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Original poster

Being induced: What's it like?

39 replies

Celou · 10/07/2004 18:33

I was told by the midwife that I would have to be induced as my amniotic fluid is quite low. Everything else is fine (baby's heart, dopplers, baby's size etc...) however because my due date is imminent (12th of July), they'd rather induce me. I've got to go in on Thursday so they can arrange a date.
Has anyone got any past experiences of being induced, or any tips? I'm quite worried as I was told that it triples the contraction pains.

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katzguk · 10/07/2004 18:49

it all depends on when your induced...i was induced after my waters broke and didn't start to contract so i had a softened and thinned cervix so didn't need a persary (spelling?. It was my first baby so had nothing to compare to. i managed a 5 hour labour mainly with just a tens machine a little gas and air and then nothing. I had a very good midwife who stayed in the room for the whole time only popped out for 20mins for a sandwich. she noticed when the contractions were getting too close and too quick and decreased the drip accordingly. the pain wasn't as bad as i'd expected.

i hated not being very mobile but still insisted on being on all fours to push the baby out and the midwife was going to help me onto a birthing ball but we never found the time.

hope this helps

CountessDracula · 10/07/2004 18:53

Celou all I can say is don't expect anything too fast - I was induced and it took a week!

Of course most are not like that but I would like to have been warned.

Mine didn't hurt as they gave me an epidural before ARM (artificial rupture of membranes, ie breaking waters with crochet hook!) and the drip thing, so I can't comment on that.

MarmaladeSun · 10/07/2004 19:00

Celou. I can't speak from experience as I've never been induced, but like you I was given a date for induction with my first baby. 3 days before that date I went into labour myself. I was dreading it, as I too had been told that the pain is horrendous etc; but after reading up on it since, I don't think it so much as increases the pain as 'throws you in the deep end' in other words you don't get the gradual build up. Like any other type of labour you have good and bad so if you DO need to be induced just go with it, accept that it's the best thing for the baby and concentrate on the beautiful baby at the end of it. Good luck.

lars · 10/07/2004 19:01

Celou, I don't have any experience but with my dd and ds I was in hospital for a long time before the birth. I did see many women induced all coped very differently. One women had 3 attempts of being induced and then had to have a section. I just think you will find the labour is more intense as it comes on more quickly. I would try not to worry too much. I had sections with both of mine and was fine. Really everyone's experience is very different. i must admit i did opt for a section rather than being induced, with my second. I suppose because I knew what to expect. Good luck larsxx

DLP · 10/07/2004 19:04

hi. i was given an appointment to go and discuss being induced and on that day at 2am in the morning i started having contractions so i didn't need to be induced - the baby must have known and thought that he had better come out!!! maybe that will be the same for you!

Yorkiegirl · 10/07/2004 19:05

Message withdrawn

kalex · 10/07/2004 19:20

I was induced with Both DD and DS, with DD I was induced at 6pm and was in well estalished labour by midnight, but couldn't feel a thing. I then had an epidural (which I know understand did'nt take) but the pain still was bearable and she was born at 4am.

With DS I had two pessaries and my water broke about 12 hours after the first one, felt fine for ages, eventually had diamorphine (after the epidural incident couldn't be bothered with it)

Didn't feel a thing until it started to wear off, said I would like some more and lay down, at that point realised he was on his way, and 7 mins later he popped out,

I believe my I have an incredibly low pain threshold. So remember everybody is different, you may just be one of the lucky ones Good Luck

californiagirl · 10/07/2004 20:06

It all depends, I think. I was induced, and for a long time my main problem was that it worked almost immediately and nobody realized, so they kept telling me to go to sleep because nothing would happen until the morning when I couldn't sleep because I was in early labor! I went into labor because of the pessary and that was no worse than normal. Eventually I had to have IV drugs and that was a lot harder, but also they were telling me then that I would have to have a C-section anyway, which made everything worse. I ended up having an epidural, but the baby was born vaginally and all was well.

gold123 · 10/07/2004 20:25

I was induced with dd, I am a particularly shy person, so I found it quiet embarrasing. I was induced on the Wed afternoon - nothing happended and then again on Thurs morning - nothing happended, again Thurs evening - BANG, 2 hours start to finish.

