At hospital having an induction and freaking out.

[FlamingLama]

I'm 39 +3 and have been here since yesterday afternoon, they tried the pessery to get things going but it worked a bit too well and I was having loads of small contractions which they were worried would tire the baby out so they took it out and said they would send me to the delivery suite to have my waters broken.......so we are just waiting for a bed. That was 11pm. Baby is measuring very large hence induction.
The consultant popped his head around the curtain earlier and reminded me of the risks of shoulder dystocia for the 100th time. I have been through it with 4 other consultants already and it put my nerves on edge. It's making me paranoid he will get stuck. I also cant get my head around the fact that there Is going to be a baby and I have to get it out of my body. I'm really frightened.
Not sure how much longer I will have to wait. Dp had to sleep at home last night and I fell apart a bit without him. I can't sleep here so I'm really tired and when I do drop off people wake me to say I'm snoring and disturbing other people.

I feel so all over the place right now. I want my mum and to have a cuddle and a good cry. Everything feels completely overwhelming. Dp is being so lovely a patient. I cant fault him. I'm just a mess and dont know how to compose myself.

Ok, you can do this, I know it feels like. Lot right now but the end is in sight.

I was induced due to a big baby at 37.5 weeks, she was born 8lb11oz and once waters were broken everything moved very quickly.

Do you have a time for when they will be com8 g to break your waters, or to do your next observations? Could you go for a little wander round the hospital for a few minutes. I found pacing about really helpful. For a start it seemed to keep the contractions going, but it also just gave me something to focus on, one foot in front of the other, plodding along.

Thank you for replying.

The contractions seemed to have completely stopped now although deffo getting loads of tightening so the midwife said it could still all be moving in the right direction.
I am on a ward at the mo so waiting for a bed on the delivery suite to become available for them to then break my waters. I feel like I might be able to rest if I'm in my own room and not worry about disturbing other people with my deafening snoring.

I think the nurse is about to fo my obs so I will ask if there are any updates and go for a waddle afterwards. Just a bit fed up I guess. This wasnt how I imagined it would be and I dont want dp to have to leave again and be alone overnight :-(

I had an induction with my third due to big baby and also had the immediate but v small contractions. They gave me an injection of something to stop it and then what was a pretty natural labour experience gradually began and waters broke on their own. So hopefully your body is getting going and you will be fine. Try not to worry about the shoulder thing. Baby size is notoriously difficult to tell when they are still inside. I was repeatedly told that both my boys were giants and they came out no problem and were completely average size. And don’t make any apology for being an emotional mess - you’re having a baby, you get through it however you can and everyone around you is there for support, not judgment. I hope all goes well.

Okay I had 2 inductions and it's not the best. When they removed my pessary with dd1 the Dr was quite rough, in my opinion (I have a low pain threshold though) and that was enough for my waters to break a couple of hours later. I did need the drip though and a ventouse delivery. But it wasn't too bad and I recovered well. Dd1 was completely unaffected.
I'd recommend a walk round if you can manage it and snacks if you feel like it. Make sure you keep eating and drinking to keep energy levels up.
If you are in overnight try and find something to watch or read to occupy your mind.
Make sure you ask for pain relief if you want / need it. I was too far along for an epidural and managed on gas & air but make sure you get something when you need it.
Message friends whilst you have the time and don't worry, it feels like induction goes on forever but it will be over soon and baby will be here. Dd1 is 8 soon but I do remember those long hours waiting for her. Take care x

Thank you for your kind replies.

The midwife came in and said we might not even get a bed tonight which sucks but equally I'd rather know that now than keep wondering.

We just went for a decent walk outside. It was.good to get some fresh air and a change of scenery, loads of tightening again but no pain.

Think I'm going to watch some rubbish on netflix and then later take a shower. Just try and add some structure to my day.

Structure is good. I had a four day wait with my first so I completely sympathise. Shower, dinner (5pm what a laugh), next set of obs, pop down to the hospital shop for something for supper, settle in with your book or what have you.

Have they offered you a c section as they keep saying about shoulder dystocia? If you go with induction and they want you on the drip please give serious consideration to getting an epidural in at the same time if that's compatible, I had a good sleep with mine in while I was waiting for dilation to get going after waters broken.

