9 days over due and induction tomorrow

[Yellowcar107]

Hey everyone!

This is my second child and this will be the first time I haven't gone into labour naturally without induction.

Last time it was 6 hours active labour and no complications, I was wishful in hoping this baby would be the same but they are still sticking around.

What is induction like? How long did it take anyone else to go into labour from it? Could it be days? Do I get to go home during this? Childcare isn't easy and worried about my DD 3 years old, my Mum said she would have her but she works and I don't want to have to make her have her over loads of days while I am stuck in hospital waiting.

I know I am hormonal and stressing about this but I just want more of a clue what I am getting into.

Sorry for going on, hope you guys can give me some insight x 🤞

Hi yellow

I was induced with my first baby. I was asked to arrived at hospital for 1pm. After a bit of waiting around they started the induction process at 3pm. Baby was born just before 3pm the following day, so just less than 24 hours from start to finish for me. I only needed one pessary before they could break my waters, but you can need up to three I believe, with six hours between each, so that would obviously make the whole process longer.

I wasn’t allowed home. They tend to monitor you when you are induced. They had me walking around the hospital grounds but I was asked to go back inside at certain times for monitoring.

I went in for induction, induced about 11.45am and baby came at 7.40pm the following day. It can be a long process, I think it depends how ready your body is for labour. I was induced a week early so I think baby just wasn’t ready to come.

I wouldn’t imagine you’d be allowed home unless you’re within spitting distance of the hospital and even then I’m not sure. Take lots of things to do, it’s really boring until things get going

How many pessaries they have to give you depends on the type they use, 6 hour ones or 24hour ones.

I was a slightly odd case as I had to be monitored throughout labour (induced early due to complications) but I had my pessary at some time after 7pm. I moved to the labour ward at 3/4am ish. They broke my waters at about 3pm the following day and baby arrived at 5:30pm.

What you can and can't do during the initial process is up to the policies of the hospital. The one I was in, you had to be there overnight, but in the day you were encouraged to get active, walk about etc. I had to be back at my bed every few hours for monitoring, but I'm not sure if this was the case for everyone or just because they were monitoring mine due to the complications I had (PET and IUGR).

It can take a while, but I recommend following the MWs advice for how to help, in my case they suggested lots of walking, especially stairs!

I was 8 days over. Pessary (24hr one) went in about 1am, started getting pains about 2hrs later. My peasary fell out about 11 so they checked me and was fully dilated. Got moved to delivery and was allowed in the pool :0) that slowed my contractions down though so I got out to get my waters broken and stayed out. Baby born about 2pm. Was home by 10pm. Good luck x

Hi Yellow

I'm exactly the same as you-9 days over but inducing Thursday. I've made my peace with needing an induction and had my last midwife appointment today where I bombarded her with questions! They won't say how long an induction takes as it's so different for everyone.

At my hospital, for uncomplicated births and if you live less than 30 minutes drive away, there is a policy of outpatient inductions where after initial checks they insert the propess pessary and you go home and come back 24 hours later to check progress. If it hasn't moved things along/they can't break waters you then consideranother round or prostin tablets or other methods. With the other further methods I was told I'd have to stay in hospital for monitoring every 4 hours. I'm thinking this could be a long weekend....

Have you read the NICE guidelines on induction or the guides on whatever form of prostaglandin they're giving you? Makes me feel better to have read that to get an idea of what's ahead.

I’m in the middle of the induction process now!

I came in at 11am, was given routine checks, then was on the monitor for 40 minutes. I was then given an internal examination and it was decided that I would have the 24-hour “teabaggy thing” (as the midwives fondly referred to it) and put back on the monitor for an hour until 3:30pm. They then monitor you every 6 hours for the remaining 24- hour period.

I’m a bit bored and in pain but the hospital staff have been lovely. I hope I’m not in here for days to come!

I was induced with my third, three weeks ago, due to reduced movements. I was already 2 cm and having some mild tightenings when I went in for induction, so they started off by breaking my waters to see if that would trigger labour. It didn’t, so 5 hours later they started the drip and DD was born just under 4 hours after that. It took probably 2 - 2.5 hours for my contractions to become regular and strong, but once they did it was a very fast labour. My previous two labours (not inductions) were also very quick, so despite having heard horror stories about how long inductions can take, IME if your body is ready and you tend towards quick labours it can still be a fast and straightforward process. Good luck!

Nos123 that's what my midwife called propess too-charming ☺️

Good luck!