talk to me about how an induction for a twin birth works???

[goingmadtrying]

Im currently 32+1 with id twins and will get my date for an induction at 36 weeks, I was admitted to hospital last week for a few days and witnessed some appalling treatment for ladies who were being induced, its got me in a right panic about how it will work, I went into labour myself for both previous pregnancies, im beginning to think a planned c section would be better, please could you give me positive stories for induction???

Thanks in advance

Hopefully someone with more relevant experience will be along in a minute but I thought I'd chip in... I was due to be induced at 37 weeks then my waters broke at 36+5 and the wee ones arrived the next day. It took a while for labour to get established - I was still only 2cm 12h after waters breaking, and I got to 10cm about 24h after - but I progressed just fast enough for them not to induce me. I had pethidine (wanted dihydrocodeine but couldn't have it as it's given with paracetamol and I'd had paracetamol already) at 2cm and then at 4cm I had an epidural. I had a shivering reaction once when they topped up the epidural and the wee ones' heart rates went through the roof, so I was prepped for a theatre delivery - anaesthetic from the chest down, basically. Both were delivered by ventouse, I had an episiotomy with number one and then (as is usual) induction for the second one. Oh, and number one was back to back. And I lost 1.3L of blood after number 2.

It kind of sounds like your basic nightmare but I was up and about the next day and recovered really quickly. They were very good at monitoring me, and I don't know how I would have been if it'd ended up a forceps delivery. And my hospital has a specialist twins antenatal clinic so they do twins all the time. But I'd do it again.

(I mean, if I could go back and repeat the experience I'd do it the same way. Now I have 7 week old twins and there is no way I'm ever getting pregnant again ever but that's another story!)

Going, I was induced at 36+5 with ID twins. I had heard lots of negatives about being induced but for me it was fine - resulted in a midwife lead natural delivery (although in theatre with lots of 'Drs' just in case) with no need for forceps etc, although did have an episiotomy (sp?). This was my second pregnancy - 1st was natural spontaneous delivery and had an episiotomy then as well.

With induction contractions were v painful - but I think this was more to do with the agony I was in anyway beong so big with twins and awful ribflare - rather than the induction itself. Had an epidural early on.

Waters broke at about 10am and had babies before 11pm.

If you want more details re the stages of induction and the care I recieved then I am happy to describe in more detail! let me know.

Induction and natural delivery worked for me, but I know it is not everyones choice. My consultant constantly said it would be unlikely I would get to my induction date as likely to go in to labour naturally - he was wrong, although I was already 3cmx dialated when I went in to be induced - no contractions though. so I think it may have happened anyway without being induced, and may be thats why iunduction went well.

Induction at 38.5 was a simple pessary. Labour started about 10 hours later. No epidural, lots of gas and air, really enjoyed the delivery and in active labour for only 3 hours. 10 mins between each twin (one previous birth 6 years before). All lovely and easy, so twin births are sometimes simple!

I had my twins in the States, so don't know how different it will be for you. But I was induced at 39.5 weeks, because of high blood pressure. I had an IV with Pitocin, and the contractions were a lot more intense than the first time round (DS 2 years earlier, home birth). Contractions started about 5 hours later (I missed the first early ones because of the ginormous belly), got an epidural 2 hours after that. My waters went, and 20 minutes later DT1 was born. 9 minutes after that DT2. No complications, no stitches, a lot of doctors in the room just in case. Lovely nurses, nice doctors, I wanted to marry the anesthesiologist :)

If I would do it again I would definitely get the epidural a lot sooner. I tries to tough it out . I did go all shivery like beyoglu, but all in all a lot better than the contractions. For me they were more painful than the first time when things really started, also because I ws pretty much bedbound (IV, monitors everywhere, etc) And I would eat something beforehand, I just had breakfast that day (induction was not planned), so I was starving afterwards.

Could you maybe talk the whole procedure trough when you get the date? Maybe that would help you?

i have to say that it wa a very different experience from the first birth, but not a bad one.

