Dilapan induction experiences

[Twelve8Ts]

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! 😊

@pontipinemum Ah I see, I had a failed induction last time but the midwife is so positive about Dilapan, so confused about what to do!
Thank you so much for your replies, wishing you all the best for a smooth delivery. I've had mum's tell me planned c section was easier to recover from than emergency, so I hope you have the same experience. 💛

@CornwallMum94 but you'll be going in at 41 weeks I am going in at 38 that could be the big difference? Hopefully you'll have gone spontaneously by then anyway 😁

Thank you, yes everyone I know that's had both said it's worlds apart. One week to go!!

@pontipinemum Yeah maybe thats the difference, I hope so! Thank you.
1 week! Good luck, just keep thinking of those newborn cuddles 🥰

For anyone interested, I had revived this thread back in 2022 as was offered these for induction back then with my first. They gave me them at 39 weeks, the having them placed in was totally fine and that night they gave me contractions however I had been having nights of contractions before this. Having them removed on the other hand, was awful. I think it was the midwife rather than anything else, they checked and I was only 2 cm so said they would put them back in for another 24 hours. I was very grumpy after not much sleep and the painful removal and said nope, I am not ready and went home. Was induced successfully a week later with the pessary, however by then I had had a sweep and was much more favourable.

The rods did as they were supposed to; manually dilated my cervix but it didn’t matter because I wasn’t ready. I wouldn’t recommend them as a non-overdue induction method. Equally though, the pessary contractions weren’t ideal.

Funnily enough, I am pregnant again now and coming up to 37 weeks, I will not be induced unless absolutely necessary but it’s still a preferred for me over a c-section. That’s with confidence that it’s worked before I guess.

@penguin303 Hi, Thank you so much for the post, really helpful to hear your experience! I hope it all goes smoother for you this time, have you got a plan for 41 weeks? I hope you go into labour naturally this time, and for me too! I'm sure my body disagreed with the pessary and hormone induction last time because it just wasn't ready.
I'm thinking maybe I will book Dilapan for 41 weeks as a back up, but opt for c section if it doesn't work... really want to avoid another c section though if possible. And I'm interested in booking sweeps from 38 weeks this time. 🫰

@penguin303 thank you for updating on your experience. It makes me more confident that I have made the right decisions - which is that rods at 38 weeks won't work, that is also what the consultant thinks. But to be fair I think he wanted to let me make my own decision which can be harder! My body wasn't ready at 38 weeks last time either.

If anyone getting an induction medically/ drugs pre term reads this, I was admitted to the maternity for observation over the weekend. The lady next to me was 38/39 weeks and her induction was successful. She told me she had, had the pessary in the day before.

Just reviving this thread again in case anyone else has experiences to add. I am booked it for this on Saturday.

giving it an evening bump

Hi, I was induced using the Dilapan rods back in January. I had this form of induction 3 years ago so knew what to expect and it was pretty much a similar procedure except this time round after having the rods in for 15 hours part of my cervix had not opened up, meaning that the midwife and doctor were unable to break my water. I was advised to either have another form of induction, the balloon induction or opt for a c section if that had failed. I have been traumatised from my first emergency c section and had a terrible experience so I wanted to avoid it at all costs and was prepared to have the balloon induction. I asked to wait until the following day as I wanted to give my cervix a break and thankfully the next day the doctor managed to successfully break my waters so there was no need for the balloon induction. By this time I was only 2cm dilated and so was put on the oxytocin drip. The drip started at 4pm and I gave birth naturally just after 9.30pm with gas and air as pain relief. This was my fourth baby and fourth labour in the same hospital. I can confirm that no birth experience was the same. My baby came later than the previous 3, who were all born 2 weeks early whilst this baby was 5 days late. If I had to do it all again, I probably would still opt for Dilapan as an induction as I genuinely feel that giving birth naturally is a much faster healing process than a C-section but everyone's experience is unique and different. Good luck to those of you that are due to give birth soon, praying it all goes well for you.

I didn't go for them in the end. I had said in my prior post my sister had them and they worked. That was her 2nd baby, her first was an EMCS. Her 2nd was induced when she was 41 hours.

For me my first induction had not worked and the consultant didn't think it would work the 2nd time either so I went with a planned section.

My little man is now 18 months! Where has that time gone.

Best wishes for Saturday exciting times!!!