UPDATE:
Thank you so much for sharing all your experiences. It definitely helped me make peace with the birth plan be a little more prepared.
I was due to go in on 25th April and was so ready, but got a call in the afternoon saying they have no beds and it's unlikely I'll be called in that day. Got the call in the afternoon of 26th and asked to come in for 8:30pm.
Went in for a scan to check baby's position (still back to back) and vaginal exam. I was 1cm dilated but need to be at least 2 to break my waters.
They tried to push for me to have the balloon method of induction but after researching and seeing low success rates, I pushed to have the pessary. The insertion of the pessary was brutal but that could have been down to many other factors that can be different for everyone.
They said they had to leave the pessary in for 24 hours and could not check me sooner to see if I was dilated even though I was having mild/moderate contractions. 24 hours later (and with the help of a peanut ball!) I was 3cm dilated and ready to have my waters broken BUT ... there were no available beds on labour and delivery. I was so tired and disheartened I cried.
They woke me up at 3am the next morning to say there was a bed available and we went down yo labour and delivery. They broke my waters at 4:15am and contractions came on pretty strong after that. I was able to move around freely with occasional monitoring of baby's heart rate.
They felt I wasn't contracting quick enough so put my on oxytocin. I had an unmedicated birth previously but this pain was unbearble and I couldn't stop throwing up, so I had the epidural and anti sickness beds... BEST DECISION EVER!!! Was so chilled after that and got some sleep.
Mistakeningly, I thought the epidural numbed everything... I was wrong 😂 I felt baby making his way down and needed to push. Pushing was going well ... until it wasn't and resulted in another shoulder dystocia 😔 The team were amazing, panic button brought loads of staff in and they worked together to get him out. My husband was absolutely traumatised as this was the first birth he'd seen!
Baby was a little bruised but very healthy at 8lb 3oz and I only had a 1st degree tear and some grazes (thank you perineum massage!)
All in all the experience wasn't too bad, but it was just the waiting around that I struggled with. Anyone needing an induction my advice would be, brace yourself for the wait, make appropriate plans for your partners work or childcare for other children, bring everything needed to make yourself comfortable... and LOADS of drinks and snacks! 🤍