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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

induction process??

19 replies

DiamondChyna · 04/04/2010 15:39

Im 41weeks today and have an appointment to be induced this thursday morning.
this is my second pregnancy and i was just wondering if having the pessary/gels will usually be enough to get things going or if they would be more likely to try breaking y waters and skipping the pessary if possible. also wanted to know if having the pessary or having the waters broken make labour more painfull than usual and what others have expierienced being induced

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Ladyem · 04/04/2010 16:40

Hi! I was induced at 38 weeks with DS (DD had shoulder dystocia at birth and they wanted to keep him small to avoid a repeat of this) and they told me it would be a long process as I was 2 weeks early and so to expect to be in for at least 2 days blah blah blah....!! Anyway, I was given the first pessary and a sweep at lunch time, first contractions started about an hour later, 2pm went for a walk, 3pm in the bath, 4pm on G&A, 5pm shouted "Think the baby is coming NOW!!!!!", they wheeled me down to delivery, waters went with a big pop and 3 pushes later he arrived!!!

Was more intense than with DD as I went from 5cm to delivered in 30 minutes, but I laboured quickly with her, too (apart from the getting stuck part!) and so I'm not sure if it is related to second time being quicker or the pessary. They did think that I was in pain so quickly due to the hormone in the pessary, but turned out that he was just on his way quicker that was expected!!

Try not to worry about it (easier said than done, I know!). I know that there are lots of horror stories regarding induction, but mine was absolutely fine and would not be put off doing it again if we have any more DCs!

Good luck and let us know how you get on!!

roary · 04/04/2010 22:23

I've just asked this q over in the preg forum. Nice guidelines say you should not be induced by breaking waters. Am trying to find out why. With dd1 had 2 gels followed by breaking waters followed by syntocin.

Casmama · 04/04/2010 23:21

I was dreading an induction but had to have one at 39 weeks. i was told that it could take three days as my cervix was not dilated.
Within twelve hours I was fully dilated and ready to push. (First baby)

Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine

JaynieB · 04/04/2010 23:31

My waters broke, but didn't go into labour. I was already nearly 2 weeks late and had had an attempt at a sweep but the midwife said my cervix was nowhere near engaged. They gave me a pessary the next day but that didn't make much difference, then the drip which did bring labour on. I've nothing else to compare it with, but I found that as soon as I seemed to be adjusting and coping with the contractions, it was time to up the dose and they came quicker and stronger. It was painful, but I think I was a bit of a wuss!
In the end though, my cervix was not dilating fast enough and my waters had broken approx 48 hours so they advised me to have a c-section, which I did. Good job really as DD was a whopper - nearly ten pounds.
The main down side I found was being wired up to lots of monitors meant it was difficult to move round, but on the plus side I got excellent care and a midwife in attendance for the whole time. The close monitoring was comforting in a way though as I could hear my babys heartbeat all the time.

Original poster

DiamondChyna · 05/04/2010 01:46

i have already had a sweep, so i don't really mind them having to do that again and the pessary or gels, but i would prefer if they didn't break my waters straight away, so just wanted to see what other peoples experience was since the leaflet they gave me said if your cervix is dilated enough to allow them to break your waters then they wont bother with the pessaries and they will just break your waters, which i don't want, guess i'll just have to refuse then and wait it out with the pessary!

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Original poster

DiamondChyna · 05/04/2010 01:50

had they sweep on Friday BTW and its now the early hours of Monday morning so i'm guessing it hasn't worked besides making me lose my mucus plug, but has anyone else had much luck with just one sweep after more than 48hrs? Or is it just wishful thinking to have any hope left of it still working?

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roary · 05/04/2010 06:13

diamond,
I did some research on this question and apparently studies show that using the gel first is usually enough to begin labour on its own, esp with a bishops score over 4. In turn this seems to lead to less painful labour and less need for a drip. I'm of two minds on the same point- had 2 gels and there was a lot of waiting with dd1. I think what's swung it for me is that breaking waters early is associated with higher maternal infection and as I had a bad one post birth last time I'll try the gel first.

Sweeps: apparently women who have them at 41 weeks are more likely to avoid induction at 42 weeks but i understand that studies on this are few.

So it may not actually be faster to break waters but check your bishops score. If they can even do a sweep it's prob pretty good!

ilovesprouts · 05/04/2010 07:07

i had 2 sweeps at 41+5 i got 2 pessarys and tryed to pop my waters did not work so had an emcs

Original poster

DiamondChyna · 05/04/2010 17:25

my bishop score was 6 on friday, though ive had loads of braxton hicks and lost my mucus plug since then so i hope by now my bishop score would be better
i think i'll ask if they can just use the gels and see how i go for a while as ive heard going straight to breaking the waters or syntocinon drip can be more painfull

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Original poster

DiamondChyna · 05/04/2010 17:27

i have also been given the option of another sweep before thursday, what do you think? should i go for it? or not bother??

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Ladyem · 05/04/2010 22:27

Not sure what these bishop scores mean! They never mentioned that with me, but I'd give the sweep another bash! You never know it could be all you need to start you off as a few days might have made all the difference, especially if you've lost your plug and are having more BHs!

Not sure how it works when you are past your due date, but they said with me that they'd try the pessary 3 times (6 hours apart) before trying anything else.

Have you a birthing ball that you can sit and gently bounce on to try and help things along? I did that for the week before I was induced. I was willing to try anything to get things moving quickly!!

Good luck!

roary · 06/04/2010 08:01

Diamond hope you have gone in to labour so this is all irrelevant! A bishop's score over 5 is considered favourable for induction so you should be absolutely fine if you go right now for induction. Fingers crossed for you.

Original poster

DiamondChyna · 06/04/2010 16:12

UPDATE: havent gone into labour yet, just came back from my second sweep- midwife said she was surprised to see me as the thought i would be in labour by now but no such luck
im 42+2 today and its MY BIRTHDAY!!!! hoping this second sweep will work desperate now as inductions booked thursday morning!! bishop score was up to 7 points now, what d'ya reckon my chances are!! cross your fingers it will work!!

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Ladyem · 06/04/2010 16:26

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Got all my fingers and toes crossed that this sweep will have done the trick!! What a lovely birthday present that would be!

Right, now put your feet up, relax, think dilating thoughts and enjoy your birthday, missus!!

Original poster

DiamondChyna · 06/04/2010 16:53

Ladyem THANK YEWWWWW!!!!!
and i'll defo be thinking those dilating thoughts- been having a few conractions not getting much stronger but they keep coming so ive still got some hope!!

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BigWeeHag · 06/04/2010 20:21

Hi, what worked for me (I refused to go into hospital for DS2 following traumatic birth with DD) was 3 consecutive sweeps on 3 days. Went into labour in the early hours of day 4! On the day of the first, at 42 weeks, I had a Bishops Score of 1, and that is with 2 previous vaginal births, so you are definitely getting there x

roary · 06/04/2010 21:50

Diamond, you'll be giving birth in no time with that score!! Just you watch the gel alone will do the job even if you have no luck with sweep

Original poster

DiamondChyna · 06/04/2010 23:21

Midwife did say they would definatly be able to break my waters if nothing happens by thursday, but she has no idea i plan on refusing that little bit of help, i would rather go down the pessary route and see how i got i think.
contractions calmed down since earlier but i think that because i got scared of the pain and went for a lie down!
trying to stay upright and wonder the house a litle to keep things going!! i think i just have the world laziest baby though!

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Ladyem · 08/04/2010 22:27

Oooh, wonder how Diamond's getting on!

Good luck!!

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