🤰🏽Induction happening now! Advice much appreciated please!

[AnxiousFTMFriendlyAdvicePlease]

I’m currently being induced. I’ve had the initial pessary and the 2 prostaglandin ones (I think that’s what it’s called). The doctor has just examined me and said they can break my waters so that will be happening soon. She said they will see if anything happens for a couple of hours and if not they will start me on the drip.
I’ve read a few horror stories about the drip bringing on thick and fast contractions which are much more painful than naturally induced ones.
In my position would you ask for an epidural first before the drip starts?
I’ve read that many women say ‘no epidural no drip’ after what they have experienced so I just want to prepare myself if I can.

Thank you in advance!

I had the drip under the impression that I would get the epidural, it does ramp up the contractions but I was on it for a good couple of hours before I got the epidural and lived to tell the tale! Good luck, when the epidural kicks in it will feel amazing!

Thank you!

Anaesthetists are generally reluctant to do epidural before any contractions as they can't tell if the block is effective. So you'd probably need to wait for regular, moderate contractions.

Just following.
No advice but I may be in the same position in less than a week. Good luck. X

I asked the Doc who examined me and she said that’s fine to ask for one first. But the anaesthetist might say something different so I’ll go with their advice.

Good luck @1sttimemumtobe2021 - I hope everything goes well for you. So far I’ve been okay, the examinations are obviously uncomfortable and make you feel a bit bruised but it’s been manageable up to this stage!

I’m not sure now whether to just see how it effects me. And start with the tens machine 🤔

I think I’ve let the horror stories of MN infiltrate my brain too much! 😭

Good luck you'll be great!

Thank you @brushlaptop!

I was induced with a drip and just had gas and air. It was fine for me. If you want the epidural obviously go for it but I took the approach of waiting and seeing how it was first.

I would get the epidural. I left it too late with my second dd and I couldn’t handle the pain

I think that’s the conclusion I’m coming to, see how it effects me first. I worry about an epidural slowing things down that’s the next thing playing on my mind.

@Littleelffriend

I would get the epidural. I left it too late with my second dd and I couldn’t handle the pain

This worries me too. If the doc isn’t available when I do need it what happens then 🤷🏽‍♀️

I had the drip straight away after breaking my waters and for the first 4-5 hours wasn't bothered at all. Midwives had to tell me I was apparently contracting!

I did have the epidural around halfway as they had ramped up the drip to full (as I wasn't feeling it qt first) that it suddenly hit all at once and I was contracting constantly. Even then I didn't find it unbearable, but more exhausting like massive cramps.

The midwife actually suggested the epidural due to the state I was in (think i had zoned out a bit) and it was magical. Instant relief and meant I got to have a nap for the first time in 48 hours!

So I didn't find the drip as horrific as all the stories on Mumsnet said. I did have the epidural though more for the fact I was completely spent, not because of the level of pain.

Honestly, the worst part of the whole thing for me was them trying to insert the balloon to try and kick off labour. That sucked.

@Alarae - Thank you. They have mentioned the balloon but I’ve not heard anything about it. Was it much worse than the examinations and pessaries being inserted?

I'm an advocate of the epidural first approach !but nothing to compare with either), the anaesthetist had no issue doing mine before they even broke my waters and remarked it made it much easier to administer to a woman that wasn't already in any deal of pain! I stopped hitting the button when I was fully dilated. Could feel the pressure to push but none of the pain and meant the episiotomy and subsequent stitches went unnoticed as well.
Good luck, not long til you meet your baby now!

@Heyha - Thank you! It’s good to hear a positive experience. That’s great you could still feel to push and it didn’t slow things down.
I know it’s getting nearer, we’ll be so glad to meet our baby!

Just to warn you I found that as soon as they broke my waters I had very intense contractions, so it may happen before you get to the stage of needing the drip. It was bloody painful, but the up side was that I went from 2cm to 10 cm in 3 hours, so it was not for long! Whatever happens hopefully you will be meeting your baby soon, and it will all be worth it.

Wow @Champagneandmonstermunch - It could be that quick! Yes I’m concentrating on the baby’s arrival and making all this worth it.

The epidural guy was busy in surgery when I wanted mine, it was horrific. I wish I had asked for one before they broke my waters

Hope you’re getting on ok OP! I was induced a couple of a weeks ago by the balloon then breaking my waters and when I wasn’t progressing quick enough eventually the drip.

My previous birth was also an induction with the drip, I went 5 hours on just gas and air with that one which was a horrible experience before I could eventually get an epidural! Took another 8 hours before DS eventually arrived so very glad I got it in the end as I managed to get a bit of rest.

This time around I was adamant I didn’t want an epidural but as soon as they mentioned the drip I’d already gone through a few hours of quite painful contractions on gas and air (and had been awake 48 hours) I asked for an epidural before I allowed them to start it. Luckily I only had to wait about 30 minutes for an anaesthetist to get one. In hindsight DS2 was born after only a couple of hours on the drip and I think I probably could have coped without the epidural as it stopped working after an hour anyway and by that point it was too late to get another.

Good luck with whatever you choose

I've been induced on the drop twice and on both occasions was offered and took the epidural before they started the drip. No problems from the anaesthetist either! Also no issues post natal as a result.

Had the drip twice and just gas and air - it was ok for me! Good luck!

So 1st baby i had my waters broken and even though my contractions were thick and fast they still put me on the drip. I had to be attached to the bed because the belt thing to monitor baby kept failing so they put the tac on the babys head. The midwives eventually talked me into an epidural. I think DD was born an hour later. Even with the epidural (which for some insane reason I refused to top up) i was in a huge amount of pain. I was worried about an epidural slowing down everything, it certainly didn't.

2nd baby no pain relief and super easy delivery (I only mention this because of next point)...

I am pregnant with number 3. This time my decision for epidural vs no epidural wouldn't necessarily be drip or no drip but rather can I move around vs strapped to a bed. If I have to be on a bed to be continuously monitored again then I will 100% have the epidural. For me the worst possible way to labour and give birth is on your back!

Good luck!

Hi everyone, Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I’m about to go on the drip 😭 and because they said I managed to cope quite well with my waters being broken and a bit of gas and air which they encouraged me to have, I’m holding off the epidural. I’m just hoping if it gets too much they can put the epidural in ASAP!
I’ll keep you all posted. Thanks again.