Pessary-only induction

[Wouldloveanother]

found out last week I’m pregnant with number 2. I will be induced at 37/38 weeks like with my last pregnancy. Does anyone know the odds of being induced with just pessaries second time around? Hoping to avoid needing the evil drip again…
thanks x

Depends if the pessary works tbh but if it helps, it did for me after drip first time. Also 8h start to finish instead of 21h with first baby x

I was booked in for induction with my second due to gestational diabetes. The consultant said that often they will just break your waters second time around to get things moving as it’s generally much quicker. I went into labour naturally before my induction and had a lovely quick birth with no intervention at 37+5 (first birth was horrendous). Good luck!

I've had gels both times at 37 weeks. It was far more effective at causing dilation second time around. I got to 2cm on a single gel compared to 1cm on two gels. However I didn't go into labour either time until the drip went up.

My consultant would like to induce me at 39+5 because of a blood disorder I have. This is because of needing blood on standby that is only available for 48 hours, so it’ll be a ‘controlled’ induction. My baby is also on the bigger side.
She has said they will only try the pessary and if that hasn’t worked after 24hours I’ll need a c section.

But my worry is needing intervention during labour and ending up in an emergency c section.
Am I better just opting for a planned c section?

I was induced at 37 w 5 days with DD who was my 1st baby. Pessary inserted, waited 24 hrs, nothing much seemed to be happening but when they checked I was dilated enough to break waters. From there everything went into super speed and DD was born 4 and a half hrs later.

I was induced at 37+4 back in January as I had obstetric cholestasis. On day 1 I had a 24 hour pessary put in and on day 2 I reached 2cm dilated so I had a 12 hour pessary put in. Within 10 minutes waters broke, contractions started 3 hours later and baby born 4 hours after that. No need for the evil drip thank goodness. A midwife told me that I’m more likely to have the same response to pessaries in a second birth. Fingers crossed as I’m likely to need an induction again. Not sure how factual that information is but it makes me feel better.

My first pessary induction was not fun.

The second also by pessary was excellent. I was induced at 37w1 second time.

Within 10 hours i slowly had cramps. By hour 11 I went from 2cm to 7cm dilated into active labour and delivered not too long after.

Combination of pessary and sweeps and bouncing on the ball set me off, first timer but I was 39 weeks. My waters broke on their own after about 8 hours.

I had induction with pessary only

Pessary in 1130pm, contractions started at 3am. Baby born 6:20pm. So quick for an induction.

My interventions were that they had to remove the pessary as it over stimulated me and it was awful. Far too many examinations too which were again awful. They then broke my waters - I thought my first birth was traumatic and awful as wasn't examined/monitored - this time round WAS examined and monitored and found it worse !

Had epidural (failed and didn't work) as didn't want to have no pain relief again after first time labour - so had 'early epidural'

But my experience wasn't great as the epidural didn't work (something I didn't consider but it can affect 1 in something thousand 🙄) sure it would have been different if i had pain relief as had painful contractions for 15hrs so was knackered by pushing time

Her heart rate was dipping and pushed for 1hr so had to have forceps and episiotomy

Throughout my labour I was thinking I wish I went for a c section and my healing now has been hard (but also had a 2 litre PPH) so that's contributed but I'm still sore 5.5wks PP
However it's not to say if I did opt for c section that would have been plain sailing

Didn't want to sugar coat, just wanted to answer your question so you could make the best option for you

If I read my post before when I was deciding I probably would have chosen c section

X

I’ve had two inductions and never needed the drip. The first time I had my baby within 5 hours of the pessary being inserted but I was 10 days overdue. The second induction I was 38+6 and I had a pessary inserted for 24hours and then two lots of gel, went into labour about 12 hours after the last gel. I did also have a sweep along with both gels and spent the entire time on the gym ball.

My second induction was pessary only. It was inserted about 2pm one day, and I woke up in active labour about 6am the next morning, baby was born by 10am with just gas and air. It was awesome.