Inducing labour medically

[SamraLee]

Can anyone who has had an induction explain what happened to them? I'm convinced this baby isn't going to come out and I'm going to end up being induced. I'm worried about being induced because I really don't want to end up on a ward. I have social anxiety and the idea of all those strange people around me is making me incredibly nervous. I'm also just wondering what it feels like, what the actual process is, etc. I'd be really grateful for any advice or other peoples own experiences with the whole induction process. Thank you :).

Anyone at all been induced?

Hi there was a whole thread about induction not that long ago! hope thaat helps :)

I've been induced twice (out of 3 births). Both times I was in a delivery room on my own the whole time.

Both times they broke my waters first which both times did get contractions started. With ds1 I needed the drip to keep them strong enough etc. With dd1 I didn't need anything else. Ds1 was born 12 hrs after waters broken, Dd1 was 6 hours.

However, with both these cases my cervix was considered to be ready. If it isn't you will probably be given some gel/a pessary in the vagina in order to try to get the cervix ripe (horrid word!). I believe that if this is the case then you may be on an ante-natal ward rather than in your own delivery room as this gel can take days a while to take effect.

Why are you being induced? Are you at 42 weeks? I was very clear with dd1 that I wanted as minimal an induction as possible, and in fact her delivery was very close to a spontaneous labour.

Samra you do know you can refuse induction (but make sure you're aware of the risks and benefits of induction vs expectant management) if you want to?

Bear in mind that anxiety and stress can inhibit labour starting too - the more you worry about this happening, the more likely it is to happen.

Most first timers go over 40w (usually to about 40+10) so if you go past your EDD don't panic!

I was induced with my 2nd dd. She was 11 days late and although she was really low down nothing was happening. I went onto the ward first thing in the morning, I think they put the monitor on me, then I went to the labour ward, my waters were broken and 2hrs20 later she was born. After breaking my waters, the mw sent me on a long walk, but I didn't get very far before my first big contraction, I went back to the room, rode out a few contractions then called her in. She didn't believe me that I was ready to push, but ate her words after examining me and I was at 10cm. A few pushes later, she was born, luckily no need for drips or pessary thingies. I went into labour with my dd1 naturally and TBH it was harder as I was at 10cm but felt no urge to push. 2nd birth was much easier, also dd2 was diddy, only 6lb15 so this helped. As it was my 2nd birth, I was able to go home later that day, I stayed all afternoon in the labour room and didn't go to the ward. 8hrs after she was born I was tucking into a takeaway at home, like any other day. I'm too old now for babies but would choose my induced birth any day.

I'm 40+10 today. I know I can refuse the induction, but I am worried about leaving the baby in too long. I had a midwife appointment and a sweep at 41 weeks and she said my cervix was starting to soften, but still hard and the baby was only 3/5 engaged. I'm booked for an induction on Monday. I'm thinking of just calling the ward up on Monday and asking if they have any private rooms available and then going from there. I'm keeping calm and relaxed, just trying not to think about it. Thank you all for your advice and experiences :).

I would talk to them honestly about your nervousness. Being induced, esp with your first dc, is quite an odd feeling. I think we spend so long wondering if we'll know if we're labour/waiting for our waters to break in Tesco etc etc. 'Induction' is a broad range of interventions though - ask them to go steady!

My experience is that most midwives want you to be happy with what's going to happen as like Flisspaps says the calmer you are the better for your delivery. Talk to them to explain exactly what the plan is and try not to be pressured. I know its very, very hard when in the face of medical staff, especially when you feel quite vulnerable as a 9 months pregnant first time mum.

Try to remember the phrase "What's the alternative to this?"

Good luck!

Just wanted to add that I was induced with ds and was on an antenatal ward for 24 hrs waiting for pessary to do its thing. I found that pretty much everyone kept their curtains shut around their beds and didn't engage in conversation at all. Not sure if that's typical but if you're worried about the social aspect of being on a ward, there's nothing wrong with keeping yourself to yourself if that's what you need to do to keep relaxed. I'm the opposite and wanted to someone to talk to once they chucked DH out in the evening, but perhaps I'm in the minority!

I was induced both times with pessary, both worked within 12 hours and ds1 was a 3 hour labour and ds2 was 20 mins! At least they were quick and I liked that I knew when they were coming as we live 45 mins from hospital.

I was induced with dd1 & dd2.
With dd1 i was given an appointment to come in for induction at 8pm 42w on a ward, was given a pessary internally at 9pm and put on a monitor
There was only one other lady on the ward, it was quite relaxed and quiet.
My partner at the time was told to go home shortly after and told to come back when im having active contractions.
By about midnite i started cramping, but didn't realise it was the start of labour so read magazines and had a short nap.
Awoke at 2am contracting quite badly, but midwife insisted it was constipation, as it was my 1st i believed her and kept trying to go to poo in intense pain, this went on until about 4am when they finally took me seriously after i pulled emergency cord in toilet as i couldn't move!!!
My mucus plug had come away and i was contracting every minute so they put me in a wheelchair and sent me to delivery room where they discovered i was 10cm!!gas & air was quickly administered& my waters broken, my partner & mum had to rush to the hospital and at 5am i had my baby.
dd2- Was appointed to come in at 9:30am and was given a pessary at 11am and monitored, midwife was much nicer this time and told me to go on a walk round hospital to get things moving, at 12pm i was in pain and examined, i was 8cm!!, waters broke on their own by 12:45 i had my baby with just gas & air.
You will be put on a ward op, but once you are in established labour, you get your own delivery room.

I've been induced with all 3 DC.
DD1 was a pessary and i started contracting very soon after. She was born in water 23h later.
DD2 was a PROM and the pessarys didn't work. after 3 days i was sent to delivery and put on a syntocin drip. she was born 6h later.
DS was like DD2, but i'd been having painful contractions that didn't do anything to my cervix. On the 3rd day in hosp i was sent to delivery for the drip. When they broke my waters i was told "You're 2cm, but i can stretch you to 6!" He was born 4h later.

Each time i was on a small ward to begin with, no more than 4 beds. At no point were all of those beds occupied either.

Hi SamraLee, from my (very limited) experience, I was induced at 39+6 - taken to a delivery room and given the pessary and then monitored for 2-3 hrs (but that might have been to do with the high bp, the reason I was induced). After that was taken to ante-natal ward - a private rm which I didn't ask for but would have (if you see what I mean) The wards were full I think. I stayed there for the next 36 hrs while 2 parts of nothing happened. I had a CS in the end which was v calm, no emergency, just nothing else they could do.
As an aside, was admitted to hosp at 33 weeks with kidney stones and was put on ward for 2 nights before they moved me. I was in no mood to speak to anyone else on the ward as I was in so much pain but I just kept my curtains closed and myself to myself. No problem at all. Good luck.

Hi I was induced when I started with preeclampsia in labour. I was in labour ward in room on my own with dh but after artificial rupture of membranes. I asked for epidural for pain and was able to sleep. Private rooms can be available in certain hospitals for about £60 a night though maybe you should try the antenatal ward - pass the time by speaking to others. Tho experience as so many women are in pain they don't feel much like saying anything. Plus tend to chat away to birthing partner. You will be in own room during active labour ( generally after 3-4 cm dilated). Good luck!