My experience is that it took a while to take effect, but when it did, I knew about it. fast I mean, not necessarily more painful.

Good Luck

Hulababy · 10/07/2004 20:31

I would just reiterate what CD says. My induction took 3 days to get going, so it may be not be a quick process. And be prepared for other intevention being possible too - inductions can lead to an increase in intervention. As it happened my induction did not work and I had a cs in the end (which I have to say the cs was great and a very positive experience).

Good luck with everything.

CountessDracula · 10/07/2004 20:32

Yes I ended up with a C-section too.

jema · 10/07/2004 20:35

sounds like diff types induction, mine was a sweep, where they didnt rupture the membrane , just emarrasingly the gnae, put her hand up inside and swept the membane of its coating with her fingers, followed by a pessary, contractions not immediate, several hours later, same strength as dd1, nothing too traumatic, just slightly *good luck**

Flip · 10/07/2004 21:07

I was induced with both my pregnancys at 37 weeks for different reasons. The first one went quickly. Induced at 10.00am and he was born at 6.00pm . Expecting the same with ds2 but not to be. I was induced at 7.00am and was being told I was not in established labour at midnight. Only after much fowl mouthed abuse between two minute contractions did they decide I was going to wake the whole ward and took me delivery. Putting me in the wheelchair it was then I realised I was bleeding heavily and everything went red alert. So trust your instincts and be as pushy as you need to be. good luck

coppertop · 10/07/2004 21:44

I was induced with both pregnancies. The first time was because ds1 was obviously going to be a big baby (9lb 8oz), he was a week late, and I'd had BP problems. The pessaries didn't work to start with. When it alll eventually started the labour lasted for over 40 hours. However, thanks to the epidural and pethidine it was pretty much pain-free and I avoided a c/s.

Second time around I had a single pessary at 6pm, my waters were broken at 8pm, and ds2 arrived by 7am. I slept through most of the contractions because of the epidural. If we decide to have another baby I would be more than happy to have a third induction. It also takes away most of the worrying about whether or not you're actually in labour and when/how to get to the hospital.

mummyintexas · 10/07/2004 22:17

They tried to induce me but it failed! Attempts 1 & 2 were just with a prostoglandin gel (pessary?), attempt 3 was with a membrane sweep.....the first 3 just produced mild period pain and then nothing. Attempt 4 was in hospital all day on a Pitocin (Oxytocin) drip, again nothing happened for the whole day besides some mild cramping... They turned the drip off at 7pm and I went into spontaneous labour at 7:30pm. I think it must have been triggered by the Pitocin but I was very thankful not to have been on the drip throughout my labour. Being on the drip isn't too bad once you get used to it and it's great not having to worry about hunger/thirst as the other drip they plug in looks after all of that. It is hard being 'tied' to the bed, we took lots of things to entertain us - magazines, cards, videos (I'm in the US so the labour and delivery room is like a 4* hotel room!), radio/CD player which ran on batteries (though a walkman would do the same thing). My labour then lasted 14 hours and the whole thing took place in hospital which was a shame - I didn't have one of the really short births mentioned above - though I did have a wonderful birth.

Really best of luck - with any luck you'll be 'set of' like me and then they can un-hook you.

Kif · 10/07/2004 22:42

I had membrane sweep on Monday, show on Tuesday, contractions started naturally Wed morning. They thought it was early stages - decided to give me the pessary. Couple of hours later broke my waters - not too painful, but made an almighty mess (esp as there was meconium there). Dd born that night. She had a scratch on her head which I attributed to the crochet hook!

Didn't find the pain too bad (my first, so can't say how it compares to regular!). Tens & nitrous oxide. They put the needle in my arm for prep, but only gave me Syntocin when my contractions started dying away in the last stage & to help stop me bleeding after (I lost 1 pint of blood).

Found it an advantage that I was in hospital the whole time - had a personal phobia about her plopping out in the car or something!

