Contractions started but no dilation

[Emtaboo]

Hi
Has anyone else come across this? I’ve been induced today and was having regular but painless contractions before the pessary. Now four hours later they’re getting more painful. I’m slightly concerned that the midwife said I wasn’t dilated at all before the pessary (but my cervix is soft) although I was having regular contractions. I thought they’d say I was a couple of centimetres at least. I’m worried this may be a longer process than I’d hoped ☹️

It's been a long time since I had my babies, but can you walk about a bit or try to relax on all fours, maybe with a bum waggle when the pain comes on?
I had strong pain as soon as my waters broke, but my cervix was hardly dilated. This labour won't follow any pattern, long or short, so try to make yourself as comfortable as possible.
A bath is nice too.

I feel like the midwives should’ve given you better advice that it might take a week. There’s a good video here that helped me:

Hi @SweetBabyCheeses99, I was told that this process may take up to 5 days but I suppose seeing as I’ve started having contractions already it was wishful thinking that things would have been a tiny bit of progress already ☹️

If you've had a pessary and are now having stronger contractions that's a good sign- please keep a close eye on pain levels, timings etc. I had my pessary removed and the 'antidote' given this time around, was declared not dilated when they took it out (it was causing hyperstimulation and distress). Well about three hours later my waters went and I was 6cm, an hour after that I had baby in arms! So things can happen quickly even though as PP said it can be ages (my first induction was three days to get to 2cm).

They didn't believe me when I said my pain wasn't being managed by paracetamol and TENs any more because it was such a short time since I'd last been examined and wasn't showing any signs. My waters going changed their view (and mine) somewhat!

Sorry to hear this. I had a similar experience with my induction (I gave birth in the end last Friday) and from my experience on the ward this is quite common place.

I wish there was more information out there given by consultants / midwives before commencing inductions.

My experience was, I was admitted on the Friday prior to having my baby. I then started with my first pessary for 36 hours and then after a 12 hour break another 24 hour pessary. During the first pessary I had tightenings and when the second pessary was inserted / I had a second sweep I was having regular contractions every 10 mins and lost my mucus plug. I thought I was on my way but as soon as the pessary was removed everything stalled to nothing more than a period pain. I’m a FTM.

Apparently this common in around 50% of cases and the ward was full of people like me. The job of the pessary was to soften the cervix and dilate enough just so they could manually break my waters and start the hormone drip. Often the pessarys can start labour and waters break on subsequent pregnancies.

I was then held on the ward for 3 days along with other ladies for 3 days until a bed in the labour ward became available.

Hopefully your body carries on the process and your labour progresses!