Induction tomorrow .......anyone got information to help me ?

[Boop33]

Hi,

So I'm 40 +2 and having kept my fingers crossed for the last week or so it looks like I'm going to be induced tomorrow due to high BP . I am currently on medication to control it but consultant thins it best to go ahead with induction.

Anyway (having buried my head in the sand slightly ) i would like to hear a bit more info about what this involves and people's experiences (both positive and negative) of induction.

Many thanks
xx
p.s still in hope of things starting before then :-)

I've never been induced, but good luck

I was induced at 37 weeks due to pre eclampsia and even though the midwives were less than hopeful of any success it did work. I was given the prostin gel at 7am, spent most of the day with mild period cramps and some watery pinky discharge, was examined at 3pm and was 3cms, they broke my waters at 4pm I laboured until 6pm where I got to 6cm but then ended up with an EMCS (totally unrelated to the induction). The process was really successful and quick for me. I do know people who have been on the ward for 5 days waiting for induction to work though so everyone is different. Good luck!!!

I have been induced twice due to PET, at 36 weeks, one lot of gel then waters broken 4 hours later.
40+2, was 3-4cm when checked so just had waters broken.
It's fine honestly, hope all goes well.

I waited 3 days for the induction to work and it was a very long an boring process and frustrating that once I'd had the first dose of the gell I wasn't allowed to go home

take plenty of reading material, cash for the patientline tvs if that's what you have at your hospital and enjoy being able to put your feet up for the last time for the next 5 years

Hi !!

thanks for the responses you are giving me hope as I was worried that it might not work at all and i would have to have a c-section. I'm now looking on the positive side but still been realistic about the fact it may take a while ..........
Have already spent a few nights in hospital and sausage i really know how boring it can be ! I spent quite a bit of time messing with the TV aerial before it worked last time so that will pass a bit of time ...........................
Although I'm sure it will be worth it in the end :-) .

If you're 40+2 I'd say you're definitely ready for induction. I was induced at 37 weeks and they didn't bother with the gel - put me straight on the syntocynin drip. Wish I'd had a chance at the gel first but as I had pre-eclampsia perhaps they just wanted the baby out quickly. Anyway, it worked very quickly (too quickly really!) and I had a vaginal birth, with ventouse. Not too bad with an epidural :)

Be aware it can be lengthy. Days, not hours.

It may involve syntocinon - take an epidural if it does.

Induced labours often involve more intervention (such as forceps) but given that yours is for a medical reason rather than 'just' dates, it would seem sensible to go ahead.

I was induced at 40+15 with DD. It didn't go smoothly, but we are here, we're ok and I've had DS since.

Can you not ask for a sweep instead?

Just to see if that works?

I was induced at 40+14. Kicked things off straight away (contractions started strongly at 5 mins apart)...my waters broke naturally 16 hours later and I got to 6cm. Went on the drip...17 hours later was still at 6cm so had to have an EMCS.

My advice would be to have an epidural as soon as you go on the drip - I tried without and lasted all of 5 mins before screaming for one!

Also although my section was an 'emergency' it didn't at all feel like one. All the mw's and theatre staff were great placing bets on how big DD was going to be due to the size of my bump.

I was induced with the gel for my first 3 and 2 & 3 were about my due date. They took a couple of days to get going but then things progressed fine and were the same as a 'normal' labour. Had the drip for number 4 and would recommend don't try to brave it out, just take the epidural when offerred at the beginning. I didn't in the hope I could manage without and spent a day and a half in agony. The whole thing took 38 hrs so I wished I had just gone ahead and saved myself the initial pain. That said labour after a few babies can be prone to not progressing well and all of mine were back to back which also often lends to a longer labour.

Fingers crossed for you that you don't need a CS, but I don't know anyone who was induced who did.

Personally, having had an induction I would say the following;

Don't go in on a Friday, shift patterns alter to accommodate the weekend. I really really advise going in any other day but Friday. U will get tablets first and it all takes time to work or not leaving u with less staff and shift changes. I truly wish I'd known that before going in.

U need a partner. Any partner but don't go alone. Someone to talk to staff. U have to keep on them. Where's the heart monitor? When's ur next check up? When's the Nxt docs visit? When will u get a room? When will they confirm a pill hasn't worked and start again.

Emergencies will come in and around u. U may not see them. People will enter thru reception in more advanced stages of birth than u. U may not c them or u might for a bit. Ur partner has to keep u at the forefront of staff minds as everyone there will have a bigger need than u. Hospitals are crap at juggling people booked in for inductions alongside people turning up and emergencies and u cannot do all the staff harassing that u need to do alone.

If u did Nct and have been told to walk lots, I'm sure it helps but u have naff all chance in the NHS to do it. Take ear plugs, eye masks magazines and books. U very well could be sitting there for 3 days before anything happens. U are advanced so hope not, but no guarantees, u need to keep ur mind occupied.

