Balloon Induction

[emma1103]

Can anyone tell me more about this?

My midwife mentioned my hospital has been doing this the past few weeks and it's been working very well. I'd like to know a bit more without going down a Google spiral.

I don't know much as I had the pessaries in 2019 but my sister had a balloon induction with her second last year and it worked really well. She said she much preferred the balloon to the pessaries which she had with her first.

Sorry not helpful but a lot of trusts have now changed to balloon inductions. I think they have a higher success rate for inductions but not 100% on that.

I had one after 2 days of pessaries. My experience was good - I honestly didn’t feel a thing when it was inserted (they gave me gas and air, so ask for that). It got me dilated enough to pop the waters within about 12 hours. I was a first time mum and 37 weeks. Good luck!

I really wanted a balloon induction but my hospital didn’t offer it. They put a balloon the shape of a capital i into your cervix and inflate it, then leave it to hopefully get you dilating.

Thank you everyone. This will be my 3rd labour. My first, i was induced with pessary and it took 41 hours. My second was when my son was stillborn, and again pessary. In total it took 40 hours. After about 35 I had to beg them to break my waters. So my experiences with pessary have not been good.

Definitely open to the balloon induction as I would like my experience to be totally different to last time.

Any more balloon induction stories are welcome!

I'm interested to read more too as it's the option for an induced VBAC, which might end up being the case soon.

If I do end up having one in the next couple of weeks I'll report back!

I'm very sorry about your son I hope that whatever method of birth you have it is a positive and healing one for you

Happy to answer any questions @addler !

I'm so sorry about your son. This happened to my second as well (my first was also overdue and induced). Because of it I was asked if I wanted a c section at 37 weeks for my third. Is that an option that your consultant has given you?

I had a balloon induction last week. Had a sweep first which she said I was already 1cm dilated and the fitted the balloon- it's uncomfortable but not painful. Midwife wasn't convinced it would stay in for very long due to the condition of my cervix but was sent home with her think It wouldn't last the journey home!

Balloon stayed in for about 5 hours and came out after I'd walked the dogs and had a wee. Went in the next day for the drip and was 2cm dilated.

With the drip I went from 2cm to 5cm in the first 6 hours and then 5cm to fully dilated in the following 6 hours.

I had it this month and it was not as easy as they make out.
I had a pessary induction with the 6 hour pessaries with dc1 in 2004 and that was much better.

I had a sweep a few days before induction and I was 1cm with an anterior cervix. When I went for induction I was still 1cm with a posterior cervix which made it difficult to fit the balloon.
I had to put my legs in stirrups while the midwife pulled my cervix forward in order to get the balloon in. It was fucking painful, they gave me gas and air while it was being done.
Once it was in I was getting frequent period type pains which I took paracetamol for and the pains settled. The balloon was fitted at 9pm and then fell out when I went for a wee at 8am as I had dilated to 3cm. I then had to wait until 3pm for a bed on labour ward to have my waters broken.
Waters broke at 15.45. Nothing happened except babies heart rate was racing so they put up fluids to get it to settle.
Contraction dripwas put up at 8pm ish. They kept cranking it up. It was really painful, I had gas and air and then pethidine. They put it up too much so I was contracting 6 in 10 so they turned it down again. At this point I was only 5cm and in agony so asked for an epidural. Within 10-15 minutes of this I could feel babies head and needed to push. She was out in 4 pushes at 15 minutes past midnight. I didn't get the epidural.

With dc1 and the pessary I didn't need the drip. The first pessary was put in at 9am on the Monday. Waters broken at 8am on the Tuesday and baby born at 11am, however I was pushing for an hour.

I had to stay in hospital for both of my inductions as one was for choleastasis and the other for static growth so both babies needed monitoring throughout.

I refused the balloon induction as the examination was bad enough I didn't want them messing around with me anymore, and to be honest I'd not heard good things. When a midwife said to me if you're dilated enough for the balloon you may be dilated enough for them to break waters then I decided to just go for that.

They gave me pethidine before this as I was in agony after the pessary. This was second baby.

My advice would be to see how you feel at the time and if you say yes to anything you can change your mind at ANY time. My lovely midwife reminded me of that several times during the process. Good luck.

I had a balloon induction with my first baby and had a really positive experience. It was a bit uncomfortable being inserted but nothing too bad, gas and air was given which helped. I had the balloon at around 2pm and was 1cm and it fell out at 11pm that night when I was 3cm. I felt no pain just a lot of pressure. My waters were broken and drip started at 00:30 and I had a very quick normal delivery 2 hours later! I was given the option of both and whilst I don’t know what would have happened if I had the pessary, I’m glad I had the balloon. Good luck with everything

@emma1103 I've started my balloon induction today if you'd like some real time updates.

It was uncomfortable putting it in but the gas and air really helped (a bit too much!) and it was nowhere near as bad as I was worried about.

There's a lot of pressure for me when I sit and walk around, and I have a lot of period type pain in my back. I had it put in about 3 hours ago and just had some paracetamol.

Ooooh are we about to have a sort of live birth thread! ♥️ best of luck @addler !! Have you got a ball to bounce on?

I haven't actually! I've just moved down to the antenatal ward so just have a bed. But I'm in my own room at least

Oh that’s lovely! I’m being induced in March and would love my own room. Last time I was in a bay of 6 and it was so noisy! What’s the plan, balloon out after 12 hours(?) then drip?

Well they took the balloon out after 24 hours and I'm only 1cm dilated and while my cervix is soft it's still quite far back and they're not able to break my waters yet

I was having really strong pains every 20 minutes throughout the night and had a bloody show so I really thought I would be further along than I am.

They're going to hand over to the night team and then the consultant will come and talk to me. I'm hoping they can reassess in the morning and maybe I'll have dilated further so can avoid another c section, but the hope is fading. I wish I was home so could go on my ball or climb the stairs etc!

Awww that’s a pain, are there any stairs there you can climb? I remember having the same experience but they said to me that 1cm was fine to break the waters, which they did. The contractions hurt though - they were as bad during induction as they were when I was about 4-5cm dilated. Hope you’re getting some sleep!

Addler how are you? Shamelessly looking for a newborn update 😊 hope it went okay!

Been waiting all day to go up to the labour ward to have my waters broken by the doctor! Doesn't look like it's going to happen now it's so late. I've been here two days and feel like nothing's really changed

How annoying! I also waited days in tears for a space on labour ward, it’s a hellish wait. Hope you get some sleep and a space frees up soon!