Balloon induction experiences

[happyface42]

I'm due to go into hospital tomorrow for a balloon induction and was wondering whether people would mind sharing their experiences of a balloon induction?
If it doesn't work they will then try the pessary and if that doesn't work the hormone drip (which I'm praying I won't have to have!)
I'm particularly interested if it worked how long it took for you to have baby and how what gestation you were

I had one! Happy to share. I had one at about 40+10 I think. Previous caection due to breech baby.
It was uncomfortable to have put in but not painful as such. They gave me gas and air but I hadn’t worked out how to use it yet so not sure it did much!

They said they’d keep it in for 12 hours then try and break my waters. As it happened it fell out after about 3 hours. I’d started having contractions which were regular but managable then went to the toilet where (tmi sorry!) I thought I needed a poo but the balloon fell out in the toilet! They told me it was impossible to push out - and I must be 4cm dilated, which was confirmed. They broke my waters v easily then and I started contracting much more intensely every couple of minutes. This lasted about 3.5 hours before I demanded more pain relief but on inspection was 10cm so 1.5 hours pushing later and baby was here! So from having balloon out in to baby was about 8 hours. It was recorded as 5 hours active labour.

I’m pregnant again and will definitely have another balloon induction if needed as it was very successful for me! I’m unsure if it’s just coincidence and I was already starting on my own, and maybe the balloon just kick started it and saved me a few hours?

Really good luck for tomorrow.

@Isit2021yetplease thank you so much for sharing and I'm so glad it was a positive experience for you. Hopefully I will have a similar one! I'm 40+5 and they are concerned baby's growth is big but also has recently started to dip. My LG was 9.2lb and it wasn't a good delivery at all so I think that's another contribution to them suggesting an induction.
They did a sweep on me today which so far doesn't seem to have done anything at all and she said I was 1cm which I know isn't amazing but at least it's slightly open I suppose!

No advice for you but just wanted to say massive good luck for tomorrow ☺️x

@happyface42 1cm is great - in my sweep that day they said my cervix was clamped shut so you have a head start on me!

I really liked the balloon because it felt a bit more natural than drip or pessqey (well that’s a lie - I obviously didn’t “like” it, would far rather labour spontaneously but you know what I mean!) and I think the balloon probably fast forwarded me the tedious hours between 0-4cm so I basically went to active labour very quickly.
Eek v exciting I hope it is quick for you - please report back when you’ve had the baby!

@sarah13xx thank you! 

@Isit2021yetplease oh really?! That's good to know yes I will!! Fingers crossed it's sooner rather than later

Good luck. I'm having a Balloon induction (hopefully) in the morning depending on what time there is space for me on the ward.

I'm 39+2 with a big baby - predicted to be 9lbs 10. My 1st pregnancy was an induction at 39+4 using a pessary which worked really well - I pushed her out within 24hrs of the pessary and she was 9lbs 12oz 🙈. I'm hoping this induction will be quicker and the baby slightly smaller.

I was induced on the cooks ballloon at 39 weeks exactly. I had it in for 24 hours but it didn't start labour for me. I did however lose my mucus plug. After 24 hours I was moved to the labour ward and put on the hormone drip. After a 23 hour labour I had an emergency section x

@Quail15

Good luck. I'm having a Balloon induction (hopefully) in the morning depending on what time there is space for me on the ward.

I'm 39+2 with a big baby - predicted to be 9lbs 10. My 1st pregnancy was an induction at 39+4 using a pessary which worked really well - I pushed her out within 24hrs of the pessary and she was 9lbs 12oz 🙈. I'm hoping this induction will be quicker and the baby slightly smaller.

Oh good luck!! Please let me know how you get on I'm going in this afternoon at 4pm but feeling so anxious. My baby isn't predicted to be as big as yours so I'm wondering if I'm making the right decision or not. I'm hoping to avoid the pessary as from what I've read it's very painful

@CSMummyx

I was induced on the cooks ballloon at 39 weeks exactly. I had it in for 24 hours but it didn't start labour for me. I did however lose my mucus plug. After 24 hours I was moved to the labour ward and put on the hormone drip. After a 23 hour labour I had an emergency section x

Oh no sorry it didn't work for you why did you have to be induced if you don't mind me asking?

