Induction stories - always bad?

[Shanners123]

Baby is 5 days overdue and induction is looming. From most of what I've read the pattern seems to be: pessary > drip > epidural > forceps / ventouse (> emcs) with waters broken somewhere along the way, and trauma / tearing + stitches for mum.

I have massively simplified here, but for reference i was hoping for water birth and gas & air. Obvs this is looking less and less likely, so I'd love to hear other induction experiences, both positive and negative. Of course no birth will be the same as mine, but I'd like to hear how others went and the path their induction took.

TIA ladies!

I was induced and so devestated. However it ended up being absolutely fine!

I was admitted on the Tuesday, and had the pessary inserted. It didn’t work, so after 24 hours I had the gel, and then two more lots of gel 6 hours apart. After this I was still only 1cm. I was being induced due to reduced movement so there was no choice of going home for a rest after this, they were just organising to transfer me to the labour ward to have my waters broken when they broke themselves (quite a vigorous stretch & sweep by a consultant helped them along im sure!)

My waters breaking unfortunately didn’t cause anything to progress, so I had the drip inserted about 8 hours after my waters broke. Had my baby within 8 hours of the drip being put in. No interventions other than some diamorphine and gas & air, delivered without any assistance. I did tear, but I also progressed very quickly for my first baby once things got started. The drip was put in at 4.30 and I was 1cm, I was fully dilated by 11. I suspect I had been for a while as I was already beginning to push. I healed quickly and well.

I had an internal monitor, so managed to remain mobile and active almost my entire labour. My midwives were fantastic, very supportive and encouraging of having an active labour even though I was induced. It ended up being a very positive experience and I have no fear whatsoever of being induced again. I had a wonderful experience which makes me well up any time I think about it!

Good luck :)

I was induced after my waters broke and no contractions. I was put on the drip at 9.30am contractions started at 11 and got stronger very quickly. I went from 1cm to 8cm in 3 hours then 8cm to 10cm in 5 minutes and she was born within 2 pushes at 2.10pm. I managed on just gas and air as it happened so quick. Overall a very positive experience

I was induced on my due date as I was having a rather large baby and they agreed it was probably right to induce - although they say they don't induce for big babies! 🤷🏼‍♀️

If I was to be induced again - I would not have my waters broken to quickly. I felt my contractions went from a 2 to a 9 and I was only only 2cm. My baby also didn't respond to the drip and it ended in a c-section 22 hours in.

I did get an epidural - hats off to any women who get induced and don't have one. 🙌🏻

Ok so currently sat bf baby in hospital - so very recent experience!

I was VERY VERY ANTI INDUCTION!!! God if only you had heard me. - here's the story

• Waters broke at 40+3
• Midwives were threatening induction at me
• Had been contracting (early Labor) for almost 2 weeks by then
• Went into get checked by maternity triage - they threatened induction too if nothing happened
• Went home for 24 hrs to see if it started naturally! I tried EVERYTHING I could bear with contractions (curry/raspberry tea etc)
• Went back in for 'review' and test to check no infections
• They found me a pool room on the Labor floor and said I could stay there quietly for 8hrs with no intervention and equilibrate but still no luck
• As I had contractions I couldn't have the pessary so eventually agreed to have the drip
• Started to pick up - so I had gas and air
• Then that wasn't enough and I had a walking epidural
• Managed to get him out standing up with NO other intervention

He came out like superman though so punched a small tear which has been fine so far (we are day three)

I’m currently 40+4 so in the same situation as you.

I’ve had 2 spontaneous and 1 induced.

I would choose for spontaneous but being induced wasn’t that bad.

I was given pessary at 11. Was so bored all day with miner contractions. Eventually labour starred at 8:30 and I had her an hour later. Being induced is more boring than anything as it was slow and stuck in hospital.

I was planning water birth with G&A as well. Ended up with induction at 40+13 but it was fairly straightforward. Pessary only, 4.5 h labour with just some gas and air at the end and pushed DD out in just a few pushes with slight tearing. Good luck!

I was induced with ds2, dead on due date. First pessary, lots of hanging around bored. Second pessary then labour started and was super quick, I reckon about 20 mins start to finish, official record said 4 minutes as I laboured for a bit without telling the nurses and they were busy so didn't notice. He kind of fell out, I know I need to work on my pelvic floor muscles! Luckily the midwife caught him

@ZigZagIntoTheBlue bloody!

I didn't enjoy being induced but it went -

pessary, drip, epidural, waters broken, refused epidural top up, baby delivered

The labour had ups and downs and some low points about the epidural which wasn't a great success for me.

my natural delivery ended up with an episiotomy so the induction was more successful.

I came out of it thinking id rather not have an epidural again but induction was ok.

*bloody hell. Sigh.

I was induced after waters broke but weak contractions. Had a drip stright away, had 2 lots and very little progression. Gas and air only. Baby delivered fine, no intervention needed. Only downside was having pads or a belt on my tummy monitoring heartbeat which set off an alarm every time I tried to move!

I was induced twice and had two births without induction. All four were pretty much the same in that there were no interventions other than having my waters broken each time.

No tears not even a graze.

I was induced in first pregnancy due to reduced movements so after a check on Wednesday night I had another consultant appointment on Thursday and was admitted Friday and had a really good time with my induction team.

