Induction stories/advice please

[ToriaH84]

I found out today I am due to be induced on Tuesday next week at 37w3d as my baby is not growing at a steady rate and they are concerned about function in one kidney.

I had the most amazing and natural birth with DS1 and although I understand the medical reasoning for induction this time around I am just feeling a little apprehensive.

I would appreciate any of your experiences or tips and suggestions on induction. Good or bad: I would prefer to be fully informed if possible.

Thank you

I was induced at 40+1. I had contractions for the first 12 hours and then they stopped. Against my wishes the midwife broke my water anyway and put me on the drip. I really hated being constantly monitored. The only time I wasn't supervised was when I was sick and my husband was left to clean it up! Funny that!

I was also forced to have a monitor put on baby's head after I refused. At one point people started shouting and arguing over my bed about what to do next.

After 48 hours of faffing about I ended up with an 'elective emergency' c section - they called it that because I was having tough contractions without any dilation at all and i could see it wasn't working. They wanted me to go another 24 hours.

No tips really, everyone is different, just be assertive if you have a preference for or against something they want to do.

Oh Daisy, that sounds terrible and especially with them not respecting your wishes. I’m very much expecting the unexpected tbh but would be cross if they ignored my wishes, unless of cause baby was in any kind of distress or danger.

Did you have the pessary? If so, did it work first time? I’ve heard you have to sometimes have two. Was there any reason you didn’t want her to have a monitor on baby’s head? Also, what pain relief did you have and at what points.

Sorry for all the questions; I just want to ensure that I have some more information.

Thank you

Yes had the pessary at tea time on the Saturday after a few hours hanging around waiting to be seen. Had a rough night and was contracting by about 6am on Sunday. People led me to believe that it was rare for the first attempt to work.

Unfortunately, I was unlucky to get an old-school MW who bullied me into using a pool when I didn't want to. The anxiety of this seemed to stop my contractions. She then broke my waters even though I told her everything had stopped. Not sure if this is normal but it seemed odd at the time. I was on the highest dose of the drip from Sunday night until Monday night but never progressed past 1cm dilated.

The only reason I didn't want a monitor because having my waters broken was excruciating and I just knew getting the monitor on would be worse.

Pain relief was completely up to me as long as I exhausted one option before going up to something stronger. I used a TENS initially, once on the drip they gave me diamorphine which made everything pretty bearable.

Sorry my story isn't a particularly positive one, but it does seem to be luck of the draw. Having said that, if you've already had a vaginal birth, you probably have a better chance of progressing well.

I hope your induction goes well BTW, meant to add that at the end

Right so this might be long winded...

I was induced with DD when I was 8 days overdue.

It was my first baby, and I was terrified, as I'd read induced labour can often be more intense and more women request an epidural etc,etc. But it was honestly fine, and not as invasive as I'd imagined. I stayed on the antenatal ward the night before DD was born and quite late during the night the midwife came and gave me the prostaglandin pessary. This was honestly far less uncomfortable than a stretch and sweep in my opinion. I didn't sleep the whole night understandably as I was on the edge of my seat waiting for something to happen, but it didn't. The next morning came, no pain, went and got a shower, got myself some brekkie from the day room, DP turned up, my mum turned up. The midwives suggested we go for a walk about the hospital to get things going, so we did that. Did about 10 laps of the hospital, bounced on a birthing ball for a bit. By lunch time I was experiencing mild cramping, nothing too bad, I could still eat my lunch and was laughing and joking with DP, and my cervix had finally started to dilate, I was 2 cm! Then the cramps picked up a bit so I stayed on the ward the midwife gave me some paracetamol after a certain amount of time that wasn't cutting it so I was given codeine which really helped. By 8pm the night shift staff came on, I was in a lot of pain by then and knew I needed to go up to the labour ward! They examined me right away, I was 5cm so I was wheeled up to the labour ward in a wheelchair. I was given gas and air, got hooked up to a few monitors and machines, got a cannula stuck in my hand and wasn't able to be as mobile, but I honestly didn't care by this point,it all just became a blur! I must have begged for an epidural about a million times but never got one as the anaeshitist was busy elsewhere and my labour progressed really quickly. Around 3 and a half hours later I was holding my lovely DD in my arms, no complications, everyone healthy and well I was so proud I did it with just the gas aswell as I was convinced I would be the sort of woman who would scream the hospital down if I didn't have ALL the drugs!

