Tell me about induction

[AntiHop]

Due to my age (42), my consultant advises induction.

Can anyone tell me their experiences? I'm really scared, especially as I don't know if dh will be allowed in. Due in April, so goodness knows what the rules will be at that point.

I was induced at 40 weeks for medical reasons, not during covid times. Went into hospital at 4 in the afternoon, had a pessary put in at 6. Partner left at 9 and cramps started soon afterwards. I laboured alone until 5:30 when they checked me, said I was 4 centimetres and could break my water. I was moved to the delivery suit and partner came back, waters were broken and dd was born at 8:27 that morning.

Overall a good experience, I would have preferred to have a partner there while I progressed over night. But it wasn't the 5day+ horror story I feared. Good luck

I was unlucky, compared to other friends who had an induction. My hospital was incredibly busy and I felt like I was left in the induction unit no-man’s land for days as no beds were free.

I was booked for an out patient pessary induction at 41 weeks after being told I shouldn’t wait any longer. The hospital was too busy And maternity ward had to be shut so it was cancelled as they wouldn’t be able to take me in if I did go into labour.

Eventually at 41+4 I was given the outpatient pessary and went home. Then nothing. I was then admitted the next night but they wouldn’t give me another pessary until a bed became available. Cue a further wait.

Two more rounds of pessary later and only 1 cm dilated at 42 weeks and after watching multiple women on the ward go into labour and nearing day 4 I asked for a c section. The pessary makes everything ahem ‘dry’ and I didn’t want anyone to touch me to check my lack of progress anymore. I was met with some resistance and they convinced me to have artificial membrane rupture. Well that kick started things!

Another 13 hours of labour, diamorphine eventually and still no baby after active pushing. He was a bit stuck so I was told I would probably have a section anyway. Epidural and moved to theatre for one final go with forceps and he did then arrive without a section. I did have an episiotomy too. 7 days in hospital after that for IV antibiotics as we both had temperatures and raised infection markers from the ordeal (but no infection found).

Not ideal as I wanted a water birth In the mid wife unit and no drugs but hey ho. would probably try induction again if needed but wouldn’t go for multiple rounds if it came to that.

Induced at 40+12 with pessary. Baby born vaginally with no assistance 5 hours later, gas and air for final pushes, one tiny tiny tiny tear which healed in a few days. Fantastic experience. Partner with me the entire time.

I’ve had 2 inductions tbf I have nothing to compare it to but both births were extremely quick and uncomplicated. Great experience both times.

Doula here! Age on its own isn't an indicator for induction. Are there other factors? Our bodies know what to do, and best given time to do their thing.

I was induced a week overdue due to reduced movements. Induced at 9pm with pessary and very mild contraction overnight. Ramped up the following afternoon. Waters broke naturally. Progressed well. Got in the birthing pool. Felt like j needed to push. However after a while everything slowed down and they were concerned about baby getting tired and me as was late evening at this point. Ended up with emergency (cat2) c section. Couldn't be helped but I really want to try for a VBAC next time as felt I was so close.

I was induced due to baby showing no signs of wanting to leave. They broke my waters, told me to go off for a walk for a couple of hours round the hospital. I came back within 30 mins as contractions came thick and fast!!!!

Had an induction with my first, I won’t go into the details but suffice to say it was not a pleasant experience. Consultant wanted to induce me on my due date (?) with my second and I refused, had a sweep and went into labour naturally a few days later.
I’m now 15 weeks with my third and I’ve told the midwife not to even mention the word! I will be 42 when I give birth so we’ll see as I go along what they say. I will not be having one unless I absolutely have to.

I was induced at 37+4 due to small baby. 2 pessarys 6 hours apart got me to 3cm. They broke my waters and my daughter was born 2 hours later. Fast and furious but I'd rather that over an experience that takes days. I'd get induced again.

I was induced at 40+5. Admitted and had a sweep on the Monday evening. Left to rest for a while then had the first pessary at around 2am Tuesday. Started with some very mild contractions (not even as bad a period pains) during the morning, I had a second pessary around 8am. Waters were broken around 11, hardly dilated at all then went into active labour at around 1pm and baby was out by half past!

