Induction : can someone run me through what to expect

[tjtheminx]

I know this has probably been done a thousand times before but...
Just back from the obs and am scheduled for an induction at 37 weeks next Wednesday. ( a number of reasons for this, isoimmune antibodies, baby >97% percentile and now high BP)

The obs just said, come in and see me on Tuesday and if everything is favourable we'll pencil you in for Wednesday. I am 2cm dilated and head is down but he didn't mention if it was engaged. Is this favourable?

What should I expect when I go in. Can some one give me a run down. Do I arrive early. How long does the labour typically last ( selfish question cos DS1 will be in creche till 5pm and wondering if I need to arrange the babysitter or not) Is there any way to know this.
Do they give the gel first or a sweep or what?

God, I sound completely clueless. But my brain is a bit in meltdown cos since I have actually been given the date (2 hours ago) I can't stop crying at the thought of DS1 being an only child for only 5 more days.

Thanks.

I have had 3 inductions:

DD1 39+6: Saw obs consultant at 11.45. Discussed that baby was small, but wouldn't want me to go past the weekend (it was a Friday), so would book for induction. I asked to be induced immediately.

14.00 - arrived on ward.
16.00 - blood pressure, CTG.
17.00 - First prostin pessary tablet. Was asked to lay flat for 30 minutes, and warned that this could be the first of many.

Went for supper at the hospital canteen, sat around with DH.

22.00 - Monitored again, and told that I was having some nice tightenings. Moved to side room.

23.00 - DH sent home

02.30 - Woke a little uncomfortable, knickers damp. Wandered the corridors.

03.45 - Asked midwife for an examination. Waters broke, called DH.

Moved to labour ward. Contractions all night but no pain or sensation of them.

07.30 - Sudden feeling of desperation, panic etc. Gas & Air, examined and fully dilated (it was transition).

08.45 - started pushing

09.20 DD1 born at 40 weeks exactly.

DD2 - induction at 35+2

Arrived at 09.00. Ward very busy. Side room straight away.

09.45 - Examined, CTG prostin pessary

16.00 - Checked, taken to labour ward

17.00 - Waters manually broken. Contractions start

Gas & air, pethidine - quite 'drunk'

00.50 Suddenly very aware of need to push DD2 out.

01.00 DD2 born at 35+3

DD3 38+5

Arrived 16.00, usual drill.

Re-examined 10pm, told I would be left until morning

CTG at 05.30

Ward busy with emergencies, so 3 hour delay.

09.30 - taken to labour ward, waters broken.

Contractions regular, etc. Walks around the hospital grounds

11.00 - decided to stay in room and have gas & air.

12.50 - DD3 born at 38+6.

(already contracting previous night, on and off so ready)

8am arrive at ward
9am monitored
10am gel
contractions become every 3 min
long day on and off monitoring on ward, contracting, in between walking around car park etc
7pm dh home, contractions becoming v. intense, told more gel in morning
1am ask to be examined, 5cm
1.15 transferred to labour ward
2am 7cm
4am 9cm
8am call dh to return
midday, still 9cm, getting tired, given drip to speed things up
1pm epidural, so tired
4pm start to push
6pm ds born

the worst bit is labouring on a ward, most women are in for montoring, blood pressure etc. and you're there trying to be quiet for their sake.
I would have in place just in case some longer term childcare just in case, e.g. a few days as induction can take time, or result in interventions. It could go fine, but I would have a fall back plan.

Not the greatest induction story but if you hear the bad as well as the good, then you'll be prepared for whatever might happen. I am sure yours will be fine!

DD1 - 42 weeks exactly

Thursday
10am arrive hospital
11am - VE - 2 cm dilated, no need for gel. Sweep done by midwife WITHOUT consent Wait for labour room to become free for ARM.

Spend all day in hospital, nothing available. Stay overnight for no reason .

Friday
8am Labour room free
CTG/VE - still 2cm dilated but 'stretchy'. Lovely MW aware that I want as natural a labour as poss so will try as few interventions as possible.

9am - ARM.
Wander round hospital, pop back to labour ward every 1/2hr for short CTG. Given an extra hour to let ARM work.

12pm - Synto started, CTG leads too short to be able to walk about. Synto drip to be turned up every half hour

1pm - mild ctx every 7 mins

3pm - try to get on birth ball, start entonox, CTG leads keep falling off, MW wants me back on bed

7pm - 3cm, Synto now on full whack, ctx coming with no break at all. Offered epidural as told likely to be at least another 6 hours.

7.05pm - epidural given by lovely anaesthetist. No more entonox. Gutted on both counts. Epidural topped up by MW whenever it wears off.

9pm - 3cm. Told if no improvement by 10pm then will consider CS.

