I need some brutal honesty about induction please...

[MotherofKitties]

Due to be induced tomorrow morning, had a sweep on Wednesday and I'm nearly 2cm dilated with a very soft and 'favourable' cervix. MW said they'd probably skip the pessary and go straight to breaking my waters. My first LO arrived very fast with no intervention and waters broke naturally, so I've no experience of induction before and this is what I want genuine honesty over;

1. Does having your waters broken hurt? Just so I can prepare myself, and

1. Does having your waters broken make you poop?! Before I went into labour first time round I had a natural 'clear out' before contractions started; does this happen with induction? As in if having your waters broken triggers labour and contractions will/does your body then clear out as a result? Again, I'd like to know so I can mentally prepare myself in case there is a genuine risk of pooping in front of others

I know no one who has had an induction to ask in real life about this so your honesty would be greatly appreciated!

[cosmo30]

Wasn't induced but did have my waters broken as they wouldn't go by themselves. They use a hook, doesn't hurt at all! Just felt mad, all of a sudden this rush of warm water came rushing out! The contractions suddenly got bad as soon as they broke them though !

[NoRoomInBed]

I had one spontaneous delivery. And two inductions. 1st was just break my waters contractions started properly soon after. No poop. 2nd I had the pessery and it was bonkers only an hour from start to baby. And there was poop. But the midwives handled it really well. I didn't even know until after when I thought about it 😂

[millymae]

I can only speak from experience and say that having my waters broken didn’t hurt..
You’d think by the time I got to number 3 I’d know when labour was well underway - I didn’t and went to hospital thinking that I was nearly ready to deliver. When the midwife examined me I was nowhere near where I should be for admission and the midwife was all for sending me home, saying that whilst my waters were bulging (still not sure what that means); they could remain like that for hours but could equally go before I got back to the car.
I was already 10 days beyond my due date and this wasn’t what I really wanted to hear so I pulled a bit of face and giving me a wink she offered to have another quick look. I honestly didn’t feel a thing. The labour was fine, no more or less painful than the previous 2. I don’t remember there being any poo issues apart from me saying to the midwife hours later in the delivery room that I felt as though as I needed to go. The student who was with her went to go and get a bed pan but the midwife suggested they check first to see whether I was fully dilated. I was and the baby was delivered not long after. If I’d poo’d I certainly wasn’t aware and the midwives must have dealt with it very discreetly. OH wasn’t there to confirm either way as he’d gone home to help put the other 2 to bed and didn’t make it back in time.
My sister was induced at 37 weeks with her first baby and had pessaries and eventually a drip. Although she didn’t deliver in the water she spent quite a part of her labour in the birthing pool and didn’t feel the need for anything more than gas and air.
Sending you best wishes OP - it will be fine,

[MotherofKitties]

Thank you all for responding and for being so candid - I will go in with the expectation that there is at least a 50% chance I will poop but if I do the midwives have seen it all before and I probably won't care about it if I do

[Brunilde]

I really wouldn't worry about poo it will be the last thing on your mind at the time. I know every says that but it's true, they aren't saying it just to make you feel better.

From my experience I would recommend an epidural if you are in two minds about it. I had wanted as natural a birth as possible but as soon as they broke my waters I felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside and immediately asked for one. I had not progressed at all over the 2 days I was in with the pessaries but I went from 1cm to pushing in around 40mins, pretty much as soon as the epidural was in, so the contractions must have been pretty strong. The midwives were pretty shocked too but said afterwards they would recommend strong drugs or epidural to anyone having an induction as it can be much more painful. I was very anti epidural previously but it was a great experience. I was able to just relax and felt much more in control. I wouldn't usually be so candid but you asked!

[AlwaysLatte]

I was induced with my first. I found it a more painful experience because I think my body hadn't had time to adjust to the medications I was given to bring on the contractions. I didn't have any pain relief with either baby and the second was far easier. If I did it again I would have any pain relief available! The pessary itself was ok and within about 8 hours I was 10cm dilated. I was still able to walk to the delivery suite, so it was all looking encouraging but I got tired, and they gave me a lot of Oxytocin which made the contractions stronger. My husband worked in pharmaceuticals and was concerned that the midwives hadn't been given an upper limit and were upping it too frequently so he told them to stop giving me any more. Having had the pessary at about 6pm, my baby was born 8.30 the next morning. The second baby was a shorter birth without the induction drugs.

[ChateauMargaux]

If you are already at 2cm then there is a chance that things will progress all on their own. Good luck!!