I hated the process. I thought it hideously badly organised. I sincerely hope urs is better and wish u much luck in next few days.....

Def for gods sake take an epidural. The injection hurts. It's worse than labour as its forcing changes to ur body rather than the body doing it. I am told reliably by people who had both types of birth that the injection is worse. Explosive pain than gradual on set.

LaCiccoline is right. You do need to ask how long they will leave it before trying again and then probably nag them constantly in order to get it. I know with my first 3 this was the case. They wanted to stop over night as well and I insisted on seeing the doctor for him to override this. I had to be REALLY stubborn.

It's all worth it in the end though. You get a georgeous baby and you need to remind yourself that when you are getting cheesed off waiting.

I was also told then 2yrs ago and last week at a consultants visit that inductions likely lead to emcs. About 75-80% chance.

I begged for my emc at 9 hrs on the drip. I don't put that lightly. I feel sick now at thought of how I begged and begged.

The emc was fab. I just wish had come earlier...

Ok firstly thanks for all the help and advice. Most of my hopes and fears have been confirmed. I will insist that they come up with a plan in the morning before anything starts i.e how long they will leave when if the first tablet does not work....?? My DH will be there with me and fortunately having been there a few times in last few weeks i have got to know a few of the midwife already ......................When hes not my mum will be there with me .
Laciccolina i am hoping that because i am quite advanced this will help too but again not holding my breath ...........
I know that this is all in the best interests of my baby now and i cant wait to meet him / her - just hope its sooner rather than later !

Really appreciate all your thoughts xx

Good luck with everything Boop33!

Thanks DawnoftheDee - get the feeling I'm going to need it ! xx

I was induced with my DD in July, because my waters broke at 40+3, and got no contractions. They started the induction on the Sunday morning and I gave birth on the Weds morning! So like others have said, a long boring wait. Take lots of mags, books and snacks!

With mine they had set procedures for how long for each thing to work - First pessary, 24 hours, 2 more pessaries 12 hours apart and then waited so many hours and then it was decided to do the syntocin drip.

It was quite boring on the ward, but all the MWs were really nice and kind.

I went on that about 1pm Tues and was classed as in labour by about 6pm, in transition at 1am and DD arrived at 3.34 via ventouse. They would have let me go a bit longer but she was in distress so they went down the intervention route.

I second the suggestions of epidural; the syntocin contractions seemed very brutal to me.

When I got back to the ward, the MWs were surprised I hadn't had a section so I guess often the inductions end that way.

Oh, and someone else arrived on the ward for an induction on the Tuesday morning, had her first pessary around lunchtime, and had her DS just before my DD arrived! So I guess it can be quicker, you might be lucky.

Good luck!

Hi, I was induced at 36+6 and it really was fine. i had one pessary at 9am, not much happened then i had another 6 hours later (3pm) waters broke at 7pm drip started by 9pm (and i totally agree with the others, get the epidural asap if they start the drip) fully dilated by 2am and ds was born 3.20am. they did use forceps to guide him out mainly because he didnt tolerate the pushing very well and his heart rate was dropping but he was born fit and well. Good luck op, just concentrate on meeting your little one :)

Hi I have being induced 4 times! Bring good reading material/knitting etc... It can be very boring....

I had a normal delivery for first 3 DC but always insisted on epidural being sited as the drip went up! First DC epidural was not sited properly and the pain was sudden and unbearable - DH said I was like a gorilla swinging from the bed head threatening to kill anyone who touched me - except the anesthetist who I wanted to marry once he got rid of the pain!

The last induction went dramatically into an emergency c-section, but thankfully we both came out unscathed.

Best of luck..... Relax, rest and enjoy your precious bundle!

I was induced with DD1 in June at 40+10 (and it was a Friday). First pessary at 8.30pm with a repeat due at 2.30am. Didn't need the second one as I was 4cm by then. The next 5 hours were lost in a haze of gas & air. 6cm by 7.30am when I was take. To the delivery suite for my waters to be broken. Put in drip and adj for epidural which was swiftly administered but slowed things down. Fully dilated at 5pm and with epidural the procedure is to leave it one hour before starting to push. However my epidural had worn off by that stage and the urge to push was overwhelming - I couldn't not push as my body was just doing it instinctively so I was allowed to get in with pushing at 5.30pm. DD was born an hour later with no intervention.

I was induced at 40+0 due to high BP. It was totally fine (and I was dreading it). Had the synto drip and was in labour for 14 hours. Managed fine with gas and air and I pushed for 15 mins, despite DD being back to back.

Obviously everyone's experience will be different, but I expected an induction to be hideous and that's not always the case.