Practicalities of Induction

[Liz3891]

Unless I go into labour spontaneously first, I've been booked for an induction. I'm curious about some of the more mundane practicalities (not the pessary, drip, etc.).

When you arrive for induction are you admitted to an antenatal ward or straight to delivery suite? I assume not the latter since you could be there for a while. But if you're in an antenatal ward does that mean partners can't stay the whole time you are being induced? I was just an inpatient and there were signs everywhere saying partners had to go home at 9pm.

Also, in normal labour, you stay at home until you're in 'active' labour and a few cm dilated, meaning the early contractions etc are done in the comfort of your home. With induction, does this mean you do early labour in the antenatal ward without any comforts like a bath, etc.? Or am I fooling myself and induction involves no early labour because it all kicks off so fast?

I'm sure it varies depending on the hospital, but my waters broke and I failed to go into active labour naturally and so was booked into the induction ward. My partner was allowed to stay with me the whole time. I was administered the gel and was on the ward for 12 hours until I was 3/4cms dilated at which point I was transferred to the delivery suite. Then once I had the baby I was put on the postnatal ward and again my partner was allowed to stay with me.

I had a booked induction. I was initially on a kind of 'staging' antenatal ward. Basically a 'waiting for a delivery suite' ward. Partners were allowed to stay, but were encouraged to go home so at least one of you got some rest. I got pretty much none, because a) there was loads of coming and going b) I was too nervous and c) the timing meant I got the pessary at 10pm, then was moved to the delivery suite to have my waters broken and start the drip at 3am (though by the time they had moved me and got everything settled/set up, it was more like 4:30). Not because that was a critical time for me specifically, just because that's what time worked for the ward - seems weird, but they are used to being 24 hours, babies come at whatever time they like! So assuming the pessary doesn't start your labour, you won't have any pains while your DP isn't there. They won't give you the drip until you are in the delivery suite.

I can only speak for myself, and only describe one induced experience as my DD is an only, so can't compare to an at-home start to labour. But TBH, there wasn't really much of what I would call 'early labour/manageable contractions'. They either weren't there/were hardly there and I was fine, or they were full on. It threw me a bit, because I had been told I could still be active during an induction, but (in my case at least), I really couldn't - once I was connected to my monitoring wires, the baby's monitoring wires and the drip, I really couldn't get off the bed. It was honestly fine, but I just wish I had been prepared with coping strategies for that in advance.

Oh, and if it helps - we don't plan in having any more DC. But if we did, I would 100% be happy to be induced again, if that was best for me and the baby. It wasn't the most comfortable day of my life (ha!) but neither was it terrible, traumatising or unmanageable. I'm sure the epidural helped with that (double ha!), but still - it was fine.

It depends on the circumstances of induction, really. At my hospital, "lower risk" inductions were started off on antenatal and I believe visitors were restricted there. I was a "high risk" induction so I was started on labour ward and DH could stay. When you have the pessary in you can do what you like short of checking out of hospital - sit in the coffee shop, go for walks, etc. I went for quite long walks around the nearby park between monitoring. Once they break your waters though you have to stay on the ward for monitoring, and once you're on the drip you can't move anyway.

If you are 'low risk' and being induced purely
for going 41 weeks + some hospitals now offer pessary for 24 hours as an outpatient so you have it inserted, are monitored for an hour or so and then all being well go home for up to 24 hours but phoning regularly to update progress... however, if nothing happens after that you're back in and have to stay on the ward until next stage.

I was induced with my last at 39 weeks following a car accident. Started on antinatal ward, no partners allowed after 9pm. Only moved to delivery ward when they broke my waters.. to which DH could stay with me till birth. Once moved back to ward DH had to leave. I gave birth at 11:30 at night and was on the ward by 2.. hubbie was sent home till 7am the next day. Poor man missed those early hours.

Your best to ask your hospital what their policy is at it seems to vary xx

Thanks for the answers so far. That clears a lot of things up. I'll be 'high risk' induction as it's being done due to high blood pressure.

It's good to know that at pessary stage you can still move around and do stuff outside of the ward and that it's unlikely I'll be in serious pain while still in the antenatal ward.

Another question on from yours if thats alright, when you are induced, do you have to go on the consultant led ward? Or are you still able to have waterbirth etc?

I was induced at 41+5 with my first 10 years ago. I was in my own room which seems a bit odd from what PPs have said. I am not sure whether partners would have been allowed to stay or not as I was on my own. I was kept in that room from when I was booked in around 6pm until after baby arrived around 2pm the following day, then moved onto a four bed ward.

Oh and I had a bathroom complete with bath that I made use of!

I was induced at 37 weeks with my second as first baby was still born at 38 weeks.

We arrived at hospital at 8am on the induction day (pre-booked). We were put into our own private room, it had a bed, big chair and bathroom facilities. I think mine had a shower(?).

I was placed on a monitor for the first 30 mins to make sure baby was ok.
Then given pessary.
Monitored again for around 45 mins to an hour. When they were happy baby was ok I was free to wander around the hospital, we went and had a Costa and something to eat etc.

DH and I then went back to our room and watched Netflix on the iPad for a while (free WiFi in hospital).

I was checked again so many hours later by which point my contractions had started. They had a massive bath in another room that I made use of.

By around 4pm my contractions were regular and strong so I was moved to labour ward, again into our own delivery room. DH was with me throughout.

