inductions - how bad are they really?

[GirlWithTheMouseyHair]

just trying to prepare myself, 6 days overdue now and meeting up with the midwife tomorrow when I'm sure she'll book me in for an induction.

I obviously want to avoid one mainly because I'm hoping for a homebirth and want to avoid as much intervention as possible, but at the end of the day a safe and healthy baby is the most important thing. I'm going to see if I can have a placenta scan before agreeing to an induction because I'd still prefer for my baby to be born when it's ready rather than on an NHS timetable...

but in case I do have to have an induction - just how bad is it really? any positive induction stories out there?!

I had an induction with my first due to pre-eclampsia. I had the drip and an epidural just before they found I was fully dilated (it was quicker than expected) and an episiotomy and ventouse delivery. I couldn't really feel when to push.

My next two births started naturally and were just gas & air.

I would say that pain-wise that the labours were about the same. People say that induction makes the labour come on quicker and be stronger quicker. This is probably true but my natural labours were just as quick.

However, I found the recovery from the induction much harder. The cut didn't really stop hurting until about 3 weeks after the birth and I generally felt crap for longer.

The induction wasn't terrible, but I have to say the natural births were better recovery wise.

I was induced by drip and one minute I was coping okay and the next I was in merry hell. This may well happen naturally, but every woman I know who's had one has had an epidural as well (including me). I remember thinking I'd rather have jumped out of the window than see it through without pain relief. Sorry to be negative about it, but I truely believe the fact the midwife stand there ramping up your dosage, and forcing your womb to work harder than it would naturally, does little for your pain threshold or mental state.

It really varies. You will probably get lots of replies from people saying it's fine, don't worry about it, and just as many from people who've had bad experiences.

I had a bad induction: immediate onset of contractions 2 minutes apart and really strong, but wasn't deemed to be "in labour" so got no pain relief for hours, then had 23 hour labour ending in emergency c-section.

Can you find out your hospital's statistics for inductions? In some hospitals, 50% end in c-sections, so it might be worth having that information when making your decision.

Well, mine was vile and utterly unsuccessful and ended in a crash section....but you don't want to hear about that .

I had sweep, then 3 pessaries, then waters broken, then the drip, and then the crash section....all over the course of a week.

If only they had bloody well scanned me. It would have been clear DD was only coming out one way, and that was NOT down the birth canal...

Avoid if you can, but DO NOT get upset if it happens because you can do without the guilt and feelings of failure (projection, moi?) on top of the pain and awkwardness of being hooked up to monitors and drips.

Good luck - hopefully it wont' come to that. Get shagging and eat a lot of pineapple.

Thanks everyone - I still want to avoid it if I can, but I know there's the issue of the placenta stopping to work etc so will definately push for having a scan to check on that before accepting an induction

Also, most people say induced labours are more painful than natural. A friend of mine had her first completely naturally and managed with just breathing exercises. She was gobsmacked by the pain when she had to be induced with her second, and had to have an epidural.

Hang in there. Firstly due dates are fairly arbitrary. Don't get pushed or frightened into doing something you don't want unless there is a clear medical reason to do so. A vague, 'past your dates' or risk of placenta degrading not enough. ASk lots of questions about your risk at this time before heading for induction because it is the start of a slippery slope, that can bring on big contractions that lead to your baby being in distress and all the interventions that can follow on from that.

Good news is that there are lots of natural things you can try: lots of open mouthed kissing, rub clary sage oil on your bump/perineum, acupressure (google it for childbirth there are some good things on the net), acupuncture. I even have a recipe from a New York restaurant for aubergine paremsan which they swear brings on labour in pregnant women due to give birth, they even give out certificates! Research your options and don't give up your power without good reason. Also what do your instincts tell you is right for you and your baby? Trust them.
Best wishes for the birth and beyond

Yes, can I say, don't be a hero if you have the drip. You WILL need an epidural. I went for four hours without, and hit a wall of unutterable agony - and then had to wait and hour for the anaesthetist (sp) to be free from theatre. And you don't want that, or to be trying to curve you spine for them to put it in whilst you are contracting like a mofo.

For me - induction led to needing epidural, kept on bed because of monitors, long labour, very painful before epidural, needed episiotomy and forceps, ds was affected and didn't bf afterwards, I had a burst cut which took weeks to heal, and the recovery was awful.

If I could do it again, I'd hold out as long as possible and ask for extra monitoring if they weren't happy to let me go over 10 days. My mum had an identical experience when induced with me.

I was induced 12 days overdue. Had a sweep which didn't work.
I had pessary which started off contractions which lasted 18 hours. Waters had to be broken. Ended up with spinal block and ventouse delivery which resulted in 3rd degree tear.
I have to say I now believe that if I could have held out a bit longer (difficult I know) it may have worked out better for me - less intervention.
Again it all varies from person to person. If there is a next time for me I would hold back as much as I could on the induction. Good luck with everything (smile)

1st baby -11 days overdue, induced G&A, pethadine, vomiting, baby distressed (well wouldn't you be after 27 hours?) episiotomy, ventouse, tore anyway. 9lb 1oz

2nd baby -spontaoneous labour, epidural, G&A (due to epidural only working down one side)
baby stuck, 4hrs later spinal block, forceps in theatre ready incase of c-section, 3rd degree tear. 9lb 15 1/2 oz

Now I ovbiously grow babies my body can't deliver so I would say both my births were traumatic BUT I do believe I came away more mentally 'happy' if that makes any sense at all as my body had stared labour by itself and my mind/body had geared itself up to giving birth. Induction can leave you traumatised I agree with the earlier poster. If I had my time again, knowing what I know now I would not want to be induced if there were no specific medical worry or problem.

