Induction and pain management

[medin]

I am 42 weeks and we be induced tomorrow. It is my first pregnancy. My baby is big as it is overdue and my platelets count is very low so i might not get epidural. I am now really worried if i will be able to give birth and to manage pain without epidural. I think of all complications that might be and it makes me cry all the time. Maybe there is some positive stories with this situation or any advice for me. Anything would help to keep my nerves.

I'm curious too as also getting induced tomorrow - first baby! Quite anxious about the whole thing x

Good luck to you both. I was induced with DC3. I had already had 2 - so knew what to expect from birth but not induction.

For me - I had a gel pessary at about 8 am. Nothing happened for ages and ages - not a twinge. We spent the morning walking around and around the hospital to see if that might get things moving. Nothing! I went for a lie down after lunch in the ante natal ward in anticipation of a long night ahead.

While I was trying to have a nap I started getting twinges. It took an hour or so to realise these were contractions and then they started getting stronger and more frequent. I had the midwife help put on the TENS machine and that was really helping. I was examined and as I was in established labour transferred to the delivery suite. I went into the birth pool as it was free. This also really helped with the contractions as they were more intense than previous labour.

Dc3 was born not long after I got in the pool - about 30 mins later.

I had an epidural with dc1 - she was back to back and took a long time to turn.

I hope this helps. I found induction resulted in a more intense labour - but it was no worse than previous non induced labour. The difference was that when the contractions finally kicked in they built up quite quickly - whereas the non induced labour contractions came and went quite a lot with no real rhythm before it really got going.

Good luck to both of you
I agree with PP. It's definitely more. Intense.
Pessary didn't work they gave till 9pm. Put on drip. Barely anything. They upped it at 12am and honestly I'd never felt anything like it.. Went from 1cm to 10 so fast..she was born an hr later Unlike Naturally with ds.. 2 days from 6cm

However I'd do it again as was do. Quick.. I'd. Sooner quick and intense than dragged out for hours.

Bless you!!!

I have had 4 inductions as always went overdue 🙄

With 2 of them I needed ARM after 3 pessary but the other 2 1/2 pessary were enough.

I had completely unassisted deliveries no stitches needed. I found a tens machine, sitting in a birthing ball and gas and air amazing!

Mine were big babies, no horror stories.

Thank you all! It seems I'm worrying about nothing, I think I agree I would rather it quick than dragged out for days.

I had in my mind I had another couple of weeks to prepare but nevermind!

Good luck for tomorrow @medin and @dottyrobin.

I was induced at 37 weeks. Like you dotty I thought I was going to have a lot more time before becoming a Mum. You're going to do great.

Gel pessaries (started off at 10am) did pretty much sod all other than open my cervix ~1cm. Waters were broken 3am the following morning, which equally did nothing. Drip was attached at 5am and gradually cranked up, until I was contacting at the rate and strength they wanted. Managed with paracetamol + codeine, heat packs and gas & air until 3cm (11am), so had some diamorphine. That worked all the way up to pushing time, and pushed without anything. No interventions required and only a small second degree tear.

It's been my only labour, so I have nothing to compare it with. It might not have been the birth I wanted, but I think it was a good birth nonetheless.

Induced at 41+5 , had Pessary 7am Saturday pains started 9pm , I was 4cm by midnight . I had diamorphine and slept for around 4hours . Pains all Sunday but I managed on the birthing ball. then 11pm they finally had a bed so Went up to labour ward on the drip , had my waters broke& then they upped the drip . I didn’t have anything else pain wise . I was fully dilated at 8am but baby wasn’t fully down , 10am I was finally ready to push she was born at 10.06 on the Monday lol. Pretty big @ 8lb 13oz so did have a second degree tear . The only time I used gas and air was when I was getting stitched up 🙈 . The only thing I disliked about the whole thing was feeling like I was stuck to the monitor and stuck to the bed ! Good luck !

