Induction with a pessary

[HerculesMulligan]

I'm probably going to be induced next week at 37 weeks (baby is small, I've been unwell). The obstetrician says they'll start with a pessary which I know can be slow.

My previous birth was induction on a drip at 42 weeks which was fast (about 8 hours from going on it to baby arriving).

I'm keen to know other peoples experiences of this sort of induction. All stories welcome.

I had an indication via pessary due to waters breaking 2 days prior and no contractions with my 1st.

Pessary went in at 12, first contraction at 12.20pm and DS1 born at 7.11pm. So fairly quick I think.

The contractions were intense but it didn't help that I was way more afraid of labour during this birth than the 2nd which was so much easier once I knew about breathing techniques etc.

Good luck with yours. Hope this was informative

DC1 pessary at 8am, delivered just after 3pm.
DC2 pessary at 8am, delivered just after 6pm.
DC3 pessary at 6pm, delivered just after 4 am.
Never had a drip, labour started and continued without any issues. I don't think my labours were long, so don't presume yours will be long and drawn out without a drip. Good luck.

Attempted induction via pessary for 36 hours, nothing happened, had my waters broken, was in labour for 18 hours and ended in an emergency c section! Just want to clarify it ended in a c section because baby was stuck lol, not because I didn't progress.

Good luck, you'll be fine!

Also they said it was likely the pessary didn't work well because it was my first baby, since it's your second I think you'll have a better chance of not needing any other assistance!

i had a pessary few hours later i was in labour then a hour and half later baby came out fast like a bar of soap.mine was anything but slow

Pessary at 38+0 for the same reason as you OP, small baby!

Finally delivered at 38+2 🙄 Was long and annoying, but got there in the end!

Mine was just 2 hrs intense labour start to finish.

I was induced with pessary with my daughter (first and only baby!). Inserted at 5pm, regular contractions by 10pm, gave birth at 10:55pm next day :(

My waters went by themselves though which was a bonus.

Pessary at 39 weeks with first baby after waters went then nothing for 24 hours. Pessary in at about 12:30pm, labour began about 2pm and baby born at 6pm!

I was 10 days overdue and partly induced because she was measuring big, plus her heart rate was a tad high. I was started with a pessary about 2-3pm. Contractions started about 4.30 after a walk round the hospital. Pretty intense contractions compared to my previous two labours but I just about managed with G&A. She was born at 11.59 and definitely my quickest labour, she was a big baby too at over 10lbs!

It wasn't my worst labour but wasn't an easy one either, I really hated how intense the contractions were. I had a drip with my first and that was a lot worse on how intense it was, but my whole labour was mismanaged with my first.

Good luck with it and holding your little one at the end always makes it worth it!

I was induced my pessary at 39+1 for high BP...pessary in at 12.30pm, taken out at 3pm as I was hyper stimulated by the hormone. 2 injections to stop contractions at 4pm, taken to labour ward at 11pm, waters broken 12.20am and baby arrived rather dramatically after 14mins active labour at 1.30am. So rather quick in the end! Good luck with it all

I had my first pessary and they took it out 23 hours later and didnt put the second one in because I was over contracting, i was 2cm and then nothing happened for 4 days, was waiting to go to labour ward. Once waters broken and on drip I was 10cm in 21 hours then did 2 hours pushing but had a emcs x

3 goes with the gel, only some mild contractions which stopped overnight. Had the pessary and waters broke around 5 hours later out of nowhere, could have sworn it hadn't worked! Contractions were immediate and very intense as soon as my waters went, but 6 hours after they started (pretty impressive for first baby I thought) I was feeding our little one so definitely worth it! If I were to get pregnant again I would have no problem being induced with the pessary again- intense but did the job and quickly! All the very best for your birth.

I had a pessary at 36 weeks with my first child (because of complications that meant that the baby had to be born ASAP). Because it was a first labour, and was so early, it was difficult to get labour going and sustain it. I had mild contractions that fizzled out over the 24 hours. There was no time after that for a drip induction (the need to get the baby out was too urgent), so I went straight into a "scheduled emergency C section" after that.

TBH, I'd known from about 28 weeks that I was very likely to have the baby pre-term, and would therefore be induced. And I'd read some real horror stories on here (especially about the drip), so I was very apprehensive about it all. But in the end, it was all a bit of an anticlimax!

Maximum dose of pessaries over 4 days. Done nothing. Not even quite 1cm. Doctor managed to break waters. Started on drip, baby born 11 hours later. 5 days start to finish.

Second baby, diagnosed with pre eclampsia at 37 and a bit weeks on the Monday afternoon and admitted, started pessaries the following day x 3; only mild contractions so in the queue for the drip and a space on the labour suite until the Wednesday evening.

Given a few hours to bounce on the ball etc to try to get things moving then drip started at midnight, baby out an hour and a half later, just as I was about to have my epidural put in. No pushing (out like a bar of soap as pp mentioned above).

Out of hospital the Friday afternoon, fantastic experience - in complete contrast to my first.

Induced with first due to baby being small.
Pessary in for 24hrs, not much change. Small break.
First round of gel, cervix a bit more favourable.
Second round of gel, put me into labour, waters went in the night.
Baby born 6.30 the next evening.
A long old slog, but slow and steady must have been good in some ways as baby was well positioned for the final stage and I got away with no tearing.

Hopefully as it's your second baby it won't take too long!