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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Dilapan induction experiences

35 replies

Twelve8Ts · 22/06/2020 14:37

Hi all,

40 + 6 and booked in to be induced on Friday, and I’m told they’ll be using Dilapan.
Just wanted to find out anyone’s experience with this / success stories as I can’t find many other threads on it.

Thanks! 😊

OP posts:
mcwebb · 11/07/2020 16:38

I’m booked in for the same thing on the 3rd, and all I can find online about it is promotional material from the product manufacturer. I assume it must be very new. Would love to hear if anyone has had this??

MrsBudd · 12/07/2020 06:11

Following as I'm also keen to hear any experiences of this as I'm booked in for induction with it later this week...

justtheonethen · 13/07/2020 10:43

I'm having induction by Dilapan right now. Have had them put in, wasn't painful.

I've been told they will stay in for 12 hours and then they will break my waters. I've been told they can make you feel crampy but they won't start labour off as there are no hormones- if labour starts before the 12 hours is up it will be because of the cervix fiddling.

I asked if using the rods would make induction slower over hormone methods but they have said it's proving to be quicker- I assume as your cervix is being physically dilated rather than hoping the hormones work.

MrsBudd · 13/07/2020 16:10

Thanks for the update @justtheonethen. I'm booked in to have dilapan later in the week so I'll update the thread with my experience too. Hope everything goes well for you 😊

justtheonethen · 13/07/2020 16:25

@MrsBudd ooh good luck. I'll let you know how it goes later but I'll hopeful they will work and my waters will be able to be broken. Very long boring day though so take entertainment!

justtheonethen · 13/07/2020 16:25

@MrsBudd ooh good luck. I'll let you know how it goes later but I'll hopeful they will work and my waters will be able to be broken. Very long boring day though so take entertainment!

MrsBudd · 13/07/2020 20:12

Thanks! I've been told I can go home after they put the dilapan rods in but I think after the first 24 hours I have to be admitted to the ward 😬 so I'll definitely pack some books and magazines!

Hope all is going well for you and you get to meet your baby soon 😊

Tearrific · 08/04/2021 17:16

Resurrecting this old post as I'm likely to be induced with Dilapan and keen to hear people's experiences of it. There don't seem to be many stories online as it's a relatively new method.

Gijo · 18/07/2021 04:03

I just had dilpan inserted I had gas and air and a good midwife ,she did say my cervix was 1cm dilated which made it a whole lot easier i didn't feel anything except pressure and abit of cramping ,they will stay in now for 12 hours hopefully break my waters 🙏🙏🙏🙏

R1cciteddy · 06/08/2021 18:15

Has anyone got experienced to share of dilapan? I'm having it at the mo!

penguin303 · 16/02/2022 21:10

Resurrecting this thread again in the hope of more experiences now that it has been a good few months. Have had the rods inserted, which was uncomfortable but ok, have had some serious period pains since! Just wondering how it proceeded once they were removed, did you need the drip anyway?

SarahDay1990 · 24/02/2022 12:58

Anyone got recent experiences to share?

MamaGofThree · 08/01/2023 21:13

Hey, I thought I'd share my experience of induction via Dilapan. 5 rods of dilapan were inserted into my cervix on January 4th at 12pm. Dilapan was inserted using a speculum similar to a smear test. It was a little uncomfortable but I didn't need any pain relief and once it was in you couldn't feel it. I went to the toilet as normal and was told it would stay in me for 12-15 hours to help soften the cervix. During this time I was having minor contractions which felt like mild period pains.

A midwife took out the 5 rods of dilapan the following morning around 7am. Again it was uncomfortable but no pain relief required. They then attempted to break my waters but struggled a little. I was told I was 2cm dilated by then.

I was moved to another delivery room which had a birthing pool but sadly couldn't use it as I was told I was high risk because of my previous C-section 13 years ago even though I had a vbac after. They put me on the hormonal drip syntocin at 12pm and increased the dosage every hour until it got to the maximum of 60mg. At 4pm I had a VE and was told I was 3cm dilated and they attempted to break my waters again. After this happened the contractions were more painful and I had to use gas and air and pethadine injection to manage the pain. I went from 3cm to 10cm in the space of under 3 hours and gave birth to a healthy baby boy just before 7pm on the same day.

All in all it's probably been the best labour out of all 3 of my children - wishing you all the best to anyone that uses Dilapan and hopefully my experience will be of some use to you.

Rayansmummy · 27/01/2023 23:32

I'm currently on my 2nd dose of Dilapan as the first round didn't work. I was admitted yesterday morning at 9am. At 2pm I was examined and a nurse decided I need 5 sticks of Dilapan inserted. They told me they were like matchsticks but im afraid they're bigger. Unfortunately for me it was painful going in and hurt but after it was done it wasn't so bad and I was back to feeling normal within about 5mins. It helped to breath through it. During the first 24 hour wait, I had what I can describe as strong menstrual cramps every now and then. Towards the end of the night they did get a little stronger and I felt the cramps both in my vagina and anus but nothing severe. Just normal period symptoms pains which lasted a few seconds.
At 2pm today, the dilapan was removed, the removal was uncomfortable. The first few hurt coming out but the rest were OK and came put quickly. The examination after however did hurt as the midwife inserted her fingers and did like a sweep. This was extremely uncomfortable for me. She then said it didn't work as well as she hoped and I was only dilated a little so would need a further 5 dilapan sticks inserted.
Having been through the pain yesterday I was a little reluctant but finally agreed and went through the same experience having the second set put in. It was more uncomfortable as my vagina was sore from the first set although having them in over night was fine and I wasn't in any discomfort during. I was able to walk around. Go to the toilet and pee without any discomfort. The second round is only going to be in for 12 hours. I'm currently 3 hours away from removal. I will update you on the progress or lack of. Good luck to anyone having it and I hope your experience is much better than mine.

pontipinemum · 09/06/2024 21:49

@Rayansmummy Hi, sorry I know your post is over a year old but I'm just wondering how it went in the end?

