How bad is it to be induced...really?

[3mummy]

My waters broke yesterday and I am told I will have to be induced tomorrow morning if I haven't "started" by myself beforehand. This is my third child and the other two were spontaenious labours, and to be quite honest I am terrified of being induced because of so many horror stories I've heard.

Can you all please tell me how was it for you?

my induction was quite lengthy, & it took ventouse & forceps to get ds out BUT he was my first which everyone tells me is very different. i think if you've had 2 spontaneous vaginal deliveries before they won't have to do much to get you going iyswim. good luck!

my 1st was a CS - with no contractions (waters broken too).

2nd I was induced on the Wednesday after my waters broke on the Sunday. I won't lie - it was FAST - had the gel at 3.30 - by 7pm I was gasping for gas and air. I would probably have been 'ok' had the pain relief actulaly worked for me - but it all failed. So yes it hurt.

But as HC says you've had 2 labours before so it'll probably be fine.

Thanks ladies, I am trying to be optomistic, honest. I guess it just a fear of the unknown.

good luck 3mummy, fingers x'd gravity does the trick for you, keep pacing now

I was induced after waters breaking - it was my first pregnancy - but apart from agonising contractions (normal )it was fine! (and it was back in the dark ages - you'll be fine!

Hi 3 mummy. I had a very quick labour (which was natural though prem at 36 + 6) with my first (just over two hours) and induced by ARM (they ruptured by waters which didn't do anything !) then syntocinin drip which took 4 hours. I managed just on gas on air and found that the drip wasn't as intense as the "natural" labour first time round...though inboth cases it all happened so quickly that I really didn't have time to think about it !!!!! Hope this helps, I'm sure you'll be fine

was induced in morning, gel, later on had drip which was fast and furious, had dd by 10 oclock that night. I had to have an epidural but it was the best thing I ever did.

Sorry, but I found it HELLISH!

sorry again not to be more positive.

good luck 3mummy...

induced after waters broke (two pregnancies) very fast and furious

not being induced, i meant the epidural, sorry. Good luck!

Been induced 3 times for various reaqsons. One was straightforward but quite long, one ended up in c section (rotating baby decided to come out feet first) and last time labour took 20 mins - still wearing trousers and smart shoes from trip to hosp coffee shop when waters broke, and dd arrived very calmly and happily in 2 painless(ish) pushes. Never found out what happened at the end of that episode of The Bill......

You do not have to be induced.... The British Medical Journal published a study that demonstrated you coudl safely wait for 96 hours... however hospitals like to induce within 24h... you can (probably VERY easily as I have discovered on many occasions) decline the 24h and say you want 48h ..... you will probably have gone into labour by them anyway.... you might not in 24h.

Personally, I would follow the consultants suggestions. The midwives told us at my antenatal classes a couple of years ago that the reason for induction after waters breaking is that that is when statistically infection can start to occur so they like to get the baby out when it's been 24 hours.

with my first I was given just 24hrs before they induced me - and kept in (that was 4 1/2yrs ago)

With my 2nd my waters broke (not so dramitically as the first time - thank god as I was in church!) called the hospital and asked if I went in would I have to 'stay' in. I was told no - and indeed I was allowed home from Sunday until Wednesday lunchtime when they induced me. I was quite suprised about this but was told that they now allow up to 72hrs - and the risk of infection was no greater at home than in hospital

3mummy - have to say that I didn't find being induced that bad at all! With dd my waters broke with a mere drible on Tuesday afternoon - by Thursday afternoon I decided to go the hospital to get checked out as I was still dribbling. Once it was confirmed that they had broken, they suggested a gel pessary induction to be followed with syntocinon.

Put the pessary in at midnight and left me to it (I decided to stay in overnight - my choice entirely). At 2:00am asked for my TENS machine to be attached as I was beginning to feel regular contractions - stayed upright and fully mobile all night - watching TV, reading a book whilst pacing the floor. At 8:30am still just using TENS, decided to have a bath but got out quickly as I felt urges to push. So got to 10cm without any additional pain relief and without syntocinon.

They moved me to the delivery suite and gave me the syntocinon drip just to keep my contractions regular...no time for gas and air as all I ten wanted to do was push. DD was born about 3 hours later......but that's another story entirely.

All in all, a positive experience of induction.

wasn't bad for me at all. gel went in at 7pm was in early labour by 3am. Was quick.

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I was induced with ds1 and the whole experience was horrible. He was determined not to come out after having my waters broken, gels inserted in me, drips and hours of pushing!!!! He finally came out about 6 days later just after being told i would have to have a c section as i was exhausted. It was worth it in the end though.

not bad as long as you have epidural, imo

Hi 3mummy,

Not sure which method they would use to induce you but i was induced at 39 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. They used prostin pessaries (sp?), i needed 2, 6 hours apart but from my first contraction to the placenta delivery was 5 hours 16minutes. It was very uncomfortable having the first tablet "inserted" but the second wasnt as bad. I had a lot of complications and did end up with venthouse but only because her heartrate was v.low, she was coming out in the wrong angle and my blood pressure was sky high, i dont think this was due to being induced. Once i'd had the pessary i had to lie on the bed for one hour then i was free to move around. Hope this helps