Being induced early for the second time - is it quicker this time?

[LittlePeanut]

My first baby was induced 3 weeks early, as I had obstetric cholestasis. It dragged across 2 days, involved a long labour and 2 hours of pushing.

I'm now 35 weeks pregnant with second child, and have been diagnosed with OC again! facing induction in 2 weeks time.

Anyone got any experience of this? do you think it will be a quicker experience this time?

Not sure if this is any help, but I had OC and was induced at 36 weeks (first baby). Induction started at about 8am and dd was born 11pm. I think active labour was about 5 hours, so an early induction can be fast.

Aren't second births generally quicker than the first time round?

Thanks greensnail. That does give me some hope! Yes, second births tend to be quicker I think, but not sure if that is just when they happen spontaneously - i.e. not induced.

Oh well, what will be will be, I suppose!

Good luck anyway, hope its better this time and you're not too itchy in the meantime.

Can I ask, did you develop the OC at the same stage this time as with the first pregnancy? Did they monitor you more closely from the start? We're thinking about trying for baby no.2, and am starting to wonder what might happen!

I've had 3 inductions before 40 weeks and they've each been quicker - last one 3 hours in total with a 6 minute second stage.
They do usually get faster.
good luck!

Rosebud05 - thanks so much for that, very encouraging!!

greensnail - with the 1st baby I started itching, or at least noticing the itching at 36 weeks, the day after I finished work! I phoned the hospital and they told me to come straight in, and I was diagnosed that same day with blood test, then induced a week later.

Because of my history, with this pregnancy they booked me in for an appointment with a consultant at 34 weeks to check my blood, and told me just to get in touch if I had itching before this.

I didn't have itching, but when I went for the appointment my bile level was very high - still within the normal range, but at the highest end. The consultant booked me in for another appointment at 36 weeks (today actually). But in the meantime, I started to itch, so went back to hospital myself a week ago and was diagnosed with it.

Since then, I have been monitored VERY closely - I have had to go in every day to be monitored on a CTG machine (listens to the baby's heartbeat) and I've also been given a scan. I'm taking drugs to try to absorb the bile acid, and vitamin K to counteract the anti-coagulant in the drugs. Also been given injections to mature the baby's lungs, in case I deliever early.

I have really noticed the difference this time, as in my last pregnancy I wasn't given any drugs or anything, just basically a blood test then induced the following week.

The itching hasn't been too bad really, just a bit at night, and Piriton helps with that.

I'm seeing the consultant this afternoon, so I might find out an actual date for induction.

To answer your question about monitoring from the very start, I don't think so. I was given extra scans, but I think this was more due to my previous miscarriages, not the OC. They told me it is highly unusual to develop OC before the 3rd trimester.

Good luck with baby no. 2!

x

Thanks LittlePeanut, that's helpful. I was diagnosed at 31 weeks last time, but had symptoms from about 28 weeks (didn't get them checked for a few weeks as I was in Australia on holiday I was on all the drugs and frequent monitoring, as my bile acid level was very high. I suppose they might just keep a closer eye from the 3rd trimester then.

Good luck for this afternoon