Cooks Balloon for VBAC (40weeks)

[MrsHopeful88]

Hi there,

I’ve mentioned at my 40week appointment that I had a change in movements and after doing a scan (which was fine) they said the baby is better outside than inside so they recommended a cooks balloon induction. Given that I had a c-section with my first one, that’s my only option.
They’ve tried to check me and offered a sweep but couldn’t do it because of the pain I experienced so clearly I’m not ready yet.
Does anybody have experience with a cooks balloon induction with a closed cervix? Did it hurt? Did it help to start labour?

Thank you!

I had a Foley balloon fitted as the first stage of induction 10 days ago. I won’t lie - as my cervix was posterior and closed I found it VERY uncomfortable to be fitted. Ask for the gas & air from the beginning; that made it bearable.

My induction still ended up taking 4 days & resulted in an emergency c-section. The balloon dilated me to 1cm after 24h & I lost my mucous plug. The doctors were keen to push things along so moved me on to Propess (which caused hyperstimulation & all hell broke loose) but I think that if I’d been left alone I would have still progressed, albeit far more slowly.

Thank you!
How far along were you? Did you try for a vbac or was it your first birth?

First baby & I was induced at 40+4 (baby not actually born until 41 weeks though).