I agree about the hormone drip - I would never have one again without an epidural as my labour went from 0-100 in terms of pain in about 1 minute. The peasant I found started things off very gently though. Good luck to you!

Good luck for your induction! I've got the balloon thingy booked in for next week...as you are being sent straight home after are you having your partner or anyone there with you whilst it's being inserted? I'm not sure if there's any point bringing the OH along!

@eternalflame2020

Good luck for your induction! I've got the balloon thingy booked in for next week...as you are being sent straight home after are you having your partner or anyone there with you whilst it's being inserted? I'm not sure if there's any point bringing the OH along!

Thank you! No I'm staying here after they've done it, not sure how I feel about that though I already miss my home (hate hospitals!!) Just waiting for it to be inserted now but they are running late - great start! My partner is here with me and can stay until 8pm and then has to go home. He can stay from 8am to 8pm and is allowed here anytime when I'm in actual labour. Why are you having to be induced?

Good luck, hope it goes well for you!

Ah, that's good he can stay for those hours, I think my trust has just increased the visiting hours too. I'm being induced due to gestational diabetes. I am doing everything I can to encourage the baby out before though!! Let us know how it's going, you're going to meet your baby so soon!!!

Highly positive. Induced at 39 weeks due to second instance of reduced movements and a few preeclampsia symptoms but a negative test.
Inserted about midnight, not the most pleasant experience but not horrific. Fell out about 16 hours later. Almost 24 hours from insertion to being admitted to labour ward to have waters broken as they didn’t go on their own. Opted for epidural and baby born at lunchtime that day. Didn’t get to go home to wait for it to do it’s thing as blood pressure needed regular monitoring. Good luck 😁

I had a balloon induction for DS1, they were trialling it as a new option at the time & I liked the fact it was hormone free and I could go home for the evening before going back in the next day! I was just gone 40+2 (from memory) and they decided to induce me as they suddenly thought he was going to be a smaller baby than expected.

It does feel strange and I was paranoid it would just fall out, but it didn't! It wasn't the most comfortable evening but I did manage to get some sleep and then went back into hospital to have it removed the next morning and it had done its job and they could break my waters without having to have the pessary. Unfortunately for me it went downhill from there and had to have drip and further interventions... but if I had of needed to be induced with DS2 I would have 100% requested another balloon induction (but I didn't need to as my waters broke naturally with him a week early).

Good luck OP, I hope your induction & labour goes well x

Thank you everyone! Well I've been here since 4pm and so far not even seen a doctor to get things going feels like such a waste of time!

Oh no, it's horrible to just be sat there waiting around for them to be available ☹️ I hope they come and see you soon, have they even given you any update as to when they might be coming around?

@luckymagnoliatree

Oh no, it's horrible to just be sat there waiting around for them to be available ☹️ I hope they come and see you soon, have they even given you any update as to when they might be coming around?

I ended up getting the balloon fitted at about 9pm (not the most pleasant experience) the first hour with it in was quite painful and I've had a few painful cramps in the night but nothing major and now I'm feeling fine (not sure that that's a good sign?!) they are taking it out at around 9am ((but probably be more like afternoon here!!) to see if they can break my waters. I was 2/3cm last night which is a good sign just my cervix is still quite far back!

Just as I've written this my balloon has fallen out which is apparently a good sign 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Good luck @happyface42 🎂 to baby soon, I hope!

Yay I hope all is going well and you are well on your way to having a baby if not holding it already!

Unfortunately not I'm still here waiting to have my waters broken been waiting 9 hours now and I'm so so close to discharging myself and going home. I'm 3/4cm but not contracting at all I think the balloon did all the work and now my body just hasn't taken over. Feel so deflated and flat and pissed off with my body for not doing what it should do!!

Oh wow, I can't believe you are still waiting! Totally understand how you are feeling! Hopefully once your waters are broken then the contractions will build up naturally. Keeping my fingers crossed for you! Have they given you any further update yet? X

Hope you’re doing ok OP! A couple of weeks ago I had to wait nearly 24 hours after the balloon fell out to have my waters broken as they said they were inundated with emergencies and women arriving in established labour. Once they were broken I only managed to progress another cm in 4 hours so was put in the drip but DS arrived 3 hours after that!