Thank you ladies :) i am feeling much more confident and booked my induction for 9th July, the reason i was concerned is that was admitted to hospital (not my hospital of choice for delivery) last week and witnessed 3 singleton inductions, which ended negatively. The people were given the first pessary which was 24 hours and after some monitoring transferred to the ante natal ward, after 24 hours they were advised to take the pessary out and then waited for a bed on delivery this took upto 5 hours, when being sent back to delivery the waters were broken if possible if not then a second 6 hour pessary used and left in holding bay, one lady ended up with emcs due to a water infection not being treated and another ended up delivering in the holding bay with no pain relief or birthing partner because she wasn't monitored enough!! I was concerned that as extra staff are needed for twin delivery i may be at danger of additional problems resulting in the death of one or both babies ( i know that sounds extreme) i have really struggled to be positive through this pg and had just got excited that i would be having 2 little girlies :) anyhow my hospital have explained how things work there and i much more confident it can be a positive process, so im now on countdown to meeting my babies :) thank you once again

Going, glad you are feeling happier about it. I had similar fears and dreaeded the thought of losing one or both DTS because I could not 'puch them out quick enough'!!!

In my experience they will not let your induction drag on - they will want to see your DTS arrive safe and sound sooner rather than later. And you will be monitored closely the whole time. I had 2 midwives caring for me the whiole time - and various others med people popping in to check things were going as they should. Natural delivery of twins does not happen that often so you will find lots of people are interested in you! Good luck - can't believe you have only a few weeks to go before you meet your girls!

Thanks bigboobs the mw yesterday explained that at the hospital where im choosing to go, have only 4 inductions a day, there is a room where all of the inductions are started and one mw to look after the ladies, once you get into labour your then transferred to a delivery room with 2 midwifes and the team of people including my consultant will be on standby, she was also very confident that as I've had 2 dc previously i should be able to be induced easily, my little girlies have been head down all the way through so they definitely want to come out that way lol!!! Will look forward to all the attention, hope you and your lo's are ok :)

going thanks for starting this thread and thanks to everyone else for the info. I'm 33+1 and just back from a consultant appointment and feel much happier about stuff - the info on here really helped me ask all the questions I had so thank you.

Both my babies are head down too and little girl is really low so we're going to give 'natural' delivery a go. Because I'm DCDA they are a bit more relaxed about letting me go on until probably about 38 and a half weeks before induction so we're not going to set a date until 36 weeks. However, feel so much now relaxed knowing 20 July is probably my end date.

As bigboobs said there will be loads of people in the room - the consultant ran through everyone today and I definitely feel like I'm going to get loads of attention/if problems begin to emerge I'll be treated promptly etc.

I think you've had your steroid injections now (?) but I saw your girls' weights on the ante-natal thread and you are very similar to my LOs. Consultant said these were great weights and if things start naturally now, they will just let things happen and probably not worry about the injections for me.

So exciting that we'll meet our little ones so soon!

Hi teds yes had steroids when admitted last week, although my consultant did say yesterday she would like me to go at least another couple of weeks, its strange how different consultants look at things differently, what was your iron count, I've been on iron tablets since around week 29 as mine had dropped to 9.4 when tested in hospital last week it had dropped again to 8.9 had bloods taken yesterday and the consultant has said i Will either have an injection of iron or she Will increase my pregaday to 3 a day!!!! They have said its common in twin pregnancy as babies take whatever they need :)

Hi going my iron count was 10 at the 28 week bloods but no one spotted this was a problem until yesterday so no idea what it is now! Now on 3 iron tablets a day to boost levels!

Hi - just another induction story. I was induced at 40 weeks after 2 sweeps. They waited until a Monday morning to make sure as many staff were on duty as it was a twin delivery. Unfortunately it was one of the busiest weeks they had ever had.

I had the first pessary 9am Monday. Nothing much happened so they transferred me back to the maternity wing. I was given another pessary about 8pm. I had v painful contractions through Monday night. Was given a couple of painkillers and told to ring the bell when they got more frequent. They didn't and it eased off in the morning. I had nice contractions for a while - easy to manage then nothing Tuesday afternoon. Just before DH was due to leave it started to kick off again. My waters broke during an exam and I was 4cm dilated and went down to delivery suite again.
For a few hours it went quite fast and I dilated to 7cm. Then I couldn't cope with the pain, had an epidural and it slowed down. They put me on Syntocin to speed it up Weds am but DT2's heart rate slowed so they couldn't increase it. Then suddenly I was 10cm, laboured for 20 mins with the midwives and was transferred to theatre for the final delivery. Both were born ventouse and i had an episiostomy (brilliantly stitched though so never had any pain from it).

