Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Childbirth

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

Original poster

Has anyone had a nice, non-traumatic induced labour?

37 replies

MamaLazarou · 07/01/2010 16:30

As my due date creeps ever closer, I can't bear the thought of being induced. All the induced labours I have read/heard so far are long, painful and traumatic.

Do any of you have positive experiences of being induced?

At the moment, emergency cs sounds like a preferable option.

OP posts:
lowrib · 07/01/2010 16:34

Watching with interest!

Original poster
MamaLazarou · 07/01/2010 16:36
Grin
OP posts:
potatofactory · 07/01/2010 16:38

I'd love to help you out here, but...

lowrib · 07/01/2010 16:41

Well while we're waiting for some stories of lovely inductions (hope thee are some!) I'll while away the time with my birth story ...

I was induced, and it was a nightmare, but I put that down to the epidural not working (despite 5 attempts!) rather than the induction IYSWIM. Also the bitch midwife who had never heard of active labour, and just wnted me on my back with my feet in stirrups, which - next to emergency CS - is what I wanted to avoid.

Still really pleased it didn't go to emergency CS though.

lowrib · 07/01/2010 16:46

I suspect they will want to induce me next time (if there is one).

Next time I will have a birth plan, and check the midwife at least understands the concept of active labour!

But despite being induced with no proper pain relief (and believe me it hurt!) I would still go for induction over emergency CS.

I was up and about really quickly after DS was born. My mate who had an ECS really struggled.

LauraIngallsWilder · 07/01/2010 16:48

I have a non traumatic experience of induced labour

But I am supposed to be cooking tea.............

LauraIngallsWilder · 07/01/2010 16:48

had

tvaerialmagpiebin · 07/01/2010 16:50

Me!!
I had a four hour labour with no pain relief at all. The contractions were very intense and no gap between, but it was fast and furious. DS was born without tears or episiotomy, no stitches. Had first pessary at 12noon, nothing happened until 6pm then Whoosh, off it went.

I would do that again no problem. And I was TERRIFIED of an over-medicalised birth beause of induction.

Went home 6 hours later.

Good luck.

Honeypeckle · 07/01/2010 16:50

I was induced and it went VERY well!

I went in on a Sunday night, had a sweep and gel. I then had another sweep and gel in the morning and DS was born at 3am Tues morning so from the first gel it was about 27 hours. DS is my first so can't compare the pain to anything else but I don't think it would've been less painful than if labour started naturally.
I didn't have any pain relief until I couldn't cope and asked for a epidural (which I had to wait a few hours for). The midwives were amazing and I couldn't have had a better birth! Ok the epidural may have helped tho

So no nothing traumatic at all !

Good luck!

Sam100 · 07/01/2010 16:52

Am always happy to provide a non-traumatic induction story as i know I was petrified before hand that induction meant intervention meant long/painful etc etc. I have in fact posted on this on another thread today.

This was dc3 who just wasn't shifting so I was just about begging for induction at term +12 days.

Had gel pessary at 8am then told to go off and keep active. Spent the rest of the day wandering around the hopsital with dh - had lunch together in the garden. Had a few twinges but did not think much of it. Sent dh home for a couple of hours so I could have a kip on the ante natal ward during the "quiet" period. He had instructions to be back at 3pm as was due for a check and possible 2nd pessary at 2pm.

Went for a lie down about 1 ish but could not sleep as the twinges were getting stronger. About 2 pm decided the twinges were actually contractions. They got progessively stronger. Asked to be moved to delivery ward but was worried dh would not know where i was (duh!). He turned up on ward just as they were getting me ready to move to delivery ward.

Got to delivery ward about 3 pm - asked to get in the pool - took till about 3:30 pm to get it ready. Got in - lovely! Then things really started moving - lots of mooing (apparently) - then waters broke about 4pm and dc3 born in the water at about 4:30 pm. Was out in about 2 pushes and even mw was a bit shocked at how quick as she was still pulling on her shoulder length plastic gloves as he shot out!!

I hope that helps - I like to think of the gel as a bit of a nudge in the right direction!

bargainhuntingbetty · 07/01/2010 16:57

I had a good experience. Was 12 days late. Taken in the morning and given gel then told to walk. Walked for hours then finally labour started. Mild contractions for a while, ate dinner and read a book whilst it messed about. Got worse and went for a a bath, waters went in the bath (didnt happen with dd1) then it really took off. One big contraction for about 45 minutes and out she came. Was in delivery for 26 minutes and was in labour for 3 hours. It was just before the pushing stage that I said it wasnt funny any more. It was lovely. No tears, no yelling, screaming etc. Very nice delivery, very healthy baby. Home 15 hours later, on with life. Would def do it again if I could have any more kids.

FranSanDisco · 07/01/2010 17:06

I had an induced birth with ds who was 2 weeks overdue. I had 2 pessaries during the day and neither worked it seemed so DH was sent home at 8 pm. At 9 pm I thought the pain in my stomach was due to the hospital dinner. I walked around until 1 am waiting for DH to reappear and keeping midwife updated on contractions. Walked through to delivery suite at 1.05 am and waters broke immediately. Ds was born at 1.20 am. DH arrived at 1.10 am as they were mopping up waters LOL. I had no time for pain relief so did shout a little . A far better birth experience than my first (epidural and ventouse) and a quicker recovery as I was able to go home at 11 am the same day.

