Tips for improving induction experience?

[annady]

Hello, I'm booked in to be induced later this week. Just wondering what i could prepare / put in my birth plan than might help the experience? Can i request the birthing pool if i'm induced? Can i use a tens machine? Have any natural pain / calming remedies (bach rescue, clary sage, etc) worked for anyone - even in the early stages? Can i keep active or will they monitor / keep me lying down throughout? Am keeping an open mind but any tips v much appreciated... Thanks in advance. A x

My big tip is ask what your Bishop's score is. NICE guidelines recommend that a score of 8 or above for induction as your cervix is considered 'favourable'

Here is the link for this.

A Bishop's score is how dilated/effaced/baby's station.

Here is a link to a Bishop's score calculator so you can see exactly what they look for.

You don't say what you are being induced for or how pg you are. This really does matter. If you have pre-eclampsia or your waters have been broken for 96 hours (for example) I would go for the IOL rather than go straight to c-section but if it is because you might have a big baby or you are 40 weeks then I would tell them to back off!

I had an IOL at 38 weeks because my cons. 'induces all his epileptic ladies at 38 weeks' he didn't tell me he was also inducing me because I had bad SPD (crutches/wheelchair bad SPD) and thought I couldn't hack the pain and would be grateful to be induced early.

I went in Friday morning and it took until Monday morning to dilate me enough to even get an amnio-hook in my cervix to break my water (

don't do it before 42 weeks.

First time pregnancy, 45% of inductions end up as emergency CS.

I had 2 inductions at 42 weeks. Both times I had foetal monitoring and a drip so was bed bound. My birth plan went out the window sadly.

Sorry, just my experience.

DS was induced at 39 weeks after my waters went without labour starting. After 40 hours I was hooked up to the monitor and syntocin drip with my TENS machine. After 5 hours I was only 0.5cm dilated and, as it was 2am, I realized I'd have to have an epidural to last the duration. It took 16 hours in total and the aid of a ventouse.

DD1 and DD2 were spontaneous natural drug free quick births so imagine my frustration when my waters went with DD3 showing meconium in them. The doctors wanted to induce me so I had to meet the monitor and sytocin drip again. Fortunately, three things made it as natural as possible under the circumstances:

1. I had laboured three times before so knew what to expect and could focus mentally on what lay ahead.

1. I had listened to Maggie Howell's Natal Hypnotherapy CD several times, not really properly though as I found it slightly ridiculous and always mutitasked at the same time. But I got the message ("reeeeeeelax..."). Plus lots of MN mums echoed the same sentiment, to relax into each contraction as much as possible.

1. As it was my fourth labour, I knew it would be quick and when to recognise when I was in transition (usually, it is when I feel the need for pain relief!)

After 3 hours, a silent labour (focused breathing), some entonox during transition, I pushed out DD3 in two contractions (she was my biggest baby at 7lb 7oz and I certainly found it harder getting her out than the others,
notwithstanding DS getting stuck and being yanked out).

It can be a positive experience if you are mentally prepared for it. The midwives were amazed I was so quiet despite the lack of drugs, but I think that just goes to show what a bit of mental preparation can achieve!

Good luck.

I forgot to say the latest was at 39 weeks again. She is 2 weeks old and curled up in my arms as I type! In fact all my DC were born at 39 weeks, but that's another story...

I was induced with DS1 at 42+1.

Was an OK experience, the actual delivery was great! I did have an epidural which slowed down contractions and needed syntocinon drip to "augment labour".

As to what helped: yes, TENS was good, certainly in early labour. In my hospital birthing pool was not "allowed" after induction. Also walking around the ward with leaning against the wall when a contraction struck.

FWIT, DS3 was delivered after I went into labour spontanously, a bit of gas and air, nothing else, et voila! It does help to just go with the contractions, relax into them as others have said, I found I had to close my eyes, and humming during contractions helped !!

