Any positive experience of induction?

[AuntyAnnie]

Hi,

I'm a first-timer and have had a complicated pregnancy. Consequently, the obs want to induce me at 38 weeks. I'm not happy about it but I accept that they think it's the best thing to do for the baby.

I'm absolutely terrified about the prospect of being induced. I hate the thought of an epidural (not being able to move terrifies me) and ventouse and foreceps. I know that you can end up with these with any birth, and that I'm probably being a wimp, but I'm really petrified about the birth now.

Has anyone had any positive birth experiences following an induction? Everything I've read about them just seems to be a nightmare.

Annie

I'm not fan of induction but I was induced with my first and am here to tell the tale! I did have an epidural and it was the right thing to do in the circumstances so keep an open mind. I managed to birth my baby myself but it's hard work if you can't feel the bearing down urge so be prepared to push longer and harder than you ever thought you were capable of! It does take a bloody long time usually though so go prepared for that. Good luck.

My 3rd child was induced at 38 weeks. I had a sweep the day before which I think helped.

My community midwife (who is a qualified homeopath) gave me some homeopathic remedies to take and they helped me - partly psychologically in that I felt as though it made me more of a participant in the whole process, rather than just handing my labour over to the hospital, iyswim. Aconite (for panic) was especially effective.

There are some good things about induction - you can settle yourself in the delivery room, get the lights the way you like them, get the bed at a comfortable height to lean over etc. You don't have to panic about travelling whilst in labour.

Where it became unpleasant for me was that at 6cm they broke my waters and then the labour became far too violent for me to cope with. In retrospect I should have declined to consent - I'm sure that would have made things much better, especially as they only did it to fit in with their protocol rather than because of any clinical need. Don't forget that just because you are on a more interventionist "track" you can still decline intervention if you don't think it's in your or your baby's interests.

I appreciate how you feel though. I was induced at 41 weeks with my 1st and was gutted about it.

This may seem odd. I planned a home birth and ended up with every intervention going, breaking of waters, drip, and after bearing the contractions with gas and air for 5 hours an epidural. I failed to dilate for a long time and all thoughts were heading towards c-section. When I was dilated and started to push baby's heart rate plummeted and they told me to stop. Was dosed up ready for c-section, had rotational forceps and an episiotomy. |Gave such an almighty push that my son came out in one shove until his mid-chest. All this took 3.5 days. Nightmare right? Especially since my son had brain damage and seizures (not related to forceps btw) and ended up in icu then scbu.

Still, looking back at my labour it was not a bad experience. I regret not being able to push normally and feel what I am doing and not witnessing my son's first breath (dh did), but other than that I still have an 'I did it' feeling about the whole thing. Must say I was fantastically supported by dh, mws (three shifts worth!) and doctors.

Morale of the story (although with much respect and sympathy for those traumatised by their labours): It can be cr*p and in the end it still does not matter, your baby is here!

Yes - managed to mimic a normal labour here really- I just had gel pessary - had to as had waters breaking but no contractions following. But managed to avoid the drip. This was only because I realised that the continuous fetal monitoring was stressing me out and holding up labour (which was coming on gradually), plus I couldn't move around. I had to argue against the drip, they agreed to give me a 2 hr window and the baby was born within that 2 hr - I delivered on hands and knees, only pushed 10 minutes, no other interventions - just G&A. Like someone else said I had a better time than many people who laboured naturally. Good luck

I was induced at 41 weeks due to rising blood pressure, had gel pessaries (one at 6am the day after being sent to hospital, one at mid-afternoon that day), had gas and air, waters broke naturally, DS born without further intervention that evening. Every labour/birth is different, and the best result is healthy you and healthy baby at the end of it.
One other thing (and I may have been misinformed on this) induction can sometimes make it a bit harder to BF so if you plan to BF make sure you have plenty of support in place.

i was induced at 42+1 - it was fine - i went in at 8am had two lots of the inducing stuff - managed labour on tens and gas'n'air - had my waters broken - ds born approx 30mins later at 11pm home again at 2.30am - job done!!

goodluck

ps - ds was 8lb15oz

oh and it definately didn't hinder breastfeeding - ds fed within minutes of birth, his idea! and went on to feed ds till he was 2 yrs with no problems.

sorry i should have stated that i had the gel at 10pm then contactions started at midnight then waters broke at 9 am naturally followed by some very strong contractions then pushed 3 times on my hands and knees and out popped my ds weighing a healthy 8:4

i only had gas and air but felt so much better for it as i was up walking about as soon as i had the baby

Thanks for all these stories, you've really made me feel a bit easier, although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't apprehensive still. The induction is booked in for 8/5/08.