Both of mine were induced with the drip. Both times I had the epidural and it didn’t work! Apparently it doesn’t work 1/8th of the time.

Yes, it was extremely painful, but focus on the fact that it WILL end, you WILL get to meet your baby and it WILL be completely worthwhile.

How exciting to have new babies for the new year! The best of luck to you both

I was induced with pessaries, third one was the one that worked, but still had slow labour and complications were due to preeclampsia. Only had paracetamol and gas and air but I was offered an epidural to slow things down as they suddenly ramped up and I was having too many contractions. Only reason I didn't take it was I couldn't sit still long enough for it. Once I was on the gas and air I fell asleep - first patient the midwives had had who fell asleep at 9cm dilated which I'm quite proud of 😂

Pethadine or whatever you call it is amazing!
It was recommended I had an epidural (I had an anticipated painful labour ie I reacted poorly to the induction and "hyper stimulated" (my contractions didn't pause in between), baby was back to back and I had to have an assisted delivery)
But epidurals scare me! That needle
So I refused and took pethadine instead, it was a wave of tranquility! Just takes the edge off everything.

If you can’t have an epidural ask if your hospital has Remifentanil. It is a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), which means that you control it. Just press a button when a contraction is starting and if you like me the contractions won’t hurt. It will just feel uncomfortable as your stomach get very tight.

I always had inductions as I’m high risk and I found the induction I tried remifentanil was better for me, as I was able to move around unlike with having an epidural in place. My epidural worked very quickly and during the first attempt but I still prefer remifentanil.

Good luck for today @medin and @dottyrobin. No advice but I’m due to be induced with my first at the end of this month and am not allowed an epidural due to pulmonary embolism, so hope it goes OK for you both! Good to see lots of positive experiences on this thread.

Induced with number 3. Although was different as DS1 was natural, DS2 was emergency C-section, so my induction was VBAC so didn't have much options in inducing.

Got in at 36+4( Baby wasn't growing well), got the pessary for first time mums, dilated in few hours at 3 cm, pessary fell out. Got a sweep and then waited for a room to be free to have my waters broken. Had contractions on and off but nothing stable to get me dilate more. After 3 days a room was free for me in delivery, got my waters broken and pain started like nothing felt before. Got epidural and gas and air( had and air made me be sick and didn't like the feeling of it). Delivered in a couple of hours my DD.

I always heard that having your waters broken it makes labour more painful. I had SPD also so might be that the pain was from that reason too.

It was exciting overall but for me it was way too long from first pessary to have then a room. I was stuck in induction suite with other ladies and their partners ( think we were about 11) for 3 days. Some went in labour quickly so got a room earlier than me, it was frustrating. I was at the point where I wished for a c-section because of the wait.

Hope it goes well today for you, and later for others.

So pessary went in at 8pm, just had it checked again after 6 hours and it is still in position. Other than being crampy, achey and restless not much is happening Hopefully can get some sleep and wake up with things moving.

Just an update. After having a bit of a wobble and telling them to take out the pessary they took me to labour ward at 5pm to break my waters.
Given drip at 7pm, started out well and manageable with gas an air. Slowly ramped up and I went into pool - ended up with non stop contractions making me be sick and leaving pool.
Only 5cm dilated at midnight, given diamorphine and taken off drip temporarily to give me a rest? (I can't remember too much at this point as I was a little hysterical) they let me sleep for a little bit and started up the drip again.
At 5am ready to push, baby born at 8:22am using gas and air back to back weighing 8lb 13oz.
Went straight into theatre for 3rd degree tear but once there it was only 2nd degree and not as bad as they thought.

Not the experience I wanted but I couldn't be happier with my little girl, it was all worth it.

I was induced with my second and only had gas and air for pain relief - it hurt but was over and forgotten about relatively quickly. If the baby is safe you’ll manage.

Congratulations @dottyrobin!

@dottyrobin congratulations!