Anyone been through an induction?

[chocolate26]

I am booked in for an induction on Saturday, I will be 39 weeks. The doctor has explained to me it can be a long process so to take stuff to keep myself occupied and also lots of snacks!
What was your induction process like and how long did it take? How was you induced? I have read the leaflet on what happens and there looks like a few ways to be induced. 😊

Hiya I'm currently on antenatal ward being induced at 38+3. Had the 24 hour pessary put in about 3 hours ago. So far nothing other than tightenings that are mildly uncomfortable and feeling some soreness in my vagina where they inserted the pessary. This is baby number 3 but my first induction I'm nervous as hell and really hoping this pessary works as the idea of having to go through the same thing again tomorrow is filling me with dread purely coz I hate hospitals and want to get this over and done with and home. Good luck I hope.all goes well for you xx

I was induced with my DD 4 months ago because my waters broke but contractions didn't start naturally. Drip was put into my hand with a cannula then contractions started about 2 hours later, became very intense very quickly & midwife adjusted drip to make pain more manageable but baby born another 4 hours later so I think very quick compared to some stories Ive heard & versus advice that it might take a while! Good luck, hope everything goes well for you

Think every person is different. I was induced for both pregnancies. DC1 2 hrs & DC2 8hrs. From going by what the midwife said I was quick for both.

Good luck op

My waters broke on a sunday morning and was contracting all day and know to the early hours, went back in to hospital convinced he was going to fall out to be told I'm only 3cm. went back home fell asleep and contractions completely stopped. Woke up the following day and had to go back in to be checked as waters broke 24 hours prior. Was still only 3cm - no pain no contractions.Had the drip put in at 1445 and baby born with gas and air 1910. It was first baby so had nothing to compare it too but was warned it can be more intense. I remember the midwife saying I was over contracting. Baby now 15 weeks and such a delight. Record the birth, is my biggest regret and good luck x

Yes to the saying every birth is different. I was induced with my first. Pessary out in about noon on Wed. Second pessary put in 24hrs later. Contractions started suddenly about 11pm Thurs night (started about 2mins apart and v.painful so no gradual cramping up). Ended up with ventouse delivery Friday morning, mainly due to being exhausted I think and couldn't feel the contractions so my pushing was ineffective. So not a great time but made it through. Good luck!

I was induced with my first. Got to hospital, pessary inserted, midwife told everyone to go home as it could take a while. Had to ring everyone to come back within 15 mins as the hormone kicked in pretty much straight away. It was quite intense, but then I'm not sure if it's just because it was my first baby as I didn't have the drip or anything. 6 hours from first contraction to birth. Very straightforward process, though. I wouldn't worry if I had to be induced again. Good luck!

Induced with DC3, 38wks as I had gestational diabetes. Took 4 days, in on Weds, pessaries, drip etc then they broke my waters on the Saturday, quick two hour labour. Not the same gradual contractions with my other, relatively normal labours (DC1 36hrs, DC2 9hrs). Good luck and best wishes!

I was induced in july 2018 at 38+5 as my waters had gone but contractions didnt start. I had the pessary put in at midnight on the monday night, but it didnt do anything, after 24 hours I was still 2cm which is what I was when I had my sweep at 38 weeks. Had to wait a while for a bed on labour ward as they were rammed but eventually was taken down at 1am on wednesday morning. Had the drip started and waters broken and didnt feel anything at all for 8 hours. When I was examined they said there was still some water around the baby so they broke them again. Then the pain ramped uk and my labour started properly. But baby still wasnt born until almost half 6 in the evening. I was just very slow to progress and they were talking about a possible EMCS but luckily she came just in time

I was induced, contractions started within an hour and my labour lasted 24 minutes. The most painful 24 minutes of my life, the contractions were much worse than my first one, but at least it was speedy. Dont think I could hold on for much longer, as the baby's hart rate dropped as well, so it was a bit scary.

Induced twice for diabetes at 38 weeks. Both times I had no signs of imminent labour. Both times pessary in then 24 hr later baby out! Very efficient in my case. No instruments, no induction drip.

Mine is the same as howsoonisnow85's experience .....water's broke, no contractions so induced via cannula in the back of the hand.

The contractions came very quickly after that and were very intense.

They put the cannula in around 10am and the midwife said she'd come and check how dilated I was around lunchtime. Things happened a lot quicker than that though as in the end DD was born by lunchtime!

I was induced with DD1 and it took three days for her to be born.

My waters broke Thursday morning but I had no contractions so they said to stay home for 24 hours to see if they would start naturally.

Friday morning I was admitted to the labour ward as nothing had happened and was giving a pessary. Again nothing much happened beyond some very mild tightenings. Unfortunately every time I stood up, more fluid leaked out so it kept flushing out the pessary. After the third time of having it fall out I’d had enough so they left it out and I stayed overnight on the ward.

Saturday morning I was giving the drip and I went from a hard cervix (the pessary has really not done anything at all!) to 4am dilated in 8 hours. It was really, really painful and really hard. I had additional issues as DD needed to be monitored however due to her position, I could only stand up or lie down (which was not happening!), otherwise the monitor couldn’t get her heartbeat. I basically spent 8 hours labouring standing up so I was exhausted.

Saturday evening I had an epidural (bliss!) and carried on overnight. Sunday morning I was fully dilated. I pushed for two hours but DD got stuck (nothing to do with the induction or epidural, it was just unfortunate positioning) so after forceps and vacuum, I was taken for an emergency C section and she was born midday Sunday.

Everyone is completely different, I know mums who were induced and had their babies fairly quickly with hardly any pain etc etc. Hope this doesn’t scare you but I think it’s helpful to have lots of different stories to be prepared!

