Straight to IV drip induction?

[pixieeyes]

Hi all,
Has anyone had/is it possible to opt to go straight for the IV hormone drip for induction, rather than trying all/any of the other methods that potentially may not work?
Being advised induction but I don't like the idea of having lots of procedures, waiting hours/days on a ward, only to potentially end up with the IV drip.
Thinking I'd also opt to have an epidural placed before the drip is started.

Any previous experienced/thoughts much appreciated! Thank you x

After a long drawn out induction with first, with second I refused the drip as after going through notes, research on my situation it caused complications.

I ended up with a Foley Catheter induction with second, no hormones involved.

If your cervix is open enough, and/or your waters have gone perhaps.

However, I believe you need to have at least some cervical dilation and effacement before starting the drip. The drip causes contractions, but won't cause your cervix to dilate. And with waters intact, baby's head won't be impacting the cervix effectively either. Further lessening the impact of the drip.

Much as it sucks, if you need the cervical ripening methods first, they need to happen. Or have a C-section. Or wait further.

Unfortunately that's not how induction works. I only had the drip, but was not booked in for an induction, my waters broke prematurely before contractions. Days in the ward is the reality of a booked induction for many. I saw a nice flow chart in the antenatal class. Each step of induction explained, each step, could trigger a natural labour process, if not move onto the next stage, iv drip being the last. It can cause baby distress due to strong contractions so your body needs to be ready. The IV drip is not a magical get baby out, that's a c section (which is nothing the easy option)

Thank you all, I actually hadn't fully realised this but it makes sense now.
I have just heard/read that the sweep, balloon and pessary methods may not work at all, and can be very uncomfortable/painful. I think of them I'd try the pessary if must- is that an option, starting with pessary, having waters broken. and then going onto drip (if the passage has worked?)

*pessary

I'll see if I can find the flow chart. I know the sweep is not proper induction, an easy outpatient method, which has dubious research showing it's effectiveness.

I’d skip the sweep and just go for the pessary (which worked in my case). I’ve also had IV. Unfortunately giving birth can does sometimes take a few days. Take some magazines and your favourite snacks for the easy bits and then focus on meeting your baby if you can to keep in the right frame of mind. Take all the painkillers you want to, induction is painful. Good luck. It’s worth it all

I had a balloon, pessary, iv and my waters broken and it still didn't work

I had the pessary in for 24 hours, then waters were ready to be broken but had to wait 2.5 days for a bed in the delivery suite, then had the drip soon after waters were broken. Needed forceps in the end, perhaps because I had an epidural.

I had my DC 30+ years ago, so things may be different now. On both occasions the induction was planned . I'd had a sweep the day before , and then went into hospital the next day. Cervix was about 5cm dilated by then. I had waters broken in the morning , then the IV induction. On both occasions I went straight into hard labour, and had the babies within 4-6 hours with no problems.

Tbh, my own experiences with induction has been that any excess length of time has been down to waiting for a bed on delivery suite, rather than the induction not working.

With my first I had gel pessaries (standard for my trust at the time), then was taken down overnight for ARM. As, at no point, did contractions start on their own, I then had the drip.

With my second, I again had the gel pessary, but this time because baby was too high for the balloon catheter. That sole gel got me to 2cm (minimum wanted for ARM), so no further ripening was required. But I then had to wait for 4 days for a bed to become available on delivery suite for the ARM portion (baby was still stationed high, so needed a managed ARM). No contractions again, so had the drip again.

If it helps, while the insertion of the gels wasn't the most pleasant of sensations; other than a couple of painful cramps (not sure if they were contractions) I was completely pain free and comfortable for my entire stay on the antenatal ward. It was frustrating having to wait though. I kept myself occupied having walks, reading, watching TV and just plain relaxing as best I could.

I wasn't dilated but my waters broke before any contractions, the midwife then broke what was left of them (she said the hind waters??) and I was put on the drip. I was straight into my own delivery room included a night when I had no drip as I declined initially, but after a few hours of the drip being increased contractions came with very little break and I was struggling. after 6 hours of 3-4 contractions within each 10 mins I was only 2-3cm! I accepted an epidural shortly after (I was worried the drip plus epidural would increase chances of intervention) and went to fully dilated within 3 hours and baby born after a very short pushing phase and I had a fast recovery. so overall positive but the drip did shock me! Best of luck

You can refuse the sweep- I did. I had the pessary both types I was induced but it took two to get the first induction going (36 hours in roughly) and the pessary didn't do anything for 6-7 hours with the second after my waters broke so they put the drip in.

