Tips on how to manage an induction?

[Ellsiedodah]

Hi all

So like lots of other ladies out there I'm going for an induced birth. Not what I wanted but we have a small bub and the docs say it'll probably handle childbirth better sooner than later because the placenta starts to become less useful to the baby in providing it strength through good nourishment.

So... we're on for the more medicalised entry to the world! I wondered if mamas who have had induction could kindly recommend any tips on how to manage things. The kind of stuff I'm thinking of is:

Asking for a clear run down of the order of play when you get to the hospital - plus likely timings, when you can roam, whether you can go home etc

Using a birthing ball for monitoring instead of lying on your back (which can get uncomfortable)

Earplugs for overnight in the ward - anything else?

Pain relief - any tips on when to get the epidural so youre not tired 3 days later

Positions for birth when you're lower half isn't working so well with numbing

Anything else? :-)

Big thanks

You might not need an epidural. I didn't.

It might take ages. Bring entertainment that you will enjoy if you are slightly in pain! Ie not War and Peace. Plus food.

It might not work. Worth bearing in mind just in case. I went in expecting an emergency section and was pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen!

I've been induced twice.

First time 2 x pessary didn't work. Was on antenatal unit overnight. Next day went to delivery suite to be induced via drip. Painful, but not as bad as I was expecting. I did it with tens and then gas and air whilst pushing. Gave birth without forceps etc, minimal blood loss, did get a second degree tear which healed no problem! Baby was 6lb 3oz. I was induced at about 41 weeks as waters leaking.

Second time I was induced as approaching 42 weeks. Admitted to antenatal at 7pm, had pessary, by 6am I was 5cm dilated, so they removed pessary and transferred me to delivery. Stalled at 5cm for several hours so they broke my waters at 1pm, baby born 3 hours later. These 3 hours were more intense than my first labour, but again did it with just gas and air - by the time I was demanding an epidural the midwife was switching on the machine to warm the towels for the baby No forceps etc, and no tear second time round, despite baby being nine and a half pounds. I recovered quickly.

If you want an epidural I'd make it very clear from the outset, otherwise you run the risk of leaving it too late. People say the drip is the worst in terms of pain, but I'd say the level of contractions after they broke my waters with my second baby was more intense.

In my area, once you are admitted for induction you aren't going anywhere until you've had your baby, however you are free to roam hospital and grounds as you wish.

Good luck, I really didn't find induction too bad!

Oh and I gave birth on my back both times because it felt the most comfortable. If you are having continuous monitoring you can be quite limited re. Position and mobility. Obviously more so with a full epidural. some units offer a light epidural where you can move and also mobile heart rate monitoring. My midwives were good re. Mobility and not monitoring constantly unless they suspected a problem, but the obstetricians didn't like this and insisted on continuous monitoring, and I just went with it because my mind was elsewhere tbh!

Keep an open mind, anything could happen.

My advice would be that even being induced you can not predict the type of birth you are going to have. I had read so many threads on here both positive and negative as I knew I was going to be induced on my due date due to polyhydraminos. It is easier said than done but try to not have too much of a plan as it could happen in hours or you could be in for days!

I was induced 11 weeks ago via pessary at 9am in the morning and was told to be prepared for a long stay and another pessary the following morning before anything kicked off. I met with the doctors who were on shift and they said that I would be safe to go home until things got moving but I opted against this as I did not know how my body would react and felt more comfortable being in hospital. The day past and no pains but by late evening I started getting some niggles and struggled to get to sleep just before 2am my waters broke and I was scheduled to be put on the drip should contractions not start within the next 2 hours.

My contractions kicked in immediately and within the hour I was making my way to the delivery suite - I requested an epidural straight away as the thought of being put on the drip scared me due to all the things I had read on here!! I received the epidural within about half hour of requesting it but I must say it didn't live up to my expectations.

About an hour after my epidural I felt the urge to push and at 6:17 my little girl came in to the world with no interventions however I did end up with a 2nd degree tear which was swiftly stitched up by my brilliant midwife and was able to leave hospital the same day which was all I cared about at this point.

Good luck!!!