Tommy · 10/07/2004 23:20

I was induced with DS1. Found it extremely painful to be honest, although I don't want to frighten you. I was given first pessary at 4pm, another one at 11pm (these were the painful parts) and nothing much happened so I was put on a drip and also a catheta (sp?)I also had an epidural - which made everything fine again! DS1 born 11pm the next evening so long time just sitting in bed but fortunately no pain because of the epidural. Eventually had forceps delivery in theatre.
Celou - hope it all works out for you - good luck and let us know what happens!

Slink · 10/07/2004 23:29

Not to frighten you either but it was very painful and had the epidurul straight after very traumatising.

batgirl · 10/07/2004 23:46

Hi Celou - I have had a spontaneous labour & an induced labour. TBH, there were good & bad parts of both.

Both labours were fast, but I did feel more in control of my induced labour; I am sure this was partly because it was my second but I do think meeting my midwife & discussing my birth plan before things started was a huge advantage

I was given a prostaglandin pessary & then monitored for a couple of hours - v boring - but fairly easy to prepare for. I think I dilated a bit, but labour did not start. Labour was started by breaking my waters - unfortunately it was a very busy day in the labour ward and I had a 20 hour wait until a midwife was free to take me on! That was the worst bit - but it did mean that eventually I had a lovely midwife all to myself.

I always think of my induced labour as my "natural" labour (and my spontaneous labour as my "medical" one!)- as from the point of breaking my waters I had no further intervention. Gave birth (to a big baby) kneeling on the bed. My spontaneous labour was quite low key until transition - after which it went pear shaped - and I just remember all the gruesome interventions!

Hth - I just wanted to show a positive side to induction! Goodluck!

batgirl · 10/07/2004 23:49

Oops - fumop - I meant that I had a 20hr wait "before" a midwife could break my waters - not that I was left for 20hrs "after" breaking them - sorry, shouldn't post on here after a couple of glasses of wine.

Stargazer · 10/07/2004 23:57

Hi Celou

Had an induction for DD - my membranes were ruptured (with crochet hook thing) - didn't hurt, but was uncomfortable, this was about 10.30am. Promptly wet the bed!! Well the waters burst out. I then spent about 5 hours wandering around with my husband as early labour started - had a nice lunch with him. Watched some TV, generally felt fine. Had some low back pain. Everything went well. I went to the labour ward at about 5pm. Had a drip to help with contractions - had to stay in bed at this point. The baby was monitored. All went well. I recall asking for an epidural at about 7.30pm -DD was born 8.00pm. Overall it was okay for me. As for pain - I managed on gas and air this time - and my husband says I only swore once

Hope it goes well for you.

Batters · 11/07/2004 00:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hulababy · 11/07/2004 00:12

There appears to be quite a few people where induction doesn't work on here. My HV and GP made me feel like it was really unusual when mine didn't. Glad to hear I wasn't so wierd after all!

bunny2 · 11/07/2004 00:22

I was induced first with pessaries and then, as I didnt dilate, with an oxytocin drip. Labour took 27 hours and although it was mostly painfree thanks to an epidural, the mw let the epidural wear off so I could push ds out and it did get incredibly painful from then on. All worth it though, I cant wait to give birth to #2!

jimmychoos · 11/07/2004 00:23

Hi celou
I was induced when my son was born. It took a while to work (went in at 7.00 and nothing happened until around midnight.)My son was born at 12.00 the next day. The worst thing for me was the constant monitoring and I felt it was only semi-effective - I could feel contractions and because they didn't register on the monitor they thought nothng was happening and sent DP home. Only to get him back an hour later when I was obv in labour. It was painful compared with my second (spontaneous)labour but I think that was because my movement was so restricted cos of monitors etc - spent a lot of time on my back which in retrospect I can't believe! I had an epidural and all was ok after that - couldn't feel much at all pain-wise. So, tips, I would say try for as little monitoring as you feel comfortable with, try and stay mobile as long as possible and make sure you know the deadlines for pain relief - don't keep going past the point you can't have epidural etc. Also - try as hard as poss to get it going yourself before you are induced - induction is the first step often to more intervention (I ended up with a ventouse delivery - almost a caesarian). Good luck Celou - hope all works out well and at the end of course you'll have your lovely baby and you won't care....!

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