I've nothing else to compare it to really but id say it wasn't a bad labour, I'm 5 weeks pregnant now and I'd rather not be induced this time around if I'm honest, as I'd like to have a water birth, be a bit more mobile and in control this time. But if I do have to be induced for whatever reason I'm not going to be anxious about it because I know it isn't necessarily that bad.

My induction story is pretty straightforward and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Mind you I'm not in the UK, so not sure if things can work similarly there. DS was big, I got sent for a formal scan at 39w as my obstetrician was estimating 9pounds on in-room scan. And yep, he was 9pounds on the other scan too. I asked to be induced on his actual due date as chances of him getting stuck were just too high if I waited longer.

They booked me to come in to the antenatal ward on the evening of his due date. Got "checked in", got a drip and then got first lot of gel with the usual warning that it might not work so might need to be repeated in the morning. Sent husband home and settled in to sleep, just as very mild cramping started - light period pain type. MW checked on me, got me some paracetamol and did a CTG run with the expectation that it will probably look fine and I'll just be left alone to sleep afterwards.

That didn't quite go to plan as DS got lazy, he must have gone to sleep or something so his heart rate sat between 90&95 (low). I could feel him kick sporadically when I would roll over, then the heart rate would pick up to low normal. MW got progressively more worried and ended up calling in my obstetrician at 4am. I'd been on continuous CTG throughout the night, which meant no sleep with all the checks/heart beat alarms/etc. I wasn't actually fussed, he was fine, kicking etc, just asleep (unlike me).

Anyway, obstetrician reviewed me and agreed DS was fine. Repeated the gel a few hours later as my cramps dwindled to nothing by about 8.00am. One or two hours later contractions started. CTG was fine so I was allowed to go for a walk with husband. I couldn't stay in the room, felt like caged animal so a walk was great!!! It was summer so I could even go outside. Insisted on taking stairs down and then back up at the end to try and get the cervix going. The contractions were really strong (I couldn't breathe during), very regular but obs did tell me the cervix might not be doing very much (1st time labour and everything).

Eventually got back into room. Got examined, was only 2or3 cm, not exactly a lot of progress, but was ok for rupturing membranes. By then I asked for epidural, so got one before membranes were ruptured.

Oops, pressed post before ending the story.

I fell asleep once they hooked me up to the drip. Woke up a few hours later, got re-examined, got told I'm I ready to push. Waited for epidural to wear off a bit so I could actually tell when I had contractions (tightening, not pain). That meant I could actively push with them. 15 min of pushing and DS was born. Yep 9pounds, healthy, I needed a few stitches, but nothing major.

Apart from contraction pain before my epidural, no other discomfort. Would definitely repeat if the next one turns out to be 9pounds at 39 weeks!

I had the pessary and the contractions went on for 12 hours and then stopped.

They later broke my waters and I had a natural birth using just gas and air. It was all positive (if somewhat boring with the waiting around).

My first child was a forceps delivery, monitored etc.

So all in all my induction was a far more positive experience and I was well looked after (by a hospital that doesn't usually seem to do well in birth rankings too).

Please don't worry. Just accept it may take a bit longer. I was the same number of weeks as you when induced and for similar reasons.

There will always be good stories and bad stories whatever happens. don't assume yours will be bad.

Good luck with your experience

Both of my babies were induced and both times it was ok. Just g+a the first time and pethidine with a tiny bit of g+a the second time.
My 2nd induction (2nd baby so probably more relevant) I just had the pessary (at 2pm) and there wasn't much going on for a while and then after about 4 hours i started getting period pains. By about 8 hours after I was getting some pretty strong contractions and was examined and my cervix wasn't even favourable so I was given some pethidine and told to get some kip (was about midnight by then) pethidine worked a dream and managed to rest for a bit. Once it had worn off I had a second dose (cervix still not favourable) then after about 90 mins my waters went with a pop. DD arrived 34 mins later (Just before 9am), just made it to the delivery room for the final bit of pushing.
Although quick, I felt it was a pretty perfect birth. Small tear, no stitches.

Induction varies a lot from hospital to hospital. Ask your mw what the exact policies and procedures are in your hospital so you can prepare yourself. Also ask what the likelihood is of it being pushed later because they're too busy, so you can manage your expectations (and childcare!).

