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Original poster

Induction 38 weeks

12 replies

Amethyst2502 · 28/05/2021 14:14

Looking for some positive induction stories especially those who were induced around 38 weeks

I've been having growth scans for low papp a and had my last one this morning at 38 weeks exactly. Baby has been measuring just under the 50th centile since 30 weeks but today she'd dropped to the 36th therefore my hospital have decided to induce me on Sunday when I will be 38+2. It was a bit of a shock considering I had already been booked in to deliver in my hospitals low risk midwife led unit and now I will be in the labour ward with constant monitoring however I am OK with being induced as I would rather not take the risk of further drop in growth!

I'm just a bit anxious about the actual process I've been told they start with the gel and then progress to the drip if needed... And I've heard horror stories about the drip!

OP posts:
welshladywhois40 · 28/05/2021 14:23

I have a slightly different story in that my induction didn't get to the drip part. I was 39 weeks.

My doctors were not happy with my babies movements after they broke my waters - baby moving too much so they stopped the induction and I had a c-section.

I saw this as a positive that there is so much monitoring that they could see something wasn't right and the staff took a very risk adverse approach.

A c-section was the last thing I expected so was totally unprepared. I spent the early parts telling people I wanted as much pain relief as possible having had my first naturally with nothing including going on the drip.

kitkatsky · 28/05/2021 14:28

I had the gel put in at 615pm, was in Labour by 630, waters broke at 815 and baby born at 4am so very quick and much better than my first birth where I did have the drip.

Sleeplessem · 28/05/2021 15:16

Woah OP why are they inducing you? Baby hasn’t even fallen one centile!

How are your dopplers?

I had an Induction at 37 weeks due to baby measuring under the 10th centile. Typically under 10th centile or a huge drop is when they go for induction

Sleeplessem · 28/05/2021 15:18

I know you said you’re ok with the induction but it might not be necessary.

Either way with mine, I had the 24 hour pessary. Hospital said it tends to be a bit more effective than the gel. They told me it was 2 pessaries, break waters and then the drip. I only needed the one pessary, so definitely not a horror story

5475878237NC · 28/05/2021 15:19

Why are they inducing you? Have they made it clear what exactly the risks and benefits are to giving it another week?

Original poster
Amethyst2502 · 28/05/2021 15:32

They are inducing as they don't want to risk leaving me another week or two as they believe the low papp a may be starting to affect baby's growth, gone from 47th centile 3.5 weeks ago to 36th today so I agree not a humongous drop but in my trust it is enough for them to be concerned...

In regards to dopplers they have always been normal on the lower left hand side of the scale but today it looks to be more towards the other end of the scale

OP posts:
abeanbaked · 28/05/2021 15:46

Have they given you any alternative to induction? You don't have to do anything that you're not sure of or doesn't feel right, OP. I went in for reduced movements and was offered an induction there and then, a sweep, a scan..honestly I just thought 'if you were really worried you would tell me what you thought was best and safe' and they were happy to leave my baby in there and just get a scan to check cord and baby. They seem so keen to induce Confused and it's one of my biggest fears so for me, a last resort and only if it's in the interest of baby's safety.

123feraverto · 28/05/2021 15:55

I was induced with my first due to preeclampsia.
I was 38w+2
Very positive induction.

6pm - first pessary , baby monitored on CTG for 30 minutes

Went to sleep around 10/11pm

Woken at 2am for second pessary, CTG for 30 minutes , went back to sleep.

Contractions started around 5/6am, at this point my body was clearing out so was in and out of the toilet.

Waters broke themselves around 9am, baby born 9:59am with gas and air.
Placenta was a little problematic coming out but the labour was smooth and fairly calm.

stretchypants · 28/05/2021 16:06

Hi, I hope your induction goes smoothly., I was induced 1 month ago now and went through the different stages including the drip. For me in my mind I wanted to experience as much as a natural process as possible and really didn’t want an epidural however my body reacted quickly to the drip and the contractions came on very quickly and strong. It definitely wasn’t a horror story but I found being tied down to the bed with the drip and monitors etc really difficult to manage when in pain as I really wanted to move around, use the toilet etc. In the end I decided to go with an epidural and for me it was the best decision. Also with the epidural you are given a catheter so it took the need to use the toilet away. Whilst it wasn’t how I quite thought it would go, it definitely wasn’t horrible and actually with the epidural a very calm and controlled experience.

5475878237NC · 28/05/2021 17:52

So what will happen if they don't induce and give it a week? Have they made that clear? In what way is it a risk? It seems they've been quite vague with you.

Sleeplessem · 28/05/2021 18:32

OP I do agree with @5475878237NC, your baby hasn’t even dropped one centile on a growth chart. Low Papp a is correlation not causation with growth restriction. Ultra sounds aren’t 100% accurate either so baby might not have dropped st all, especially as your dopplers are normal.

Of course ultimately it is your choice, and induction isn’t as scary as a lot of mum groups make out and if it’s what you choose try your best to keep calm. The worst thing about an induction is they don’t check you, and you feel the contractions intensely but it doesn’t necessarily correspond to how far dilated you are.

But I just wanted to point out that what is being recommended to you isn’t following rcog guidelines.

Humpty11 · 28/05/2021 18:52

I was induced at 38 weeks with my son for pre eclampsia. I had the pessary put in early afternoon and managed to walk around after being monitored for an hour. I then started feeling a bit crampy but was advised to have a Bath which helped calm it all down, my waters then broke around 5 the next morning and I was 2cm dilated on examination, got moved around to delivery a couple of hours later and given some pethidine. I then felt like I wasn’t going to be able to do it without an epidural so asked for one, the anaesthetist had a couple of people in front of me and when I was examined just before they were due to come in I was 10cm and ready to push. I ended up having to have a spinal and forcep delivery but because he was in a weird position rather than anything to do with the induction. And they started the hormone drip to ramp up my contractions when they started to go off a bit.
But from pessary insertion to delivery, it was about 25 hours.
I was told to drink plenty and walk around as much as I could, not sure if this helped get everything going but it definitely didn’t hurt!
I hope you have a positive experience too.

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