Induction experiences?

[scarletforya]

My Doctor (consultant) is going to induce me at 39 weeks if I don't go into labour naturally before that. I am glad that I won't be going overdue as I have pelvic pain and also am 42 and don't want to risk the placenta failing.

The consultant wouldn't be available after week 40 anyway as he is going on holiday. I'm in Ireland and so have paid a few grand to go private so I want him to be there after having paid all that money.

Is induction terrible? I've heard all about the contractions being really awful, too many and all on top of each other. Also I've heard about the 'cascade of intervention' that seems to happen...and that it all often ends in a section anyway. Part of me is wondering should I just cut to the chase and go straight for a section if that's how it will end anyway.

My SIL had a failed induction ending in a section. My DS had an induction with wild out of control contractions, failure to progress and then ventouse and episiotomy.

Are there any good stories that end in a non traumatic birth.

DS=dear sister!

I'm getting induced on Tuesday so would also like to know what everyone else's experiences have been like.

Hi

I was induced at 40+12 and much preferred being in hospital without the mad dash to hospital questioning whether or not I was in labour. I believe I was lucky in that the gel worked first time for me, I definitely didn't have traditional contractions though it was more like cramps than pain i didn't find them too bad but they were constant.

I did have an epidural because id always planned for one and then forceps delivery due to getting a temperature (they think because when they went to break my waters they'd gone at some point without me noticing rather than the interventions) but personally didn't find any of it traumatic/stressful.

Good luck with it!!

Oh and meant to say the process of induction itself is no worse than a smear or sweep. Also my biggest fear was an episiotomy I reluctantly had one with the forceps and it didn't hurt within about 4 days much better recovery than a section.

well, mine was at 40 weeks, my body was not ready to deliver yet and although it wasn't traumatic as such, insofar as he came out the right exit without needing the salad servers or sink plunger, it was a two day drawn out experience. The pessary didn't work properly but it did start off the labour at least.
The problems came once they made me get out the bath, have my waters broken and be hooked up to the synto drip and the monitors. If I had to do it again, I'd have requested an epidural at that point, but they encouraged me to carry on with gas and air and pethidine. Since I was a bit scared of the giant needle, I agreed.

Quite some hours later, baby still hadn't been born and cervix stuck at 9cm. Couldn't have epidural as I was too affected by the pethidine to be able to reliably sit still. It was looking very much like an emergency section was going to happen. If that had happened I'd have been given a general anaesthetic because of no epidural and I'd have been gutted about that. Fortunately it didn't come to that in the end. But if I have a number 2 and have to have another induction at term or before, I'd definitely request the epi while I could still have it.

When I had DS, I was induced at 40+14, he was born 30h later.
I had 3 pessaries over the first 16h, which brought labour on but not hard and fast - I was not dilating but insisted on going up to Labour Ward because the contractions were really painful and I couldn't stand up, let alone walk. Waters broke down the loo on one of my many trips there - but still only 1cm dilated, apparently.
So, 11:30pm, they left me in the observation room and said they'd check back in another 4h to see how I was progressing and if I still wasn't, they would put up the syntocin drip.
Thankfully, stage 2 labour kicked in around 1:30am, no MWs present because there were a few emergencies going on - DH was there with me and at 2am I sent him to find a MW because I had felt DS move down (crowned, presumably) - one came sauntering back, went "OMG there's the head" hit the panic button, another one came charging in and next push DS was born.

I was given pethidine when I was moaning I needed some help with the pain; no gas and air because I was already being sick with the contractions - pethidine made bugger all difference but it may have stopped it getting any worse, I suppose . When I asked for an epidural they told me they didn't really want to do one as it would be more likely to lead to interventions such as ventouse, forceps or emCS. Didn't need them in the end.

One of the MWs told me afterwards that sometimes inductions can go very slowly and THEN go really fast, like mine did, even without the drip - the dilation rate is generally supposed to be 1cm an hour but it certainly wasn't that with me - went from 1cm --> 10cm in under 2h.

Hi! I have had 3 inductions - one at 37 weeks, one at 40+1 and one at 38+2.

All 3 resulted in successful vaginal deliveries without too much intervention. You quite probably will be given a hormone drip (sorry, cannot remember the name of it) to speed up/encourage contractions and you probably will be told that you have x amount of hours to deliver from the start of labour before they will want to intervene - forceps or CS depending on how far along in labour you are. This does also happen if you go into labour naturally - but the "x amount of hours" is less with an induction (although I admit I don't know why ).

In short, there is a higher risk of needing intervention with an induction - but most induced labours do still result in vaginal deliveries.

Congratulations, good luck and don't worry!

