Induction vs spontaneous labour

[Countrylifeornot]

Hello, I'm having a few issues in my pregnancy and have a consultant appointment next week at 38 weeks.
Judging by what's been discussed thus far I think we'll have a conversation about whether I want a spontaneous labour, or would be happier being induced to mitigate some risks.

I had the most wonderful drug free, midwife led birth last time and would love to recreate it this time, but it appears I'll be consultant led whatever happens, meaning a different birth centre etc.

So, my question is should I just get induced to at least have a plan and know a date etc, or is it much more restrictive and less autonomous? I guess only women who have experienced both could answer, and I don't know any, so wise mumsnetters, what do you say?

I had an induction with LO, first pregnancy so I had nothing to compare it to but generally a positive experience!

I had 38 hours of being induced and a 2 hour active labour! Apart from being monitored every six hours, the induction process was super chilled out - basically walked round the hospital a lot, drank a lot of coffee and did a lot of crosswords! When I did go into labour, contractions went from 0-100 in the half an hour after putting the second lot of gel in. I wanted an epidural but things progressed far too quickly - by the time they got the doctor in and the drip set up I was pushing! So I had has and air and to be honest, as soon as I started pushing everything became a lot more manageable!

Best thing I did was to have a fetal scalp electrode instead of the straps for monitoring - no way were those f-ing straps coming anywhere near me once I was in labour 😅

I had a natural labour the first time and then an induction for the second at 39 weeks. Induction was my worst case scenario and I was shitting it. Made them go slow (broke waters, then 2hrs later started drip as wasn't progressing then think they cranked the drip up 2hrs after that.

Labour was fine. None of the nightmare situations you hear horror stories about, usually
with first labours.

I wouldn't worry about being induced again, although I would only do it for medical reasons. My second had a CMPA which they grew out of at 18months. I was later told that induction (or non spontaneous labour) was an indicator for this - I guess maybe babies digestive system not yet fully matured? Or maybe the drugs mess it the gut bacteria..... I'm only flagging this as it took me months to work it out and if someone had suggested it earlier I would have cut out all milk (and soya) much quicker than I did.

I've never been induced luckily. My babies have all been before due date. All 39+5, 40 weeks dead on and 39+2 was my last baby.

I've heard induction is dreadfully long, prolonged and tiring. However I would trust professionals if I was told I needed to be induced for any reason x

Not sure how much help I can be as I haven't been induced but I had my baby 8 weeks ago naturally, but he was 15 days over due date! I declined induction as I felt healthy and happy in pregnancy and had no real concerns over his heath- he just had his own schedule to work to I ended up in hospital for a few days afterwards for post delivery complications (he arrived fine though) and everyone else on the ward had been induced and had emergency c sections as a result. Everyone we spoke to said they would not go down an induction route again and would have rather had elective c sections- some had been in hospital for over a week by this point just waiting following various induction methods before the sections. I'm led to believe that when you begin a medical intervention route you must continue down that route so if you go for induction you are likely to have a lot of medical involvement in the birth

In my very humble and limited opinion, I think it depends on what is best for baby. Be sure to ask lots of questions next week, what are the risks if you're induced?, what are the risks of you're not?, then weigh up which risks you can best live with. Whatever you decide good luck for when the time comes! - not that you'll need it

Ok so I've not had both but I've been induced twice. 1st time waters went but nothing happened so I was induced via drip which I could walk around with, had a birthing ball and had gas and air. 2nd time I was consultant lead due to low growth, at week 39 I had a final scan and the growth was static from the previous scan so my consultant advised me to get induced. I chose to follow the advise of the professional consultant even though I wanted a midwife led, water birth because if something had happened to my baby in the final weeks of waiting to go naturally then I'd never forgive myself.
It's your choice, but at the end of the day if they are advising you to be induced to minimise risk to the baby then I'd do the induction.