I managed to avoid it for both of mine (they were both overdue and I was being pushed to induce); but were I in your situation I would be asking what epidural options might be available to you if you decide you need them (you may react strongly to the induction drugs, so pain relief may be needed; if available I would like a 'mobile' one but these seem both rare and not as mobile as you'd think).

On the other hand, you may be one of the people who just needs a whiff of the drugs to get started and everything might progress as normal.

They are unlikely to let you on MLU if you are being induced, though, and they may not want you to labour in a pool if that was something you were considering.

I was induced at 40 weeks due to trailing growth. 18 hours from first pessary to my baby being born! Waters went naturally about 12 hours after pessary. Happened so fast that there was foetal distress and I needed forceps but I’ve made a pretty good recovery.

I never needed the drip but if you think you will want an epidural ask for it before they put the drip in as apparently it can get intense quickly once they put it in.

You are earlier on at 37 weeks, and I think this may make the odds of success a little less favourable so discuss your Bishops Score, and your options. However I had a very positive experience with induction and there’s every chance you will too.

Induction wards can be noisy so take ear plugs, and maybe download some box sets onto Netflix to drown out noise/keep you entertained! Take snacks in case you’re there a while. In my hospital even once you’re sufficiently dilated for them to break your waters you have to wait for a delivery suite bed so it’s possible you’ll be there a while.

Good luck and enjoy your baby

Let us know how you get on!

I had pessary induction at 41 weeks. Pessary at about 1pm, cramping at 6pm, 6/7cm by about 3am taken to labour ward, contractions were very intense and pretty much non stop (had been for ages but I didn't want to make a fuss as I hadn't been in long and there was a woman who had been in for ages with no progress) I'd already a pain relief injection (can't remember what it was called) and been vomiting with the pain. Nobody really came to check on me my partner had to get them to come and see me both times, they seemed surprised I was so far along. Didn't want epidural but pain was too much so ended up having that which slowed the labour down and ended up going to sleep for a while. When it came time to push his shoulder got stuck so had to be taken for ventouse. That was awful and i thought they were going to pull his head off. Didn't work so ended up having an epesiotomy and forceps. He was born at 1:20pm so the whole thing took about 24 hours.

I was induced with a pessary at 36 weeks after my waters broke and labour hadn't started on its own after 18 hrs.

The first pessary worked well and things got going nicely, but after a few hours it slipped away from the cervix (waters were still leaking steadily!) and labour stopped. Midwife refused to check so things didn't get going again until that night when the night midwife agreed to examine me and found the pessary had washed out entirely!

Second pessary got things going nicely again and after about 4 hours I was in active labour, and ready for an epidural now please and thank you.

I hit transition as we went down to the delivery suite, and was starting to push as I got on the bed. Baby arrived an hour later, and I never did get the epidural!

Total active labour? Less than 3 hours. Sometimes inductions really can be that quick!

In my hospital even once you’re sufficiently dilated for them to break your waters you have to wait for a delivery suite bed so it’s possible you’ll be there a while.

This was my experience too. They could have gone straight to ARM the day I booked in at 42 weeks (I was 3cm!!!) but I wasn't an urgent case so I hung around for a day and a half on the induction ward...However if you are being induced for a specific issue then they would probably bump you up the queue? I'd check with your hospital how they priortise.

Good luck

@SiolGoraidh my labour was very similar to yours in ways! I left a few details out of my induction story, but I also hung about the induction ward for hours in a lot of pain knowing it was time to go up to labour ward and get that epidural. But the day shit staff refused to examine me and basically made me out to be a huge drama queen as they were of the belief I was 2cm which they had no way of knowing because no one would bloody examine me! Anyway the night shift staff were much more understanding they examined me and found I was actually 5cm, and sent me straight to labour ward! From there on it pretty much went from 0 - 60 in no time at all, and I also had no time for the epidural despite my constant pleading, the anaesisithist was in busy allegedly, in the 3 and half hours it took me to have DD although I have a sneaking suspicion that might have been a white lie. As when I was close to be fully dilated he was miraculously available! Of course I refused the epidural by that point as I'd made it that far without one, and I am glad I didn't have one in the end, as I do reckon it would have effected my recovery time and possibly slowed down labour, I think my midwife saw how quickly I was progressing and reckoned I was coping better than I actually was, and thought it would be better all round if I didn't have one. But like I say I'm glad I didn't have one so ...

Day shift, not day shit 😂