Induction stories, being induced at 37 weeks

[jadelouiselaird]

Hi everyone

Im getting induced on sunday at 37 weeks due to the baby measuring small.

Would love to hear your induction stories, good or bad. How long did it take to go into labour?

Also any tips to keep occupied as ill be on my own till active labour

Thanks

I had a planned induction at 39 weeks - it was fine! I just had the pessary and then my waters broke on their own about 13 hours later - baby was born just over 5 hours later. I had paracetamol and dihydrocodeine when my waters went, and some gas and air after I went up to the delivery room. Overall it was a really nice experience and not at all like the horror stories you hear!

I took a load of wool with me and started crocheting a monochrome blanket for the baby (they love looking at black and white things). Also, make sure you have a really long charger cable and then you can use your phone easily - I popped the radio on (with headphones) and that kept me busy.

Best of luck!

I was induced on the Tuesday morning, after 4 attempts nothing was happening. Had a CSection on the Thursday evening

I was induced at 37 weeks. Had my gels over the day on Wednesday. Certainly didn't send me into labour, but it did open my cervix just enough to allow for waters to be broken. Taken to labour suite for ARM early Thursday morning. Still no labour, so drip was put up a couple hours later. 11 hours of drip later I had my baby. No interventions and just a minor second degree tear.

Netflix, Spotify, Disney+. Basically any subscription service you can distract yourself with while wearing headphones. It can get noisy... A good book (or two... Or three. It can be a long process.), or a puzzle book are good. Someone bought me a Where's Wally book as a joke while I was an inpatient, and that helped pass the time!

I would say move around as much as you can, but I imagine with Covid options are limited. But even marching around your bedspace will help. If you can get a hold of a birth ball, do some bouncing!

Hi I was induced at 37 weeks too as my daughter was measuring small, they suspected around 5lb 6oz based on growth scan.
I went in at 6am had prostin pessary and nothing happened, 6 hours later I had another pessary and I got some mild twinges whilst doing laps of the hospital grounds. At 9.30pm I had my waters broken (very painful as my cervix was so posterior and I needed gas and air) I was 3cm at this point with no regular pains just the odd twinge.
My daughter was born at 11.50pm! I only had time for gas and air as it all happened so quickly. The induction process was fine I took loads of magazines and spent the whole time either walking or bouncing on my ball listening to music.

Good luck!

Oh and she actually weighed 5lb 3oz, perfect in every way b

I've had 3 inductions at 37 & 38 weeks. First took just under 24 hours from pessary to birth and was uncomfortable but nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. Active labour was less than half an hour. 2nd took just a few hours from pessary and active labour was recorded as 3 minutes (actually nearly had her on the loo) which was a tad scary. 3rd went on and on and on, but wasn't painful as such, just super tiring and emotional.
They're all so different and that's just one person!
My advice would be to just try to relax and go with it. I look back at number 3 and really feel that the weight of expectation and anticipation made it all so much harder. Good luck!

Hello! I was induced for the same reason.
It was my first baby so they had told me it could take a few days.
I went in on the Tuesday and didn't go into active labour till Thursday morning when they broke my waters and I had her 5 hours later. I was 37+6.
For the days trying to get myself in active labour I walked around the hospital grounds and was on a birthing ball (I know it will be hard at these times as you won't be able to go out).
I advise to take snacks and books or magazines.
I required the syntocin drip and constant monitoring but I was able to move to which ever position I wanted to and laboured most of the time on the birthing ball and leaning on the bed.
(I'm a person who can't keep still when I'm in pain).
My 2 friends (both first babies) one induced at 38 weeks and one induced on her due date. Had their babies within a few hours of being induced xxx

Thanks Ladies

I had a planned induction with my 3rd at 37 weeks , I had the pessary and baby was born 7 hours later. Started getting contractions after 2-3 hours after pessary going in. I found the contractions were more intense with an induction but manageable.

I was induced at 37 weeks as my daughter was measuring small, predicted less than 5 pounds. I had an idea what to expect as DD was third baby and my other two labours were straightforward and spontaneous. However, I expected things to move quicker given that it was my third child and I became disappointed when, having been first on the induction ward and pessary in by 9am, I was still on the induction suite that evening with 3 other women all swiftly moved through to delivery (including a first time mum who was only on the ward 2 hours and one lady who had to call her husband to come straight back having dropped her off at 9pm.)

