Positive induction stories please - 39 weeks.

[anonnancy]

So I had my consultant appointment today and it has been agreed I am to be induced at 39 weeks, so all is booked for 30th December.

Could I please have POSITIVE induction stories to get me into the calm zone rather than the slightly panicked / nervous zone I am currently in!

First baby so I have no idea what to expect apart from pain!

Been told baby has rather large head too so I've already apologised to my vagina and we've had words....! Lol.

Tia x

My positive induction story for you is that baby arrived at 37+3 by spontaneous labour 2 days before I was scheduled for induction so it's not a sure bet!

I’ve been induced twice at 39 week and due to be again next Saturday.
I don’t have anything to compare it to because I’ve never gone into labour naturally but the pain is pretty horrific until the epidural kicked in and then it’s not so bad.
In fact by that stage I felt like I was lying on a beach!
Take all the painkillers you can is my only advice. I had a small tear both times but nothing too bad.
I am actually strangely looking forward to next week, I think probably because I know what to expect.
Good luck

I haven't been induced before (spontaneous labour first time) but am being induced too at 39 weeks, next week, as this baby is small for gestational age. I've been having Braxton Hicks or practice contractions on and off for a couple of days so I really hope that makes the induction process quicker! That's the bit I'm not looking forward to - potentially waiting around for days for labour to start.

If you're being induced on the 30th I will update you next week on how it goes!

@DamnitCharlie ah! Yes please do let me know! Good luck!

I'm being induced as I have crippling PGP and can't even walk anywhere for longer than a couple of minutes and baby's measuring slightly big!

I've psyched myself up for labour being very painful, obviously! Just feel a bit weird now knowing I actually have a date of it all starting! Whether he'll make an appearance this year or on New Year's Day, who knows! Consultant told me it could be a 2 day wait for baby once the induction has started lol x

Two inductions here - I found it overall a calm reassuring experience - you're being monitored throughout and have access to medical care and pain relief. It can take a while. Don't be afraid of an epidural - they really aren't as bad as you think - I barely felt mine going in and if you do tear you won't feel it or the stitches after. Having said that both babies had big heads and I had only small tears. After the initial dose you are in control of it so can and can relax for a while but you can have other pain relief too. Ask about the process and what will happen at each stage - this didn't happen with my first and the little things like being told after they broke my waters that if nothing started after 2 hours they would start the drip and I wouldn't be able to eat etc meant I could have a decent lunch/go for a walk etc before being nil by mouth and bed bound. Equally don't feel you have to go along with everything - I refused sweeps and the stage after the initial pessary (which in my hospital was a balloon thing) and went to having my waters broken which isn't pleasant but it's quick.

Take pillows, entertainment and snacks for the early stages and try to enjoy it.

Just seen your update - talk it through with the midwives but with crippling PGP I would definitely opt for an epidural as it will help with that pain too. I had it with my first and I'm not sure I could've got into position without it!

Induction here too and it does have its benefits. You know the baby is coming so partner can be off work when needed, you're at the hospital so help is on hand, they still encourage you to 'bounce' the baby out by walking around and on these walks you get to see all the lovely new babies in the next ward which I found exciting knowing me and baby would be there too in a few days. One thing I would say, I found the extra poking (from the medical team, painful) so before it really got going had a lovely chat with the midwife's who talked me through the options (which is lovely before it gets really painful). If you went in and you were quite far along, this opportunity would not be there. Good luck!

I was induced because I went two weeks over. They started with the pessary, which was inserted and then I left and was told to come back once regular contractions started. I went for lunch with DH and a lovely walk to try to get things moving and then back home to bounce on my birthing ball and watch box sets.
Cramps started around 5pm. I called the midwives and they said to stay home until I had regular contractions. I went in for a check at 11pm but hadn't dilated at all and so was sent home and told to have paracetamol and a bath.
At about 4am, I was in a lot of pain with contractions every three minutes and so we went in. Unfortunately, I hadn't dilated but they could see I needed some pain relief so I went up to the labour ward (I was offered the birthing pool but I wanted to go upstairs for the hard stuff 😁). I was given gas and air, which helped and later pethadine.
I had to have the drip to progress labour and at that point I was given an epidural. From that point, no pain at all. It took a little time for me to dilate fully and I think I pushed for maybe 10 contractions or so (not that you can really feel what you're doing when you've had an epidural) and then baby arrived. She was just under 9lb, so a fairly decent size.
I did need an episiotomy but I had no problem with that afterwards and it healed well.
All in all very positive.

I'm currently pregnant again and due to another large baby may be facing being induced. I have zero worries due to how it went last time.

I hope this helps to put your mind at ease. I know I was very nervous before being induced first time round.

I had two spontaneous labours then an induction with my 3rd, and the only difference was the pain was a lot more intense but it took a lot less time iyswim

Good luck

I was induced at 37 weeks on my second baby because of IUGR. My advice would be to be prepared for it to take a few days. If you know that going in all the waiting around won’t be so bad (if it goes that way for you). The pain is bad, if you’re not completely opposed to it get the epidural. I had a lot of waiting around but and the labour although very painful, was very quick in the end and I recovered very quickly. I didn’t fully realise how long it would take so for me the waiting around was the worst part, I was so frustrated! Once you’re prepared for that it won’t be so bad. Hope it all goes well for you!

