Talk to me about induction please....

[Magpie1976]

I'm just under 39 weeks and a growth scan a couple of days ago showed static growth so my consultant said they needed to induce asap. But being so busy this is booked in for nearly a week later (!!). My hospital say they induce with ARM and synctonin drip for 24 hours first.

I've had 2 sweeps so far ( at 1 to 2 cm dilated as 3rd baby) but no success. I could have a third if I want and am thinking anything to avoid induction surely?. But apparently my cervix is still "pretty thick".

I've been reading some pretty scary things about induction esp the drip. I'd been really hoping to avoid epidurals, interventions etc as managed 2 pain relief free spontaneous births with other DC and am a proper worrier.

Please please share your experiences esp if they are positive.

Also any thoughts about a 3rd sweep before induction date or is it just pointless? Anyone experienced this too?

Thank you

I was induced with DC2 - just pessary then broke waters - no drip so that is not inevitable. Worse bit was continuous monitoring due to merconium in waters - but that was just bad luck. Also midwife who was meant to transfer me to delivery had to go of sick so I almost gave birth in 6 bed antenatal ward. But it was ok really no reason it has to mean a lot of intervention (although it sometimes does of course).

Hello Magpie.

Induced just over a year ago for raised BP and like you, had to wait a week from admission to hospital because it was Christmas week and the maternity ward was like a zoo.

I had a total of 7 sweeps, mostly because I was determined I wanted to go into labour on my own. I found the first few sweeps gave me a massive endorphin high, which I'm sure would have been really helpful had I gone into spontaneous labour.

As it was, I didn't and after 6 days waiting on the maternity ward, I had a bit of a battle with the midwife in charge to let me go home and sleep in my own bed ( by then, I was sleep deprived, constipated and in no fit state to give birth).

Came back the next morning and taken straight down to delivery suite for ARM, so missed out on pessary, balloon etc. Saw other girls on ward given pessary and it seemed to either not work, or put them into good going labour within a few hours. Think they were keeping people in the ward as long as possible because it was exceptionally busy.

ARM was painless and done by a male junior doctor who I will never forget for his gentleness ( better than any of the female staff). Labour started really quickly after that and progressed from easy to manageable in an hour, then manageable to 'maybe need to speak to anaesthetist' in the next hour. Ramped up really fast after that and they gave me diamorphine, I think just one shot. I was able to get up to go to the loo, but once things really got going, all I could do was lie there mooing and sucking on gas and air and let it happen.

It wasn't frightening, but it was very very intense. Didn't need to push, in fact the midwife was trying to hold DD back and she was born needing a little puff of oxygen because of the diamorphine exactly six hours after the ARM.

Second degree tear stitched up painlessly on G+A and a diclofenac suppository popped in for good measure. Healed well, although about six months to really feel normal again.

Worst thing about induction was the massive cannula they have to try and get in your hand so you can be given meds and fluids if you need an emcs. Getting it in was painful and I don't think in my case it was located correctly. Ended up over the bone in my wrist, as it had to point skywards if you were lying down for theatre.

And constipation afterwards. For weeks. Keep your fluids up and make a point of asking for all the help they can give you before and after.

In all, mine was really positive. A good birth, even if it wasn't the one I planned. Now pregnant again with no.2 and would happily have another induction, especially because we live 40 mins from hospital and I could not have done the journey in labour!

Good luck and feel free to PM if I can give any more information.

I was induced 4 months ago at 39+2 with my second child as he was looking small on the scans. I had the pessary for 24 hours, after which I was still only 2cm dilated but my cervix was more effaced. Artificial rupture of membranes triggered labour, and my boy was born an hour and a half later, in the pool. I had no syntocin drip, and although I had to be monitored, my hospital had wireless monitors so they weren't too intrusive. It was a really good experience, and although the 24 hour pessary was dull my actual labour was very similar to the spontaneous labour of my first. Good luck!

As much as you probably really don't feel like it right now, I have been told that sex can induce birth. I had a sweep at exactly 40 weeks and they couldn't even reach, so I was duly booked in for a sweep one week later. However reluctantly did the deed, had a show the following morning and DC was born the next day. Semen is apparently a natural source of prostaglandins which apparently prepares the cervix for labour.