Good luck xx

thank everyone - actally it's good to hear the bad stories because I didn't realise how likely it would be I'd need an epidural at the least if induced and I really want to avoid one

Have tried all the natural induction methods I can think of!!!

Mine actually wasn't bad - but possibly a bit different as I was induced after my waters broke but labour didn't start. So perhaps because my body was gearing up anyway it wasn't so bad. I had a pessary to get things going and they wanted to put me on a drip a few hours later but I managed to hold them off and in the mean time bouncing away on my ball helped to speed the labour up. It helped that despite the need for monitoring the midwives helped me stay upright and mobile. Being monitored doesn't have to mean being tied to the bed. I didn't have any pain relief at all apart from hypnotherapy as by the time I asked for G&A I couldn't work out what to do with it (!)

Your midwife will probably offer you a sweep tomorrow and that might get things going - also you may find that you are already slightly dilated which helps with morale! Good luck and hope it all happens soon.

I was induced. Had three pessaries forcefully applied to the fanjo then waters broke and DD arrived 4 hours later. I had pethidine and G&A and it was bearable, at least with 9 months worth of hindsight it was .

I was induced in June with first baby - it wasnt that bad, two pessarys and into labour over 24 hours. The worst was being on my own when contractions really kicked in as dh was sent home when visiting hours finished - I was left on a busy ward trying to muffle my groaning, spent most of it roaming corridors and in bathrooms.

Def take some music, bath foam and sneak mobile phone in - you can still move around on a monitor and midwife in delivery room told me I could disconnect at any time, it helped me to keep upright and mobile.

I hadn't prepared for it mentally, it was a last minute decision by doctors to induce me on my due date, it bothered me in the few weeks after as I felt ds 'wasnt ready' - you can challenge their advice. I just wanted to get on with it, and decided to go with the flow. If you are induced you should try not to go into hospital thinking the worst , being tense and anxious before can't help

good luck -

I was induced Ds1, think it really depends on how difficult it is to induce you. I had a trial sweep at 40+10 after a day of nasty false labour pains, then shesaid she couldn't do it because the head was too high. But acutally seemed that she had done something as had a fair few pains more like period pains. Then next day went in at 9am and had gel squirted up the proverbial and went into natural labour pretty soon after, waters also broke naturally. Did a lot of ball bouncing and some bathing and paracetamol (not sure about the worth of that ). Went to the delivery room, can't remember much except some grunting and g&A. Had one pethidine and slept between contractions, then after ages did go on drip at pushing stage after it seemed contractions were going off. But I do a bit blame getting stuck on the back for that bit....

You're only six days late, I'd be surprised if the MW is interested in discussing an induction yet, mine was going to let me go 14 days over before even trying a sweep. DS was 8 days late in the end and came all by himself.

Have you tried a nice warm bath with lavander oil and loads of raspberry leaf tea to drink?

Hoping you go into labour tonight!

DD1 Induced 42 weeks at 11pm at night with pessary. Started having contractions during the night. DD1 born 10am the following morning with just a little gas and air.

DS also induced at 41 weeks, 2 lots of pessaries, nothing happened, so they were going to break my waters, but I thought better of it and went home. Came back at 42 weeks for another induction, and had just started to have contractions. They broke waters to help it along and DS was born a couple of hours later, into water, with just a little gas and air. Big at 10lb 4oz! I think the key both times to avoiding an epidural was that I was "ready", was really glad I'd gone home after the failed induction at 41 weeks.

DS was induced at 7 days overdue as my blood pressure was going through the roof (existing hypertension, not pre-eclampsia) - I had nothing but gas and air and a vaginal birth - though I asked for an epidural towards the end but it was too late, and near the very end I remember hearing someone say that they might have to do a section (so I pushed like mad).
I had the pessary at about 8am in the morning, 2nd dose at 4pm, DS was born at 9pm. I did have a lot of stitches and a foof that will never be the same again but we both survived and that's all I wanted really.

Good luck.

Mine didn't work . I think I'm quite unusual, though.

our hospital offers a sweep at 6 days overdue and at 41 weeks you're sent to the big consultant-led unit for a scan/bloods profile and to discuss your options for the coming week.

it's up to you to take up their offer by they offer the full-on from 12 days overdue - gel, syntocin, etc.

I was induced both times at 10 days over. I had so many sweeps it got ridiculous. Walked sideways up and down stairs for a fortnight; ate about two pineapples a day etc. etc. - all to no avail. Both times I eventually ended up with the syntocinon drip. I don't know what a normal labour is like, so all I can say is yep, it really was intensely painful with very little respite between contractions right from the off, but I ended up with a perfectly fine birth both times, no tears, no CS. I did have epidurals but they didn't work properly (more common than you might think) - but everything worked out alright in the end. And given the state of the placenta in my first baby's case, I'm v. glad that I agreed for the birth to be induced.

I had an induction 2nd time round and think it was far preferable to my first labour.
1st time - a good (bad!) 12 hours of "warming up" to full on labour which then lasted a further 13 hours. Consequently I was totally knackered for pushing/afterwards.
2nd time - induced with pessary, short (can't quite remember how long) lead up to 11 hours full blown labour. Induced first thing in morning so had baby by evening and didn't miss night's sleep.

Is that positive enough
Haven't had time to read all thread, but hope that is helpful.

I was induced successfully (things did start to happen) at 8 days overdue, as it was coming up to a bank holiday weekend. It was still a long slow labour, and I had a ventouse but managed to survive on gas and air. If you do go ahead with induction I'd still be wary of the syntocin drip, as they were then very keen to keep me on the monitor and I was immobile/on my back far too much.

I do resent the things I was told to put the frighteners on, especially that there were more likely to be problems because of my age (37).

There are also guidelines which suggest it shouldn't be done before 10 days and that they should assess your readiness and therefore the likelihood of it working (ie physical examination) first.