What to expect from induction?

[ChocolateHobnob]

I'm going into hospital to be induced at some point tomorrow (41+6) and I've read through lots of old messages about induction on this site and elsewhere, but I'm still a bit puzzled as to what to expect -and my hospital has told me nothing whatsoever!

So: when I go in, will I be on an antenatal ward? What worries me is that presumably DH will only be allowed to be there during visiting hours, until I reach 'active labour' and a certain number of cm dilated and can be moved to a delivery suite. Does this mean that I will have to go through the first few hours of so called latent labour (which sounds painful!) on my own?

I know I have the option of not being induced but I'm already shattered from lack of sleep and can't face waiting any longer... Positive stories welcome but I am aware that induction is not a good scenario. Thanks!

ok.. this is how it usually works:

you will go to antenatal, ward, DH can stay within the visiting hour only.. you will be assessed, and given a dose of prostin gel to get your dilation started. if you are already sufficiently dilated, and there is room on labour ward, you will be taken to labour ward to have your waters broken, your DH can stay with you.

if ARM does not start sufficiently regular or strong contractions you will be given a drip of a synthetic hormone to get things moving.

if you have the prostin first, then you will be assessed every few hours, and given doses of prostin 6 hours apart until you are dilated enough to have your waters broken.

often the prostin can stimulate contractions to start

best thing to do is to be as active, upright and mobile as possible, especially for the early stages, a bath is also a good pain relief option, and you can use TENS.

if you are ripe for induction and have a good bishops score, things are likely to go really well

BTW, this should have been explained to you and a leaflet offered to give you more info about induction including the option of declining induction.

also, if things are not explained to you on the day, then ASK !you need to know what is happening to you

choc - i was admitted one evening for induction, Dh was allowed to bring me to the door of the ward then had to leave. I was given the gel during the night, mild cramping started a few hours later. DH came back at 8 the next morning, stayed all day while cramping / contractions continued (and slowly got worse!). He was then sent home again at 8pm that night because I was only 2cm dilated and there were no free rooms in the delivery suite. Half an hour after he'd gone, they found a room so they took me down and broke my waters, all hell let loose - second stage of labour came on fast and strong - which I wasn't expecting (naively, but I thought I'd go on the synthetic hormone drip which would start the next phase, don't remember being warned that breaking waters would do it!!!) before I'd managed to ring DH and get him to come back. I ended up having an epidural without really being aware of what was going on!!! So make sure you ring your DH/DP the minute they move you to the delivery suite if he's not already there - I was in no fit state to do it and the midwife didn't offer or bother trying. DH came back at 7 the next morning by which time I'd had the epidural in all night - so he missed most of the drama and still doesn't know what all the fuss is about!

Thanks for this Lulumama and Countryhouse!

I've been given no information whatsoever other than the following:

'a pessary will be used to help ripen your cervic and the process repeated until the cervix starts to ripen. Induction frequently involves the use of Syntocinon to cause the uterus to contract. Think carefully about the type of pain relief you will use if you have to have your labour induced'

It's pretty useless as information goes, isnt it?! Hence my ignorance. I didn't hire a TENS machine because I didn't like the idea of it and wanted a water birth (ha! no chance now). I've had a show, twice, and had lots of prelabour pains but none leading anywhere. Had one sweep and was told cervix was favourable. I suppose they might be able to do another tomorrow too?

Thanks for your help!

the pessary is the prostin gel

it sounds like things are getting going, perhaps antoher sweep would set you off

you can ask for that , rather than induction

all the pains and pre labour are helping, if they weren;t , you wouldn't be favourable already

if you go into labour spontaneously you should be able to ahve your water birth

I'm with Lulumama, can you ask for another sweep? If they want to induce, do you feel able to ask them why it is necessary? If you and the baby are both fine, another sweep might be the best way. Look forward to hearing your good news that your baby has arrived and is beautiful