I had the pessary with DC1 as I was two weeks overdue. I was induced at midnight and DC was born at 15:00 the following day. I had been told by a midwife that once things started it would all happen fairly quickly for me, but as I was so overdue my circumstances were completely different.

I've been induced twice, both very positive.
1st time at 38 weeks I had the pessary at 12 noon and only had quite mild contractions till waters went on their own at 5am, then had lots of pain, but no progression so epi and drip and I managed to sleep lots until I finally dilated enough to push about 17 hours later. Lengthy but quite straightforward induction all in all and was home same day.

Baby no.2 at 37 weeks had pessary at 12 noon and was having contractions within 3 hours, mega painful till about 3am when I had a bath and then things ramped up more and I needed some pain relief. Midwife checked at 6am and I was only 3cm but contracting every 2 minutes. Then at 7am I was fully dilated and needed to push baby born less than an hour later, waters needed to be broken as baby was crowning and husband only just made it. Only had time for gas and air. It was totally different to the first but again very positive and I had great care, and again home same day.

Good luck!

I was induced 6 days overdue due to reduced movements and low fluid levels. Had the AMR, contractions started almost instantly and baby arrived 5 hours later. There was no need for the drip or other intervention. Wrt sweeps, I must have had 5 on the day I was induced as I told them I would be waiting the maximum time after AMR before having the drip so they tried to get things moving along.

Good luck - it will be fine!

I was induced at 38+3 due to low fluids. 1st Baby. I don't know what it's like not being induced. But it is painful! But isn't childbirth painful? I still managed with gas and air and diamorphine (which I would not get again).
During transition I wanted an epidural but that only lasted 15 min or so (as expected and as I was told would happen during transition) Labour was quick, active for 5 hours. No tears, not constipated after (as I read someone above was) still managed to bounce on ball even though being monitored.
I was begging them to turn the drip down at different points as at the beginning I had normal contractions and they were nice built up, brief pain and down again. The difference with induction is straight in there at the top with pain, so no build up. They wouldn't turn it down but out the other end I am glad of this. Overall if I was told I was to be induced again I wouldn't be worried. Best of luck.
Ps I had 2 sweeps, did nothing. But what's the harm in having another As with 3rd Baby your body does remember and it might just bring you along.
Also I had pessary, did nothing. Also did nothing for anyone on my ward

2 inductions for medical reasons - at 38w and at 35w. First time round wasn't great, but that was partly because it was my first pregnancy.

Second time was slow to get going, but after waters were broken I delivered DD2 in less than 5h. It was a great experience, truly joyful (fucking sore too, of course). Didn't need anything other than gas and air. Feel really positive about the whole experience.

My main tip would be stay as mobile as possible. After my first pessary I spent the whole time on the birthing ball or trudging around the labour ward (I was induced there due to my medical needs).

I had the drip with DD2 after two sweeps and the pessary didn't work. I wasn't overdue but my waters had broken and then nothing happened.

Before the drip was started they gave me an epidural so the whole process was painless!

4 hours of contractions which I could sense but not feel any pain and ten minutes of pushing and she was born safe and sound with no tears.

I went private so not sure if the epidural with the drip is standard but it was bloody brilliant. I did feel a bit weird for having no pain at all but then I had a rough pregnancy and had gestational diabetes and had enough contractions with my first DD.

I was induced with a drip and had an epidural- ended up with an episiotomy/ventouse but it was kind of expected with having a big baby - tbh don’t rule out the epidural - I didn’t expect to have one but it was amazing and gave me a pain free labour, recovery wasn’t bad at all and everything is fine, healed and like I never gave birth so interventions aren’t always dreadful.

I stalled at 3cm following gel and waters being broken so the midwife advised an epidural as I would be ‘climbing the walls in pain from the drip’ she wasn’t trying to scare me, she was trying to be honest.

P.s the epidural is literally a scratch!