9.30pm - DD changes position

10pm - 4cm - given until 2am before CS

2am - 9cm Told to wait until 4am for epidural to wear off then can start pushing

4am - start pushing. Epidural worn off but still ctx coming non-stop, like one long contraction. Attempt to move to face back of bed but leads getting in the way and all tangling up with me. Go back to lithotomy position.

6am - still pushing, MW says will have to get Obs involved soon. Past caring now.

6.39am - Episiotomy. DD born with forceps (gas and air given back!). Cord round neck twice. DD put on my stomach then whisked off - PPH 700ml, retained placenta. 3rd degree tear. Rushed to theatre.

Went in on Tuesday to talk about induction and was offered a sweep, which I agreed to but cervix was unfavorable so not very optimistic.

Back Wednesday at 8pm for induction, monitoring for 30 mins then gel inserted and laid still for another 30 mins. Was told nothing would happen until morning so to get a good nights sleep.

Slightly uncomfortable period pains around 10pm but enough to stop me sleeping, was given paracetamol. Put TENS machine on at 12, lots of walking around, vomitting and use of TENS was told I was having proper contractions at 4am, called DH at 4.30. Various periods of walking around grounds, bath, back for montitoring and waters broke while being monitored at 4.30pm and was taken to delivery suite.

Will cut the rest short! I ended needing a syntocinon drip, put in with an epidural at 3am Friday and pushed DS out at 11.20am without assistance.

Not too bad really considering my hospital only gave a 1 in 3 chance of needing no assistance but I found the level of monitoring very difficult and although I was told I could get up and move as soon as I did they could no longer find the baby's heartbeat so I was laid back down on the bed again

First baby, induced at 39+2 due to GD. In on Friday morning at 10am, first pessary at 12pm. Tightenings (tightenings? I thought I was dying! Clearly a low pain threshold) started pretty much straight away.

48 hours later, finally dilated enough to break waters. Went to delivery suite at Midday on the Sunday. Sytocin drip so in excruciating pain, drip for Insulin in one hand, drip for Sytocin in other hand, epidural which failed, but not enough that I'm able to move! So, not able to move at all but in constant pain, G&A not touching it. Finally at midnight on the Sunday 60 hours after the first pessary, Episotomy, Ventouse and DD delivered but needed to be resucitated (sp?). A year later, I still get pain in my muscles (in my bottom strangely) when I walk up hill. Not nice...

However as mine was first baby and they induced me early, I wasn't ready. As someone else mentioned, your body has done this before so would be much less of a nightmare for you I hope!

Good luck!

PS: I'd do it all again

Hi there, so glad to see this thread! I was induced at 40+3 and I had no clue what tro expect. I had been to all the ante natal classes but this didn't prepare me at all. Luckily I have a cousin who is a midwife and was given all the info I needed from her as the consultant was very vague!

Saturday 1pm arrived at abour ward.

4pm internal examination and prostin pessary inserted. No sweep offered as cervix not favourable. After pessary inserted your baby's heartrate will be monitored so you will have to stay in bed for a while.

8.30pm started to feel some "tightening" sensations and some minor pain.

1am in quite alot of pain. Advised that this was the pessary working as opposed to labour. Pain continued throughout the night. I had a bath and put tens machine on at low level. Pain stopped me from sleeping and I was convinced, and still am, that I was in labour.

7am internal examination. Cervix open but not dilated. Second pessary inserted a short time later and hooked up to monitor again to monitor baby's heart.

11.30am waters broke on their own.

12.30 examined and consultant confirmed that waters had broken.

4.30pm taken to labour ward, assigned midwife, given gass and air. Discussion about pain relief. I was advised that induction can be more painful than a natural birth and to consider epidural. Declined but asked for diamorphine which took the edge of contractions. Internal examination, 3cm dilated. Diamorphine and gas and air - felt very drowsy and was talking absolute rubbish! Diamorphine took the edge off of contractions.

6.30pm put on Sytocin drip.

3.10am emergency c-section carried out due to baby being distressed and also because I was only 3cm dilated. So ended up getting a spinal blockin the end!

So...I would definetely get childcare sorted for a few days! I had 2 pessaries but some women need up to 6 before they go into labour. This can take 1-3 days.

Good luck...I have to say that I fond the whole process wuite pleasant. I had a great experience where I was well looked after.

Thanks a lot.
Saw doctor this morning. 3cm dilated.
Childcare more or less sorted. Although DH in a bit of a panic about it. I have babysitter plus two backups.
The first appointment tomorrow is a 6.30am so am waiting to hear from practice nurse. Hopefully will get in early.

Thank you for all your stories.
From your stories I take it I should walk walk walk at the start and then take things as they come.
Will do my best!