So tell me about induction..

[VenusInfers]

Had hoped for a lovely water birth, but LO (first pg) has other plans and hasn't even engaged properly at 40+11, no softening of the cervix so sweep not possible etc, hence looks like I'm going to be induced over the weekend.

I'd love to hear about other's experiences and especially things I should be aware of/questions I should ask to make the birth as natural as possible.

Thanks!

I was induced with DD2 at 40+12, I had two lots of prostin gel inserted, one in the morning after which I went out and about the hospital and grounds, and one in the late afternoon.

I started with mild contractions after the second lot and when I could get up again (you are attached to a monitor for half an hour before and after insertion so they can measure the babies heartbeat) I sat on a ball and rocked whilst reading the newspaper.

I had a bath before bed and then another bath because the contractions were getting stronger, then at 2am I was moved to the delivery room.

I spent the next 2 hours or so either hanging off the sink in the delivery room or sat on the toilet and finally managed to deliver her at 5am knelt up against the bed.

I refused constant monitoring whilst in labour because I did not want to lay on the bed, I also refused pethedine or an epidural because I wanted to make the best use of gravity and I was slightly worried about having to have more intervention if I was anesthetised.

If you get to the stage of being properly induced via a syntocin (sp) drip dont be reluctant about demanding an epidural pretty soon afterwards if you can't cope. Natural labour is abit of a build up so the pain is more manageable whereas the drip rockets you 0-60 straight into full blown labour so the pain can be intense. Some hospitals automatically give epidurals if you are induced in this way others dont. Remember there are no medals for giving birth without pain relief. Everyones experience is different, have had one induction and one natural birth and my god I needed the epidural after the induction. Good luck with it all x

Thanks mrspnut and kerala that's useful stuff. Esp about what it might be like if I have the syntocin. I'd planned to try and avoid any pain relief stronger than Entonox, but that was when I hoped to start labour naturally, use a pool etc, which is a whole lot different!

Don't give up hope - DC1 was induced and it only took one dose of the pessary and then labour progressed nicely (and quickly) by itself so I was allowed (encouraged by the fab mw, in fact) to use the pool and just had gas and air for pain relief. Inductions aren't always bad!

Another good induction here !

DS1 was induced at 40+15, had 2 prostin pessaries 4 hrs apart, I think, proper contractions started a couple of hours later. Laboured on antenatal ward for 7 hours, was transferred to Delivery room, had epidural, had syntocynon. When it came to pushing I was nice and painfree but did have sensation down below, so kind of knew in which direction to push, IYKWIM .

HTH. And hope you have a good delivery. Who knows, things might happen between now and the weekend...?

I had a good induction too 1 dose of gel then they broke my water, I had a mobile epidural and only then the syntocin as I had been told that the contractions would come pretty strong and fast. They did and 7 hours later DD was born. I had no interventions during the actual birth and DD was delivered in 14minutes from starting to push until she was on me.

Alot of my friends were booked in for induction and went into spontaneous labour the day before. I was induced due to a bleed at 40+2.

I would second the above poster about if you have the drip. I had numerous sweeps and 3 lots of gel and walked miles around the hospital but could not get past 3cm. The contractions did hurt but were manageable but I got very very tired (this was over 2 days).

I had my waters broken and was put on the drip and it was literally like being hit by a bus the intensity of the pain, one contraction on top of another I could not speak and barely breathe. I was lucky that I got an epidural within half an hour but I did not realise that they do not always work and I could still feel everything until it was done again. I went from 3cm to 10cm in an hour and a half, 3 hours of pushing before forceps.

I was mostly just suprised that I thought I would be given the gel and the next day I would have my baby rather than starting on the tue and not having her until the fri.

I am hoping not to be induced this time (32 weeks) but if I am I'm not letting that drip near me until I have an epidural!!

Good luck, it's corny but it really is worth it for the baby you get at the end!!

I had one pessary and that brought labour on and then I had a water birth at hospital! But I've heard fom a lot of friends that if you have oxytocin do have an epidural!!

Valued words of experience there, thanks very much, I'll bear them in mind tomorrow.
Meandmybub your story is particularly fab, nice to know it's at least not impossible for things to work out as planned and, if the pessary doesn't get things going I'll take carrielou's advice and try and get the epidural set up first.

I had an induction for DS2, we were 40 + 10, which was thelongest Icouldwait. I hada pessary at8am, andthen wasleft ina room alone toawait thecontractions, anda nurse saidshe'sdropby at noon. Well by 11 Iwas bent double over the bed in uttereffing agony. DH had gone to the local DIY centre,safe in the knowledge that I wasnt due till evening...Turned out I was 10cm dialated at 11,and gave birth WITH a beautiful epidural (god bless them)at lunchtime. So, moral of story is to take the epidural, and wait and see, you could be pretty ready anyhow, and it wonttake much to tip you over. But it was a great birth, and I was soo pleased with how it went, as it was a VBAC for me.

I was induced at 40 + 12 a few weeks ago and think I had a pretty easy labour and certainly recovered quickly.
The first bit was SLOW as I had a pessary at 1pm which had no effect and then they couldn't give me another pessary that evening as the delivery ward was full so I spent a night on the ante-natal ward. At about 3am I started having mild contractions (which I dozed through) and they examined me about 8am when the contractions were getting more uncomfortable (but easily dealt with by the TENS machine) and found I was 2-3cm dilated so they didn't give me another pessary. Annoyingly, the delivery ward was still full so nor would they rupture my membranes. I continued to have mild contractions for most of the morning although they tailed off rather than intensified (my LO really didn't want to come out!) so I got some more sleep. About 4pm they finally had room in the delivery ward so I went down and they ruptured my membranes. After an hour, nothing much had happened so I went onto the drip, was surprised at how much the pain intensified so had an epidural within 10 minutes as I could tell that I wouldn't get through the whole process without one so thought I might as well have one, an approach the midwife supported. After that, it was really easy as I couldn't feel a thing. I was fully dilated within 6 hours of the drip starting (during which time I'd either slept or read magazines), was given an hour's break and then started pushing (was on a monitor so even though I couldn't feel contractions, I could see them on the monitor so knew when to push) and finally got to meet my DD.
We hadn't realised how long the first bit could be and I wished I'd had an extra set of PJs with me for the night on the ante-natal ward, more snacks and DP wished he'd had more books/magazines/iPod as he spent a lot of time sitting around whilst I dozed.
One other thing - in the hospital we were in they were inducing 6 women that day and they induced you in the order you arrived and so, as we'd had trouble finding a parking space, we were the last to turn up (although still arrived 5 mins early) and so the last to have the first pessary. Out of the six of us (we were all on the same ward), three went into labour quite quickly but the other three of us were supposed to have a second pessary that evening but, as the labour ward was so busy, only one of us was allowed another pessary so that was given to the first of the three of us to turn up. In case your hospital does this, I suggest getting there early so that you're first on the list.