Induction timings

[Liz3891]

I'm being induced early next week and wanted to get an idea of what to expect timing-wise. I know everyone is different and there's no hard and fast rules, but really just interested in generalisations to make a plan.

I don't see the point in OH hanging around my hospital bed waiting hours and hours for the pessaries to work (also as of exam this week my cervix is still totally closed and not effaced so it might take a while) so I'm trying to figure out when he should come join me. Is it when I get taken down to delivery suite and put on the drip/have waters broken? Is that when things really kick off for most people? And once those things are done, is it quite fast in getting started usually?

It is hard to judge. Personally I'd want him around at least from the time proper contractions started. My induction went pretty quickly - pessary in at 1pm, a long walk and then around 4pm contractions kicked off in earnest, delivered by 9 pm. Be aware they might delay transferring you to the labour ward for as long as possible if it's busy so that might not be a reliable milestone to judge by.

There are a few things that can influence it. Is it your first baby? How many weeks are you? What's the reason for the induction? (You don't have to go into specifics if you don't want, but is it for a clinical condition in yourself or baby, or for something like your age / going overdue?)

I had the pessary at around 7pm and was having regular contractions at about 7am and that was apparently fast according to the midwife.

I was like you and delivered in 10 hours so I suggest you get him to come in from the beginning.
Plus:

• in my maternity hospital they tell everyone to go for a walk around the grounds after inserting the pessary and it's unsafe for you to walk on your own.
• it could take under 5 hours for you to deliver
• you may have loads of contractions like I did and they may move you to a delivery room quickly even though you aren't in active labour yet.
• the food may be inedible so you need someone to sort something you can eat out
• you can send him home anytime you like if he's there.
• he will have an idea of what doors he can use out of hours, where the toilets he's allowed to use are and what he isn't allowed to do.

DH stayed with me and all he achieved was to eat all the snacks I’d brought. Mine didn’t actually take that long but he could definitely have gone home haha! Pessary went in at 11am and contractions really ramped up by 9pm. DD was born 3am the next morning! I’d do it again in a heartbeat if I could guarantee it would go as quickly. I was very favourable beforehand though- partially effaced and starting to dilate. I’d probably have gone from the sweep if the midwife hadn’t uttered the words “ooh I’ve got a good feeling about that one. Feel free to go into labour this afternoon” 🙄

Thanks for the replies so far. I'm being induced at 39 weeks exactly due to severe hypertension. I've already been told that I'll have to be on continuous CTG and blood pressure monitors once on the drip. Depending on my BP when I arrive, the whole thing might end up being done on delivery suite.

It all sounds very variable. I've stayed in the antenatal ward several times so he knows how to get in, etc. Since we only live 15min or so away in good traffic, maybe we should just play it by ear and see. If the pessary gets things going faster than expected, he should still be able to make it!

It is very hard to say, I sent my husband back home the evening after I had the first pessary and then into work the next day. But we live very close to the hospital and he works over the road so was just minutes away. 24 hours later my cervix only just opened enough for the most experienced midwife to pop my waters at 5pm and I was started on the drip. At midnight my cervix was open but I hadn't started to dilate at all. The midwife suggested he go home as nothing much was happening that night. I wanted him there though as I had been in so much pain before my epidural. Good job as at 1am they were struggling to pick up babies heartbeat and looked to see if they could get the probe on her head. They were very surprised to find I was fully dilated and my daughter was born 37 minutes later.

So how long is a piece of string? Stay flexible and assess on what you are comfortable with. Good luck and enjoy your baby!

Hi all, I am 31 weeks and just starting to get my hospital bag organised. I have gestational diabetes, so it’s likely I will need to stay in for 24 after baby is born, and I may also have to go in earlier to be induced (due to the GD).

So I am just wondering how much to pack? I am thinking of leaving a bag with extra nappies and outfits in the car just in case but to actually take in the hospital, for Baby I am think 6 outfits? Mix of newborn and 0-3 months maybe? Also vests? Are sleeveless ok or should they be long sleeved this time of year? (I have a warm pramsuit that I will take too). Also how many outfits for me? Thinking 1 x pjs and 2 nighties? And then maybe 2-3 pairs or leggings and tops with cardigan? any feedback on what others took and was too much or not enough would be great? Thanks

Apologises, this was meant to be posted as a new thread, unsure how to delete it! Sorry!! Good Luck with your induction x

Stay flexible on what you're comfortable with

I really like this advice. Well put.

It varies so much. With my induction I went to hospital at 10am, induction started at 9pm and baby born via emcs at 1:53am. So 11 hours of waiting around and 4.5 hours of actual induction. Although when I was in there were several women who were on day 3 of their induction.

Every case is different! I was induced at 36+4 (failed) then 36+6 (successful). Cervix high and closed in both cases, induced by pessary (my autocorrect wants that to be "peasant"!!).
When things started, it was slow. This was with dc3, so once my body remembered what to do, it only took a few hours - induced at 6am, delivered at 6.30 pm. Dh was dealing with the other 2 for the first couple of hours, but once childcare was sorted he was with me from about 11am. I was 1cm at 1pm (and very annoyed!!).
Keeping active was, I reckon, the most important thing. I must have walked miles!!
Wishing you all the best!

2 of mine took 4 hours to even get a bed!

Overall 2 took 10 hours from first pessary to delivery the other 2 took 36 and 24 hours respectively...

I was induced two weeks ago. From having the pessary put in (I was already partially effaced and not donated at all) to giving birth was about 1 hour. DP went back to work as they said it'd be at least 24 hours. He nearly missed the birth.

I would never let him leave now. Midwife explained that this was quite a rare thing to happen, but it does. I'm a FTM.

Also I was 38 weeks.

If I was looking after someone in your position I would suggest that your OH comes in for the first bit and hangs around for a couple hours just in case things kick off quickly. If they don't, given that you live so close, I'd advise that he's fine to go home but keep his phone close, charged, on loud etc.
It would also depend on what your cervix was doing when they put the pessary in - if it's long, closed, posterior then you have more time to play with than if it's already thinning out or opening.
Ask your midwife on the day what she/he advises - but bear in mind that we're not fortune tellers! We can only say what we expect to happen based on the law of averages. There will always be outliers who have much quicker / slower inductions than expected.
One other thing to mention is that if your raised BP is due to preeclampsia the labour can often progress more quickly than in non-preeclamptic women.
Good luck!