I've been induced twice. Both started exactly the same, PERM then induction. My first was really not great but before my second I did the positive birth company course and it was amazing. The first time I felt like they wanted DS out asap and as a result pumped me full of syntocin which wasn't great. There was no real urgency to birth my baby despite them telling me there was. Obviously there is a higher risk when your waters break but that's no reason to not have choices. My second birth I found my voice and made decisions about what I wanted whilst weighing up the risks. It was wonderful second time round. If you would like me to share my birth story that I wrote for the PBC Facebook page feel free to PM me. Don't want to share it here as it's long!

I was induced at 38 weeks Due to pre eclampsia. Induction booked for 10 am but There was a lot of faffing and it didn’t get started until they broke my waters at 2Pm. drip Started at 3. Active labour started at 8pm. Baby arrived 8.08pm. No interventions no damage to me. I had gas and air. It hurt but I got over it. I was well monitored, well Supported and cared for by the midwives. I was terrified of being induced but it worked Out ok for me and DD.

I was induced 2 weeks early due to pre-eclampsia. Strong contractions started within 2 hours but after 27 hours of very regular (every 5mins) and incredibly painful contractions I was still only 1cm. They upped whatever it is in the drip and 5 hours later my daughter was born. Although it was an exhausting and painful experience for me, most people I know have had quick labour's with an induction.

@theplymouthdoula the NHS has started saying once you’re 40+ you shouldn’t go past your due date. But I don’t know if it’s the whole U.K. or just some trusts?
I’m in the same boat as you OP, I’m 40 and due my third and they’ve told me they will induce me around the time of my due date. My first two born in my early 30s were born 8 days and 6 days past my due date and quite big babies by the time they were born. I feel weird about being induced having gone into labour spontaneously both times before.

Was ok, seemed to take ages but I don’t think pessary was in the right place for the first try.

Thanks very much for all your stories, really helpful to read.

I like the idea of induction because it will make planning childcare easier. MIL has to travel a couple of hours to get to us. Baby may come early though.

What makes me sad is I would have liked to have the baby at the birthing centre. I started with the birthing centre with dd, but got transferred to the hospital during labour.

Induced at 37 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. Two rounds of gel pessary just about got me to 1cm dilated. If delivery suite hadn't been incredibly quiet that night I would have had round two of the pessaries the next day.

As it was, I was taken down, waters broken, given 2 hours to see if contractions would start, then placed on the drip when they didn't. Was fully dilated 12 hours later, pushed for twenty minutes, and finally had my daughter. No interventions and a small second degree tear.

All in all, it wasn't so bad. I'd prefer not to need an induction again, but I'd quite happily have one again if it was necessary.

I had two inductions. One was dreadful, the second one (aged 42) was better as I was determined not to have another awful experience. I think the first time i wasnt prepared for how incredibly long it takes. You expect to do the early stages of labour at home where you are distracted, in hospital it just seems to take forever. It is painful and boring and it gets stressful waiting and wondering how much longer and more painful it can get.

I will tell you about the second induction, which I was having solely due to my age. Having the pessary put in was very routine,
(it hurt as I was nowhere near ready to give birth) a bit of monitoring of the baby, the midwives are chatty and lovely and honestly having OH there for this part is just not necessary. I was lucky enough to be allowed to leave the hospital and went for a long walk for two hours. If you can't do that DO walk round the hospital or ward as walking does speed things up.

Then I sent my OH home for the next ten hours. It is such a long and boring wait, i didn't want OH there looking impatient and I had decided to do hypnobirthing relaxation techniques which my OH didn't want to help with.

I passed the time reading, watching a romcom on my phone, and listening to music on my headphones, then I put on a rainforest soundtrack to drown out the sounds of another woman moaning in agony (she had been going through induction for 28 hours by this stage and was in a lot of pain which upset my focus on staying calm and positive). I found it impossible to sleep much but I did try to get a few hours lying down, because my first induction took 38 hours and i didnt sleep more than 2 hours which was exhausting.

