Your induction stories: Anyone have a positive experience?

[justanothermummy2b]

I've been in labour for 24 hours now but not making any progress (waters broke yesterday, contractions went from occurring every 6-10minutes to stopping completely and I'm now having two an hour) so the hospital have booked me in for an induction today to prevent infection. It is my first baby so I really ought to have expected something like this but I can't help but feel a little anxious and frustrated as I really thought I'd be able to manage a natural, mostly non-medicated birth.

I've no idea how they are going to induce, MW said it depends on how dilated I am but there seems to be a lot of negativity surrounding the procedures so I'm hoping for some positive stories or advice from Mumsnetters on what to expect...

My experience of induction was positive. I was induced with the pessary, I had some mild contractions overnight and the following morning, but not anything really painful. They broke my waters at 2pm, and DD was born via ventouse at 7pm as she got a bit stuck at the end.

It was very painful and intense, but I'd far rather that than a long drawn out labour. Apart from straight after my waters broke, when the pains suddenly became unmanageable, and again briefly when I first started feeling the need to push, I felt pretty much in control the whole way through, and managed on gas and air.

Good luck. I hope it all goes smoothly for you and you are soon cuddling your baby!

Mine was very long and drawn out but basically positive overall
My waters broke and I was contracting irregularly but enough to stop me sleeping, for a couple of nights. The pain wasn't too bad but I was knackered! Got put on a drip to induce me so I opted for an epidural then in order to get some sleep. Got almost all the way dilated under the epidural, then they let it wear off so that I could feel to push. Gave birth on my side, no other interventions. Having an epi and then letting it wear off again wasn't a practice I was aware of but it's definitely something I'd consider again.

Good luck

I was induced on a drip and asked to have an epidural as baby was back-to-back and lying down with a drip would have made the contractions more painful (had previously had a back-to-back labour). It was pain free and I think it took around 7 hours from drip going in to giving birth. For me, a very positive experience and actually relaxing compared to my first virtually drug-free labour. Good luck!

With dc1 I had labour augmented with the drip after hours of labour not progressing. I think it took 12 hours from the drip going in. My labour wasn't great but that was to do with the position of the baby.

I was properly induced with dc2 and again this was with the drip. This time I had the baby 1 hour 54 minutes after the drip going in and it was a fabulous, easy birth!

Good luck - I hope it all goes well for you and quickly!

Mine was also very long and drawn out but overall it was positive. Waters went 3am Monday, no contractions. Pessary induction Tuesday morning did nothing. Drip went in in the afternoon and contractions started immediately. I had an epidural - which I regret for lots of reasons not the least of which was that it slowed down the labour and I didn't give birth until 9pm Wednesday. No forceps, no ventouse, no csection - all of which I was dreading - so overall I was v happy.

I had the drip induction. Was fast and furious and extremely painful until epidural was administered. After epidural it was absolutely fine. 5 hours from drip to birth.

Consider an epidural if you are given the drip.