Good luck!

I was 41 w 1d when she was born

Hi my induction didn't take too long once they broke my waters at 3cm my daughter was born 2 hours later. I'd had a couple of pessarys to get things going and I wasn't in any pain up to that point, then it was one giant contraction. I'd still rather that than days in pain! Good luck!

It's different for everyone.

I was induced at 37 weeks due to complications, had first pessary Thursday am, did nothing. Had another Thursday evening, mild contractions that started to build up, took a cocodamol and fell asleep and woke up in the morning and realised they had stopped. Third pessary Friday am, did nothing. Friday pm was offered either another pessary or they could skip it and break my waters. Waters broken at 5.45pm, was 9cm when they next examined me at 9.30pm on induction ward, they threw me in a chair and whizzed me round to delivery, was in delivery for 13 minutes before DD made her arrival

Forgot to say I was 37+4 and a first time mum.

I had an induction with my last baby because my waters broke but contractions didn't start. I found it got things going pretty quickly and it was all over within 6 hours. I used a yoga ball, listened to music etc. The only issue I had was the monitoring situation which made it more difficult for me to move around as much as I'd have liked. Good luck!

Induced at 37 weeks. FTM.

I was started off on the gels. Unfortunately, they didn't do much for me. Fortunately, the delivery suite was virtually empty that night. So I didn't have to go through the whole thing again the next day. Instead I went straight to having my waters broken, which still didn't start labour, so was then started on the drip. Which definitely worked! 31 hours from first gel to baby, 11 hours from drip (start of labour) to baby.

I'd prefer not to need to be induced again, but if I had to, I wouldn't have any qualms about it.

Wishing you the best for tomorrow!

I was with my first. Pessary inserted about 6pm, contractions started 6am the following morning and baby by 9:30am. Quicker than I expected as had been told to expect it to take days - I went for a walk after the pessary was inserted which possibly helped.

The method will depend on what state your cervix is in when you go in. I had the 24 hour pessary, was having regular (I use that in the loosest sense of the word, I don't have regular contractions 😂) mild contractions within maybe 6 hours. Had my tens on from about that point. When that came out after 24 hours I was just about having 4 contractions in 10 minutes so they left me to see if they carried on. Was examined 3 hours later by which time I was screaming the place down, and was only 2cm 😭 but she thought they'd just about being able to break my waters so arranged for me to be transferred to labour ward after the shift change. Doctors refused to give me pethidine until I was on labour ward. Moved to labour ward about half an hour later, fully dilated and too late for any pain relief. So was about 29 hours from pessary going in to DS being born. Which is a lot quicker than my natural labour with my first.

I don't think the contractions were any more painful than with my spontaneous labour, wouldn't have any qualms about being induced again in the hypothetical situation in which I'd have another child. Just obviously prepare yourself that it could take 5 days, so make sure you've got things to entertain yourself and coping mechanisms to get you through those early contractions (birthing ball, music and golden thread breathing all helped me).

Pessary in at 11am, waters broke at 4pm, contractions started and son was born at 6pm with 5 minute pushing stage

I recommend an epidural if you are been given the drip!

I was 41+5 when I had the first pessary put in, went home. Nothing happened so back into hospital 24 hours later for the second pessary. Had to stay in that time. Waters broke about 12 hours later (part one; who knew?!) and taken to delivery suite. Part two of waters broke 5 hours later but still only 1cm dilated. Drip and epidural put in that night, still only 1.5cm dilated. Contractions getting stronger but still no dilation. Next morning only 3cm dilated...eventually got there with assisted forceps after DS decided to have a look where he was going 🤦🏻‍♀️ And meant I was pushing him straight into my pelvis. He was born at 42+1. And still only weighed 7lb 6oz

I had the pessary. They tried to break my water but couldnt. My induction failed as 3 days later Id had no contractions and remained 0cm dilated, so my induction ended in a cesarean. Just make sure you are prepared for this slightly as I definitely wasnt!

Hi, I was induced the first time at 41 weeks. It didn't work so I was induced again the same day. That didn't work so I was induced again the next day at 41+1. That didn't work so I was induced again at 41+2. I stayed in the hospital from 41+1 until 41+3 for these inductions so 2 nights. When that didn't work either, the doctor decided I was to go home and come back the next day for a c section which would be 41+4. I went home then 6 hours later went into labour. I stayed at home until the contractions were 5 minutes apart then phoned the hospital and they asked me to go back (early hours of 41+4).

I wasn't dilating so they hooked me up to the drip to try and speed labour up. Hours and hours went by and no dilation. I had a catheter put in. The midwives tried their best for me to have a natural labour but I wasn't dilating at all past 1cm and DS was distressed so the doctor from the day before barged in when she started her shift and demanded they do a spinal block and prep me for theatre. I ended up with an emergency c section and my DS was born in the afternoon of day 41+4. The doctor that insisted on the c section delivered my DS along with another doctor and it was a really happy occasion for me, DH and all the medical staff involved as it seemed to be going a bad way at one point just a few hours earlier with DS getting distressed.

Apart from the lack of sleep due to a woman snoring like a train on the induction ward for the 2 nights I was there then obviously no sleep the night/morning I was in labour, it was actually fine.

Do take magazines, snacks, water, juice, phone charger, tablet if you have one. There's TV's above the beds that you can pay to use but there's also a TV room in most induction wards. If you don't progress and they plan another induction, they will let you get dressed and go to the hospital cafe if they're open and walk round the grounds in between but they tell you not to go too far because they usually monitor yours and the baby's heart rate quite often during induction