Induction stories please??

[ThirdTimeLucky27]

I have just seen my consultant this morning who has recommend a sweep at 38 weeks followed by an induction at 39 weeks, due to a few ongoing issues.

The consultant has said as I’ve laboured well twice previously an induction should be straight forward for me.

I am very interested to hear others experiences? Anything I should know or be prepared for?

Thanks in advance for any replies x

I was induced. Pessary on the Saturday, contractions all day then stopped. Pessary on the Sunday, contractions all day then stopped. Monday I had ANOTHER pessary, this time I was contracting all day and I lost my plug. Tuesday morning I finally had my waters broken. Full in agonising contractions within minutes. My son was born around 8 that evening, after a traumatic experience with an epidural, forceps delivery, a 3rd degree episiotomy and losing a shit load of blood.

I was induced with second as of reduced movements (I was also over due at the time). I was already 3cm when I went in and machine was picking up on strong contractions (but didn't feel them, which amused the midwives no end "You sure you aren't feeling they, it's off the paper?" Erm nope!)

Waters broken and slight contractions, waited 3hrs and they put me on the drip and it all kicked off. Strong non stop contractions and gas and air. Midwife asked my friend when she thought baby would be here... She said before midnight and midwife said no...

Shortly after friend was calling for midwife as I couldn't stop my body pushing. Had to rush me into the bed and baby was born less than 2hrs after the drip. Each midwife was "well that was fast!"

I lost a lot of blood with first and it was planned I would have a drip after birth to help with this. Worked well and put on ward... only thing that did worry me was with my first wee after, I passed a massive clot that filled the cardboard thing they gave me to go in. Nurse didn't batter an eyelid, so take it was where I had had that drip after birth.

i was induced at 41+5 as I never went into labour. Ended up with EMCS. This was my first though so i’d imagine you’d progress a lot more.

HOWEVER - there was a recent thread on here with a lot of women talking about how they were induced and then left in limbo and pain because there were no beds or staff to take them down to delivery suite. This also happened to me and is the main reason i ended up with a section. I would just ask your consultant their views on this and whay you should do if you find yourself in this situation, so you can be prepared.

I had a pretty positive induction with my second. I was induced at 39 + 1 as some of my waters had gone and they thought there was a trace of meconium in it.

I'd had a really quick and uncomplicated water birth with my first and the midwife really tried to buy me some time to go into labour naturally. So Initially, the rest of my waters were broken in the hope it would kick start labour within the next couple of hours. It didn't. So I went straight onto the drip at about 1pm. Nothing really happened for the first couple of hours and then the contractions started to kick in. Because of the drip, I had to have continuous monitoring but I'd spoken with the midwives and said I knew my body and that beyond a certain point I just wouldn't be able to lay on the bed and that I wanted to be able to get up/move. They were amazing and got me a birthing ball and I spent a good few hours just bouncing on the ball leaning on the bed watching Netflix on my husband's iPad.

I was told I would be checked at 7:30 to see how I was progressing. By this point, my contractions were getting very very intense and I was convinced I was now in active labour. I was completely gutted to be told I was 4cm and fearful that I still had hours of this left but the midwife said, based on my history, she was confident my baby would be here before midnight. When she left the room, was the first time I felt really panicked. I told my husband if the contractions stayed like this I'd need an epidural (i'd just had gas and air at this point which was my preference). I know now I was definitely in transition at this point because 45minutes later I literally jumped off the birthing ball with the urge to push and I gave both to my daughter 4minutes later, standing up.

It wasn't the second calm water birth I was on track for. It was intense and quick and I have always wondered if I may have reacted to the pain differently had it been my first labour. But I consider my second birth to have been pretty positive.

I'd gone from 4 cm to a baby in 90 minutes with only 30minutes of pushing with my first child so I was pretty concerned I would labour too quickly to make it the hospital in time, anyway.

I was induced with DD2 at 37 weeks after my waters broke (leaked, really) at 34 weeks. DD1 had been born vaginally at home at 40 weeks, after a 24 hour labour.

It was absolutely fine. I was checked when I went in and wasn't dilated at all. If your waters have broken they don't do the pessary they give one dose of the internal gel, and if that doesn't work then 6 hours later they move on to the drip.
The gel kicked things off immediately, literally within a couple of minutes, and a few hours later I was moved to the labour ward. At this point my contractions were very similar to with DD1, started slow and built up etc. they weren't more painful. After about 7 hours they broke the rest of my waters (there were still some in front of DD's head) and she was born a couple of hours after that.

For various reasons I won't go in to, I didn't have any pain relief for either birth and I think they were very similar in terms of how the contractions ramped up, and the pain level overall. Because if things I'd read, I had decided beforehand though that if I needed the drip, I'd refuse it unless I had an epidural in first - not just promised, but actually in. Thankfully I didn't need it.

I was induced with my 2nd at 38weeks due to baby measuring small. I got the first pessary around 8/9pm. It didn't seem to do anything so they gave me a second 1/2am.My waters broke around 5am and baby arrived just before 7am. Labour was fast and intense but absolutely fine. I'd heard so many horror stories of induction that I was pleasantly surprised how it all went.