@babyonitsway just wanted to check in with you?? I took my own pessary out and within two hours I had delivered my little 6lb 13oz boy naturally with just gas and air 🥰

my first was as peaceful as labour could get and my second was induced at 40+4 for multiple reasons. was devasted to be induced and didnt even have 24hours notice was told at 7pm and was iduced next day 10am and will never ever go down that route again. intrusive painful and just an overall horrible unforgettable experience.

my baby had to get out and my health was in trouble and if this happened again id refuse and demand a C-section. good luck its never an easy decision @Countrylifeornot

Hi,

I have had 3 positive induction experiences and definitely wish for number 4 to be induced as well. I haven’t however given birth spontaneously. With Number 1 I had gestational diabetes so had to be induced. I had two induction gels and waited 12 hours before the birth started. It took 6 hours but I managed on paracetamol. Birth number 2 - the baby was too small so they were worried. Again 2 gels and it started about 11 hours after the first. It was v. painful and fast - just 40 mins from start to end with some tearing. Birth number three - I had Cytomegaly and the doctors were worried about abnormalities on the scan. They no longer use gel here (Germany) and only needed 1 tablet. Birth started about 12 hours later and took 2 hours. Also not as painful as number 2 which was a good thing.

Hope that helps.

I was induced with my first - it took ages and I ended up on the drip and with a ventouse delivery. I had nothing to compare it with. It hurt a lot but it bloody did second time around too and that was spontaneous labour.

This time around I'd choose induction over c-section any day of the week. I'd prefer not to have major abdominal surgery and the recovery that goes with it if not absolutely necessary. Yes, induction was painful but as soon as it was over, it was over and I was up and about and able to get on with life normally straightaway, which was invaluable to me.

I had spontaneous labour with #1 and induction with #2 at 39 weeks. They were able to break my waters so skipped a lot of the process but did have to go on the drip. It was super quick, around 3 hours, and far far less painful than my spontaneous labour, which I suspect was down to baby size and position. I had to have continuous monitoring but asked to move around which they facilitated, just walking in the room and bouncing on the ball. I also thought the hospital room was nice and don't really get what's so different to the MLU rooms, but that may be different at other hospitals. You have a dedicated midwife the whole time which is good (previous experience on MLU mw decided we'd like to be alone and left us, I found that stressful)
There's some evidence to suggest induction is less likely to end in emcs when done at 39 weeks as opposed to post dates. I strongly suspect as well that induction after a previous vaginal birth is a lot different to induction for a first time mother/previous cs.
I chose induction over CS and very glad I did, though it was a difficult decision.

My labour started naturally but stalled after my waters broke.. so I got the full induction treatment. Ouch. It went from 60% to 100% in about 30 minutes. I literally couldn't move for pain. I was very dramatic 🙈

I swiftly got an epidural and after that, all was well. It sped up labour which for me, after 3 days of slow labour, was a godsend.

Good luck 🧡

For me it would depend entirely on what the risks associated with spontaneous labour would be for you.

I’ve had one of each:

• an induction which wasn’t as bad as some people’s, but it was a very medical and controlled environment and I felt like birth was something that was happening to me, rather than me being involved in any of it.
• a spontaneous labour that was very quick and intense. It was scarier than my induction but overall a better experience.

I’m pregnant with DC3 at the moment and will be resisting induction unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Place marking as in same boat 😊

@Kej13 congratulations !!!!

After the induction drip and a pretty awful forceps delivery (was nearly c section) we have our baby girl! Weighing in at 7lbs 13 born on Sunday! Not quite the huge baby they were expecting! I hope you're both doing well?

In terms of this thread, I would never ever have an induction again unless the decision was totally taken out of my hands x

Induced and had the epidural before the induction drugs so didn't feel a thing! Amazing!!

Both my inductions were 4 hours or less from first pessary to birth with about an hour or so for contractions to start after the pessary. It's not always long - each birth is different whether it's induced or not. You may be quick like me.
How was your mothers birth experience - anecdotally I've heard daughters have similar experiences to their mothers. Mine has two quick(ish) labours and one was induced (me and Ive always been fit and healthy).

@babyonitsway oh yay!! Congratulations to you too!

We were lucky in that respect as I had a normal VB and only a small tear and no stitches (still hurts like hell!) so I do feel for you, I hope you're feeling okay now?!

No that's a good weight! Our DS was evicted early because they thought he'd stopped growing, he was 6lbs 14oz and 3 weeks early 😂 much bigger than they thought he'd be. Have you gone home yet?

And I second what you said, never would I go for induction again unless absolutely necessary.