I was induced with my second and it was absolutely fine. In fact, if I had to choose my favourite birth between my two it would be that one, I was surprised I liked the delivery suite more than the midwife led unit and it was much quicker which was fab....started in the afternoon and home by the following afternoon. I did want an epidural more because I had put up with so much pain during my first labour that I thought I'd treat myself (!) But it was progressing too fast and baby was out before the anaesthatist could get it ready. Everything went smoothly. Good luck I'm sure you'll be fine

Hi I was induced just the other morning due to high blood pressure and reduced movements. I was 3cm already but had a failed sweep previously.
I missed out on any gels and had my waters broken and then went on the drip as things were not moving along.
Nothing was happening really so they turned the drip dosage up and it turned out my waters weren't fully gone. They turned it down but I think at that point it was too late.
I feel as though things moved really quickly and it was a little intense but I had an epidural in the end.

Every labour is different all I would say is do what is safe for you and baby, don't listen to horror stories but consider pain relief.

The worst part of my induction was the pessary/tablet things, but after 4 days they could break my waters and put me on the drip, and it was surprisingly fine. I refused an epidural when the drip went in, and used my tens machine, bounced on a Birthing ball, and as my hospital had mobile monitors I paced up and down the hallways. They broke my waters in the middle of the night, and I really wish I had pushed them to hold off to the morning to let me sleep as I was utterly exhausted. I got to 7cm quickly but was so tired and sore at that point that I opted for an epidural to get some sleep. Had a few hours kip, let the drip wear off and then time to push and baby arrived an hour and 20mins later. First baby though, so hopefully as this is your third the pushing stage will be quicker! Good luck x

Thank you all so much for your replies. I've read them all several times and the positive messages have really helped. I was really anti induction and anti epi but it sounds like these haven't necessarily been bad experiences so I'm trying to focus on being less anxious. I'm going for a 3rd sweep tmrw but not expecting much. Baby seeming pretty happy where she is.

Was induced at +10 days with dd1, pessary working within an hour, labour 9 hrs start to finish, g & a only.

Dd2 same but 5 hr duration. In hospital a total of 12 hrs!

Wow belly bean that is quick. I wonder if inductions are quicker generally when overdue and presumably babies more ready to come out. I won't be 40 wks when induced so maybe will be a longer process...

I was induced with Dc3 in the summer, my first induction. 3 failed sweeps and was also 1-2cm.

Pessary went in at 10.30pm and by 11pm the contractions were less than 3 minutes apart, by 12pm they were non stop so actually had to get the pessary out... they didn’t really die down at all after this and ds was born at 6.30am, so 10 hours start to finish.

It was my most intense labour but managed mainly on G&A then morphine towards the end, he was well over 10lb so the induction might not have made a difference to the intensity!

Good luck

I was induced on my due date after four nights in hospital due to high blood pressure and suspected pre-eclampsia. I had the pessary first and after 24 hours nothing had happened so they took it out. Plan was to put another in the following morning but my waters broke an hour after they took it out. They then put the drip in which I was told was more likely to move things quite quickly therefore I had an epidural quite early on on advice from consultant. About five hours later I was 5cm and basically I sort of stayed there for some time. Due to other issues I ended up having an emergency c section. The induction itself was ok though. What surprised me most was how slow it was. I didn't really know anything about induction but sort of assumed it meant baby would be out within hours but it didn't really work like that for me. I wish you all the best and hope all goes well.

Just to add...i was overdue by 2 weeks and the pessary didn't do anything for 24 hrs. Just softened enough to pop waters. That's when it got going.

Just reading through this thread as I'm being induced on Saturday and I'm terrified....

I'm being induced on Monday too at 39 weeks, nerves are kicking in now! Mines as the baby is measuring big

Thanks everyone for the positive messages.

Good luck Lauren and hotpink. There are some really horrible stories out there, no wonder its so scary and I'm so worried. That's why I'm so grateful for the comments on this thread and I'm trying not to google generally xx

Thankyou! Keep us updated on how you get on, I work with a load of midwifes and obstetricians and they helped me make a decision between elective c section and induction and honestly their opinion on it isn't anything like the horror stories you hear, yes things often don't go to plan but that's always a risk

@Magpie1976 thank you for starting this thread. I'm only 24 weeks but have been reading many birth stories on here. The MN threads about induction and epidurals are more often than not awful but I think it's more common to speak of a bad experience than good so this thread has been a welcome change!!
good luck with your delivery and please do let us know how you get on.