Do try to eat well today if you can as I had to go nil by mouth once they took me down (not sure if drip or epidural was the reason) and I had been so stressed the day before I hadn't eaten a lot so I was starving!

Thanks that's really helpful. Its comforting hearing other people's stories even if it means more waiting around.

They have offered a c section but they're not recommending it/pushing it, just giving me my options. I asked the consultant what he would do and he said he couldn't answer that.
I've eaten loads today. Been a pig!

No bed tonight.....apparently they're chocca. They wont let me go home, but there seems little point in me being here right now. I'm not receiving any treatment. They just check babys heart rate a few times a day.
Feeling really stressed by it all to be honest.....we have a lot going on at home (daughter has lost her place at SEN school and they have given us a tiny window of opportunity to find/choose a new provision.....her place was only ever supposed to be temporary but this has been very unexpectedly sprung on us st literally the worst time possible and my pregnancy/iminant delivery of the baby doesn't seem to warrant any empathy or additional time to find a solution. I think I will have to call the school tomorrow and see if they can just use their common sense because I can't do anything from a hospital bed and it's a worry I could really do without.)

Missing my kids like crazy. :-( miss my cat and all my home comforts. Must get a grip!

@FlamingLama you don't need to get a grip. You have a lot going on, I don't understand why they won't let you go home then you could actually get some rest and be with your other children and husband. Hopefully tomorrow things can start progressing. X

Induction can be so sh!t,

I had to go through it because of a large baby .

My one regret is not asking for a csection before it became an emergency for me.

You can ask for a C section if that is what you want, there is nothing worse than going through hours of induced labour only to end up exhausted & having an emcs. I would imagine you wouldn't get one until morning at the earliest but if everything went OK, you could be home by Tuesday.

Hope you get some good news today @FlamingLama I think I would be talking to them about c section now so you can get a bit of control over the situation (as much as you can with birth), if you think the recovery would be ok- I've never had one nor have I had a big baby though. You'll probably be waiting around for that too but at least once they get it started you'll be almost done whereas an induction can still drag on. Although most people's seem to go pretty quick, I must have been unlucky!

@FlamingLama just to add I wouldn't rush for a section if no medical need I will
Do anything in my power to avoid another recovery from one of them they are not the easy option, you've got this 💪🏻

How's it going @FlamingLama? I too am having a big baby and they don't seem fazed when I mention the shoulders getting stuck.

Hope your baby is already born but if not and you’re considering a c-section I would absolutely go for it. I just had one and it was so lovely and calm 😅 baby was out so fast and the whole thing was painless.

Ask lots of questions and see what your options are if baby isn’t here yet. Do what’s right for you

At some point soon that baby will be out, and this will all be a distant memory

Keep us posted

Thanks for all the kind words. Just to update I was put on the drip at lunch time last Monday. Contractions started at about 2pm. Labour started, very controlled and manageable then all of a sudden pow, they were horrific. I thought I was going to die. My god......the pain just suddenly intensified to a completely horrendous level. I shut my eyes and pictured my kids st home because I genuinely thought I was never going to see them again. Everything from that point moved very quickly. I was desperate for an epidural but the contractions were basically back to back and I was too far gone. There is no way I would have been able to sit still for it.
Started pushing. Babys shoulder got stuck and suddenly the alarm was going off, 10 people in the room to get DS out quickly. They put me flat on my back, knees right back, someone pushing on my belly and ds arrived without any further intervention. He was very quiet when they put him on my chest and not crying so he was whisked off by drs. Apart from being a bit battered and bruised he was fine and eventually he was handed back to us. I was patched up as I had a 2nd degree tear.
Horrible horrible birth but the wee man is utterly perfect and I'm overwhelmed with my love for him. He has completed our little family.

Moral of the story, listen to mumsnetters and get the epidural when you have the drip put up. That pain was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. It was unbearable and I remember feeling so angry whilst going through it that women are just expected to deal with it. I'm very proud of myself for getting through it, not that I had any other option, I just wish it had been different and that there were pain relief options beyond an epidural if you get past the point of being able to have one.

