Any positive induction experiences?

[Collywobbles]

Hi - I'm currently 41+2 and have been booked for an induction if nothing happens by Saturday. This is my first pregnancy and I'm getting pretty nervous at the prospect of being induced as I've heard it can make the birth harder....

So far, I haven't had any signs that I will go into labour anytime soon - I haven't had any braxton hix at all and no show or anything like that so I thought I'd better prepare for the worst...

If anyone has been induced and can shed a bit of light on what to expect (especially if it's positive!) I'd be grateful to hear from you...

Can anyone help?

Hi there colywobbles. I had an induction just over 5 weeks ago. It was my second baby and I had planned a home birth but DD was perfectly happy where she was thank you very much!

DS was a normal delivery, my waters broke two weeks early and I went into labour early the same evening. Was expecting much the same to happen this time but nothing!

I had to go in at about 9am, and had first pessery at about 10.30. Then I was monitored for what should have been about an hour but turned out to be two because the midwife forgot about us! Then I was allowed up, and DP and I went for a wlak around the shops for an hour or so. Then I had a bath and I was checked again for progress and had the CTG trace on again for another hr ish. The pessary had got me up to 3 cms, all I had felt were a few irregular pains which were gradually getting more regular, about every 6/7 minutes. As this was my second though, I started off being 2cms dilated, so I didn't have too far to go IYSWIM?

I was then transfered to the delivery suite where my waters were broken. From then on, for me things progressed very quickly, although I suspect a lot of this was because I had done it before. DD was born 2hrs 20mins after my waters were broken. I was monitored for around half an hour afer my waters were broken (which BTW is no worse than having an internal check) and then allowed to get up and about.

I have to say my labour was more painful this time, but my baby was 3 pounds heavier so I can't tell you how much of the pain was due to an artificial labour and how much was because DD was soo huge (10lbs 7.5!!!!!). But I managed on a tens machine and gas and air. First time around I found the G & A to be the most wonderful thing in the world, second time not so much! I'd still do it all again.

FWIW at my hospital the plan was to give one pessary, wait around 6 hrs, check and if not 3 cms give a second. Then I would have been left overnight and a drip would have been started the next day. I had a lovely spacious room and all the staff were lovely. As you may have lots of waiting around remember lots of things to keep you and your partner amused, and take some food to snack on!!

Good luck and I really hope that you either go into labour naturally or your induction goes nicely for you!

Flossalump - thank you SO much! You have no idea how much better you've made me feel - just hearing someone else who's been through it is fantastic!

What you said about having your waters broken was really helpful as that was something that I've been worrying about - that hook doesn't look pretty!

Many thanks for taking the time to share your experience.

Hi Collywobbles, I was induced at nearly 42 weeks with ds (now 14 mo.). He was my first, was a bit badly positioned and was big, so it took a long time, everything was slow and on the face of it it would sound like a difficult birth. In brief, two pessaries to get contractions going, waters broken the next morning (which was no problem with a bit of gas and air), on a drip by the afternoon to try and speed things up, eventually a forceps delivery in the middle of the next night.

But, I have to say, even right in the middle of it I was thinking, well, I would do this again, it is manageable. There was always another option for pain relief available when I'd had enough of where I was at, I was well looked after and always knew what the next step was going to be, and both me and ds were fine afterwards which is all that really mattered to me in the end.

I wish I'd known it could take a couple of days from first pessary to delivery though, there were a lot of worried people waiting for news who assumed I'd have him the day I went in!

Good luck and all the best!

hi collywobbles. i am pretty much the same as you - i am 41 + 4 and not had any signs. not booked in for an induction yet but share the same worries as you. going to get monitored on friday then take it from there. the hardest thing is getting your head round being so late and possibly having to be induced - i just presumed it would come naturally around the due date or a few days after. me naive? ahem.
good to hear positive stories from people who have been induced. please post any more ladies!

fingers crossed our babies will come tonight!!

Glad I may have helped collywobbles! I look forward to hearing your birth story!

