Mossie - you are absolutely right for wanting to know what to expect, although we are all different, you can get so many views and be prepared for almost everything before Tuesday.
I went in for induction at 10 days past my due date. I hadn't really read anything about induction really. I knew they'd use pessary's and i'd dilate and have my waters broken if they didn't rupture on there own. But not much else.
I called the day of induction check if there was a bed, which there wasn't so i waited until after lunch and they told me to go in at 3. We arrived and i had my frist pessary at about 6pm. Knowing what i had heard i should get another at about midnight.
But the MW i spoke to told me that i wouldn't have another till the morning as they were short staffed and if i went into labour there wouldn't be enough staff to cope. So my pessary started working at about 10.30pm, got mild aches and contractions every 5 minutes, then every 2 minutes. I paced the halls trying to keep everything going, as i knew i couldn't sleep. bounced on my birthing ball for a while.
Then the MW told me to sit down and try and get some sleep, which of course i couldn't. So after a whole night of that the contractions started to stop. I had breakfast, and was examined I was 1 cm but still posterior. which is the same as i was a week before induction.
At about 6pm the following evening i had another pessary, the same thing happened, only the contractions were stronger, but less regular, a bit hit and miss, Pain was bad though. I was shattered and was offered pethidin, which i gladly accepted. That was the one drug i didn't realy want, because i knew it made the baby drowsy too. well it knocked me out and i had a couple of hours sleep.
When i woke up the pain had gone and contractions stopped again!!! i was examined still 1cm, nothing flippin happening.
So they told me my options. I could have another pessary, they could try and break my waters but i was warned they might not be able to reach and it would be very painful, then i would be put an a syntocin drip and left for 4 hours to see if anything happened.
Or the final stage after that woudl be a c-section.
well i will always remember a friend telling me that if you don't think you'd cope with labour after all you've gone through with induction, then have an elective section rather than try, and end up with an emergency one.
I was sobbing, i begged them for a section. i knew i wouldn't have the energy for labour after all the pain and sleeplessness i'd suffered.
So on the friday morning, Day 4 i had a c-section. i was in hosp for 2 days then sent home.
It was absolutely nothing like i expected, so please be prepared for a long process. and the best of luck.