Induction for third after after 2 spontaneous births

[mafog]

I am 8 days over with number 3. Numbers 1 and 2 were also late but not this late! At the last MW appt, I am starting to efface but not dilate, and I'm certainly not feeling a largish amount of contractions/twinges to make me think it's happening anytime soon- although I have had a slow show but not sure if the sweep caused this or my body.

I have a possible induction booked for +11. Having never got to this point I am reading what I can about induction and I'm a bit scared by it all. My first 2 births were ok, bith started spontaneously, 1st needed a ventouse and second was a very intense 3 hour job.

My main concern is failure to progress and keeping to 'hospital times' and also the thought it could all end up in a section anyway, and is maybe more likely. I'm aware that I could refuse to be induced at +11.

I'm just wondering if induction is more successful if a woman has birthed twice before (and it's a case of reminding my body what to do) or if the risks are similar for all inductions.

I was in your position a week ago and really wanted to avoid induction. My children were born at 39+5, 40+5 and my latest arrival (A week old today) at 41+5. My first two births were 2hours long and spontaneous and i really wanted to avoid induction because i felt my body had done it twice before and would do it again without interferance.

I ended up accepting induction, had the 1st prostin pessary at 1.30pm and nothing happened, had a second prostin at 12.30am and woke up at 3am with some pain. My DS3 was born at 4.53am in what was recorded as a 25 minute labour. I am inclined to think that if your dates are correct and you are at least 11 days over you are probably more likely to be successful with induction - but that is just my opinion and not based on any evidence. In some ways i wish i'd refused induction and in others i'm glad i got it over with. My DH missed the birth because it was so quick and in the middle of the night.

Good luck with whatever you decide, you just have to remember that nobody can make you do anything although in reality you do feel pressured to do whatever they suggest.

I had an induction 2 weeks ago at 38 weeks as my first labour ended in a ventouse delivery as DD was stuck and suffered from shoulder dystocia. They wanted to avoid this happening again and so decided that rather than do a c-section, they'd try early induction. When I arrived at the hospital I was told it could take 2 days as I was only 38 weeks. I had a sweep and the 1st pessary inserted at 11.30am, then put on a monitor for an hour and I was already getting twinges in my back at this point. At 2pm DH and I went for a walk to move things along. By 3pm I was back in my room and in the bath as things were definitely happening!! 4pm was on the gas and air and by 4.55pm I was begging for an epidural, but there wasn't time and DS was born at 17:36!!! So it can happen quickly even if you are not yet due!!!

Make sure you talk through your concerns with your MW as it is all a bit 'medical' and surreal, but I can honestly say that I had a very good experience.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!!

Although 3rd labours tend to be a strange mixture of the 1st and 2nd (not scientific fact, just an observation!) it is highly likely that you will birth pretty quickly this time around even if induced. Don't forget that the NICE guidelines say induction up to term plus 14 is acceptable practice so don't feel pressured. Our unit has just changed from term plus 10 to 12 not due to any new evidence but simply to accomodate all the women we need to so bear in mind other factors come into hospital guidelines! My advice would be hang on in there and if you do go into be induced don't lie around on the bed awaiting events, get on the birthball and pacing around the room. Good luck.

I had a spontaneous labour with DS and then this time I had twins and asked for induction at 36+6 as I had had enough! It was absolutely fine and a very positive experience.
They broke my waters and because nothing happened after 4 hours they started me on the drip, that took nearly 2 hours to get it going but from 1st contraction to both babies was 47 minutes it was quite intense but 1st labour was only 3 hours so I think I just labour fast anyway lol, I did both labours with just gas and air so wasnt any worse for being induced.

I think that you need to do what your comfortable with though and if you are not happy to be induced then wait it out.

What were your other labours like?

I had an induction at 37 weeks with dd2, having had spontaneous labours at 39+4 and 38+5 with dd1 and ds.

Induction for (my) medical reasons.

It lasted 12 hours, from prostin pessary at 6am to birth at 6.01pm! They told me it was more likely to be easy because my body "knew what it was doing". There was no pressure about timings or anything.

When I was induced I wasn't effaced at all, I had the pessary, and fell back asleep for 2 hours, which the midwife said was great as they don't want the prostin just sliding out of you! After that I was on my feet for hours - just walked round and round and round the ward, the hospital etc ...... That also helped as it kept things moving.

Labour seemed very long, but pushing and delivery took about 15 minutes in the end.

Hope it all goes well for you.

Thanks for the messages, I have also been doing some reading on inductions too.

I think I will see how ready I am for it on the day and make a decision whether to go ahead with it or stall for a couple more days. I will certainly take my ball in for and request to keep moving upright on this. I'll also keep an open mind on pain relief. I do think with 2 previous births and being so overdue there is a better chance of it working but it's still a scary decision to make none the less, whilst I know induction can be vital in certain circumstances it doesn't come without its own problesm.

Thanks all again.