Hi collywobbles, I have not been induced so I can't offer any advice here. However, please be aware you don't have to be induced if you don't want to be. I would personally not be induced unless there was a medical reason for it and I don't think being overdue is a medical reason. WHO states that normal pregnancy is 37-42 weeks, 40 weeks is just the average and some babies need to cook for longer. You are not overdue until 42 weeks. Is there any chance you dates could be wronG? Was your due date changed after a scan for example?

I would ask for your Bishop's score before agreeing to be induced. If baby is not ready it can make for a long labour. Ask your hospital what their c section rate is for inductions (some can be as high as 50% which suggests your body and your baby are simply not ready for labour yet). As long as the baby is ok (you can ask for expectant management after 42 weeks) I would carry on as normal, your baby will be born when it is ready!

Klaw will be along in a minute with some good advice I am sure (her strapline is just say no to induction!)

There is a very good article on induction on the Kent independent Midwives website , if you google that it shoudl come up(they are very anti)
Many people don't realise that you do have a choice not to be induced!

Collywobbles & Candylion. I'm 41+2 and in the same boat as you. It's good to feel like I'm not the only one. Midwife's coming to do a sweep on Friday. If nothing's happened by Monday I'm booked in for an induction.
I've had painless BH on & off for about a week, but no show and no proper contractions

Hi All - thanks for your messages - all v helpful!

Susie100 - I read that article and it certainly made me think! My consultant explained to me about the increased risk of still birth when you go past 40 weeks - he did say it was a tiny risk though. The only other thing is that my baby is looking like being a bit of a whopper and I'm scared that if I go too much longer it'll get too big for natural birth....

I'm pretty sure my dates are right, they haven't changed throughout the pregnancy.

I think I'm mainly torn (pardon the pun) by my want to go into labour naturally and my want to get it all over because I feel like I've been waiting for this LO for SO LONG!

Collywobbles I totally understand! I went 10 days over and was DESPERATE to meet my daughter especially as everyday I went over I got an extra stretch mark (shallow I know)!

You must make an informed decision whatever you decide and knowing the risks. Am sure you will be fine whatever you chose but I just wanted you to know you do have a choice! Ask your consultant about your Bishop's Score. I believe this assesses how ready your body is for induction.

Just for reassurance, my baby was big (over 10 pounds) and my midwife said that sometimes bigger babies make labour easier as they put pressure on the cervix to dilate.
Have a look at this www.homebirth.org.uk/overdue.htm

I know you are not planning a homebirth but there are some good natural induction tips in here. Am sure Klaw or Lulu will be along in a moment - they will recommend nipple stimulation, sex and pineapples from memory!

I bet you go into labour before Saturday anyway...keep us posted!!

Don't worry about growth scans - they are at least 30% inaccurate. My ds kept on measuring small to average and was 8lb 5 which is neither. Inaccuracy goes both ways.

Being induced raises your chances of all sorts of intervention and it is best for both of you if it can start naturally.

hi collywobbles
i have had various people tell me acupuncture (including my midwife) can be good to get things going. i am currently trying to find someone who specializes in pregnancy - might be worth a shot?

Thanks again ladies...DH is now very excited. I've told him he's in for an evening of sex and nipple stimulation while I bounce on my gym ball and then we can round it off with a nice curry!

Susie - I had a look at the homebirth sight and it has comforted me becuase from what it says, I'm pretty sure my LO is at least in the correct position and not back to back or anything.

Collywobbles that is so funny (about your DH) let us know how you get on...am thinking of you!

hoping all is/has gone ok collywobbles!

Hi All,

well Jacob is now a week a old - although it feels like he's been here for years! I had a pretty mixed experience with my induction. I was lucky in that my waters broke naturally after the first pessary..this meant that things didn't take as long as they might have done. However, there were a few complications with LO being back to back and I ended up having him in theater with forceps and the threat of an emergency c-section if he wasn't out after 3 more pushes... I lost quite a bit of blood which in turned caused problems initially with my breast feeding. However, all wonderful now..my milk is in and Jacob has taken to it like a natural!

I must confess I would think very carefully about whether to be induced again even though everything was ok in the end...

Thanks again ladies for all your support!

xxx

ps - he was 8 pounds 15 oz so pretty big but not THAT big!

congratulations on the safe arrival of Jacob

Congratulations!! I am so pleased he is here safe and well and I love the name