement before then!

I was completely clueless going into my induction - it wasn't planned and the midwives at antenatal class had rather glossed over the whole thing! I'm just grateful that the EMCS was a lot better than I'd been led to believe and everything worked out well in the end.

If there's one thing I learned it's that you shouldn't be afraid to say no - you know your limits better then anyone.

Hoping all goes well for you - please let us know how you get on

I had 2 inductions. Both with propess. First time it worked in about 12 hours. Labour v painful and went on for 24 hours. Ended in epidural, baby in distress, big episiotomy and ventouse delivery.
Second time propess didn't work after 24 hours, so they broke my waters. They put drip up after an hour as contractions hadn't started and DS arrived nearly exactly 3 hours later. Had epidural for the last 20-30 mins but otherwise just had gas and air, it was much better than I was expecting.
Try not to panic, every labour is different, and the staff will (hopefully) be there to help you through it.

Hi

I had to be induced at 40 +10.
I went in at 8am on the Friday morning, had a sweep and gel on my cervix at around 10am. I bled a little straight after so guessing it was part of my plug. For the rest of the afternoon I had a really bad dull backache. I had a walk around the hospital and went to the greggs there for lunch (you arnt restricted to the ward unless you're in labour). I had a bath after lunch to try and help the backache. It's good you can just make yourself at home.
Another sweep around 7pm, they said my partner may need to go home if I'm not far enough after this sweep. However when she examined me I was 2cm and showing on the monitor to have contractions even though I couldn't feel them.
8am the contractions hit me! 12am I was in agony but they wouldn't believe that I was in labour. Until they examined me and found me to be at 7cm. I don't really remember what happened after that. It was a mad rush to get me down to delivery ward.
My son was born 7.16am Saturday morning. I have nothing to compare to with the pain but I also hear it's more painful when you've been induced. He was back to back too so I was in a lot of pain! I was the woman screaming down the ward lol 🙈. However I couldn't use the gas and air as it made me feel really dizzy and sick and didn't want an epidural. I had pethadine but it's horrible! Just made me really sleepy rather than numb the pain. Wouldn't recommend it!
I had to have an episiotomy and nearly forceps (I managed to push him out without forceps after the episiotomy). He was a whopping 8lbs 9oz so it's no wonder I was struggling really lol. (I'm only a size 6). Good luck and just take lots of snacks and a book or magazine your phone or tablet. Sudoku was a good way to pass the time. But apparently induction to baby in just under 24 hours is pretty good going. Was a bit boring in the afternoon though between sweeps x

I had my waters broken for me at 5am. Like one poster said induction isn't always what you wanted or planned but by the time it comes around you don't care that your original plan is out the window you're just glad to finally having something done to get the baby out of you lol. Definitely let us know how you get on x

In Denmark, they give you the prostaglandins as an oral pill which you take every two hours. I'd been in a pre-labour limbo with irregular contractions for about a month and was 40+14 when I got the pills. The contractions got more intense and regular.

I went back into hospital to be checked when they were 3 mins apart. They completely petered out and my cervix was just as open as it had been the whole time. WAAAAH

Sent home to "sleep", an hour or so later, felt a 'pop' which I assume was my mucus plug because when I went to the toilet, a bunch of jelly fell out of me. Then the contractions really started. 0-100 in one second sort of thing.

Went back into hospital, cervix still closed up but soft. They let me stay. Cycled through all the non-medical pain relief until I asked for an epidural about 2 hours later and I was something like 5cm. 7cm when the anaesthetist arrived shortly after. 10cm less than an hour later (what a WASTE of an epidural!)

My pushing phase took ages, the baby wasn't positioned properly and I think they wanted to turn the epidural off, so I was panting for hours.

It took ages to push her out, a bit of fetal distress on the monitors, fetal blood pH tests every 20 mins, doc getting antsy and eyeing up the ventouse and then I finally pushed her out. Meconium in the waters but the paediatrician that checked her out declared her fit as a fiddle.

Pushing phase as about as long as the first phase (3-4 hours), so 8 hours from the 'pop' to when the baby showed up.

Nothing to compare the pain to but I think it probably would have been more manageable if I'd gone into labour spontaneously. Who knows. I felt safe and looked after throughout, so I felt okay about everything even though it was dramatic and uncomfortable.

read my thread..."Induction Horror" i was like you and was asking people for their experiences.

I had a failed induction which ended in a csec. its not put me off though.
My story is on the thread :)