39 weeks pregnant with my first full term baby.. (prev baby loss) starting to talk with my consultant about being induced/waiting for nature to take it’s course.
Hit me with your birth stories! Induction/spontaneous birth/c section!

Thank you all for taking the time to reply, really nice to hear some positive experiences! I think most people of given the choice would rather go into labour naturally with plenty of time to get the medical care they need, unfortunately it doesn’t always happen that way.. Looks like our little princess just might be here in time for Christmas 😬♥️

How are you @ThirdTimeLucky27?

I'm okay, thank you for asking. Been up for monitoring today.. Blood pressure is right on the borderline. Have to go back of Friday to be monitored again, might aswell set up camp at the hospital now I think

Ah I hope it plays ball! I know that feeling of the BP causing trouble 🙈 Hope you are ok 😊

I had an induction at 37 weeks after my waters broke but I failed to go into labor spontaneously. I really wasn’t keen on an induction having read about how intense contractions could be on the drip, but overall I would describe it as a positive experience.

From the drip starting to delivery was about 4 hours and I had gas and air plus a shot of diamorphine- and although it was quite intense, I appreciated it all being fairly quick.

All the best for the safe arrival of your little one!

Hiya, after getting an abnormal result on a growth scan (foetus had apparently jumped from 40th to 88th percentile) we were offered induction and decided to take it to avoid possible complications in delivery/c section etc. Induced at 39+3 I found the whole process quite straightforward and positive. Was checked in Thursday morning to a shared ward and after a quick scan and exam showed I was 1cm dilated was given a pessary. Was slightly uncomfortable but nothing too bad, had some very light cramping. After 24 hours the pessary was removed and I was given a gel. Only needed the lesser strength. I was dilated enough for them to break my waters by Friday evening but there were no beds available on the labour ward so I had to wait until early Sat morning.

After I was transferred to the labour ward and a private room my waters were broken at 6am Sat by the midwives and I immediately started having strong, painful contractions. They initially said I may feel some period like cramping and slowly things would ramp up...nope! I decided on having an epidural after a few hours of being in absolute agony as the pain for me was unbearable. Had tried gas and air and pethidine which did nothing. I was initially so scared to have one (needlephobic) but the midwives and anesthetist were amazing and I didnt feel a thing apart from 2 or 3 scratches on my lower back.

Labour after that was a breeze I was ready to push by Saturday evening but was only having 1 or 2 contractions in 10 despite being fully dilated. I was given oxytocin to speed up contractions but again my body reacted to an extreme and started having back to back contractions which stopped the baby's heart. That was the scary part had about 6 or 7 people rush in the room I was told that I needed to deliver immediately and was offered an assisted delivery with forceps and episiotomy or emergency c section. I was told that a c section at full dilation came with more risk so opted for forceps. Baby came out after two pushes and I didn't feel a thing thanks to the epidural and gas and air. All over by 1am Sunday morning although we were kept in the post natal ward for observation and went home Sunday night.

So the whole induction process for me took about 4 days. Takeaway, it was a positive experience despite the complications but if you're inducing for a big baby like us just be aware ours came out 7b9oz at the 55th percentile rolls eyes so didn't actually need it. But better safe than sorry I guess :)

Thank you all so much! Just had my first examination, I am 2-3cm dilated already 🙄 No need for any hormones, they're going straight to breaking my waters!

Good luck @ThirdTimeLucky27

@ThirdTimeLucky27 this is what happened to me with my third too! Good luck - we can't wait to hear about it. My waters were popped and it was very insignificant and sadly Labour didn't start right away but once it started he arrived in around 90mins!

Hope it all went well @ThirdTimeLucky27 ❤

Thanks all.. Baby girl was born at 1.07am on the 8th December. Had waters broken around 4pm. Contractions started around 11.30pm whilst waiting to be put on the drip. I'd asked for an epidural before the drip but the doctors were called away for an emergency c section. Doctors came in again around 1am to do the epidural, by that point contractions were intense. They got me all prepped and even had the needle in my back, as I announced it's too late she's about to be born 🙄 They helped me onto my back and with one push she was there. It was intense but overall very positive ♥️

Aw congratulations @ThirdTimeLucky27.

We ended up with a tiny Santa hat from something given out on the ward with our December baby - still goes on the tree every year

Congratulations 🎉

I had a very positive birth with baby #2 following an induction. Was induced as growth scans up & down & had another medical need. They originally wanted to induce me a week earlier but I said no, I wanted to get to at least week 38, which we did.

I asked for a ‘gentle’ induction. I didn’t want it rushed or to be put on syntocinon (which I had with dd 1 and it was horrible)
I was induced Mon lunchtime & was home with baby dc Weds morning.

The active labour & birth were amazing! Waters broke and contractions got stronger, 3 hours later I was holding dc in my arms.
Gas & air for pain relief and we were all home together as a family of 4, 7 hours later.
I had quite a traumatic birth with Dc #1 so I felt very empowered this time around.