Your experience with inductions?

[shannonl26]

So due to my asthma getting alot worse during pregnancy, I’ve got a meeting with my consultant on the 5th when I’ll be 38+4 to discuss induction date. All I’ve seen lately are horror stories & being told to reject an induction. Now obviously due to medical reasons I don’t want to reject, so thought I’d ask for peoples experiences?

What even is the process? Would they attempt a sweep first? Is sweep the same as induction? I’m a FTM & absolutely clueless & google can be rather scary.

I had one for DC2 and all went well, and having one scheduled for our next too and not worried . I’m grateful as usually when they suggest it it’s a safer option , my consultant said wouldn’t choose to medicalise a birth unless for a good reason .
I can’t remember much other than a pessary I think, and a midwife breaking my waters I think. Baby was born within a few hours

Induced with both my DC. IMO they are both positive experiences. First was a vaginal birth, second was emergency C-section. But only because baby was badly positioned and got stuck. No way to predict it would happen before induction started. I consider it positive, as the labour itself was good, and the C-section itself was calm and quick.

Basic process of induction is to first of all open your cervix to be able to break your waters. If your cervix isn't open, there's a variety of methods that can be used to open it up. Pessaries, gels, balloon catheter, dilapan rods are all options. The midwife performing the vaginal examination will let you know which method your trust offers will be best for you. If it is open enough, you might be offered a stretch and sweep to see if that gets things going on their own.

Next up is to break your waters. This is where there may be a wait. There needs to be staff and bed availability for you on your labour ward first. Sometimes waters breaking can happen on its own, but usually it's done artificially with a long hook. Sounds scary, but it isn't so bad. It can be uncomfortable, but you'll be offered pain relief.

Once waters are gone, either labour starts on its own, or the drip is used to stimulate contractions. And that's pretty much all there is to it. Good luck with everything @shannonl26!

I had a pessary and was bored out of my mind! 🤣

24 hours later I really needed to poop… nope it was baby and i was 4cm dilated. They were going to break my waters but they broke naturally, 5 hours later out he popped.

Labour can be more intense with induction but they regularly monitor you and baby to make sure you’re ok.

It can take up to 3 days so don’t go in expecting baby to be born straight away.

I was induced for DD as I developed pre-eclamlsia.
It wasnt a negative experience, but not the birth I was hoping for.

Midwife gave me several different options.
Rods to stretch your cervix so they can manually break your waters. A hormone pessary to 'ripen', or thin your cervix and start the process of labour.
A gel but i couldnt tell you what this was for and the hormone drip which she said would be used once the waters have broken to 'establish labour'.

I opted for the pessary and was advised that it could take up to 3 days. One pessary lasts for 24 hours, at this stage a new one is inserted and they monitor for progression and once dilated enough, they would pop your waters then start the drip.

My induction didnt follow that plan (apparently because pre-eclampsia can cause labour to be quicker than average).
They inserted the pessary which is a bit like a tampon and told me they wouldnt be back until the morning (this was 1.30am).
By 6am I had mild period cramps but thought nothing of it.
By 7am I had contractions that were back to back with not let up between. Midwife thought I was being dramatic.
At 7.30am I felt a pop and my waters broke.
Midwife offered me paracetamol as didnt think I was having proper contractions until I begged to be examined and I was already very dilated.
I was rushed to delivery where baby was born less than an hour later. My entire labour was less than 2 hours.

From a first time mums perspective, things went as well as they could. It wasnt the birth I wanted but baby was born healthy.
I had some medical complications but that was aside from the induction.