Glad DS ok - congratulations!!

Was he a whopper in the end?

@FlamingLama

Thanks for all the kind words. Just to update I was put on the drip at lunch time last Monday. Contractions started at about 2pm. Labour started, very controlled and manageable then all of a sudden pow, they were horrific. I thought I was going to die. My god......the pain just suddenly intensified to a completely horrendous level. I shut my eyes and pictured my kids st home because I genuinely thought I was never going to see them again. Everything from that point moved very quickly. I was desperate for an epidural but the contractions were basically back to back and I was too far gone. There is no way I would have been able to sit still for it. Started pushing. Babys shoulder got stuck and suddenly the alarm was going off, 10 people in the room to get DS out quickly. They put me flat on my back, knees right back, someone pushing on my belly and ds arrived without any further intervention. He was very quiet when they put him on my chest and not crying so he was whisked off by drs. Apart from being a bit battered and bruised he was fine and eventually he was handed back to us. I was patched up as I had a 2nd degree tear. Horrible horrible birth but the wee man is utterly perfect and I'm overwhelmed with my love for him. He has completed our little family.

Moral of the story, listen to mumsnetters and get the epidural when you have the drip put up. That pain was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. It was unbearable and I remember feeling so angry whilst going through it that women are just expected to deal with it. I'm very proud of myself for getting through it, not that I had any other option, I just wish it had been different and that there were pain relief options beyond an epidural if you get past the point of being able to have one.

I know that pain and mentioned it on a thread recently regarding the worst pain of your life. That drop with no pain medication - torture. I also agree about feeling such anger afterwards. I swore at every member of staff repeatedly and they all just left the room.

Writing about the experience on here really helped me though and the important thing is your baby is here safe and well ♥️♥️

Just to offer some sympathy. Almost exactly the same thing happened to me on the drip. No pain relief. Never knew it was possible to be in that much pain and remain conscious. I was very angry too and screamed the place down with the agony and cruelty of it take care xx

Same here too. Drip without epidural is rubbish! Thought I would die (wished I would die!). Congratulations on your brilliant new baby. Take it easy and enjoy. X

I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’ve had a horrendous drip- the additional pain of a stuck shoulder must be unbearable.

You can now put this behind you and focus on the wonderful ds that you made.

Some women do need help moving on from a difficult birth. You may well not, but If that’s you further down the line don’t be afraid to ask.

Thanks again for the replies. It really helps to know I'm not alone in what I felt and massively validates all those awful feelings to know others have been through the same and felt exactly the same. The person who said about how its possible to stay conscious whilst being in so much pain has it spot on. I genuinely wanted them to knock me out and wake me when it was all over.
I have had a few nightmares since but if anything I think Dp is the one who is emotionally battered from it. He said he had to leave the room and cry in the loo because it was pure torture to watch me go through such horrendous pain knowing there was nothing he could do to make it better and basically nothing the staff could offer to stop the pain. He doesn't want any more children as a result and has said it's the best and worst thing he has ever been through.

I'm just thankful the DS arrived safely. I know if I had had an epidural then I may not have been able to push him out as quickly as I did when he got stuck so I'm holding onto that thought that it helped my beautiful boy stay safe.
He is utterly perfect and everytime I feel overwhelmed by what happens I scoop him up and hold him tight, it all melts away and theres truly nowhere else I could be in that moment.

Ds was 8lb 9 so not huge but big enough!!!

Ah bless you. Your experience sounds similar to mine. Dh was also quite traumatised by it and ended up sick in the bathroom. It really is a brutal experience. I had my first with no pain relief too but natural contractions. The difference between natural contractions and drip contractions are seriously like night and day. Some women become over stimulated on the drip hence the back to back contractions. You are totally right to try to concentrate on your baby but if you need help you should ask your GP

Wow, I’m sorry it ended that way but thank goodness you’re both ok. Congratulations 🎉

My biggest so far is 8lb 14 and this one is expected 10lb + 😩 I think I’m heading for a c section anyway .

I hope all is going well and the pain memories are starting to fade xx