Why are you to be induced? It is much more likely to work if your body is ready for labour. Bishop score for cervix is some indication, but also how far on you are.

Good luck !

I've had 2 inductions, and I agree with others that you need to be sure your induction is being done for the right reasons.

I was induced with DC1 on a synt drip because of a bit of spotting. I had a bored/sleepy midwife who told me repeatedly "You will need an epidural as its impossible to handle the pain of the drip without it." (I also kept stalling because of being tethered to the bed by the monitoring). In the end I accepted one, and lived to regret it, with episiotmy and forces delivery.

DC3 was also induced, because of premature rupture of membranes. They said they needed to induce as soon as I was 35 weeks. However, I kept telling them that it was only my hind waters that had gone (and I was right) and had they believed/listened to me the protocol would have been different and I wouldn't have been induced (I now know!) I had a fab midwife who knew I had managed a natural delivery with DC2, encouraged me to relax and was very supportive. I managed with nothing but entonox, and it really was only slightly more painful than DC2. I REFUSED to be tethered down to the bed with the montiroing, everytime anyone put it on me I ripped it off! Long-suffering midwife then had no choice but to stand next to me holding the intermittent monitoring device to my belly to continually check on baby, poor thing. But she was very good about it, and understood tat this way I could be active and have a better labour.

So, I wouldn't be fearful of induction because of the pain - I would be fearful about the greater risks of needing intervention, and for that reason avoid epidurals like the plague. I also would ask for 2nd 3rd and 4th opinions before accepting induction again!

All the same things that help you in labour anyway - relaxing, giggling through the boring bits, supportive partner/advocate are exactly what you also need when induced, it really isn't very different.

Good luck!

I was induced at 38 weeks for growth concerns. Cervix was long and posterior.

I was monitored for an hour after prostin pessary (I think). Then I just walked about, trotted round the hospital, got lunch, ignored what I thought were prostin pains.

My advice is keep active. They can monitor you if you're in a chair or stood up, or like me in the final throes, have a MW holding a doppler to your belly.

I didn't think I was in labour until I started pushing - dilated very quickly with just one pessary AND, more importantly, believed them when they said it would take 3 days and end with a CS!

Everyone's different, but keeping active seems to work universally.

thanks so much for all your responses.

i'm being induced at 40+11 as that's routine in my area (although it may go back a day or two when i turn up on the day, depending on how busy the ward is - hence the reason they do initial book-in before 42 weeks i think).

it's my second child (first was ventouse but not induced), not sure what impact that might have on how it goes...

DC2's head's still not engaged at all (DC1 didn't engage until i was in established labour and until ARM i think - was spontaneous but week-long early labour so everything was prety slow / painful last time...)

this time i've had absolutely no labour signs at all. guess i shouldn't complain!

thanks again x

Just to point out the World Health Organisation and Nice classifies pregnancy as lasting 37-42 weeks see here so post dates is not 40 weeks but 43 weeks.

You can request monitoring of placenta/baby rather than induction. That way if a problem is suspected/problems identified you can be induced but if not you can deliver normally.

Hi annady

I was induced at 40+12 with no signs of labour and it was a positive experience despite my birth plan going out the window and me being terrified of hospitals!

I had the pessary at 1pm and cervix was unfavourable at that point. I walked round the hospital, went for lunch, read etc all day.

After some mild period type pains, my waters broke at 1am. Labour then started by itself, I dilated as expected and used birthing ball, breathing techniques and G&A up to 8cm. I didn't need the syntocin drip as labour was working on it's own. The only time I had to lie down was when they wanted to put the foetal heart rate monitor on - 20 mins every couple of hours. I don't think you were allowed in the pool in my hospital.

I got an epidural at 8cm (wimp!) and had to have a drip up for that - something to do with blood pressure I think - but by that point I didn't really care.

(My dd was born by c-section in the end as the pushing stage just didn't work. As it turned out she was 10lb 1oz so I guess she was a little overcooked!)

Hope it all goes well for you