It wasn't what I wanted but I was fine the next morning. DT1 was fine, DT2 needed 4 days in special care. My only regret was not knowing about skin to skin contact to sort out temperature and blood sugar fluctuations - it may have saved DT2 from his trip to Special Care.

Good luck. You sound pretty flexible about it which will help.

OO I am LOVING reading all the birth stories do I need help. For what its worth heres mine:

Failed sweep performed at 36 weeks (due to growth slowing down iykwim). Admitted for induction on the monday night pessary inserted sorry if tmi and scan performed to check positioning both cephalic. Lots and lots of monitoring on the antenatal ward heartbeat trace thingy every 2 hours throughout night. Next night not much happening new pessary inserted (sorry tmi again) examined at midnight was 2cm. Wednesday am taken to labour ward had my waters broken and put on the drip thingy to start contractions though they had already started on theyre own was 5cm by this point. Bit of a warning (sure its the same for all inductions) cos youre hooked up to the drip and the heartbeat trace all the way through you cant walk around the room or anything. Was advised to have epidural (hospital policy for twins maybe worth checking at your hospital) it was BRILLIANT having had just a few tiny contractions without it dont think I could have carried on like that but Im a wuss. 4 hours later-still 5 cm doctor turned drip ALL the way up (bitch). all the way to 10cm eventually but due to epidural I found it really difficult didnt feel the need to push they just kept telling me to they did turn the epidural off but didnt really help. Dts1 was head down but back to back and my cervix was a bit high so after pushing for ever (well 2 hours) had an ecs at 1.15 on the thursday am. Because of the epidural I was awake and it was absolutely fine really good experience though I was off my face slightly only thing that was weird they tried forceps after Id had the spinal block and couldnt understand why as I just could not push at all! I stayed in for 3 days after so was in hospital for a total of 7 days. Induction took 2 and a bit days and labour was about 16 hours. This all sounds horrific but it really wasnt at all.

Good luck you are so lucky to have twins and they will be fine. Enjoy those twins!

My twin induction was amazing :) I begged them to do it at 37 weeks as I was massive and knackered!

They started by breaking DD's waters as they were easy to get to and then sent me off for a walk round the hospital but this did nothing and in the end they decided to put the drip in, nothing happened until they had it on the maximum and suddenly I started getting contractions that were strong but nothing gas and air couldnt deal with, after 20 mins I felt ready to push and told the mw that "I am gonna moo and then I will have a baby!" (by moo I meant the noise made when I blew back down the gas and air pipe which I did with my first labour!) She didnt really take much notice of me but then had to leg it across the room to catch DD! They quickly scanned me and DS2 had turned breech but they were happy to let me carry on so 13 minutes later I started pushing and DS2 arrived feet first but perfectly healthy.
My labour time was recorded as 47 minutes, DD was 6lb 21/2oz and DS2 was 7lb 1/2oz.

The contractions were no worse than when I had a spontaneous labour with DS1 and that labour was only 3hr 15 mins so think I labour quickly anyway

Just going to say there was a Twin delivery, natural with epiduaral on "one born every minute" couple nights ago. So anyone could see it on 4 player thingy.

I had a failed induction with my first DD cos I got to 42 weeks. It failed as she was not even engaged, so had to have ECS. btw I looked up inductions and it said 50% do fail.

But with twins I tred for VBAC cos I think 50% of twins are born naturally.
Labour started naturally after waters broke naturally at 10 days overdue. (I knew I'd go overdue as after I had my singleton the consultant said my body just cooks babies more slowly.)

I tried for vbac for few hours but then one twins got high heart rate. Ended up with ECS but both babies v healthy.
Was possible infection of twin one my DD2, but just had anti-biotics.

My DTD was 6lb 3 and DTB was 8ld 3, so no need for NICU! Born at 41+6.

Thank you ladies love to read all your stories, have been in to hospital a couple of days ago because wasn't sure if had gone into slow labour, and id had a show, everything slowed down so they think strong bh however they did say could get fingertip in cervix and was closed a couple of weeks ago, so who knows maybe i won't need the induction