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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Induction - are your birth partners restricted by hospital visiting hours?

13 replies

MiniLlace · 09/10/2009 09:10

Have been told they are likely to induce at 37 weeks (as i have mild PE) .. one thought ive had since my last visit is about the process. I know you go in and they start with gels to try and get the process started - I also understand that this part is done while you are on the anti-natal ward. If this is the case are you required to follow the normal visiting hours processes? .. at st georges appears that DHs cannot viist between 8pm and 10am .. does this mean I may need to go through the fist stage of labour on my own ????!??????? this is v scary ... if this is the case at what point will they let him back?? .. sorry if its a dumb question but has got me worried - thanks!!

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StewieGriffinsMom · 09/10/2009 09:14

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cory · 09/10/2009 09:19

Here your birth partner would be allowed to stay and sit inside the curtan with you; he/she will need to remember that other mums-to-be are trying to sleep though ad some maybe quite ill, so he will want to keep his voice down (remembering some I met in my weeks on the ante-natal ward).

Original poster

MiniLlace · 09/10/2009 09:23

ahhhhhh thank you lovely lovely ladies - I want to sit and cry - that has made me sooo relieved .. I will of course check with m/wife next week when im back off in for more monitoring - but just the thought of going through the first stage alone was really starting to worry me ...

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mspotatochip · 09/10/2009 09:23

I was induced with severe pe first time (35 weeks) and mild pe second time (38 weeks). first induction took about 48 hours but don't panic only the last 12 or so were what you might call active labour! Second time they put the gel in at noon and he was born at 8 but 'labour' started about 2, waters broken about 6.

The first induction started off very very gentle. I was moved to labour ward( was already admitted) about midnight and they put in gel about 6 am, Dp came in then and stayed all day not much was happening just like mild period cramps. They gave me more gel a sleeping something that night and DP went home and then examined me at 6 am again and broke my waters. Things started moving soon after that and i also had drip. DD was born about 10 pm. That second day was difficult but to be honest still manageable I had a midwife all the time and was never left alone or worried.

In think the general rule is if its your first induction could take some time and you and your husband might be glad to get some sleep.

On the other hand can they make him leave if he doesn't want to?? I've always wondered how far it would be pushed if you just said i need his support if he goes I go?

Antiquarian · 09/10/2009 11:52

Hello, just to share my experience, I went in for induction at 8pm, DH sent home shortly afterwards, had the gels about 11pm.

I spent the night in discomfort but not terrible pain, biggest problem was trying to get the Tens machine on myself, kept electrocuting myself! I called him at 8am the next morning and he came back. Moved to the labour ward around 10am, and DD was born at about 3am the next morning!

If I had moved to the labour ward at any time during the evening when he wasn't there, he could have come back.

To be honest, I wouldn't particularly have wanted him there that first night as there was nothing he could have done, and it was better that somebody got some sleep!

Original poster

MiniLlace · 09/10/2009 13:10

These stories are all v helpful - especially understanding experiences for first 6 or so hours on the gels .. thank you so much!

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alana39 · 09/10/2009 13:20

Phone the hospital and check, although I wasn't induced I went into hospital with 2nd pg when contractions were 5 minutes apart and I needed antibiotic cover anyway, so they told me to come in (it was 2 am). Got there and was examined and found to be only 3.5 - 4 cm dilated and they don't let you onto delivery suite until 5 cm so I had to go to the antenatal ward. So DH was sent home. Contractions got to 3 minutes apart and I asked to be examined again, and was 6cm dilated - DH had literally just got into bed (and we're only a 20 minute drive away in the middle of the night) when the phone went telling him to get back sharpish.

If you talk to the hospital in advance they will hopefully be able to reassure you.

NotBreeVanDeKamp · 09/10/2009 19:14

I was induced Sunday night, they had me (and partner) in the ante natal ward in our own room so no, no need for him to go home. I was going to suggest he did so if nothing happened but it did. (Baby born after about 5 hours after first gel). Good luck

nosferartifartu · 09/10/2009 19:34

MiniLlace - I was induced at St Georges last year. They gave me the pessaries in the evening and DP was sent home and told to return at 10am. But they assured me that if I went into labour, they would call him back straight away. (I didn't so he arrived the next morning) They induce you with pessaries on the post-natal ward (well they did me anyway...) and mine was taking a long time so by the next evening they were muttering about DP having to go home (as with alana39) but I was kicking up a big old fuss so I think they thought I'd be less trouble if they let him stay! In the end I was then transferred up to the delivery suite anyway.

Talk to your MW and be very firm - perhaps put it in your birth plan? Be firm.

Everyone at SGH was lovely BTW.

Wheelybug · 09/10/2009 19:41

when I was induced at 37 weeks, the 'rules' were that DH should leave at 10 (I think) but in practice they left him to leave of his own accord. They did encourage him at one point because it was about 2am and not a lot was happening but that was more about him than them IYSWIM. They did say that they would ring him if anything happened. IME, if your DH isn't making work/fuss then they'll let him stay - probably helps them in some ways as he can do stuff for you.

beanstalk · 09/10/2009 20:51

I think you need to speak to the hospital. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I was induced at st george's and they insisted dh complied with visiting hours even when I was having contractions and despite me being in my own room. As a result I did have a night of labouring on my own, with midwives checking on me every couple of hours. I called them in to tell them I'd had a show and to ask for help with my tens and they offered me paracetamol but otherwise left me to my own devices. I didn't kick up a fuss - I didn't know any different - but I will not be accepting the same treatment this time around (I'm overdue again so could be facing induction).

BloodshotEyeballs · 09/10/2009 20:55

Was induced last Jan (08). Went in about 8pm, first gel given at 10ish and DH sent straight home. The next day was given another lot of gel in the morning, DH came in from about 10 till 10 on and off. Then was sent home. Called back again as waters broke just after 11 and he arrived back around midnight. All he did was moan that he'd just got into bed and had to get up again!

I was very upset that he had to stick to the visiting hours but I'm not great with hospitals anyway.

Lulumama · 09/10/2009 20:59

check with the hospital, many do restrict partners to visiting hours whilst you are on the ante natal ward.. you do have to remember there will be other women on the ward, and some are there for bed rest etc and having men on the ward 24/7 is not always ok.

once you are in estblished labour you will be moved to labour ward, or when you are dilated enough to have your waters broken, you go to labour ward and your partner will be with you the whole time

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