Things went quite fast with the drip in and it was more painful. I also only had time for one chance at the epidural which failed and I had to go through childbirth naturally.

So overall I prefer my first more leisurely induction personally. It felt more controlled and therefore calmer.

The IV isn't an alternative to the pessary, it's the second stage in the process.

The aim of the first stage (pessary, gel etc) is to get your cervix dilated enough to be able to get a hook in to break the membranes. They aren't trying to get you in labour in that stage - the pessary hasn't failed if you don't have your baby after it. Some women do go into labour after the first stage, but that's a side effect of fiddling with a cervix, rather than the aim.

Once the pessary has done its job and got you dilated then the next stage is breaking the membranes and adding the drip. This is the part that is supposed to get you in labour and get the baby out.

It might be that you are already sufficiently dilated when you go in to be induced that you can go straight to breaking water and the drip. But if you're not then they can't get the hook in to break the waters and start the IV.

I had the pessary, waters broke and then the drip. However I was already 1cm dilated and could be stretched to 2cm when I had the pessary inserted (I had a sweep too).

I also had an epidural before having my waters broke.

Thank you all. It seems there are a number of ways it could go but I understand now that I'd need one of the first methods before having the IV drip. Does having the pessary inserted and then keeping it in, hurt?
Also re waters being broken for you, I didn't realise it would hurt but having gas & air or epidural first suggests it does...

I personally didn't find having the pessary inserted painful but I definitely felt the stretch and sweeps to be uncomfortable and had gas and air. The pessary for me just felt like a tampon

I had the IV drip induction and as far as I can remember you have to get to about 3cm for them to be able to break your waters for you. So I needed the pessary Sunday night to get me to about 3-4cms then I had to wait for a bed to come available which was Wednesday night and then had my waters broke and drip put in. Also had an epidural which was a godsend. Wishing you lots of luck!

I didn't find the pessary painful, but the waters being broken was. Not everyone finds that though.

The drip is evil, I agree with you that you'll want an epidural.

My sister reports that the pessary wasn't painful. She was overdue, and the first one causes a few cramps, but nothing significant. The second one sent her into labour after a few hours.

Ask your midwife, or look at your trust's website to see what kind(s) of induction they use btw. A lot of trusts are starting to prefer to use non-hormonal (mechanical) induction methods like the Cook balloon or Dilapan rods.

I will say that I've read plenty of reports that the ARM was completely painless for them. However, I won't lie that I found it the worst part of both inductions. But with a lot of gas + air it was entirely manageable. Maybe not so much painful as the sensation of an extreme amount of pressure. I believe it also had more to do with my cervix only being the minimum amount open, not particularly effaced, and that they were both managed inductions (second midwife pressing hard in my bump to push baby deeper into my pelvis).

I had membrane sweep at 41+6 and went in to labour next day at 42 weeks exactly.

Smooth ‘easy’ 7 hour homebirth.

How far along are you op?

Although my waters had already broken, a midwife used the tool to break what was left as I waited for the drip to be put in and I was told I wasn't dilated (and 8 hours later I was only 2-3cm) and I did find it quite shocking and painful, but I wasn't prepared for it and looking back at my notes this makes sense now. But it was over very quickly, although I had cramps as soon after it was done

I'm 38w at the moment but being advised induction at 39-40w, due to medical reasons, (a previous late loss). It's something I've struggled to get my head around having so wanted to find out as much as possible before 'agreeing' to one.

Thank you all- some really good insight into this and now I am aware I should ask for pain relief (gas and air I'm thinking) to manage waters being broken just in case!

Pessary didn't hurt for me but waters being broken did. But I did feel some sense of relief once they were broken.
I've had the drip twice, epidural as soon as you can! I had to wait 4 hours first time and it was horrendous.
I knew what was coming with my second so managed to get it before I felt any pain.