Induction advice please

[Toobloodytired]

Hey all,

So I'm being induced on Saturday but have read that most inductions end in csections which I really don't want if I don't have to.

Here's a bit of background:
37+1 on the day il be induced
Reason for induction: obstetric cholestasis
This is my first pregnancy and first baby.
Baby is head down but not engaged

Can't think of anything else that is relevant.

Given the fact il be 37+1, I don't need steroid injections do I??

Also, shall I just keep quiet and hope the induction goes well? If a section is needed then of course go with that when it comes??

Please help!!

3 inductions here. 0 c sections. Try not to worry. A healthy mum and baby, however the birth goes is the end goal

Hello

I had two inductions but both of mine were for overdue babies.
First one I had pessary, waters broken and a drip then delivered normally with the help of an epidural - 23hrs from start to finish
Second one I had a pessary then delivered normally in the pool - 12hrs from start to finish
Obviously I can't say how your experience will be but wanted you to know that not all inductions end in a section or with other assistance. Hope it all goes as smoothly as possible.

I was induced at 35 weeks, my waters had broken early in the pregnancy but baby was otherwise 'not ready' and I was advised they would try up to 4 pessaries then onto the drip, they said it was unlikely the pessary would work but after the first one, about an hour in contractions started. Baby was born almost exactly 12 hours later, I found it a bit more intense pain wise than my first natural labour but all went to plan.

You wont have steriods as 37 weeks is full term, good luck I hope all goes okay!

Mine took 5 days and ended in c section. Take entertainment - it could be very boring!

I was induced at 41+6 after 4 days in slow labour. Ended up with forceps delivery.

I'm trying to stay nothing but positive but can't help but think il have all the help a woman could need!

I'd like to think it would all kick off nicely after the first pessary however I'm expecting as the baby isn't engaged yet, it means it'll take longer for the labour

2 pessary inductions here, one with 12 hour labour and one 3 hour labour. It's not as bad as people say. Fingers crossed everything is straightforward on Saturday for you!

Also neither of my babies were engaged until the crucial moment so I wouldn't necessarily worry about that. Though it's easy for me to say!

Same timings as anametouse. Take entertainment and have a good think before Saturday about where you want your lines to be drawn. Planning for VB and CS outcomes is a positive step which will hopefully make life easier for you if things don't go the way you hope.

Had three inductions now, three healthy children, zero c-sections

I was induced at 36 weeks due to OC. It resulted in an EMCS though.

Take snacks, entertainment and ear plugs! Good luck!

Strongly advise epidural if you need drip. (Have been induced twice at ~38 weeks). Really wish I had had epidural put in at same time as drip. You are tied down anyway so there isn't a lot of downside to the epidural and I found the pain went from 0 to 100 very fast. All fine once epidural in - although ended with forceps.

Induction without drip was quite different - just like a "normal" birth once it got going. Bear in mind that people who are induced at 40 weeks plus are likely to need a bit less intervention as baby more "ready" - you may well need more as a bit earlier on (esp as is your first baby), which increases chance of needing drip.

I know other people have better experiences with a drip so this is just one opinion- but thought worth saying as I really wish someone had just said to me straight out "get the epidural when the drip goes in" as it would have saved me some bad times :-)

Good luck - and remember it isn't how they come out that matters. Also - c-sections are totally fine, loads of good threads on that. (Been there, got the T-shirt for that too).

I had an induction (42 weeks) Took 3 pessaries -over 2 days- before anything really happened, but once I went into labour, it only lasted 3 hours.

Try to stay positive and ignore the horror stories.

Good luck and enjoy those newbies snuggles!

Newborn not newbies!

I was induced at 41+6, the baby was not engaged.
Things started after the first pessary and DS2 was born, midwife led in the pool, 18 hrs later.
Good luck!

I was induced at 36w4d with dc3 and labour was about 75mins, G&A. I had shown signs of early labour so it is probably a totally different scenario to a first labour, but wanted to show a positive side to it too!

