Induction of labour - did you push for it?

[mears]

Out of interest - most of the questions regarding induction of labour from posters suggest that women are being offered induction post dates when they do not really want it.

IME as a midwife, many women in our unit push to be induced before 42 weeks. They are advised to wait but the consultants say they cannot resist the tears!

What are the experiences out there?

I went 10days over with ds2 and was induced (prostaglandin tablets and ARM) very much against my better judgement. But I had a straightforward 4hr labour.

When it came to dd1, (who was due exactly 18yrs ago today!!) I went overdue and was desperate to be induced because dh worked offshore and was almost out of vacation time. I had to beg the Con to start me off, he was v reluctant. They gave me pessaries and labour went smoothly, no other interventions except ARM just before delivery, at 41wks exactly.

Dd2 came a day early, thank goodness.

I was offered the chance to be induced when 2 weeks overdue and I took it, as the date that came up was dp's father's birthday! oh, blissful ignorance I found the contractions dreadfully painful - although I have nothing to compare with as yet - I did find the 'pushing' stage a breeze by comparison, so it must've been quite bad I think.
My mother was very keen I got it over with as she lost v large twins at 40+ weeks when placenta packed up. Awful story.

Blimey I was the opposite. As soon as they told me I might have to be induced I thought, no bloody way. I was 10 days over nad they were ready to book me in so I got on the castor oil and got her out that way rather than be induced. I'd do it again too if I had to, I'd hate to be induced. I want those natural endorphines to kick in and I want a slow build up if poss.

well now I know what it's like I will be the same Thomcat, thought induction was dreadful! tried driving over bumps, the hottest curry I could get but drew the line at the castor oil I'm afraid. As an alternative to induction, I'll grease my insides with almost anything in December (though as my due date is 28th Dec it's bound to happen naturally - either during the Queen's Speech or at midnight on 1st

I was desparate not to be induced (would have ben tonight). Had a sweep at 10 or 5 days overdue depending upon dates had, forunately, she came by herself this Sat morning. Would have spoken to my midwife this weekend though about delaying induction.

Having said all that, I think I dilated as quickly as if I had been induced!

Oh I tried everything before going down the castor oil route but nothing worked
sex, rampant, all positions
a vindaloo sauce poured over my korma!
fresh pinapple
tweaking nipples in hot bath
long walks
yoga exercises
The castor oil took abut 3 hours to work. Downed the lot at 7pm ish, contractions started at 10ish, got to hospital at about 2ish, fully dilated and she was in my arms at 3.57am.

Mears i know it's not a great thing to do, drink a bottle of castor oil, but is it a really, really naughty/silly thing to do? I know you can't condone it, but do you want to tell me off at the same time or would you 'turn a blind eye' if I was to do it again and you knew me knew me?

DS1 - I wanted to be induced from about 38 weeks as FIL had been diagnosed with lung cancer and we thought he only had a few weeks to live. Luckily my m/ws talked me out of it, FIL lived another three years

DS2 - I had problems with bleeding with both DS1 and DS2 and my consultant was quite adamant that I wouldn't be allowed to go to far overdue (DS1 was 8 days late in the end) as they were concerned that I had an ageing placenta, whatever that means. I agreed to go ahead at 10 days as I was uncomfortable and in pain and it was a saturday which made it easier to find someone to have DS1

DD - I was determined not to be induced after DS2. They booked me in for 14 days over despite my objections. I was told if I didn't I would have had to have gone everyday for a scan (45 min car journey, congestion charge, DS2 only in Nursery so would have had to find someone to pick him up - impossible to consider all this at 42 weeks!) Luckily DD showed up at 11 days after my 2nd sweep.

Wiht my 1st I was booked to be induced bang on my due date, my care was consultant led all the way through after conceiving through ICSI, from what I can gather this was the only reason for being induced and looking back on it probably not a very good reason.

However, was quite happy to be induced as my cousin had just had s a still born at 43 weeks!!!!

Anyway, had a horrendous time with the induction, and swore that I would never have another one.

Thankfully I beat the induction by 2 hours with no 2.

I would much rather have naturally occuring labour than an induced labour, it was a lot more painful. However, in certain circumstances I'm sure its for the best.

i pushed for it i had had enough of all the false labour and i didnt think it was good for dd (turns out i was right) labour was very intese didnt get a break at all but it was worth it cos she was healthy and didnt take 2 long

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Thanks for all the posts

Thomcat - I bet you would have laboured anyway without the Castor Oil. I know women who have come in with terrible stomach pain after castor oil and the only thing they produced was a stream of diarrhoea!
OK when it works, Shit when it doesn't

Did anyone see that patient on 'Desperate Midwives' tonight who didn't want to wait for the gel to work so went for the c-section?

I think you might be right Mears, I did go into labour quite soon after taking it. Was pleased of the clear pout I had before going into labour though, made thigs,....less messy, if that's possible to say

i pushed to be induced my ob wanted to wait untill i went into labour by myself but i was in so much pain i just couldnt cope with it anymore, i had ds sitting on a nerve and couldnt physically go to the toilet and i had such bad stomach ache, i had also spen nesrly 7 of my nine months in hospital as i had a severe pulmonary embolis on my right lung, but it turned out i developed pre eclampsea in my last week so i was induced on my due date i have never been so releived, i couldnt remember what i was like to not be in pain. it was a great birth no problems at all. my midwife also wanted me to be induced.

charleepeters - you certainly has enough reasons to be induced and I don't have a problem with that. It is when perfectly normal women with normal pregnancies ask to be induced because they are 'fed up'. That is a common reason written in the notes. Unecessary induction can lead to stressed babies and unecessary C/S.

mears, how often wd you say that happened?

Every day I kid you not!

Except the weekend when we do not do inductions unless they are left over ie not favourable from the previous day.

! can't people just wait? what's a few more days out of their whole life? (not talking about those with complications btw)

I was put off the whole idea by my mum's grim stories about my birth - and there weren't any epidurals in those days, only pethidine and lots of it...

Mears, I am being pushed into an induction which I am not keen on it.... I have gestational diabetes, but baby has been monitored closely and gives no indication of being big. apparently is more protocol not to let GD women go over the due date.... However, as of today my cervix is completely closed and 4 cm long... It seems to me that induction will be a waste of energy and will certainly end up in section (which I am terrified!), what do you think?

I was pg with jess and actually requested an induction - my DH was being sent to Iraq with the Army, and was only allowed to be home for 5 days - I was adament i wanted him with me at the birth and the hospital agreed to a social induction. I will be pressing for another one this time around too so we can arrange childcare for Jessica as my dad lives an hour away and doesnt drive. DH doesnt drive either, so would be much easier all round to be given a date and go in. No horror stories of induction here other than i needed my waters breaking and a drip - was started at 7pm on thursday night and jess was born 2.49am saturday.... real labout didnt start until 5pm friday tho!

Do u count having a 'sweep' as a form of induction?

Do 'sweeps' generally work?

At a mw appointment at 40+4 I certainly was 'fed up' and was delighted to get a 40+6 date for a sweep and a 43+1 date for an induction, purely because I was 'fed up'. The sweep did the trick, but if I did it again I would read up a lot in order to avoid induction (not that reading avoids induction - I would just personally need information to be able to assert myself if an induction were pressed on me). I've heard too many nasty stories about induction. BUT I believe it is safe, whereas I really don't yet know enough about the risks of a longer pregnancy.

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