Why is everyone so against inductions?

[Penny2020]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, FTM here so I have lots of them!!!. I’ve been reading up on as many positive birth stories I can find in preparation for the big day and a theme is that nearly everyone says they do everything the can to avoid inductions, sweeps etc. I haven’t seen anything saying inductions are bad so I’m just wondering if I’m missing something. If you had this approach, what about the induction caused concern, is there something I should be asking my midwife should that be suggested to me?
Thanks mumsnet

Yes never again. I think people don't want to say too much as if you need it you don't always have a choice. I opted for c section 2nd time

If you need a syntocinon drip it is extremely painful, much worse than normal labour (which is bad enough). Almost everyone who gets induced with synt gets an epidural. The stronger contractions can also cause foetal distress, necessitating an emergency c-section.

Re: pro-pess, that should just get natural labour kick-started, although it can sometimes taper off.

I appreciate it's different for everyone but my induction was absolutely a positive experience. Everything was explained to me and all questions were answered plus despite all the horror stories it was actually a very quick process. I certainly wouldn't dismiss having another if I were to have any more children.

Both of my dc were induced.
It went absolutely fine the first time and absolutely fine 18months later with my second.
The waiting for the drugs to kick in and 'labour' to start was the worst part as in my case it took days.

Mine was horrific and put me
off having anymore children

I think it's the fact that with an induction, your body is basically 'forced' to be ready by using synthetic hormones.
There's also a lot higher chance of baby becoming distressed because of the strength of the contractions, especially if you're put on the drip.
There's also a lot higher chance of needing an emergency csection.

And again, their views on sweeps are similar, it's intervention that 1. Rarely works and 2. Intervention that tries to make your body ready when it may not be fully.

These are all things I've seen people discuss

I am being induced next Monday. I have never naturally gone into labour so this will be my 3rd. I have no worries or concerns tbh. I always read up about people trying to avoid them also, but genuinely I don't really know what it is people don't like? Although I suppose never going into labour naturally maybe I don't understand the difference but definitely my last 2 I have no bad stories about.

I did have an epidural so maybe my reply is not what you're looking for.

My induction was fine - pessary at 11pm, in labour by 1am, DD born around 5:30am. No epidural needed.

I appreciate that I may have been lucky but wanted to give you a positive story.

Oh & I've also done with with & without epidural & will be opting to go without again this time if I can cope as I didn't like the fact I couldn't walk after my first as I was numb on one side & it didn't really work anyway tbh.

I didn't want an induction, sweep etc. Are you familiar with the 'cascade of interventions' idea? - that's why, once you start intervening it's more likely to lead to other interventions. So, for example, if you induce you might be more likely to opt for pain relief which might make you more likely to need help such as forceps. There will be things online that explain it far better if you google cascade of intervention, but that's the reasoning in a nutshell.

And of course women are different, have different priorities, approaches etc and that's just grand. But that is the rationale.

@SnooperTrooper12345

I think it's the fact that with an induction, your body is basically 'forced' to be ready by using synthetic hormones. There's also a lot higher chance of baby becoming distressed because of the strength of the contractions, especially if you're put on the drip. There's also a lot higher chance of needing an emergency csection.

And again, their views on sweeps are similar, it's intervention that 1. Rarely works and 2. Intervention that tries to make your body ready when it may not be fully.

These are all things I've seen people discuss

I totally agree with this. It’s exactly what happened to my body. Just wasn’t ready and put through a rather strenuous false start to labour.

I never dilated, despite constant contractions. Baby got distressed and I ended up with EMCS.

What’s really stressful though is that people tell you to avoid inductions but when your baby is a few weeks late there’s not much else you can do

It can be more painful or more intense.
You have to be constantly monitored so that rules out some birth choices such as water birth or midwife unit or home birth.
You are more likely to end up having other interventions due to the fact you're already in the hospital and on constant monitoring.

