Induction tonight! Some words of wisdom??

[MamaMolly]

Hi everyone,

After being diagnosed with cholestasis, I am being taken in this evening to be induced - I am 38weeks+3.
This is my second baby but my first induction and I am super anxious about the whole process. Can anyone share their experience and put my mind at rest a little?
I'm particularly nervous about pain management - the midwife explained some of it to me yesterday but I was so overwhelmed by everything I didn't really take all of it in! Did anyone use pain relief during the actual induction process before going to labour ward? For example was gas & air available for the examinations/gel etc? I know the epidural is an option for once they start the drip but just have no idea what to expect before this stage!
It's also so scary that my husband can't be with me until I'm in the labour ward - feel so emotional about being on my own for the first part!
Any advice anyone has would be much appreciated!!

Hello! I was induced 3 years ago on an induction ward. Wasn’t offered anything for the examination/putting the pessary in but did hypnobirthing breathing for it and was told to tell them if it was painful (it wasn’t). They didn’t have gas and air on the induction ward but I could have paracetamol, codeine, a bath and they offered pethidine too (didn’t have it) - I got to 8cm on the induction ward hence I know all the options! Not because the very early stages were awful - they didn’t think I’d be as far along as I was. Best of luck!

Exciting!!! Make sure you have good entertainment. My inductions took 4/5 days. So try not to get too disillusioned if nothing happens for a while, you’ll get there. Just decide about pain relief as and when you need it. You won’t need pain relief for pessary etc but if you find you do - then ask for it, they can bring some. Good luck.

Putting the pessary in and having waters broken was fine, no pain relief was required.
As for the epidural, do not delay, get it in asap.
Induced twice, both took 4 days and on both occasions I wish I had the epidural in before the pain became unmanageable.

The drip was unbearably painful for me so be prepared for an epidural!

I had an epidural before the drip began. Slept for a few hours before it was time to start pushing. Was quite chilled. Have heard the drip is extremely painful so bear that in mind

I was induced in May - I went home in between each stage which was brilliant. I had the water balloon inserted in the evening quite late, had some cramping sp stayed the first night. It was light and noisy and I got no sleep so I went home in the morning (as no further labour signs. Back that evening to have balloon removed, more cramping but went home expecting labour to start that evening. Nothing happened and they called me when there was a bed free to have water's broken. Labour started full on immediately, lasted 5 hours, had an epidural. His heart rate dropped so the used forceps at the end (5hrs later). All well and 9lbs 4! I hope you are getting on OK. I recommend getting out of there if you can!

Go with the flow largely, nothing really happened with me for about 36 hours then I had the drip and baby was born about 7 hours later.
I didn’t need pain relief until the drip, I would ask for an epidural before that stage if I did it again!

My induction was less than 24 hours, one pessary at 4pm, was told my cervix was high and hard and I’d need another one later. Was due to be monitored at 10pm, my waters broke when I stood up to have the monitor strapped to me and because of a tiny bit of meconium I was taken to the delivery room. Epidural a couple of hours later (contractions were a bugger once my waters went), and then chatted to the midwives as my husband slept until our baby arrived at 11am ish.

I think you’ll hear a lot of horror stories about pain and how long it takes, but mine was really positive. I would happily be induced again rather than go to 42 weeks (shudder). Good luck to you!

I had gas & air for examinations, I just said I find these very painful and asked for it. My labour started within hours of pessary being inserted so didn't need any more pain relief until gas & air again at the end. Good luck

They will check you first, and if they feel your cervix is ready enough they might just go straight to breaking your waters, like they did with me.

Pre labour ward for checks and stuff i wasn’t given any relief and a few other ladies who had started contractions were only offered paracetamol as pain relief, they couldn’t give anything stronger before labour ward.

I would definitely check with midwives as it might be different for you.

I had a very positive induction experience, and was so worried after reading all the horror stories here but honestly it was a lot more relaxed and controlled than my first labour.

I didn’t need a drip so can’t comment on needing pain relief for that, but i was ready to have it if it got to that stage.

overall my induction process was 6 hours from water breaking to birth.

If you are able then i would definitely suggest to walk as much as possible to get things going naturally rather than hopefully needing a drip and using a pregnancy ball, it really helped ease contraction pains for me and got thinhs going quickly.

Best of luck, and hope everything goes well for you 😊

Just to agree with posters - pessary is fine and hopefully will get you going.
If you are in the relatively early stages of dilation and they put you on the drip - ask for an epidural! Or at least have it as an option. If you’re very near the end you might not need one. I definitely did, drip was very painful for me. Good luck!!

Get an epidural before the drip goes anywhere near you. You don’t need to be in pain so don’t accept it.

I’ve had gel, pessary and drip induction, no epidural with any. Two were at 39 weeks one at 41. None of them ended in assisted delivery or a section but the active labour was fast for all

The drip is more painful if they administer too much too quickly I found. The contractions were constant and I was using so much gas and air I kept being sick. . The drip induction was the only one they broke my waters with first.

If you think you want sone more pain relief then gas and air tell them early on you are considering an epidural as if they’re busy and you suddenly get to 4cms snd want one it might not be a priority. Also epidurals do carry increased risks of assisted delivery and sections as the link between your body and the contractions sometimes needs encouragement. You do what you think is best for you.
Even with a monitor on my daughter’s head and the drip cannula and paraphernalia I was mobile until the pushing stage which only lasted a few minutes. I was walking around and leaning in the bed, on the ball and the midwife gave me a lot of back rubs. This did all help with the pain and I had the gas and air.

Good luck !

You ladies are amazing! Thank you all SO much for sharing your stories with me! I'll definitely take on board all your advice - especially about the epidural before the drip!! With my first delivery I ended up with forceps and a massive PPH so they're monitoring me carefully for that this time - but fingers crossed this time it won't be quite so traumatic! Maybe this is why I'm anxious to try to keep things as pain free as possible this time as previously I had a lot of tearing/cutting and this baby is bigger than the first (pray for my lady bits haha!) it's such an exciting time but equally - terrifying!!

Good luck @MamaMolly so exciting

@Sleepyquest thanks so much!

How are you @MamaMolly