Hello - I was induced at 41.5w and had no probs. I had the gel/pessaries and then had my waters broken - this did not hurt and was very quick. I was then put on a drip (Sintosin is it called??) This did bring on labour and the contractions were totally bearable until 8cm dilated when I asked for an epidural - I could have tolerated the discomfort but to be honest, I couldn't' be bothered to be a hero. I will not lie, the contractions are quite strong. The MW suggested Pethadine first, which i had which made no difference to me, and then I had an epidural. It was no big deal and the discomfort went, although I could still feel the tightening of contractions, so I could still work with these and push when needed. My DD was born after 6hrs of waters broken, and all was very calm and straightforward - at no time was I told i might need a CS. I had a couple of stitches, and was out of hosp the next day, and back to normal after 4 days - feeling a bit bruised and sore but nothing else.

I am being induced again in 10 days and am not at all worried. I am reading the marie mongon hypnobirthing book at mo, so hopefully even if i end up being induced (which i know i will) the tips will help me use other methods together with the induction to help with a smooth, hopefully drug free (ha ha) delivery:)

I also have 2 close friends who were induced and they too had very straightforward deliveries - I think people tell the bad tales more than the good.

Try not to get het up about it, it is not always as bad as the horror stories say in many cases:) It amazes me that some put their birth stories on here, and the only ones I have seen are very negative - maybe some women are afraid to tell their good tales as they may come across as smug, or rubbing it in - but there are plenty of happy tales. Good luck, sure it will be fine.

Not me personally - though induction has been threatened - but my mum had to be induced with both my sister and I. She just doesn't seem to go into labour on her own! Apparently I was the gel and then a synto drip but with my younger sister all they did was break Mum's waters and off she went.

She had very short labours (2.5hrs with my sister from AROM to baby born) and had pethidine and G&S and was fine. I didn't know any of this until last week so you aren't alone in only hearing the horror stories. Have a virtual hug from me.

G&S? I mean G&A. I'm not sure Gilbert & Sullivan is a known analgesic.

Thank you for all these, it's good to hear it's not always a nightmare.

Roffling @ gilbert & sullivan being offered as a form of pain relief!

I've had two successful inductions, both resulting in vaginal deliveries with no pain relief. I too was induced because of severe SPD.
My first was induced at 39 weeks, it took 3 lots of gels before my labour started, but once it got going I was 3.5 hours before my little boy was born.
My second was induced at 38 weeks, this time it took a lot longer to get going. I was in hospital for three days before I had any signs of labour! But then from my first contraction it was just 1 hour and 40 mins until my little girl was born.
I'm expecting another induction this time around, and fingers crossed it all goes smoothly again.
Good luck x

I was induced at 40 weeks due to cord around babys neck...28 hour labour ...epidural at 4 cm...and pushed for 5 mins...baby healthy she is almost 3 years old now...

the induction did make the contractions more painful...but i didnt take anything till i got the epidural ...was full of energy when baby came

I have had 2 inductions no normal labours both at 37 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. Both times I had an epidural, 1st time it was after pessary and ARM did not work and they put it in before the drip so I felt nothing at all not one contraction. This time 2 weeks ago I decided I wanted epi before I began process but decided to go as long as poss if contractions came without use of drip. I got given prostin gel this time it was a much better experience than the pessary far less painful and fiddly to administer. I had two doses and then contractions began took about 2 hours to get to 6cm I managed on co-codamol and a hot pack until anaethetist got there and then had an epidural, it was excellent I felt every contraction/movement but with no pain, perfect balance and I delivered naturally no doctor in site.

My advice would be that you should be clear and know what you want then go with the flow the midwives are your best source of information. Docs make the ultimate decisions but the midwives are the ones who carry them out trust them.

Good luck

I was induced with dd. We started the process at 40+10 but the combination of not being ready and a very busy delivery suite meant that at 40+13 nothing had happened. I cried when I was hooked up to the drip but it started gently.

12 hours on the drip got me 0.5 cms dilated so I ended up with a section. BUT it wasn't traumatic at any point. There was no emergency, baby was fine throughout and all was calm.

I was out of bed 12 hours afterwards, didn't need painkillers after 10 days and driving after 3 weeks. I just wanted to reassure you that a section needn't be traumatic.

I was induced at 40+12 with a pessary. This was inserted at 12 noon, by 7.30pm contractions were intese but only 2cm dilated (I was 2cm at 39 weeks!)
Had paracetemol and codiene, went in the bath, freaked out, needed to push, taken to delivery, was given gas and air and DD was born at 9.50pm. She was back to back and turned on the way out. It was a good birth, with only me, dp and midwife present and I showered all by myself afterwards!

Mine was a really positive experience and the midwives were fab. It was a bit scary when i went from 2 to 10 in an hour but they listened when I said I needed to push and supported me fantastically.

I was induced at 42 weeks and ended up with an emcs. Next time I would opt for an elcs rather than the induction because it was decking awful and excruciating :-( the pessaey made the contractions so fast they had to jan me with something to slow them down plus diamorphine.

Thanks for all these stories. I feel more reassured having read them!