[randomsabreuse]

I was induced with my 2nd. My first had a quick 1st stage labour then got stuck in stage 2 ending up with a ventouse. My 2nd was measuring huge, especially abdomen while my first was 9th centile so I was a bit worried about getting stuck if I let 2nd go much further than first (he has broad shoulders so very glad we went for the induction.

I was about 1 cm when we started, had gel as long wait for ARM as needed a bed on delivery for that. Gel got things going about 12h later and did a repeat of the 1-10 cm in 40 minutes trick (much better done in a hospital cubicle than a car!!!)

Needed a ventouse at the same point as last time, waters went on their own just after I made it to delivery.

[unmarkedbythat]

I was induced at 42 weeks with my first. Bishop score was favourable (iirc they said I was dilated 3cm, but it's a long time ago so I might ^not be remembering correctly!). I had the pessary, would not have consented to AROM as a starting point (this is a personal choice, in no way advice!). It was probably about 12-14 hours after having the pessary that my water broke and labour started and he was born fewer than 3 hours after that. No intervention required after the pessary.

Good luck!

[NameChange30]

Ah i see yes a 1 hour wait for a midwife would be too long, completely understand why you're opting for an induction in hospital, in that case!

Ask them about your Bishop's score. If your first was quick then hopefully this one will be quick and easy. Best of luck!

[formyboys]

You are gojng to be fine! If you've had a speedy first birth like me second will be just fine. I also had epidural at 4 cms and they broke the waters manually (although it took ages as apparently mine are really tough!!) and then he came along in his own sweet time. It was a few hours from that point tops.
Very positive experience and nothing like the shock or number 1.

[ExchangedCat]

@ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings

Don't forget that if your induction fails, then depending on what stage of pregnancy you're at and the health of yourself and your baby, you may have the option of trying again rather than proceeding straight to c section. I had 2 inductions a week apart because the first one failed. Look up the NICE guidelines on induction to know exactly what your options are. Too many women get railroaded into sections after failed inductions when other options are available. Be your own well informed advocate. Good luck.

And too many women get railroaded into inductions which are already set up to fail, but are led to believe they have no choice.

If your Bishop's score is below 5 you're chances of success are not good - ask for your score before consenting to anything else.

[gonewiththerain]

I had my waters broken in both labours. The first I was 5cm pretty weak contractions before and very strong after

Second labour I was 7 or 8 cm and was really feeling the pressure of my waters but they hadn’t gone. It took two goes to break them and the relief was huge. Things really speeded up but the contractions didn’t get any stronger.
The actual breaking of the waters was painless both times. The drip however in the first labour was awful

[MotherofKitties]

Thank you all for the advice; I've never even heard of a 'Bishops Score' before this thread but clearly that is quite important...!

I will definitely be asking what mine is the moment I get to the hospital!

[20viona]

Hi and good luck!
Yes ARM hurts I had gas and air.
From ARM to baby in arms was 2 hours for me and I was only 3cm before so it can happen pretty quick.

[Dyra]

I needed gas and air. But my Bishop score was 0 before the pessaries, and not much more when it came to the ARM. Baby also decided to bob out of my pelvis as high as she could, so needed a second midwife to push her back down.

I didn't poop though. Which was nice. I also didn't go into labour. Which was a bit crap. Induction went ok in the end. The drip hurt and I needed diamorphine, but didn't need any interventions. Baby and I came away from it just fine.

Good luck for tomorrow. ❤️

[NameChange30]

How did it go, @MotherofKitties? Been thinking of you.

[MotherofKitties]

Hi all,

Well, what an experience! My Bishops Score was rated an 8 so my waters were broken and less than an hour and a half later my beautiful little girl was born weighing just under 7lb. Had gas and air and nothing else. Super quick but it all felt very controlled and calm and it was such a different experience to first time round. It couldn't have been any more positive and I feel so thankful.

Thank you all for your comments and advice, it really helped me prepare for different outcomes and I felt a lot more informed and I really appreciate it ❤️ xx

[NameChange30]

Congratulations on the safe arrival of your baby girl!

I'm so glad it all went so smoothly, a bishop's score of 8 is very high so that was promising indeed! Lovely that you had a positive experience.

Enjoy the newborn snuggles 😍

[20viona]

Congrats OP! Glad it was quick for you both.

[unmarkedbythat]

Congratulations! Glad it all went so well

[ChateauMargaux]

Lovely birth story. Safe calm supported.