Had first pessary on Friday afternoon, slept well til Saturday, had another one along with monitor and then down to labour unit at CLU and had waters broken. Sunday morning daughter was born - I have a tilted uterus and I requested help as I felt her stuck so a quick numb up and episiotimy and boom she was born.

No issues, no horrible experience and they listened to me which meant hugs later.

Never had a drip apart from usual liquids and managed on Entenox and one dose of Diamorphine which is whacky lol.

Repeating the experience in August.

I had 2 spontaneous labours then got induced by choice.
My cervix was already favourable and I didn't need pessaries, they hooked me up to the drip then pooped my waters soon after.
The induction wasn't my worst labour. It felt the most painful though as I felt the pain go from zero to quite full on quickly but that's the only bad thing I can say about it really. I didn't have an epidural just G&A.
Everyone is different. As hard as it is just try to relax and think about the end of it all.
Good luck x

pooped? popped! of course :)

I was induced but because waters had broken and I had strep B. It was fine. No problem at all. The only thing I would say is don't let a fucking student doctor put the cannula in. Ouch.

My induction with DD1 was fine. Induced with pessary at 40+11, contractions started about 7 hours later (12am, I got about an hour's sleep, arrgh). All fine with gas and air to 5cm dilation at around 11am, then everything slowed down. Had drip and requested epidural, all fine to 9.5cm at which point it became apparent that baby's head was presenting at the wrong angle and a vaginal delivery was therefore basically impossible. Totally stress-free EMCS, all was well, baby born about 22 hours after first contraction. So yes, it followed your expectation to the letter, but it was not distressing or traumatic physically or emotionally.

My ELCS with DD2 two years later was much more emotionally traumatic (and in a fog of PND too): I'd rather have DD1's birth and early babyhood any day.

I was induced for both my babies and it was fine. No tearing, no intervention and babies born pretty quickly. Yes it hurts but not so much that epidural was needed. It really was ok. Maybe I got off lightly but it definitely isn't all bad.

Both of mine were induced, DS1 because he refused to come out, and DS2 because of lots of other reasons.

DS1 (UK) - pessary, pessary, pessary sweep. Contractions not too awful but not "comfortable" - when they got very uncomfortable I went up to Labour Ward but they said I was only 1cm dilated. Left in an observation ward, and was told that they'd check again in 4h. 2h later, stage 2 labour started in earnest, and half an hour later DS1 was born, almost without a MW as I had to send DH to fetch one when I felt DS1 "move down" (i.e. crown) - two MWs came running, checked his cord was clear and he was out next push.

DS2 - I was older, had polyhydramnios and at 39w he still wasn't head down. He was transverse oblique unstable lie - head up under my ribs and diagonally across me, but changed sides regularly.
So with him I had a cervical softener, avoided the balloon dilator, then had him turned (ECV) on the day of birth, then they attempted to break my waters (ARM) but couldn't, so put up the drip to encourage his head to engage properly. Drip turned up to the max, but wasn't too painful (not fun either). Then they did a second ARM and when the waters went, the contraction pain kicked in properly. G&A appeared to do nothing but gave me a nice tube to shout down.
DS2 born about 4h later - he'd got "stuck" behind the anterior lip, and when they turned me on my back to do a quick ultrasound prior to deciding whether or not to proceed to c-section, he dropped clear and shot out in 2 pushes.

No damage apart from a slight scratch in both cases; but I was more traumatised by the 2nd birth because I kind of lost sight of what I was doing, I was just trying to squeeze this thing out and when I finally did, I forgot what that "thing" was for about a minute!

I was booked for induction, when I went in for it they assessed me and I had already started labouring on my own, they broke my waters a little later and my contractions came back to back so had to have epidural. I stopped dilating on my own at 9cm and had to go on the Syntocin drip for the last cm however 30 mins later I was pushing, another 30 mins and baby was here with a very straight forward birth and no complications. I worried myself sick over other people's horror inductions and I really wouldn't as everyone is different, good luck

I will give anyone one peice of advice though, do not accept diamorphine injection as pain relief, this made me feel completely out of it couldn't even open my eyes as the entire room was just spinning and was continuously sick until it finally wore off. I did ask the midwife will this make me sick or feel out of control to which she both answered no - LIE!

How long will they leave before they book you in for an induction?

I was induced at 38 weeks because I had pre-eclampsia,

Like you I had wanted a waterbirth - Some midwives may still support you with this. Mine did not, but I would say my experience was a positive one.
I had two rounds of pessary, the second was around 02:30am by 5am I had some good strong contractions.
I had co-dydramol which I didnt find helpful, and then Oramorph which again I didn't fid helped.
My waters broke naturally just before 9am whilst I was still in the induction suite, I was whisked over to labour ward and my son was born with gas and air at 09:59am.
I did have a second degree tear but that was nowhere as bad as I was expecting it to be.
It was all over for me rather quickly, the placenta delivery was a little more tricky but eventually I was able to deliver that naturally too.

I hope you have a positive experience and good luck with your little one :)

@Annette I am already booked in for Friday, by which time I'll be 40+10. They do that as standard here on your 40 wk apt, and tbh I don't mind having an end date in sight - I'm keeping active and doing all I can to try and trigger a spontaneous birth, but so far nothing!

Thank you all for sharing, these are really helpful and I feel I'm getting into a positive mindset reading them just by knowing that there are so many ways an induction can go.

Wow really?

Here they leave you 14 days.