When I was told I had to be induced there and then my whole world fell apart. I was scared and not prepared for being a mum.
But it really was ok.
Make sure you speak to your midwife to get options and understand what is happening.
Listen to your body as well. If I hadnt have asked to be examined I would have ended up giving birth on the induction ward i think!
Although its your first baby, your body will tell you what to do, just go with it.
Good luck

I had my waters broken and delivered 11 mins later . Very easy … positive experience.
Good luck OP

I was induced for DS because they were unsure of his growth rate (all was fine, just down to being measured wrong).
I got the pessary - was a bit uncomfortable going in, but was up & walking after a bit. More uncomfortable was the midwife sticking her hand up there to see what was happening.
My waters broke naturally a few hours later whilst out walking the grounds - felt like I'd wet myself.
Contractions started soon after. Had gas & air to start & some Diamorphine.
A few hours later still not much progress. Midwife checked dilation & DS had, helpfully, decided he wasn't ready to come out, had gone back up the birth channel & was lying oblique
Dr had to come & do an ultrasound & told me being as I'd lost all my waters it wasn't safe to wait & id need a csection.
I was terrified but glad it was going to over quickly (I'd had a very traumatic vaginal birth with DD).
The csection was fine, calm & quick & pain free. Recovery for me was better & quickly than that with DD. And DS came out just over 8lbs - much less than their predicted 10lbs+!
So with hindsight I might have refused the induction & let nature takes it course, the induction wasn't bad & the csection was great.

I had two just with pessary. 39+1 First one I’m not sure if they believed me as kept on ward for ages. They broke my waters and I had a ten minute second stage.

Second was twins induced 35+6, I had an epidural, broke waters was all fine.

I think the thing to remember is it’s the horror stories that get repeated.

I had inductions for both of mine. They broke my waters and I had the pessary. Both born within four hours , no problems. Short and sweet. Don't be swayed by "horror stories", most inductions go well. You only hear about the bad ones because people talk about them more. Best wishes !

I was recently induced with my second due to first being big baby. Was 38 weeks had balloon, that came out 8 hours later. Then the following day had waters broken and place on drip. My son was born 3 hours after drip was given. I didn't have a negative experience at all was very straight forward. Good luck!

I've had 1 induction and 1 almost induction but he came naturally at the very last minute. I think it depends on how urgently your baby needs to be born and how ready your baby is to come out. My almost induction baby was 2 days after due date and was so ready that I went into labour while waiting for a bed on labour ward. By the time I had a bed I was 5cm dilated and progressing well so I asked the midwife to hold off on the drip for a couple of hours. 2 hours later I was pushing. With my 5th baby he was only 36+5 and I ended up with a c-section after only 4 hours because I wasn't progressing fast enough (I was 5cm dilated). He was never going to come out that quickly and with hindsight I should have just asked for a c-section. I think if you are prepared for long waits then it's usually fine.

I was induced at 41 weeks as I'd fallen down the stairs at 19+6 weeks and hurt my back so couldn't physically cope going longer that 41 weeks. I'd had 2 failed stretch and sweeps. I found it quite boring but the process was easy, the midwife talked me through how the day would begin and what would happen if I didn't get to a certain stage. I was monitored on the baby monitor and delivered in just over 24 hours after the pecessary was inserted.

It was just boring as you're not allowed to leave the hospital grounds so I was in a city centre so would have loved to go for a short walk to speed it up a bit.

Oh forgot to add,

We got there at 9am on the Sunday. Pessary inserted within the hour, some initial check and monitoring as I'd had to take codeine up to a month before my due date for my back so they checked baby on the monitor.

We had takeout in the evening around 6ish and I was throwing up throughout (good old hyperemesis).

When 1st midwife handed over at 7.30pm and new midwife began they had to do foetal monitor again and told me I was having contractions and were surprised it wasn't bothering me.

About 8.30pm I'd said to exH he may as well leave as I was only 3cm. He fell asleep I felt the need to bounce on the birthing ball and I felt 2 pops (like the popping noise of a balloon). Rushed for a wee, called for the midwife and the Health assistant came. The popping was waters well and truly broken.

10pm had pethidine, best sleep ever!

Early morning had pain killers and around 7.30/8am had more pethidine. 9cm no space on labour ward, very cranky me.

Managed to finally get on labour ward about 8.45am and just as I was ready to fall asleep midwife told me I had to push. DD was born 9.17am, and has never let me sleep since 😅

Thank you all for your replies! I appreciate them :)