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

My waters broke before contractions early on Boxing Day. I went home for the day too see if labour started naturally, otherwise it was the drip.

In the evening I was admitted into the labour suite and the first thing I said to the midwife was "I want an epidural!" However she talked me out of, encouraging me to stay open minded about pain relief as we could always use it further down the line.

Even though I was attached to the drip I was still able to be mobile, go to the loo, bounce on the birthing ball etc which you couldn't do with an epidural. Had gas and air and then a small shot of pethidine at 8cm. Once I knew how close I was I could cope.

The contractions were painful but no more painful than I expected. She arrived 8.5 hours later. Unfortunately I had to have a spinal block for manual removal but that's another story!

How does your hospital deal with induction? How often are you checked?

Mine was every six hours, no exceptions no matter how much you begged.

If it's similar, I'd just insist on a section.

Hi there, any news!? Hope you've had some movement after your latest sweep.
I gave birth to my first baby in july. In my birth plan I had (stupidly) been quite firm that if i was to ask for an epidural I should be persuaded against it! I was induced at 38 weeks. I'd been referred for a growth scan to take place on the Tuesday but my water went on the Sunday. I was induced at 10pm that night with the pessary. At around 2pm I got mild contractions and then I had the drip from 3am. The contractions were really painful and towards the end I was asking for an epidural but, as requested, was being discouraged! (Depsite all my threats). I gave birth at 7am. I was told that induction is more painful although i don't know if this os true! I'd fantasized about a water birth the whole pregnancy and wasn't.able to have it due to the induction however, I'd go through it all ten times over for my DS!

I knew from early on in my first pregnancy I'd have to be induced. So had plenty of time to Google all the horror stories and get completely worked up.

I was induced at 36 weeks, it was Fine, took 4 days to get anywhere, lots of waiting around to be able to break waters. They pit the drip up and baby was born an hour later. No pain relief required . I hope this next one comes as quick

The worst bit re induction was probably all of the waiting around in ward before hand. If I had my time over I would have brought some earplugs/music to try and block out the sounds of the ward and get some kind of sleep so that I wasn't starting the labour process with sleep deprivation (which only gets worse post baby!).

The actual induction was fine. They gave me one pessary which did nothing to start contractions. Broke waters which again did nothing to start contractions. Started me on the drip after an hour and big contractions came on almost straight away. Baby arrived about 5 hours after drip was started (a bit too quickly - needed episotomy and had 2nd degree tear of labial tissue) . I was 2 weeks overdue so suspect that had something to do with the speed of labour after the drip went in.

Hi. Thanks for all the messages..... just to update... Just when I was giving up hope it looks like my 3rd sweep worked (or the 3 mile walk, 6 days of curries etc) as the next day I started contractions spontaneously before induction was needed.

I still got monitored throughout as the reason for the induction was still there but it wasn't too bad and I could move around a bit. The whole labour was actually not too bad overall....3 hours in labour in the hospital and then a private room after so not the ward. I wanted pain relief towards the end but it was too late by then. Gas and air no help. Glad I avoided induction but after reading the messages on here I wasn t feeling so worried any more anyway.

Good luck for those approaching labour whether induced or spontaneous. Xx

Congratulations Magpie

Glad you managed to avoid induction after all. Enjoy Mini Magpie!

Magpie huge congrats, so glad it went well for you, enjoy the little one! I finished work today so hoping he comes himself before my induction on Monday although no signs so far

Well been in since 10am for induction, had first pessary at 11am but cervix was mega high and closed so not expecting much to be happening the next day or so

ARM + drip got me a baby in 12 hours after 24 hours with propess. (38 weeks, big baby)

Drip was only to speed it up a bit as I wasn't progressing as fast as they'd like so they didn't ramp it up as fast, and actually, maybe (sorry, it's hazy to say the least) turned it down once we got going. I was adamant that I didn't want epidural so mostly breathed through it with gas and air then had a bit of diamorphine as I got tired. DS decided for a last twist, to wrap his cord round his neck so there was episiotomy as there was some distress (I am told) and then he really popped out. I did have a reasonably sized PPH but not enough for a transfusion, just enough for 10 days of Clexane jabs from DH and iron tablets.

Sorry, didn't read to end to see your update

I was induced on Boxing Day a few years ago!

Had propess for 24h then ARM at 0.5cm dilated which really did make my eyes water but was over in seconds.

Synto drip for 10 hours and nothing happened, then realised that some of the membranes had resealed so gripped onto the bed and had ARM at 0.5cm AGAIN!

Afterwards I wandered to the loo, plug fell out down the toilet and I had a very bad contraction, which in hindsight was due to having synto drip on for 10 hours beforehand.

Walked back to the bed, had another contraction and grabbed the gas and air. Tried that for 10 minutes and it didn’t really do anything so stated my “strong desire” for an epidural and had it in and working within 20 minutes.

5 hours later my baby was in my arms

It wasn’t a terrible experience, I had a minor labial tear which did not require suturing. If I was able to have more children (I can’t) I would have been happy with the same birth experience again x