Survey: Induction - Did it work for you?

[Lua]

I am schedule for an induction next wed, of which I am very wary. I have gestational diabetes, and will be 40 weeks on wed. I do understand why the consultant wants to do it.... But, given the fact that I am not effaced at all, and cervix is completely closed it seems like I have zero chance of working. Am I right? Should I bother?

I have been trying to find some data, but with no luck... So I was wondering if you could help me!
Can you let me know if you had an induction, how far along you were, how effaced, dilated were you and what was the outcome (i.e CS, ventouse, 48 hours of hellish labour, or bliss?)
TIA

almost there lua!
I was induced at 37 weeks, not effaced but ever so slightly dilated, started on pessaries and then on a drip later. I ahd 2 pessaries and spent all day hanging around, reading books etc, then once on drip contractions got very strong very quickly, baby was in some distress and I wasn't effacing still so c section.
but
for me personally the day of contractions was more like slight back ache and not that bad at all and that personally wouldn't put me off trying another induction
I'm not sure if that will really help you but as you asked
good luck with it all

Ok induced at 39.5 weeks - waters had broken but not dilated at all and not effaced at all either.

Induced at 3.30pm on the Wednesday - DS2 was born at 12.08 the following day. Didn't have a CS (thankgoodess as was depserate for a VBAC) did have ventouse, but that's because my babies appear to like lying at awkward angles , won't lie it was HELL.......BUT that could have been because all the pain relief failed...

Both of mine were induced for different reasons, and both experiences were very different:

DD was induced because I was two weeks late, the pessary worked very quickly and I started contractions quickly, all went well to 6cm then I stopped dilating, apparently this can happen with first labours, anyway, eventually I had the drip to increase contractions and ended up with a very long labour, took ages to get to 10cm by which time I was exhausted, didn't have enough energy to push her out and after 2 1/2 hours of pushing DD ended up being delivered by forceps.

DS was induced the day before his due date because he was very big (although I didn't have GD) I was not effaced or dilated at all, my body obviously prefers a longer gestation. The first pessary didn't work, so I had a fun day in hospital with nothing happening then the next morning I had another one which did start some mild contractions which seemed to fizzle out by the afternoon. This day was also very boring. I went down for my 3rd lot (they can only give you 3 then they put on the drip) but when they put me on the monitor they discovered I was having very regular contractions, I just couldn't feel them. I was 2cm by that stage, the doctor gave me an internal, and was able to break my waters, then I had massive painful very frequent contractions, dilated very quickly and DS (all 10lbs 7oz of him) burst into the world 6 hours later.

It seems there's no way of knowing how you'll respond to induction and my experiences show that one person can react in very different ways to it at different times.

Best of luck, at least you know you're going to have that baby at the end of it and it will be worth it, whatever your experience.

With ds i was induced at 14 days past edd. Cervix was closed not soft etc. I was given 3 lots of pessary on the first day and nothing happened. stayed on ward over night. Next morning apparently i had gone to 1cm so they put in drip and broke my waters. AFter about 20mins on drip was getting contractions and 90mins after drip ds was born. I had no help. I did have gas n air and diamorphine. DS heart rate did dip because of the strength of contractions apparently but he was out so quick. To be honest if i was told i was going to be induced again i would be quite happy for that to happen.

I was induced at 38 weeks 3 days. I had a good experience. I was lucky.

I was started off, with a pessary, at 11am on the Thursday. I was 0% effaced and not dialated at all. I should have got the 2nd pessary at 7pm (8 hours later) but the labour ward got busy so I was woken up at midnight to be given it! My blood pressure was high so I then spent the night in the private labour room having my blood pressure automatically read every hour!

At 8am, on the Friday, I was sent back to the ante-natal ward. Nothing seemed to be happening. I rang my husband and told him to go to work. By 9am ~ I was having 'tightenings' and got my husband to come in for company.

At 12:15 I was 3cms and my waters were broken (much to my dismay as I think I'd have continued to dialate on my own by then) I was sent backt to the antenatal ward, I had a bath and some lunch, walked around and was told I'd be checked at 2:15.

I was in agony by 2pm and found by another midwife behind my curtain with my bum in the air. Turns out nobody informed the antenatal ward I'd had my waters broken.

I went to the delivery room for gas and air and was 4cm. An hour later I was 8cm. An hour later I was ready to push. 40 minutes later (at 5.10pm) out came my DD. Whole of established labour classed as just over 5 hours.

It was all a bit of a shock to me. I was expecting the worst. I took part in some research the night before I was induced where the length of my cervix was measured. The researchers were trying to acertain whether cervix length correlated with who ended up with a c-section when induced. I wonder if the study has ended and the results of that research ever amounted to anything.

social induction at 39 weeks.

Pessery given at 7pm and left to my own devices. Examined at 6.30am and said as soon as there was a space on delivery suite, i could have my water broken, a shock considering i had felt NOTHING in the way of contractions.

Waters broken at 10am... no progress. Drip started at 2pm.... and hey presto by 5pm epidural given.

THings seemed to slow down then - i actualyl went to sleep until they needed to top up the epidural at 11pm.

Jessica arrived after 15 minutes pushing at 2.49am. She wasnt breathing as had cord round her neck, but a little oxygen and she was fine!

Thanks for all the stories so far! Keep them coming!
I guess there is some hope the induction can work....

