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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

HELP - How long did your induction take??

57 replies

MrsRose2018 · 10/06/2020 18:53

Hi ladies,

I’m being induced at 37 weeks on the 27 June. It’s my first baby and I am just wondering how long It will take from start to baby? I know every woman, induction and birth is different but the MW said once me and my husband are In we are IN and can’t leave the ward due to Covid.

I’ve been told that due to my circumstances/waters breaking prematurely it will be one pessary and then the drip and no sweeps due to infection risk.

Just trying to plan ahead with snacks and cat care essentially 😂😂

TIA xx

OP posts:
HauntedGoatFart · 10/06/2020 18:55

36 hours, from pessary in to baby out.

I had 24 hours with pessary, then they broke my waters and gave it 2 hours to take, then it was onto the drip and 10 hours after that, baby.

Buzlightyear1 · 10/06/2020 18:58

HI I was a bit different to you as my waters hadn't broke I went in 2 days before due date. And had baby 2 days later . The pessary didn't work so I then had my waters broken and was put on the drip. The drip is and water breaking made a big difference. Although I was told I would not have baby til the next day things moved fast . At 3 15 I had water and drip at the same time and 9pm I had baby in arms. It can be boring I would take books head phones anything u can to entertain. Also the pain came quite suddenly instead of the build up so.dot be afraid to ask for pain relief. Good luck.

keepingbees · 10/06/2020 18:58

I only had the drip as my waters had broken but that takes about 40 minutes to work. The drip gives very intense contractions, I'd recommend pain relief (no one told me this!)
Baby was born 6 hours later.

Foreverbaffled · 10/06/2020 19:01

6 hours from drip to baby! I had an epidural prior to the drip as I’ve heard they induce more painful contractions than natural Labour.

WillowAndSprinkle · 10/06/2020 19:02

I was induced at 37 weeks and it took 54 hours from first pessary to baby being born.
I only dilated to 1cm over 48 hours, then my waters broke and I was put on the drip, which sped things up hugely.
I would say walk as much as you’re allowed around the ward and use a birthing ball if ones available!
Good luck! X

0MrsT · 10/06/2020 19:03

I went in on my due date.. had baby 4 days later.
Pessaries didn't work well at all for me x

Lavenderpurple · 10/06/2020 19:04

5 days!
Maximum dose of pessaries, done next to nothing. Booked for c section which I didn’t really want, amazing doctor said he’d try to break waters to avoid section but wasn’t confident he would. He did! Then had the drip. Started whole process on a Friday and she was born on a Tuesday.

Mustardbay · 10/06/2020 19:05

36 hours, with forceps, not sure how long it would have been if they hadn't dragged her out.

Original poster
MrsRose2018 · 10/06/2020 19:06

@willowandsprinkle chriiiiiiist aliiiiiiive!!! 54 hours?! You hero!!

Sorry I should add my midwives explained women have two "sacks" of amnio. One at the top of the baby and one and the bottom and that it's my top/hind waters that have broken and not the ones at the bottom - Hence no "Niagra Falls" but a steady trickle the last 11 weeks! So they may even need to break the lower waters....

I'm planning on asking for remifentanyl as opposed to going straight for an epidural as I've similarly heard the drip can be really intense!!

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsRose2018 · 10/06/2020 19:09

Omg @Lavenderpurple 5 days!!! Were you contacting the whole time?? Did you go for any painkillers???

OP posts:
Redears3 · 10/06/2020 19:17

I was over 8 days over due, had pre eclampsia & was 3cm dilated. Had induction gel at 9pm water broke at 12am active labour started around 30 mins later. At 7/8cm I was at the pushing stage (even though you aren’t meant to push not Til fully dilated) I had no control but to push confused] labour wasn’t progressing so had drip, baby in distress epidural, baby in distress again - had emcs. From start to finish was 10 hours, active labour 7 hours. Healthy baby girl born. Good luck

Busydrinkingcoffee1 · 10/06/2020 19:37

5 days here too, but in fairness that was because there was a day of just waiting in the hospital in between as birthing centre had a number of emergencies in. I had a sweep, pessary then finally the drip. I had my DS 4 hours after then drip went in.

I would definitely over estimate OP as you don't know how busy the hospital will be etc.

Good luck!

mylittleavalon · 10/06/2020 19:45

22 hours from first gel to baby. Had two gels- first baby 12 days overdue. So nervous but in retrospect so glad I was induced as was in hospital surrounded by midwives for the whole thing and so felt secure.

Dyra · 10/06/2020 20:08

Induced at 37 weeks as well. Pre-eclampsia.