Me!! I SOBBED when i was told I was going to be induced as I didn't want an epidural. They started he induction st 6am I started to feel contractions st maybe 8.30sm and it was properly ouch st about 10.30ish and she was born st 2:3&on

Posted too soon, she was born at 2.30pm and I avoided the epidural. And laboured in water. I was two cm dilated when they started though and it was my second baby not sure if that makes a difference.

The most annoying thing is being in the ward with other women when you are having bad cramps and no pain relief apart from some tablets. Midwives can be dismissive of examining you when you are actually in labour and dilated more than they think. Epidural is good but it makes you paralysed after and gives you pins and needles all over.

I was induced at 38weeks with my 2nd as he was measuring huge plus a couple of reduced movements episodes.

Labour was basically the same as my first who was spontaneous at 38 weeks as well...

It took a couple of gel thingies to get it going on its own - waters went spontaneously after about 4 hours of actual labour (probably 2 hours officially). Didn't need a drip but did need a ventouse (also needed for first).

There's plenty of monitoring once it kicks off.

Total time was about 24 hours from first gel which did not much. Main thing is to bring tonnes of stuff to do - lots of variety to flit. I had crochet, cross stitch, puzzles, phone games, books, podcasts and films. DH was a genius and brought me a Lego kit which was a great distraction!

Epidural is good but it makes you paralysed after and gives you pins and needles all over. I think this varies - I didn't have pins and needles either time and the second time I was up in the shower within a couple of hours. Worth talking through with the midwife/anaesthetist though.

I found my epidural was fine going in, had a few top ups and it didn't completely numb everything but took a lot of the pain away. I was moving around a couple of hours later and managed a wee and had no side effects so it's different for everyone.
My hospital says they do a pessary first 'propess' for 24 hours or up to 30 if they are busy with more urgent births.
They then break your waters if labour hasn't started. If labour doesn't start after this they will insert a canula and start using a hormone drip (oxytocin) to start contractions. This is the point where it says not to eat in case of a cesarean. It says the oxytocin drip can cause contractions to feel more intense than natural oxytocin so many have an epidural or pethidine.
My midwife went through what happens with me and gave me a leaflet with lots of info in it from my hospital. Maybe yours will do the same? She advised that it could take 2 to 3 days altogether for induction.
Hope any of this helps.

Is it worth taking my TENs machine and yoga ball to an induction for the early stages of labour or does it ramp up too quickly?

Induced at 37 weeks due to small baby
2 pessarys 6 hours apart,
Was at 3cm then they broke my waters and baby was born 2 hours later. They don't always take a long time!

This time last week I was sitting here thinking I hadn’t felt my daughter move much. I was 39+5.
I rang them up on Saturday morning and they said to go in for a check. I didn’t even take my bag I thought they would just monitor and send home.
They realised I was having some contractions and was 3cm so they said they could break my waters for me to speed things up, which would technically be classed as an induction. I said can I go home and get my stuff and they said I no As the third babies can come quickly .
I was holding my daughter in my arms 3 hours later.
I wanted an epidural (having had 2 very quick births with out any drugs at all previously I decided you don’t get more points for being a hero so I would take an epidural to keep me calm) but by the time they got the line in I was pushing so it didn’t really happen.
Honestly I would do it all again tomorrow.
I was absolutely petrified at the thought of induction. Please don’t be worried, you’ll be fine (and I know that’s the kind of thing people said to me and I would get really annoyed so I apologise!)

I was induced at 38 wks with my first. I would say the worst bit was the pessary going in. Had 2 before things started moving.

Labour was the slowest of the 3. Painwise, i had gas and air plus a bit of pethadon (sp?). The other 2 just gas and air. So I don't think the pain was much worse than spontaneous, just less build up.

Best wishes and don't worry. I would have induced my other 2 no questions asked if medically advised. Tbo they were both 2 wks late and the extra 4 wks each time was not welcome!

My positive is I was given 2 pessaries over 2 days in hospital, not much movement with those but on day 3 they took me down to labour, I was only 3cm, they broke ny water and within 30 minutes o was in full blown labour. No need for a drip or anything else. He was born 3 hours later with gas and air. Never had time for an epidural. Obviously labour is painful but tou get over it when baby is there. The worst part was going in on the wednesday night and not actually having him until the Saturday morning as there was no labour rooms because obviously people who come in already in labour get taken first.

Thank you all for your stories - really reassuring.

I don't feel afraid, just a bit of a "wow this is actually happening" moment!

2 weeks and 2 days before it's my time.

I think the most daunting thing for me is the drip, as I've heard it can really ramp things up and I'm scared I won't cope!

X

You might not need the drip so I wouldn't focus on that. It hurts like hell regardless 😂😂