For me it was because anecdotally everyone around me sis/friends etc, that had an induction, mostly ended up with a c-section, and I personally wanted to avoid that as far as possible. I wasn't particularly anti-sweep but after the first one I was very hesitant to try again. If you're not already mostly there apparently they don't work, so couldn't really see the need to justify having one again. Incidentally the second one wasn't traumatic at all, and I went into labour a few hours later that same day.

I had an induction with my 2nd (pessary). I would say it got painful much quicker than the spontaneous labour with my 1st. Just my experience though. I've heard that you are more likely to need assistance such as forceps, ventouse etc with induction, but don't know if that's true or not. It wasn't for me, she came out with just an episiotomy. Good luck.

@HavelockVetinari

If you need a syntocinon drip it is extremely painful, much worse than normal labour (which is bad enough). Almost everyone who gets induced with synt gets an epidural. The stronger contractions can also cause foetal distress, necessitating an emergency c-section.

Re: pro-pess, that should just get natural labour kick-started, although it can sometimes taper off.

Agreed. I did it without an epidural and it left me with PTSD

Maybe because of the higher chance of needing an emergency CS or assisted delivery after induction?

There's lots of threads on here about the realities of induction (I know because I usually post on them 😂)
I had one because I was strongly advised to do so for health of DD. It was a long drawn out process and full of hassle but that was partly due to lack of communication of options by the staff if I'm honest, I had to get very upset several times to find out things that could have made my life a lot easier.

Anyway eventually I found out I could have an epidural before they put the drip in and I'm glad I did. Shame I got sepsis from all the internal faffing about over the preceding four days but they caught it early and managed it. The birth (nearly five days after I went in) was actually lovely as they'd got my infection under control so I felt good, and the epidural meant I could feel pressure but not pain. The recovery was surprisingly ok given I'd had an episiotomy and forceps too.

I wouldn't have another one unless I had to, because of how long it took, the way my body reacted to the various hormones, how long it took, the infection and assisted delivery risk.

That said if it were medically necessary I'd probably still choose an induction over a c section as I know what I would be dealing with this time.

I thought I was going to die when I had my induction.

Oh I was also told by the consultant that having a sweep is like having a smear, let me tell you that's an absolute load of shit. I definitely won't be having one of them again no matter what, given they don't add anything of any medical benefit to the party.

I liked my induction. I wanted to be in a hospital environment from the minute of my first contraction and wanted doctors and midwives around me and monitoring my baby.

It ended in an episiotomy and forceps delivery, but so what 🤷🏼‍♀️ We have a lovely bond, no problem with breastfeeding etc.

@Heyha

Oh I was also told by the consultant that having a sweep is like having a smear, let me tell you that's an absolute load of shit. I definitely won't be having one of them again no matter what, given they don't add anything of any medical benefit to the party.

I needed gas and air for my sweep and balled my eyes out it was so painful.

Inductions are not "bad", they're just worse than a natural onset. I had one with my 1st due to high bp, took 3 days in total 7hr 38mins after waters broken. The hormone drip made contractions much worse and made me vomit, baby ended up in distress so I had to have vontouse. At 1st I was against epidural but was so high on G&A that the midwife convinced me to have it, was much better after that was in. My 2 natural onset vb's were much more manageable pain wise.

I think the confusion stems from many different methods to induce labour being all lumped together as just 'inductions'.
Sweeps are mostly just uncomfortable but can help you to start labour by yourself. Pessaries prepare your cervix and can help you go into labour naturally and can be a positive experience but it can take a long time (up to a few days) and in general you have to be on a ward to have it.
Syntocin (the drip) is a synthetic hormone which forces your body into labour and is much, much stronger than natural labour, not only in intensity but also in frequency. I found the drip unbearable and got an epidural. My previous birth I'd managed on only pethidine and the drip was 10x worse than natural labour. Pethidine didn't touch the pain at all.

Just because you have a sweep or pessary doesn't mean you'll need the drip. If push came to shove, I'd have the drip again but absolutely insist on an epidural ASAP.

They told me after two days and various 'prods' that I could have gas and air for anything internal...it was like a dream come true. Why they don't tell everyone from the start I do not know, it seems so unfair. It was actually an HCA that tipped me off about it, I could have kissed her.