Induction

[JustinCaseyHowles]

I'm due to be induced on Sunday as nearly two weeks late officially - though my own calculations don't make me overdue and due tomorrow!
Very confused and tearing hair out! How horrible is induction?? Quite afraid of unnatural stuff as first baby born at home with no pain killers!
Any advice please?

My experience of induction was not good. You do not have to be induced - and if you are unsure of dates that goes double.

Can you ask to ne managed/monitored instead? I believe they can do regulat scans, make sure placenta is ok, etc. Placenta's do mot suddenly stop working at 42 weeks.

Sorry - as you may have guessed I am very anti-induction. I think it only works if you are very close to a natural labour anyway, in which case, why not wait another couple of days?

Hi,

my induction went well, was first baby,15 days overdue, born in 6 hours from first contraction (which came about 7 hours after gel), used birth pool, no drugs or G&A.

so it can go well

Your messages sort of sum up my feelings!!

Want it all to be natural but they do put the frighteners on you about dangers to baby if too late and apparently he's a big boy!

They adjusted my dates to two weeks earlier than calender dates so I've been nuts for 2 weeks now! Drinking raspberry leaf tea and wondering whether to scrub kitchen floor in desperation!

Did you have to fight to go 15 days over Disenchanted?!

There is something called Expectant Management. You can ask to be put on that instead of an induction.

I remember when my waters broke with ds, my midwife came over fresh from another home delivery of a baby born 21 days "late". Everything was fine.

FWIW I had the frighteners put on me too and 16 mo am still resentful of the failed induction and consequent emergency cs. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Best of luck with whatever you do decide x

When/why did the adjust the dates?

I've been induced twice and my experience wasn't all that bad.

First time I went through labour on TENS machine and gas, had a vaginal delivery after about 12 hours, tore a bit (dd's head got stuck), but I wouldn't say I was traumatised.

Second time I went into labour straight after being induced, but after about an hour was told that ds's heartbeat had gone down and they would need to do an emergency caesarian. This was not actually a scary experience: the medical team were very reassuring, I didn't find the epidural that bad, and was able to be awake throughout and ready to take ds in my arms straight away.

you do not have to be induced, if you wish to go past 42 weeks, then you can requesnt expectant management which will mean at least daily monitoring of the baby and possibly a scan to check fluid levels, and wait until labour starts

you could also request a stretch and sweep and see if that helps get you going

My inductions at 42+2 and 42 weeks were fine.

My inductions at 41 & 40 weeks were not so good - just took days but still a successful non instrumental deliveries.

I think my decisions would be based on entirely how sure I were about my dates which is why I asked about what had caused them to move them by so much.

I was induced with ds1 at 42+3.

Had a dose of gel at 9pm, ds was born by 4.4 with just gas and air.

Induction itself was easy. Gel in about 11am, told my cervix was utterly unfavourable, moitored half an hour, then free to go for walks in the countryside. Re-examined 6pm told waters could just be felt but otherwise cervix still utterly unfavourable. Therafter increasingly strong tightenings. Asked for some paracetamol at about 8, a minutes later my waters exploded.

After that things went wrong, but only because my ruddy kids couldn't find the exit with a map and bloody compass. But the induction part was straightforward. HTH and good luck!

Thanks for these messages - I'm feeling a bit more reassured now!
Dates were rearranged at 23 week scan purely going on bigness of baby! But I know my dates! Just hoping baby comes tonight or tomorrow now!
Would love the courage to go on until the baby comes naturally but all sounds so scary when they tell you of risks!

Any news?