Induced at 38 weeks (so cervix closed etc), first 2 pessaries had no effect. Third was given at 2230 and by 2330 I was in agony with contractions every 2 mins and severe "back" labour (I later found out ds had turned so had his spine to my spine) had epidural and things seemed to go downhill after that ( including was sick 5 times). Midwife/Registrar finally decided at 8am that ds had head jamed at wrong angle against my pelvis so ended up with forceps delivery at 9am. Sorry don't want to put you off but you did ask! Good luck

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Induced at 42 wks, bishops score 0.
7 lots of prostin then a sweep (v. uncomforatble as dr had trouble finding cervix - it was behind baby's head.
Baby tachycardic from prostin.
Staff refused to believe I was in labour - tried to break my waters for 10 mins before finally admitting they were already gone.
BUT 45 mins from 3cm to end of 3rd stage.
question consultant very closely, imho.
gail, 32 wks

I had 4 doses of prostin starting when term +10 days. Finally dilated just enough to break waters at term +13 days. Put on syntocin drip. Minor contractions for a few hours then baby's heart rate dipped & I had emergency c-section.
Not sure if heart rate dipped because of syntocin or because he pooed in the womb (the poo was v. fresh so not sure what came first).

Basically the prostin just didn't work for me - gave me really minor aches then nothing happened. Wasn't physically difficult but this was my first baby and the one thing I hadn't bargained on was not being able to go into labour & it did my head in a bit.

All worked out fine though. Most people I know who were induced had their baby a few hours later - I think my case was unusual.

Can't you ask your consultant more about it? Or failing that, maybe contact NCT for some freindly advice?

I hope all the anecdotes don't freak you out too much & that you get the birth you want. Good luck

hi,

ds1, induced at 42 weeks, pessary, 2 hour labour, gas and air, no forcepts or vontuse, not to painful - lucky me

ds2, induced at 41 weeks, waters broken, 4 hour labour, gas and air, no forcepts or vontuse, again wasnt to painful.

tbh i liked being induced cause i could get prepared with all the stuff and i was more relaxed cause i knew exactly what was going to happen iykwim

I was induced at 42 weeks. Head was still high and the cheeky little blighter had decided to turn the other way (back to right side). 3 pessaries, and by the end of it I was only 3 cm dilated and shattered. Then it all stopped. They broke my waters and still nothing, then attached me to the drip at 5pm, lots of strong regular contractions but nothing happening to the cervix. I had low platelets and was told at this point I wouldn't be able to get an epidural - it was just at this point that I thought I might just have one after all - talk about a disappointment. Then by 11 I was really tired and not doing too well with the pain (just gas & air). I was put in the queue for a general anesthetic cesearean and got pethidine to dull the pain. The midwife went out of the room and all of a sudden it all happened. I went from 3cm to 10cm in about half an hour and had a major show. Baby was born naturally (couldn't have intervention anyway because of platelets) at 5.20am (16 days late!).

So, if you go for it, be prepared that it may take a long time, and I would recommend being open minded about pain relief, and above all - RELAX. I am sure that is what made things happen for me (pethidine aided of course). Am now very glad I didn;t get the epidural as things wouldn't have happened naturally and I would have had days of labour but no giving birth. All other 7 deliveries that night were by C Section and all had epidurals. Nto sure what that says about my hospital mind you that so many people are given the emergency treatment....

I would do it all over again, exactly as it was. It was all worth it.

Good luck whatever you decide to do

Was pondering on whether to tell this. But two friends of mine had stillborn babies (first babies) at 10 days and 11 days late. One day the baby was fine, the next day not. They had very long induced labours to deliver. I was not aware of this at the time as they kept it a secret, but in any future pregnancies I will be asking to be induced at 7 days late maximum, as I don't think it is worth it.

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oooh ..i had low platelets too ,and i was induced.was a bit of a shock to not be able to have an epidural!

so to answer the question.
induced on due date,no signs of effacing etc with pessaries..nothing happened.had more 24 hrs later at about one in the afternoon.
tightenings at around five pm.
painful stuff at ten pm.
tens on and working well since about seven.
baby born vaginally at 5 am.
quite a good experience all in all,helped i think by the relaxing qualities of pethidine which was incidentally/ironically the only thing i would have avoided given the choice!

hope you find some sorta peace of mind before then.you'll be great xx

i had high blood pressure ,numerous infections, lenghty stays in hospital as it had developed into pre-eclampsia which got worse in the last two months {wont go into much detail or you will be reading this all night}. internal examination done and was told that wasnt favourable to be induced but i was booked into have induction on my due date {as i had suffered enough }. went in 8.00am wed 29th sept had internal and prostin gel inserted then had what felt like mild period pains for about 30 mins then was left till 1pm and was checked to have another dose of the gel but was told that my waters were breakable then it all happened quickly started to get pains straight away really strong partner had to hold me up while i moved to delivery room i then struggled through until my little ray of sunshine was born at 10.04pm that night i had pethidine and gas and air. still feel sick when i think of that drip in my hand.

I was induced at 37 weeks due to high (& rising) blood pressure with dd1. Cervix was ripe. Was given 3 lots of prostin over 2 days, the first on Monday morning. Eventually, my waters broke spontaneously very early Weds morning. Had 2 contractions that were just about manageable, then they were full on with no breaks. No time for epidural, gave birth after just 2.5 hrs from start to finish! Hate to think how quick no. 2 might be !! Iona x

Hi Lua,

I was induced with ds (baby no 3) when I was 41 + 6 days (although there was a 9 day discrepancy between my dates and the hospital's date and I was only 40 + 4 days by my own reckoning). I don't know how effaced I was as no-one told me. Was given 2 lots of prostaglandin pessaries approx 6 hours apart and absolutely nothing happened.
Was kept in hospital and next morning spoke to the consultant and explained the discrepancy about the dates to him. He had me monitored and said that I should go home and wait until I went into labour naturally, although I was to come into hospital every second day to be monitored.
I eventually went into labour naturally 8 days after my "induction".
I know this doesn't particularly help you but it was what was happened to me and to be honest I'm glad that the induction didn't work and I was able to go into labour on my own.