ArthurSleep · 07/01/2010 17:13

I had two nice, non-traumatic induced labours. Gas and air, no other pain relief required, no interventions, both over in about four hours.

ArthurSleep · 07/01/2010 17:13

Four hours from contractions starting I should say.

liahgenisuptheduff · 07/01/2010 17:18

I've had 2 also

1st was for fetal heartbeat irregularities, ds was 42 wks gestation.

pessary at lunch time ctx started at 6pm very lightly. ds was born at 9pm. Stitches for 2nd degree but only cos he turned his head at the last minute.

dc3 was induced at 40 wks for obstetric cholestasis. Pessary at 9am, labour kicked off very lightly sometime during the afternoon, proper ctx at 7pm. Had a fully mobile epidural, (sadly not available everywhere) and ds was born with me kneeling at 4.27am. 10lb, not a stitch, (hmm, not sure I should be boasting about that!! )

sadly have also had a horrendous looong induction too. Can go either way ime.

As a Doula have seen alsorts too. Please go into it with a positive mindset and that may help to some degree. Good luck. x

piscesmoon · 07/01/2010 17:20

My induced labour was fine-only gas and air, no interventions, and only a few hours.

flybynight · 07/01/2010 17:21

I've had two utterly non-traumatic inductions using pessaries. One an hour and a half from contractions starting, one 20 minutes. No pain relief. No dramas. Minimal tearing (one stitch both times).

It wouldn't worry me at all if I had to be induced this time. You just don't notice the good result stories as much because they aren't as interesting! Good luck!

slightlycrumpled · 07/01/2010 17:23

I had an induced labour with DS2 and apart from it taking ages for anything to happen at all it went just fine.

After a couple of days of chatting to the other pregnant women and their husbands on the ante natal ward, finally things started to happen. One and a half hours later I was whipped up to the delivery unit where I pushed for ten minutes before meeting my new baby.

It really was okay, more intense a labour than with DS1 but totally okay.

Good luck.

GColdtimer · 07/01/2010 17:40

I was induced and it was fine (although really don't want to be again because I want a homebirth this time).

The worst bit was that the gel did nothing but give me period pains all night through so I didn't get any sleep. Things didn't really progress until they put the drip in at about 2pm and DD was born at 10.17PM. I had back to back labour and did it with just gas and air so whilst it took ages to get started and I did all that pre-labour bit in a hospital on my own rather than at home, it was fine.

I would much rather be induced again than emc.

Good luck!

Original poster
MamaLazarou · 07/01/2010 17:48

Thank you all so much for contributing. You've been an enormous help.

OP posts:
ten10 · 07/01/2010 17:54

My labour was induced due to my waters breaking, nothing happening and then a day and a half later, the baby passed meconium, so I was started straight away on the syntocin drip without any pessary etc.

I had been told so many horror stories about being induced this way i.e. it being much more painful so I wimped out and asked for an epidural before anything,

however the epidural only worked down one side, and actually the pain was bad but perfectly bearable once topped up with gas and air, (which I wish I had just used from the outset.)

All in from them starting the syntocin drip to delivery was about eight hours, however the first seven of these nothing much happened, I was getting regular but weak contractions and did not dilate any more than one and a half centimetres.

Then it all went a bit crazy and after 40mins I was suddenly ready to push, 20 mins of pushing and out DS2 popped.
was suprised to find the 2nd stage of labour actually pleasurable, very weird but true.

only trauma was due to rubbish epidural, but as for the birth this was great

Heated · 07/01/2010 17:59

Yes, it came with an immediate epidural. Was almost a pleasure. Hoping to have similar with no3 if he/she follows the pattern and is late.

WhatSheSaid · 07/01/2010 18:05

I had an induced labour at 39+5 that did end in em c/s but I didn't find it traumatic. I was never in a lot of pain due to being given pain relief as soon as I found it all getting a bit much. There was about 20 mins while waiting for anaesthetist to arrive to administer epidural where the pain started to become overwhelming (constant contractions, no break in between), but 20 mins out of 11 hours is not too bad.

The em c/s was very calm, despite being reasonably urgent, staff were lovely and calm, aftercare great, in my own room. So yes, it was quite medicalised and ended in em c/s but I didn't find it traumatic.

WhatSheSaid · 07/01/2010 18:08

I had an induced labour at 39+5 that did end in em c/s but I didn't find it traumatic. I was never in a lot of pain due to being given pain relief as soon as I found it all getting a bit much. There was about 20 mins while waiting for anaesthetist to arrive to administer epidural where the pain started to become overwhelming (constant contractions, no break in between), but 20 mins out of 11 hours is not too bad.

The em c/s was very calm, despite being reasonably urgent, staff were lovely and calm, aftercare great, in my own room. So yes, it was quite medicalised and ended in em c/s but I didn't find it traumatic.

WhatSheSaid · 07/01/2010 18:10

Sorry for that appearing twice