My little girl was 2 weeks late and so had to be induced. I first had the pessary which is the tablet which was inserted and then got to go home and wait to see if it started, which it didnt so had to return after 24 hours to then have the gel where I had to then stay in the hospital but got to roam around, go to the the cafe go outside and go on my yoga ball. 6 hours later the midwife checked me and my water's were bulging so the doctor popped them and off I went to delivery room. My contractions started lightly so they put me on the drip to speed them up, I was petrified as i heard the come hard and fast but they didn't. Since in was on the drip I had to stay laying down on my back as baby had to be monitored the whole labour. I managed few hours without pain relief then went for Pethidine which took the edge off then to gas and air. I laboured for 10 hours then 2 hour pushing to failed suction and forceps which led to emergency c section. just keep in mind that your plan will more likely not go to plan. Keep drinking or wetting your lips and listen to the midwife.
Definitely take earplugs, food, something to keep you entertained and lots and lots of pads.
Good luck

Loads of good stuff from PP's. Just wanted to add be prepared that you could be admitted but it be very busy in Labour suite with spontaneous deliveries/emergencies and you may not be started exactly when they said you would. I waited on the ward for a whole week being monitored, because others were in greater need than I was. Most frustrating, but baby got an extra week to cook and I swear it helped because I was a week closer to spontaneous labour anyway. Just had waters broken and contractions started an hour after. Laboured very efficiently, so contractions one after another with no break between. Baby born with 2nd degree tear six hours after waters broken. Stitches nowhere near as bad as I had anticipated. Diamorphine worked very well but baby a little bit sleepy at birth. Caused terrible constipation (combined with being sedentary for a week beforehand). I would urge you to be insistent that you want the midwives to do all they can to help prevent it. They might want to put a very large cannula in your wrist at the start to speed things up if anything does go wrong and they have to take you to theatre. It's big and was a bit painful to get in. That was the worst part of my whole induction. You might also find it takes a little longer for your milk to come in afterwards. Might not be for everyone, but I had absolutely nothing for a week, by which time I'd been sucked raw and had to give up. Will be supplementing formula until I have milk this time.

Had three pessaries which didn’t get me going, was given an epidural and had my waters broken then on the drip. That all took four days. Gave birth four hours after drop was put in with an episiotomy. Needed a blood transfusion.
I wasn’t allowed home as I was being monitored due to gestational diabetes. I found those four days pretty exhausting and the whole procedure very drawn out. It also took me a while to recover. I was given the choice recently of induction and c section recently and I’ve decided to choose a c section.

Dc1 had pessary at 6pm. 2 am water broke. 530 am ds born.

Dc2 had pessary at 11am, sent home and back for another at 530pm. Dont know what time my waters went but it was at the exact time the anaethetist put the needle in my back. I was 10cm at midnight. Then spent 6.5 hours pushing because 4 drs and 2 mws didnt notice that dd was back to back.

Induced 3 times.

i always :
Asked lots questions about pain relief, timings, how often, can they be mixed. Can diamorphine be halved so i can take more often. I asked about epidural from outset so they knew I wanted that avenue kept open - meant I didn't stay MLU too. I didn't have an epidural but gave me reassurance that it wasn't closed to me.

I asked about what happens if pessary doesn't work, do you get another or waters broken? If go on drip can it be turned low at first.

Birthing ball - leant over it at all times as knew didn't want to be on back.

BT WiFi password from my sil. Hospital didn't have WiFi and no 4G. I watched movies and downloaded music for birthing playlist. Helped pass the time. Also watched hypnobirthing films on YouTube on breathing techniques which helped me.

Sandwiches. First two inductions were really quick so not too much hospital food. 3rd didn't work. Had waters broken then drip - all fine but had to wait for hours for waters to be broken was sick of hosp food by that time.

I don't know any different as always been induced but when they work it means in my experience ashier quick birth - 2 hours max. I couldn't handle being in pain for hours.

Good luck

Be prepared for a long wait. Just because you go to hospital on a Monday doesn't mean that's when you get induced. I had a 5 day wait in hospital to be induced.

Don't get your hopes set on an epidural too much, I really wanted one but there was nobody to give one.