I was moved to delivery early the next morning when I was 3cm and they could break my waters, from there I ended up on the drip and delivered around midday the next day, so all in it took around 27 hours. That was with about 1.5 hours of real pain whilst on the drip, the rest was bearable and the pessary only kicked in that evening producing strong cramps, enough to keep me awake but not too painful.

My advice would be as per pp and take lots of things to watch and read and keep your phone charged, as well as manage your expectations that it may take some time. Also, in my experience, I found it was a different type of pain than my other experiences and much sharper once I was on the drip, therefore perhaps take this into consideration in terms of pain relief/birth planning.

Wishing you lots of luck!

I had one at 37w due to ore eclampsia - my first child. 3 prostin oessaries then my pre eclampsia turned severe so they gave me the dri and burst my waters. 3cm to delivery was 10 hours. It was tough going because of the pre eclampsia and the meds I had for that. Also the hormone drip made it painful quite quickly so I took the epidural.

Second time induced at 39+6 as a precaution after last times pre eclampsia. One prostin pessary 5pm and it started up and I was able to do the rest myself. A few slow hours where I felt the pains but told not 3cm yet then things happened v fast. Waters went around 1 or 1.30am But no midwives about for ages, they came at 2am and examined me as 6cm, , baby came at 2.40. V straightforward, mobile throughout no stitches all good.

I went in for induction on Friday morning. Pessary went in, 24 hours later not much progress so a new pessary in. Another 24 hours and dilated enough to break my waters, but even that didn’t get things going so I was put on the drip. A gruelling 17 hours later and I still wasn’t fully dilated so in for an emergency C section.

Induction can be long, slow and not actually work which I want prepared for. The best advice I had was if you end up on the drip, then have an epidural before the drip gets going. The drip can be a much more intense and painful labour.

Wishing you all the best!

Forgot to say baby was eventually born on Monday afternoon after being induced Friday morning...

It took a long time to get me into labour, had an ARM but no drip. However I delivered without assistance quick recovery, no stitches.

All 4 DC were induced!

I had one. The whole thing only took two hours. Not that painful.

I was due to be induced at 37 weeks due to Small gestional age... i was given at sweep on the Tuesday (induction planned for Friday) and it did the trick, I went into labour that night and she was born early Wednesday morning!

If they are offering a sweep, I’d take one!

Good luck OP

I was induced at 36+6 with dc3 s I was being made very unwell by continuing the pregnancy. I had pessary at 6am, went back to sleep for 2 hours. Was only 1cm at lunchtime but got into proper labour after that and she was born at 6:30 - waters didn't go until second last push! Not bad when they said I was very unfavourable cervix at the pessary. Was my 3rd child though so my body seemed to remember what it was supposed to be doing.

Wishing you all the best x

Planned induction at 40+2 due to ivf 6 weeks ago. Pessary in at 11am. Mild period pains by 6pm. But stringer into the night. Had paracetamol at 10pm. Warm bath at 11pm. Waters went at 1am (lots of meconium) phoned husband to come to labour ward at 1.30am he arrived at 2.15am contractions ramped up by then. Had diamorphine at 3.30am was 6cm. Asked for epidural at 5am as contractions thick and fast but was fully dilated so couldn’t have it. Pushed for 1.5hrs. Had syotocin drip put in at 6am as contractions started to slow. He was born at 6.30am. Hard but amazing. Ended up in theatre after to repair a 3rd degree tear which was tough to recover from. Husband had to leave at 12pm once transferred to ward after theatre. Staff were brilliant at looking after us.

Good luck for today @jadelouiselaird. ❤️

@Dyra Thank you

I was induced day before due date as baby measuring big, failed induction, pessary didnt do anything, waters being manually broken did nothing, then put on the drip (i forget what this is called) finally they put drip to max dose, i got small regular contractions they were very manageable then stopped, finally taken for section lol saying that it was a very chilled out experience for me going in for the section with babys heartbeat being good there was nothing to panic about. Although i was very tired as this process took about 40 hours