It's great that you sound open to different pain relief options. You may find gas and air enough if labour progresses quickly, but the intensity of contractions can be quite a shock with induction, so best to have an open mind. Pack plenty of snacks incase it's slow at the beginning

Very best wishes for a speedy safe delivery

Ps re your concern about steroids - i had steroids at 34 weeks, when it looked possible I might go into early labour. However, dc3 weighed 7lb 2.5oz when born at 36w4d and all obs were good. He was born at 945pm, and we were home the next day. - he did then appear jaundiced for the next couple of weeks, which hadn't been picked up in hospital, but we resolved it without needing hospital treatment.

Same timings as anametouse for me as well. I was induced on Saturday morning and didn't give birth til Thursday night. I really wish I'd drawn the line at about Tuesday and opted for a c section. I barely slept that whole week as hospitals are very noisy all through the night. I had the pessaries, the gels, a million sweeps, and finally the drip (agree epidural should go hand in hand - I was barely given the option, it was kind of a given that you have one if going on the drip). I have had two very difficult and quite dangerous labours and honestly, in hindsight would go for c sections both times. I wish someone had said to me after 3 days 'this is too much, have a c section'. Sounds simple but I guess you don't think straight when you're in labour for 5 days! Just set your boundaries and consider what you'll do if its going very slowly. Good luck!

Thank you all!

I'm not against csection, I would just rather not have it, given the fact I'd have to heal after, I don't do well with pain! I don't like "being out of action"!

I have already told the midwives I want very drug going BUT pethidine as people have said it does nothing for the pain simply relaxes you??

I've also said that if I have to have the drip then I won't have it until the epidural goes in.

I'm happy to go through some of the contractions pain relief free however if it hurts too much, I'm having the lot!

I know it'll be
paracetamol
Dihyracodiene (probably spelt that completely wrong!)
Gas and air
Offer pethidine (decline)
Epidural

I'd love to go in, have an epidural, have the drip and then push my baby out, no fuss!

However I fully understand life isn't a fairytale lol.

Tell them to stick the paracetamol up their backside. I was induced at 38 wks w my first, waters broken then oxytocin drip commenced. They said "that will take a few hours to kick in". It took 20 mins. I was levitating off the bed with contractions. My main advice: if you get the drip, get the epidural ASAP. It's not a natural labour and the pain is intense. Also it's not possible for the epidural to slow down the labour because it's not your body doing the work (it is but you know what I mean) it's the drip. So get the epidural and relax and breath. I had a vaginal delivery, no problems. 6 hrs from drip to baby on chest.
My second baby was spontaneous at 38 weeks and was a quick 4 hrs, no epidural, a text book delivery really. I'm hoping for the same again this time!!

All the best, do let us know how you get on xxxx

Induced here at 40 weeks.... no real issues (needed an episiotomy, but not sure that's because of the induction).

Managed fine with gas & air on the drip - but that's more because I hated the idea of anything in my spine than a principled decision, so don't get too freaked out about the pain.

However the experiences across our NCT group suggest that the ones that seemed to get into trouble were those where they increased to drip quickly trying to "get things moving" - those of us who had the drip adjusted at more relaxed & spread out increments seemed to fare better, so that might be something to discuss with the team around you on the day.

Good luck

Induced at 39wks as my waters had gone but I had no contractions so there was a risk of infection. Had the epidural at the same time as the drip. It was a lovely relaxed delivery as the epidural meant I could 'wait' until dd was fully engaged and descended down the birth canal. Two pushes and dd popped out. I was getting impatient every time they said to wait another hour though before pushing. Total labour time was 15 hrs but not a second of pain!! Good luck

Induced at 37 weeks here for OC. Similarly baby not engaged at the start. Was 2 cm after first pessary...had a sweep and waters broke about an hour after. Had some contractions which tailed off. Was moved to Labour suite some hours later when bed became free and put on drip. THAT wasn't much fun but was only about 3 hours from drip to baby and survived on gas and air. It would have been less if my midwife hadn't 'popped off' on her tea break about 2 seconds before I hit transition and the covering midwife told me not to push until she came back . 30 mins later (felt like 5 years!) She came back and was like...sure you can start pushing now if you like.....grrrr! No other interventions or c section and overall a positive experience (other than the tea break!). Good luck OP!

Induced here with baby not engaged at all... born vaginally 8 hours later.

The issue with pethadine is that it crosses the placenta and can make baby less responsive.

I had a Tens machine (which I adored but they kept stopping for monitoring which rather negated the effects), gas and air and finally a spinal.