From first gel to baby: 31 hours
From drip starting (when I started contracting) to baby: 11 hours.

I was quite fortunate though. The gel pessaries pretty much did sweet FA. If the delivery suite hadn't been virtually empty that night, then I would have gone through the whole thing again the next day. Instead I got to go downstairs, have my waters broken (still nothing) and finally, the drip.

When will your husband be joining you? When you're in active labour, or are they allowing partners in for the whole process again? I ask, as while you should be fed while on the antenatal ward, he won't be. He should bring in some filling stuff for himself. My husband had a cool bag with some pasties.

I agree with PP, overestimate just in case. Worst that happens is you have snacks to take home.

Hope it all goes smoothly for you.

StayAlert · 10/06/2020 20:13

Induced at 35 weeks. Pessary at 10.30, waters broke at 14.15, baby born at 15.00.

So rather quick and no need for the drip!

MaryShelley1818 · 10/06/2020 20:19

I was given the first pessary 4PM on the Monday and eventually gave birth early hours of Thursday morning. So nearly 58hrs! Shock

TimeWastingButFun · 10/06/2020 20:23

With my first I was given the pessary at around 7pm. At about 1.00 I kept padding backwards and forwards to the loo thinking I needed to go to the toilet but nothing was happening. A midwife said she wanted to examine me (I'm guessing she knew the signs, I didn't!) and I was fully dilated. I was still able to walk to the delivery suite though, I didn't really get a big urge to push so they kept upping the Oxytocin until my husband (who's in the pharmaceutical industry) said enough was enough as they didn't seem to have an upper limit and were giving me loads. The oxytocin made the experience more intense than if my body had had the opportunity to gradually get used to the contractions, so it was quite painful as I only had gas and air. I had him at about 9.30 in the morning. I didn't realise the difference until the second baby who wasn't induced and was less painful (no pain relief at all) so my tip would be, if they're giving oxytocin to ask what the upper limit and frequency will be. I was hellbent on no pain relief but actually in retrospect a happy baby and a happy mum are the only two important things, so do it (and everything else afterwards) whichever way makes you more happy and comfortable!

stopgocar · 10/06/2020 20:40

I was induced with my first at 34 weeks after PPROM at 29 weeks. Straight onto drip as was already 2cm dilated. From drip starting to baby being born was 18 hours. It took a while for anything to start, I then contracted for 12 hours before they broke some more waters, and baby was born about 2 hours after that.
All the best!

Original poster
MrsRose2018 · 10/06/2020 20:48

What wonderful responses!! Thank you so much ladies! There really doesn't seem to be a trend except that it's the drip that seems to kick things off..

Is there any point in just asking for the drip straight off the bat or is it procedure to do the pessary first? Everyone says it's the drip that really ramps up the contractions/pain though so maybe worth trying the pessary and seeing if that starts the party....

@Dyra thankfully under my Trust provided you are induced in a private room/1 bed room your birth partner can be with you from start to finish otherwise it's active labour! We've got lots of snacks ready for him and my mother on hand to feed our two cats 😂😂

OP posts:
Em39ma · 10/06/2020 20:48

7 days of gel, sweeps etc and ended up with a c section because they had realised until 6 days in that my cervix faces backwards

Original poster
MrsRose2018 · 10/06/2020 20:50

@stopgocar ohh you were in my situation then!!!

Did you chose to go for the drip straight away or was that just what you were given? Did you have any painkillers?

OP posts:
Megan2018 · 10/06/2020 20:54

Mine didn’t happen.

They tried a Foley Catheter at 1pm, couldn’t get it in.
They put the pessary in instead, but within an hour had to remove it as I gad a reaction (violent sickness, high BP, upset baby and hyper stimulation of uterus).

My waters went by themselves at 9.30pm, was in active labour by midnight and baby born 6.5hrs later. So pretty quick but wasn’t actually induced properly!

TwoBlueFish · 10/06/2020 21:03

I was induced with both of mine
DS1 35 weeks, sprang a leak, pitocin drip, epidural, 12 hours (6lbs 13)
DS2 38 weeks, planned induction due to baby size, pitocin drip, epidural 12 hours (9lbs 7ozs)

RandomMess · 10/06/2020 21:15

Had 4!

Longest was 33ish hours from first pessary shortest 10 hours.

2 I needed ARM after 3 pessaries, shortest only need 1 pessary but I was 42+3...

I delivered unassisted despite having an epidural so although long and painful not the nightmare of intervention you get scared witless by.

RandomMess · 10/06/2020 21:16

My advice is ask for an epidural before you agree to the drip...

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