I am 31 weeks now and they are talking about using dilapan rods at 38 weeks. I had a medical induction last time and that failed so I had an EMCS after 3 days.

I am very unsure if the rods will work

R1cciteddy · 11/06/2024 12:34

Hi! My experience was fine worked first time for the actual rods but the after induction bit took some time and I was nearly emcs. I wouldn’t change my experience though… it was long but fine and I had no trauma. It’s hard to decide what to do isn’t it. I haven’t got much to compare to. My friend had the rods but it didn’t work. You can just never know. Sorry if this isn’t very helpful! Good luck xxx

pontipinemum · 11/06/2024 14:03

R1cciteddy · 11/06/2024 12:34

Hi! My experience was fine worked first time for the actual rods but the after induction bit took some time and I was nearly emcs. I wouldn’t change my experience though… it was long but fine and I had no trauma. It’s hard to decide what to do isn’t it. I haven’t got much to compare to. My friend had the rods but it didn’t work. You can just never know. Sorry if this isn’t very helpful! Good luck xxx

Thank you, I do appreciate it 😊the midwife said she thinks there is about a 30% chance of it working. How she decided that I don't know. Maybe just from what she knows about other patients.

Were you/ your friend before due date, at due, or over due? My sister had her waters broken to induce labour, no drugs as she also had an EMCS, but she was 41 weeks

SarahDay1990 · 11/06/2024 15:48

Hello! I was the OP! I went for the Dilapan but it turns out I was too far gone to have them inserted and I gave birth early hours the next day (my LO was 13 days overdue at the that point…)

pontipinemum · 11/06/2024 16:39

SarahDay1990 · 11/06/2024 15:48

Hello! I was the OP! I went for the Dilapan but it turns out I was too far gone to have them inserted and I gave birth early hours the next day (my LO was 13 days overdue at the that point…)

Hi thanks for getting back to me. Oh that was good. I am being induced early so I am very unsure of what to choose/ let them try! My last induction was not the greatest experience. But I feel I am being pushed to 'give it a go' again

Your LO is just about to turn 4 happy upcoming birthday 😊

SarahDay1990 · 11/06/2024 16:57

It’s really hard….but you do what’s best for you. I had an awful induction with my first so vowed not to do it again hence why I was offered Dilapan. As I wouldn’t be induced I just agreed to go to the hospital every day after 41 weeks to monitor baby and all was fine. LO was born naturally in a birth pool 😊

pontipinemum · 12/06/2024 10:11

@SarahDay1990 It's so hard to know what is the right thing to do is. I'll push the doctors to be a bit more open with info with me at my next appointment.

CornwallMum94 · 19/07/2024 15:18

Hi @pontipinemum, hope alls going well, would love to hear how the Dilapan rods go! I had a similar first labour - hormone induction which did not go well, followed by emergency c-section.
I'm wanting to try natural labour again this time, but am trying to decide if I don't go into labour by 41 weeks, if I want to try Dilapan or book c-section! I swore I wouldn't be induced again, but considering it now they've talked about Dilapan as an alternative induction method.

pontipinemum · 20/07/2024 11:26

@CornwallMum94 I've booked a section! I spoke to the obstetrician and he really thinks that the rods wouldn't work, for me anyway. That was what the midwife thought as well.
I'm going in at 38 weeks, I didn't progress at all the first time, my BMI is in the overweight category, I'm over 35 this time, all those things go against it being likely to work.

Only anecdotal, but my friend had a 'bad' 1st EMCS, she was put under general due to the babies HB dropping, she had gone into labour spontaneously. She went to 41 weeks on her 2nd and had a successful VBAC, she would also have been over 35, BMI overweight. So it really depends on why your 1st ended up as a section and why you will be induced the next time. I think!

Baby was breech when I was booked but at 36 weeks has actually turned head down so that is a factor that no longer exists.

CornwallMum94 · 21/07/2024 15:34

@pontipinemum Oh bless you atleast you have a plan now.
I'm struggling to decide whether to book c section for 41 weeks or to try Dilapan if it comes to it! Will have to do some more research I think...
I hope you're pregnancy progresses smoothly and all goes well with c section for you 🙏🏻
Did they say why they thought the rods wouldn't work for you? Or just based on your risk factors as mentioned?

pontipinemum · 22/07/2024 16:12

CornwallMum94 · 21/07/2024 15:34

@pontipinemum Oh bless you atleast you have a plan now.
I'm struggling to decide whether to book c section for 41 weeks or to try Dilapan if it comes to it! Will have to do some more research I think...
I hope you're pregnancy progresses smoothly and all goes well with c section for you 🙏🏻
Did they say why they thought the rods wouldn't work for you? Or just based on your risk factors as mentioned?

I think the main thing that makes it unlikely to work for me is that I am going to be induced early, and that previous induction failed to progress