DD was born at 9:58pm.

We were discharged by around 3am as they were happy with me and baby and that she was feeding ok etc.
I think had we stayed overnight DH was allowed to stay, they had reclining chairs so he could sleep.

It was all fairly straightforward 

My trust has a pamphlet that says that if you go into labour from the pessary alone you can (assuming you're otherwise eligible) go to the midwife-led unit and/or labour in water but if you need the drip, you have to be consultant-led. I suppose that makes sense.

I was included with dc2 - basically I was given a time to go up to the hospital antenatal ward, was given pessary soon after and basically told to wait it out in the ward. I think it was around 1pm I went up, my husband went home about 8pm as nothing happening. At 11pm contractions started then when they got closer together I phone oh to come up to hospital, she was born 9am next morning. So for me it was fairly quick. I think If the contractions haven’t started after a set amount of time they would send you home, as they did say it can take a few days for labour to actually begin with some people. I was 39w4d.
For me, I actually much preferred being induced and compared to my first it was a much easier process.

I was placed in an antenatal ward. Basically a two bed room. Birthing partners were allowed to stay on a chair but aren't fed and can't use the patient bathrooms. The food is terrible and apparently the same daily. They don't allow you to go home but allow you walk around very nearby. They have had issues in the past of people going on long walks and the woman going into labour far from the hospital.

I was only in the room for about 3 hours.

At my hospital I was admitted to the antenatal ward until I was in established labour. I went in Saturday tea time. They sent my partner home at 8pm. Gave me the pessary at around midnight, partner came back 10am the next morning.

Things really kicked off at 8pm on the Sunday, I was on the antenatal ward in a lot of pain and the midwives were trying to usher my partner out of there as visiting time was over and it was highly unlikely I was going to have a baby that night, (according to them) they refused to examine me, didn't believe I was in established labour. In the end they decided to wash their hands of me and leave it up to the night staff. They did examine me. I was 5cm dilated. Sent straight to labour ward, DD born just 3 hours later. So if my partner had gone home he would've only made it back in the nick of time to be at the birth.

I totally get why partners aren't allowed to stay if you aren't in established labour, it's not really fair on the other women you're sharing the ward with, I know I wouldn't have liked a load of random blokes around. But if you feel things are progressing quickly, put your foot down, insist on being examined before they send your partner anywhere.

Plus, I guess it depends on the hospital, but if there's a bath on the ward, I can't see why they wouldn't let you have one if it made you feel more comfortable. I was allowed to have a shower, I wasn't constantly monitored until I was on the labour ward, so I was able to have a wander about the hospital and do my own thing when I was in early labour, the only thing I couldn't do was leave the hospital grounds.

I really hope I dont end up there overnight. I've now spent two nights on the ward and havent slept a wink either time due to loud snorers. I can't imagine having to go into labour the day after that kind of night.

That's exactly what happened with me @Liz3891 didn't sleep a wink the night before, I have to say though, i wasn't actually that tired the next day, think I was running on adrenaline.

So I went in and was initially on the ante natal ward for about 8 hours having mild contractions. When I went on the drip that was done in the delivery suite as was some manual water breaking. I hated being on the ward to be honest. I was bored, tired, achy and irritated by everyone else there. Delivery suite was lovely and I was so pleased when they moved me.

So basically the pessary doesn't do that much for most people. Mild contractions maybe but essentially just preparing the cervix for the real deal which is the drip and is done in delivery suite? So probably no lying in agony in the antenatal ward. I suppose that's something. But I'm still dreading another night there!

I was induced at 36+6 due to high blood pressure that they were unable to stabilise with preeclampsia medicine just under a fortnight ago. (Was admitted to the antenatal ward on the Wednesday after a growth scan showed high blood pressure and protein, was induced the Friday morning)

With me the pessary was done in the labour ward and then once they decided to break my waters after a couple of hours (due to my cervix looking favourable or something like that) I was transferred to the delivery suite, pessary taken out and drip inserted. Because I was being induced for high blood pressure, they had to keep me closely monitored so despite being told I could walk around with the pessary in I ended up strapped up to a machine checking my BP! Baby was born by emergency section that same Friday evening though and, after a few days more in hospital than I would have liked on either side of her being born, is healthy and snoozing on my chest right now!

@Liz3891 I went in at 36w 5d with my second and was 'favourable' 1 pessary and six hours later baby born with gas and air.

If you your body is getting ready the pessary can be all it needs. 😀

@Liz3891 not necessarily. Although I have heard the pessary doesn't do too much for a lot of women. For me it was the total opposite, one pessary was all it took, I think part of the reason the midwives refused to believe I'd gone into full blown labour is because as a first time mum they were sure I'd need waters broken, drip, etc etc. They must not see too many first time mothers that go into labour with just one pessary. But I am living proof that sometimes it can and does happen. I never expected for the whole labour to only take 3 hours aswell, and when the midwife put the pessary in and had a feel around I was told not to expect much as my cervix was completely closed! Although I have to say it did take a while for things to kick off, but when it did it went from 0-60 in no time at all. Wasn't in any pain for most of my time on the antenatal ward so it was fine. If the pessary alone is enough to get your labour going you should be sent straight to labour ward anyway. It may well be enough to start your labour, I wouldn't resign yourself to the fact that you will definitely need to go on the drip, you might not, the less invasive the process the better right?