The ward may have a tens machine to lend you - mine did. I was induced and the first does of gel got me going (waters broke an hours after it was put in). It was put in a 11pm and everything started at 12. Dh had been sent home and I spent the night pacing round the antenatal ward trying not to moan and groan with paracetomal, tens machines and rubbishy womans magazines to take my mind off it! FRankly dh couldn't have done much if he had been there, and I just concentrated on getting moving. Nurses told me to let them know as soon as the pain got too much and they would transfer medownstairs to the labour ward for some gas and air. This happened at 6am and when I got there I was 6cm dialted....yahoo! Dh was phoned as the transfer took place and arrived at 7am to find me with my new best friend...the gas and air mouth piece!! My tp tip is to make sure that the contact numbers the hospital has for your dh are correct. I had given the wrong ones (this was much earlier in pregnancy, so I dont know what my excuse was....!)

HI Choc

I know what your going through, i was in the same situation as you three weeks ago.

I was taken in to hospital for induction at 2pm my husband was allowed to stay with me until 9pm as labour hadn't started he went home for a sleep.

My waters kind of broke in the night but it turned out it wasn't all my waters so i ended up having my waters brken. I was also put on the drip to make my contractions regular and stronger.

Labour went on for about 12 hours but it really wasn't that bad and i have forgot the pain already. Had the gas and air and in the end went for an epidural

Unfortunately i wasn't progressing so they decded to do an em c section but i still look at my birth as a positive birth me and baby are both fine and as long as you stay calm you will cope fine. I know how scary it is but just try and enjoy it and look at it this way you will get to meet your baby soon.

By the way my dd weighed 10lbs 13oz when she was born so this was why i need the c section nothing to do with being induced.

I hope it goes well for you - Good luck

Good luck for tomorrow!

A brief summary of how my induction (as I was also 2 weeks late) went.

Firstly: I can say that despite all this departing in every respect from my birthplan, I look back on the experience (a year ago) and consider the birth a very positive experience, and was absolutely confident that I was given the right care.

I was told to go in at 8pm, they found me a bed at midnight (DH left the hospital) and gave me the gel at 1am (it stings like * to start with). I managed to sleep until they woke me at 6am - gave me an internal exam and broke my waters with a long pointy thing (not painful). This was quite a shock as I hadn't epected all this warm liquid to come pouring out!

Mild contractions started, and I was mobile and getting on fine (so I thought). DH returned at 10am and stayed until the birth. But then they decided to put me on the syntocinon drip as I wasn't progressing much. This was at 1pm. Initially it was a low dose, and I was fine using a TENS. But then they upped it and the pain kicked in. But still I wasn't dilating - so they upped it some more. I have to say that gas and air wasn't enough for me - and I asked for an epidural at 8pm (eventually got it at 9pm - be prepared for a wait as the anaesthatists may be in theatre). I really hadn't wanted an epidural - but sometimes you just have to do what you need.

Then at 2am they said I still wasn't dilating properly (I was only 3cm after 24 hours labour). So I agreed to have a c-section as DS was in a bit of distress. Again, having a c-section horrified me - but in then end it was absolutely fine. A couple of hints: they lay you on a VERY narrow operating table and I thought I was going to fall off - but I didn't. Secondly, I started to shake like mad just before they started the op. That scared the living daylights out of me and DH - but apparently it is normal.

5 minutes later I had a GORGEOUS DS! DH gave him skin-to-skin while we were still in theatre and they let me hold him when I was wheeled back to the ward.

The after-care is always a bit ropey - and most of my friends agreed that you do go through moments of desperation during this time.

Most of all, have the courage to ask questions whenever you want - I would think that not knowing why/what the nurses are doing would be very worrying. Also, your birth partner MUST be on their toes and ask questions/challenge (nicely!)/ask "what if" and "why now"? things if he thinks they need to be. I had to give DH a bit of an earful at one point (he was not being proactive- and both he an I were glad that we did ask so many questions/chalenge things).

Very best wishes.

Sorry, just to add: induction isn't the ideal place to be. I went into a paddy when I was told I had to be induced. But in my paddy I thought "right, if that bleeping baby is going to put me thru that then I'm going to enjoy myself tonight" so booked tickets for The Gondoliers at the ENO for the night before I went to hospital (41+6) so that I didn't think about things.

