Feeling anxious about induction tomorrow

[owltrousers]

Hello!

I am currently 41+3 and have my induction booked for tomorrow 10.30am. I've been told its an outpatient induction with a pessary/gel and that I'll be sent home after about an hour.

It means I have to go to the big hospital in my town rather than the birthing centre I hoped for, the hospital is about 40 mins drive from my house. I drive but DH does not so that means when the time comes to get back to the hospital we'll have to call a taxi. This is the part thats making me anxious, what if we can't get one, what if there isn't time? will it be horrific?

Also the cost of going back and forth is going to be painful, as well as DH having to leave me at 8pm rather than being allowed to stay.

I just wondered if anyone had experience of this kind of induction and the speed of things? I'm just all tense now!

Ive had a pessary induction twice and both times my DDs have been born fairly quickly after contractions began, my first contractions started after about 12 hours and my labour was 2.5 hours and my second contarctions started after about an hour and labour was 3hours 50mins, our hospital doesnt allow you to go home when being induced though or i wouldnt have made it back in time xx

Thanks @alexpie that does concern me slightly. I think I will be taking all my bags and notes in the boot of the car just in case

Definitely do bring bags! I had a reaction to the pessary so I definitely wasn't going anywhere. It's not that common, but just be prepared that it may not go quite to plan. And the whole experience was good overall so please don't worry, it will be fine whatever happens.

Yikes. Ok will do.

I'm gutted I won't be able to have a waterbirth :(

On the other hand, I had two epssaries and the gel over three days and never had a contraction. You might not need to do a big dash with birth imminent. It’s a bit hard to predict.

Best of luck, and look forward to baby being in your arms!

Really don’t make this all about wanting a water birth - it really doesn’t amount to a hill of beans whether you give birth in water or not. Focus on the baby and on being safe. And the only reason for water is to help you be comfortable and breathe deeply so focus on your breathing and on staying calm. That will be much more influential and eff drive than being in water.

Sensible places only let you in the water for a short time anyway because when your skin becomes waterlogged you tear a lot more.

Thanks everyone.

Today was kind of pointless for me in the end, they have decided to break my waters instead of doing the pessary induction but because they are so busy they can't do it for another 24 hours, so basically more waiting.

Good news is, if they do that I can have a waterbirth after all.

I had a successful induction - my waters had broken so was induced after 24 hours and nothing happening.
I had the gel and then monitoring - they definitely don’t send Home as standard at this point in the hospital I was in. About 7 hours later I had drip. All this in a private labour room. As about options available and what happens next after the gel - I’m sure it doesn’t work for most people!