Being Induced with 1st baby and Epilepsy

[Cavalierlover14]

Hi I'm meant to be due on 7th April but I'm being induced on 1st April as my baby is measuring 2 weeks behind. I also have to get an Epidural to reduce the risk of me having a seizure during labour. I'm quite nervous about being induced and getting the epidural. Has anyone got any advice on what it's like being induced and how long it may or may not take to give birth?

I have no experience of induction but my epidural was a dream (aside from having it whilst 8cm with contractions on top of each other, in a slightly panicked situation and trying to stay still!) having it put it was otherwise fine and I would recommend one any day! Good luck!

Thank you for sharing your experience. The epidural doesn't seem so daunting now :-)

I was induced at 39 weeks (my blood pressure shot up at 38 weeks) and had an epidural. The induction started with pessary in at about 11am, spent most of the day on the antenatal wars bouncing on ball, walks with DH etc, then geared up at overnight (felt like the worst period pain in my back passage). Went to the loo and waters leaked slightly with meconium so they whipped me down to labour ward to put me on the drip — this bit I hated - ramped up contractions so quickly my body didn’t have time to adjust! Back to back labour - had epidural which was a DREAM! You can top it up yourself with a button, so can keep it at a level you’re comfortable with - I like to be able to feel my legs. The whole thing needed up with forceps - not due to epidural or induction but because my DD changed position when I was fully dilated and they needed to turn her manually. So all in all inductions are not brilliant but necessary in some cases and epidurals are bliss!

Also to say that I have friends who were also induced and they found the whole process fine

My induction wasn’t great to be honest, very long and ended with a c section. Epidural however was bliss. If you’re really nervous and you’re at risk of having a seizure, can you ask for an elective section?

My midwife and consultant never mentioned having a c section only that I would be given an epidural along with the induction. I will try and prepare myself for the possibility of a c section. Cheers :-)

Hello! I was in your exact situation two weeks short of 12 years ago!
I will tell you the outcome first, which is a genuinely delightful, gorgeous, sometimes stroppy, usually funny, totally fit and healthy 12 year old boy.
In response to your questions, I think it took about 14 hours from introduction of the pessary to the baby having been delivered.
I was only given the epidural once they decided I needed a c-section, but I wish they’d had the same plan you had: I was tired and stressed and was getting worked up due to the quite intense pain; tiredness, stress and pain are triggers for me to have a seizure, so I did. If I’d not had the pain there, I think it might have made a significant difference.

Some things I wish I’d known beforehand (the nct course I wasted my money on didn’t believe in medicalised deliveries, so didn’t dwell on useful info about inductions 🙄):

• They start you off the night before. I was alone through the night on a ward of sleeping women but couldn’t sleep. If I’d had another baby I would have brought some headphones and calming music or podcasts or something funny to keep me company through the night.
• my waters broke on my pyjamas but I’d only packed a hospital bag with one pair (only expecting to stay after the birth, not before!) - another time I would bring two sets of nightwear.
• I was given a paracetamol as pain relief, but was sick. Nobody would believe me that I had been sick so I wasn’t allowed a second paracetamol- lesson learned: keep the evidence!
• because I was quite a high risk person (epilepsy, induction, small baby, elderly primagravida-ha! I was only 37!), there were loads of specialists on hand very quickly to sort problems out. They were genuinely amazing and it makes me cry a bit when I think about how great they were.
• when they told me I was going to be induced I felt suddenly quite scared, especially in the couple of days leading up to it, because I didn’t like not knowing what would happen or how. Don’t worry about being worried - I think it’s normal.
• I think there is an increased risk of medical intervention if you’re induced. It’s really important, if this ends up happening to you, that you don’t perceive it in any way as a failure. I spent ages feeling I’d let ds down somehow, and it took my grandfather pointing out to me after about 3 months that we were both alive, both well, and both happy for me to realise that that’s what’s really important.

I hope it goes really well on Monday. Try and keep relaxed and look forward to meeting your little one! X

Sunnysommer, Thank you very very much. It's great to hear what it was like for someone to have been in the same situation as myself.
I really am very grateful for your advice, I'll make sure I pack some extra things and I'll try not to think to much about the what if's. Tiredness and stress are triggers for me also. I do feel more relaxed after reading your experience and advice,

Thank you again

🙂I’m quite excited on your behalf!
Do you have support for after the baby is born? Has your epilepsy nurse given you advice?
Other things I found helpful: really focus on getting enough sleep. We did sleep shifts after my dh got home from work (the baby had colic and cried a lot) so I would go to bed about 8pm, then sleep till about 3 when he had a night time feed, so I’d get a solid block of sleep. That meant I felt fine during the days. When dh was away with work (he was sent abroad for a few weeks early on) my mum paid for a night nanny once a week who came, looked after the baby during the night (fed him, cuddled him, put him to bed etc) while I slept. I was a bit embarrassed recruiting her, but in hindsight it made the world of difference.

I hope everything goes well and you really enjoy it. Spring is s lovely time to be out and about with a new baby! Take care x

Hi,

I also have epilepsy and have just had my first baby. He ended up arriving at 36+6 in a spontaneous quick delivery so my actual labour didn't end up being what I'd expected (in a good way) but thought I'd pick up on some things that the previous lady has mentioned.

I hope your epilepsy nurse/team are in the loop. Mine wrote a really detailed care plan saying exactly what pain relief I could/couldn't have (apparently you're not supposed to have pethidine as that can bring in seizures but all other opioids are ok -- this confused the midwife team greatly!) and they were also going to get me something that began with R and comes with a clicker dosage thing that I could administer myself because I wasn't allowed pethidine.

The nurse also gave a supply of anti epileptic medication (cozmoblam -- can't spell it) to take in addition to my normal meds (Keppra) during the labour/after to prevent the lack of sleep bringing on seizures. Again she wrote this in my care plan which the midwives were v greatful for and said it was v helpful. I'd definitely recommend seeing if you can get anything additional to your normal meds if you haven't already rather than waiting for a trigger.

I also found all of the way through my pregnancy that I had to be very much in control of my own care and not be led by them. Like you they wanted to offer an epidural from the outset which I didn't want and had to fight my corner, which I'm glad I did as I had the baby with just gas and air and was completely fine, but obviously it depends on your seizures and if you want an epidural outside of the epilepsy. I didn't and didn't want to be defined by the epilepsy - just because you're being induced doesn't mean you need an epidural (although it is supposed to hurt more initially as the chemicals don't release oxytocin like they would if you went into labour spontaneously) so it's something to consider before just accepting what they say you need as gospel as you could always see how you get on and then decide if you want it later in the process.

Your baby will be here before you know it, hopefully!!

Hi, I was in your position 8 months ago. I had been in slow labour for a few days and was put on a hormone drip. I had the epidural as I hadn’t had much sleep, I still couldn’t rest much... my dd was born on the hottest day of the year! Hindsight is a wonderful thing and knowing what I do now I’m not sure I would have an epidural again, it was frustrating not being able to move. But I didn’t know how my body would react, my seizures are brought on my stress and lack of sleep. It’s been 16 years since my last seizure but I’ve been on a high dose of keppra that whole time. I’ve been surprised at how my body has coped with the lack of sleep, I’ve adjusted much better than I thought. Like other posters have said listen to your body, you know yourself better than anyone. Go with your instinct, try and rest when the baby does and take help that’s offered. My dh worked from home one day a week and there were people I could call on the rest of the week to begin with. It was reassuring to know help was there if I needed. I hope the birth goes well op, you’ll be coming home with the best prize! X