Induction birth plan?

[KatieLunn]

Hi all - I will probably have to be induced at 37 weeks next week (gestational diabetes - DD to-be's stomach is at 40 weeks while her head is at 36).

I'm terrified of hospitals and before getting GD was planning a home birth. Does anyone have useful advice/things to include in the birth plan? It's my first child and am feeling quite daunted...and the diabetes midwife and I don't get along at all well enough for me to ask any questions

Hi - I've got GD and being induced tomorrow at 39+3, 2nd baby. So far my care has been amazing and even a little OTT at times. In terms of birth plan - i think it may be a little decided for you - however I have specified - as normal delivery as possible with only the very required intervention. The midwife told me today that if the pessary induction works -then the labour can continue with no further intervention. Make sure you stay mobile and stay positive.

Good luck

Just keep an open mind and don't get too fixated on the exact details of what you want to happen. This would be my advice for any birth plan, but especially when it's an induction because your options will be reduced anyway. It's good to plan how you want things to go, as long as you don't get too depressed if it all doesn't happen.

Sorry, that sounds really negative, but I'm just trying to be realistic.

Take lots of magazines and books to read too! Sometimes inductions take hours, or even days, and it can be really boring at the beginning waiting for it to kick off.

Good luck -I really hope the pessary will work for you - mobile and positive is the way to go.

I don't like hospitals either and found dimming the lights in the delivery suite helpful in terms of making the atmosphere a little more relaxed. Have you got music or something to listen to as well? A pillow or something that smells of home can help you to relax as well. I also put a couple of drops of lavender oil on my pillow each night helped me to sleep.

If the pessary doesn't work and they offer the synto drip, I have heard that it is advisable to have an epidural before they start the drip as the ctx can come on v v strong v v quickly.

I didn't know this, when I was induced last year and as 3 pessaries and a lot of walking around the hospital didn't work, I had to have a synto drip. The ctx were indeed v strong v v v quickly. I don't want to scare you but I was in so much pain I couldn't stay still for long enough for them to site an epidural properly so if it happens next time I would definitely do it the other way around!

At the end of the day, what matters is your baby arrives safely, however that may be. Hope all goes well

I am being induced next week and have agreed to start off with an epidural as soon as they break my waters, I've been induced before with no pain relief and have no desire to do it again. I'm happy to go with what they suggest in terms of managing the birth but I would like the baby delivered straight onto me for skin to skin and as long as it seems ok to hold off any weighing and cleaning for as long as possible.

I was induced with DD1 at 42 weeks and it took 3 days. If the pessary works, it's because things are favourable anyway. Ask your MW/consultant what your Bishop's Score is. It's on a scale of 0-10. Anything over 8 and you're showing signs that you might go in to labour soon anyway (cervix soft and dilated). Below 5 and it's likely that induction will be harder as you're showing few signs of labour.

My Bishop's score was helpfully described as "almost a 1". This is why the process took three days! SO if you get a score you will have a sense of where things stand.

I agree with bringing lots of entertainment with you and having lots of food on standby in case it takes a long time, then you won't have to rely on hospital food.

I would always ask for 2 pessaries/gels to be inserted before they start the drip. I think the NICE rec is that you can have up to 3 if necessary. The softer your cervix the better. I needed 2 pessaries anyway!

I had an epidural but only after they'd broken my waters and started a drip. Contractions are not nec stronger, you just don't build them up gradually. Personally I thought the epidural was great, I asked for it very light and could still walk after DD was eventually born. But I would hold off getting it so you can move around as much as possible beforehand, mvovement is good for getting things going.

I think you have to be very open minded about an induction birth, if you go in with decided ideas about how you want it all to go you are more likely to be disappointed.

Good luck!

I've been induced 4 times (all overdue some more so than others - think I'm naturally a 43 weeker) what I learnt from bitter experience is refuse continous monitoring and get off the bed. Even when it gets to the point where you are in pain and want to use gas and air etc in addition to your tens machine, no monitor and sit on that birthing ball!

The knack of gas and air is to breath in deeply as soon as the contraction starts so it's working as the contraction peaks.

Also ask the midwives to be your birthing partners and inform them that your partner is there to carry the bags, seriously I did that they have a much better idea of how to help you.

Ooooh, sleep mask and earplugs for if you have to sleep on the ward.

And epidural, for me, was to allow me to get some sleep - we fortunately had a v experienced midwife who correctly told me that I had at least one night to get through before any baby was likely to appear.

Thanks everyone - it's great to hear advice from people who have been there.

Will deffo remember about the Bishops score and the tip about refusing continuous monitoring!

Remember that your body belongs to you alone, and YOU are in control.

If the contractions are coming on too strong and painful on the drip, request it is turned down a little. If they refuse it is assult, and in anycase you can simply remove the line or threaten to.

Definitely agree with the 'it's your body' sentiments on here.

I was induced with DS1 and if I have to be induced this time I would:
tell the midwife you want to discuss any decisions made.
i.e continuos monitoring (which I HATED) if you are informed of the reasons why, it can then be part of your decision on what is best for you and your baby. (I felt very out of control with DS1's birth)

get an epidural ASAP (a very personal decision, but like roary I had a great epidural)

Also with the diabetes midwife.. I would suggest you talk through with a different midwife - it is far better to get an idea of what your choices are and what will happen when you aren't already in labour.

Good luck, hope it all goes well

I was induced with GD too, and like you I wanted a home birth.

I totally agree with everyone when they say it's your body and you make the decisions - and the continuous monitoring is definitely something to get out of if poss. However my psychological makeup seems to make me do whatever anyone tells me to when I'm feeling vulnerable (pathetic I know) so here are some tips if you're at all similar:

There is plenty of time to 'mourn' the homebirth afterwards but don't do it while you're in hospital; it's unproductive. This task is down to you and DD and whatever medical intervention happens, it's about the two of you.

Even if you end up being monitored continuously and have a drip, you can sit on the birthing ball and bounce.

You won't necessarily need an epidural - I didn't and I'm pretty sure I don't have a high pain threshold!

Bring an ipod or something. Then if you are in the early stages of labour in the night you can retreat into your own world and block out all the hospital noises you get.

Ask them what they are doing and why. I find this helps me to panic less.

As someone else said, ask them to dim the lights as it really helped me relax.

I hope that helps a bit. Good luck with it. I know there are a lot of scary stories about induction but honestly, mine was ok.