Although a lot of hypnobirthing purists say you can't use hypnobirthing during induction, I found it really helpful in the early stages and got to 7.5cm dilated on just 2 paracetamol. The midwife didn't believe how close to delivery I was because I was not making a huge fuss.

I phoned OH to come in to hospital when I could tell things were progressing well, and he arrived just as I was starting to find it hard to cope on my own. I only spoke to a midwife once between 6.30pm and 3am, I am not sure why they ignored me, perhaps I seemed happy (they didn't monitor the baby which really surprised me).

phoned him when I could tell things were progressing, and he arrived just in time for me to start pushing and saw the baby arrive
I begged her to just check how far I was and she went into emergency mode when she realised I was 7.5cm dilated, basically threw me on a trolley and took me straight to a labour room.

My first (pre COVID) baby was an induction at 40+8 Has the pessary about 1am and he was born by 2pm the next day. It wasn't really a pleasant experience due to the midwife care, no-one came to check despite my partner going out a couple times and telling them I needed pain relief- think they dismissed me as a FTM and thought I would take longer. By time they came to check and examined me I was fully dilated and they told me not to push, they gave me gas and air at this point. I did get to go to the birthing centre and have the pool though as I hadn't had a drip but it slowed my contractions down so they got me out to break my waters and I didn't bother getting back in.

With my second I told the midwife I wouldn't entertain an induction until 42 weeks unless a medical need. Baby came on their own and I had him at home and it was far less painful.
So I'm not against induction but I wouldn't rush into it like I did first time.

My trust has changed the way they do inductions and no longer use the pessary. I think they call the new one the balloon method where they insert the balloon and then send you home for 24hrs before calling you back and breaking your waters. Apparently it's less painful and less chance of intervention

I was induced at 39+ 2 due to my age as I'm over 40 and also because I had excess fluid.
I had the pessary inserted at 3.30 pm, I started having contractions at 8 pm. The contractions continued all night and at one point were coming too often and I was having 6 in 10 mins.
They removed the pessary when I was 4 cm. at 10 am the following morning they broke my waters. I got to 6 cm by 1pm and then started in the gas and air.
The pain was intense, I pushed for over 2 hours but my baby wasn't budging, they says his head was at an awkward angle., he was eventually delivered by ventouse as his heart rate kept dropping,
I'm hindsught I wish I had had an epidural as I may have felt more in control if I had x

@AntiHop

Thanks very much for all your stories, really helpful to read.

I like the idea of induction because it will make planning childcare easier. MIL has to travel a couple of hours to get to us. Baby may come early though.

What makes me sad is I would have liked to have the baby at the birthing centre. I started with the birthing centre with dd, but got transferred to the hospital during labour.

I still went to the birthing centre

I was induced at 37 weeks and baby was born vaginally 5 hours later, I only had a small graze, I did have gas and air but I didn't like it, I kept getting confused when the midwifes were telling me to breathe so I felt like I was breathing too much. It was really intense as the contractions just hit you and there doesn't seem to be much of a break between each one. But it was quick and I was fine, my husband was there but when I think about it I didn't notice he was there there's nothing they can really do for you. Try not to worry just think of the lovley baby at the end.

Induced at 37+ weeks due to reduced movements.

Got the tampon like thing at about 11pm at night. The cramps around a hour or so later were horrendous, but I was given oral pain medication that eased these. The next day was spent walking, bouncing and eating (lol). By 11pm that day I was 3cm dilated and put on a wait list for a delivery room. Moved into the delivery ward at around 1am the following day, had my waters broken at about 5am and baby was born via foreceps at half 9.

The 5am to half 9 was the worst 4.5 hours of my life. Baby got stuck and went back up after every push, then we both got in distress so the emergency doctor and pediatric team rushed in and the whole thing just went crazy.

Baby was exactly 38 weeks cooked when born, and weighed 7lbs perfectly healthy albeit very tired and sleepy - refused to eat for a good 6 hours, and had no interest in the boob. Ended up almost force fed a bottle by a nurse. My recovery took roughly a full year due to the forceps, and I still get discomfort from my scar and pelvic muscle that was cut at my time of the month.