And in the end, one needs stories to tell about childbirth - and you will have one, and there is no reason that it should be any worse than anyone elses!!

I just re-iterate: apart from wishing I'd had the epidural earlier (I was trying to avoid it at all costs) - I wouldn't change anything about the birth.

I was induced at 42 weeks - we went into hospital around 8 pm, dh stayed with me while they got me settled in a bed on the postnatal ward (not antenatal - bit bizarre being in labour around all those ladies with babies) then went home. I was given the first pessary at around 10 pm, started having pains around 4a.m., dh came back at 10 a.m. and stayed with me all day. I was given a second pessary at lunchtime, and a third at around 6 p.m. - proper contractions started around 7 pm (had been in pain all day but not dilating) - dh stayed with me all night which I'm not sure was hospital policy but he was very nice to the midwives. I was taken to the labour ward at about 5 a.m. the next morning at 6 cm dilated, my waters were broken and dd was eventually born by forceps at 10.14 a.m.

Make sure you eat something before you go in and take some snacks, you could be there a while. A good book or a stack of magazines is also useful - it's not easy to sleep as you may need constant monitoring. Good luck!

I was induced with both of my children, and neither experience was unbearable.

Ds was born at around 10 am, after I had been induced around 6 the previous evening. I had niggly pains from around 2 am onwards (only negative was the midwife who told me I was not even in labour, would I like a paracetamol! ), big pains around 6 am and then ds arrived - with the help of forceps - but it was 'ok'.

Induced with dd just after 10 am, and she arrived before 11.30 am.

Maybe I was very lucky - only needed one pessary both time.

Good luck - and whatever, it'll be worth it!

I was induced with dc2. Firstly,I was booked onto the ante natal ward, then I was given the pessary/gel twice but nothing happened - I think I was too nervous as I had a home birth planned and didn't like all the medical intervention, but if you can get your head around it, try to be relaxed.
By Sunday evening they had decided to give me the drip. My DP was there and of course allowed to stay with me. DS was born within 3 hours of the drip being administered and I found it more painful then natural birth to be honest, so keep your plans on pain relief open.
However, it was such a relief to finally hold my little boy in my arms and for him to be healthy and well( I was 2 weeks overdue and had high BP)that overall I would say it was a positive experience- and my DP was so relieved we were both well, I think it was very hard for him too.
DP stayed with me until we were transfered to the post natal ward then he had to leave as it was nearly miidnught.
Anyway, I really see now that it doesn't matter how it happens the main thing is that you are both well and you can get on with the business of watching your child grow!!!
Good luckxxxxxxx

pain

you've a 45% risk of emCS.

Just to qualify fawkeoff's response, it might just hurt a teensy bit whichever way you end up going into labour

Thank you for all these responses! I am prepared for pain (as much as you can be!); I had wanted to avoid an epidural but have decided that I will keep an open mind now!; I'm also prepared for the waiting around and the possibility of em cs (I know it's always a possibility but now an increased one).

I think what I find most frightening is that they didn't tell me anything about what to expect. While I know if I had gone into labour naturally that would also have been the case, in a medically induced labour I would want to know.

I've had so many niggly pains over the last week, but none going anywhere or seemingly doing anything. Midwife thought at 41 weeks that labour could start anytime so I was very encouraged - but sadly it hasn't!

I think doing something nice tonight is a good idea, actually, if I can summon up enough energy!

Thanks again for your help.

Hmm, I was induced without the pessary for my third child they broke the waters and said 'Go for a nice walk round and maybe get some lunch.' I did but we had to eat VERY quickly and pretty much run back upstairs to the labour room. I remember saying that I'd heard it could be more 'intense' and painful than a normal birth and could I have some pain relief? The midwife just said, 'I think it's a bit late for that here comes baby' and that, honestly, was about it.

Could have done without the subsequent three-day stay for an infection, but the birth itself was a doddle!