Induction due Friday - petrified!

[Mumoftwo2021]

So I am being induced on Friday, and as I haven’t been induced fully before I’ve been researching, just watched a YouTube video and it’s scared the life out of me - it sounds long and complicated, feel like backing out!

Anyone have any experiences? Xx

yes, with my first two

what do you want to know?

I just don’t know what to expect at all! The consultant asked if I want the 6 hour thing(forgot what it’s called) or the 24 hour one. Which do you have & was it a long process from induction to delivery?
Any tips? Xx

Nothing has been explained about an induction and what to expect xx

I have recently been induced.
I had the pessary inserted (the 24 hour one) around 2pm and I was already 1-2cm dilated. I was warned this process was likely to take 3 days! If this didn’t start things, I was told another type of pessary would be tried for 6 hours, then another if that didn’t work. Then the hormone drip as a last resort.
I didn’t need to be concerned about that as I pretty much started getting mild contractions straight away. They gradually got more intense and my waters broke around 1am. Throughout this, baby’s heart rate kept dropping with the contractions. I was examined and they said I was 4cm and fully effaced so was then moved to labour ward at 2am (only 12 hours since the pessary). The contractions carried on intensifying and I was re-examined by a consultant who was unhappy with baby’s heart rate. To my horror she then said I was actually only 1-2cm dilated. I also had quite a bit of unexplained bleeding on examination. At this point she suggested an emergency section. My baby girl was then delivered at 4:05am. All in all it was a very quick process for me albeit not how I would have planned it!
Good luck OP x

Thank you so much for your story.
I really don’t want a section if it can be avoided, I think my anxiety is getting the better of me.
I think it’s because it’s the unknown I’m more scared, it’s good to hear things progressed quite quickly for you in terms of the induction side. Did u have your partner with you the whole time or did u go for the induction alone at the beginning? Xx

I really didn’t want one either but honestly it wasn’t that bad! Plus my vagina lives to fight another day!
My partner could only be with me during normal visiting hours (10am-8pm) while I was on the induction ward but once I was moved to the labour ward he could be with me the whole time, I also had my mum with me. The rules can vary by trust though.
Try and keep an open mind about it all. I was determined to have a pain relief free water birth and it couldn’t have been more the opposite!

typically they try the pessary first - it's a sort of soft disc filled with gel that is supposed to start ripening the cervix.
they might suggest 1 or doses of this.

if no use then usually out comes the IV drip oxytocin.
I had 2 lots of pessary then the IV with DS1 as I was only 2 days overdue, but DS2 was 13 days late by the time they could induce me so we didn't faff about, they broke waters first, then after 2 hours of nothing while spacehopping on birthing ball we went for IV straightaway.

I had an epidural with both of them as the pain was quite strong event though I was only about 3cms dilated.
I told them quite categorically that I wanted an epidural as soon as it was possible (they don't usually administer it until 3-4 cm dilated and also won't do it beyond 8cm).
With DS1 I had gas & air first, the pethidine because anaesthesiologist was busy with emergencies.
I should've had it about 3 hours earlier than I eventually did so that was quite shit, the pain was horrible, but there was nothing anyone could do.
the epidural was amazing. zero pain. I slept for a few hours while the midwives monitored everything.
they woke me once to check cervix then let me sleep a bit longer.
He was forceps delivery because his head was at an angle that couldn't be delivered naturally.

With DS2 I also had epidural. very quickly this time as I had been in hospital for over 48 hours, waiting to be induced so the anaesthesiologist was sort of "booked" in for me.
the pushing phase went without a hitch, he was delivered onto my tummy, I even cut the cord!

with DS3 I had a cervical sweep so labour started off naturally. he came far too quickly for anything but literally 2 sips of G&A.
DS4 was footling breech so I had ELSC.
With the youngest 3 I had the sweep again, all labours started off naturally after that so I didn't need to be induced, but had epidural with all 3.

hth, do ask more questions if you want!

I got induced. When I arrived I was 3cm dilated and they didn't give me any pessarys. The next day I was taken to the labour ward and they broke my waters and the rest is history! Labour was around 10 hours. Because they are pumping you with a hormone the contractions are more intense. I took gas and air but it made me sick a few times. I also lost over 2 litres of blood. Other than that everything went fine

Thank you all so much, there’s so much helpful information you’ve given xx I think I’ve been naive thinking it’s a simple quick process.
I have had two sweeps so far which haven’t done anything & only 1cm dilated, I’m just going to be so sad if I’m away from my two DC for days. I have another sweep booked today but in all honesty I am sore and don’t really want it, but hopefully if it’s helped me dilate anymore then that’s a good thing, if I could get to the point myself where they can break my waters without the gel.
I suppose I have the choice to stop the induction at any point or if baby is ok wait it out at home? Xx

I don't know what you mean by stop the induction.
beforehand? yes, but what's the alternative?
during? I don't think so

if the waters haven't broken yet then it's safe to have sex. it's likely to be very uncomfortable at this stage (voice of experience🤣) but the sperm can help with speeding up the cervix dilating process.
I swear it did it's job for us a few times in combined with a sweep.

also whenever I had the sweep I asked the midwife not to just do it, but do it as if she hated me.🤣 if I had to suffer it I only wanted to suffer it once so I wanted it to worth its while.
never needed a 2nd sweep with anyone!

I had a tough induction, not bad as such, just not good either (Can it be good really? It's childbirth after all)
So I was brought in and had the gel (not sure if 6 hours or 24, think it was 24) after I was admitted at 11am, I proceeded to have the gel again at 11am for the following 3 days (Gel 4 times in total, always at 11am), every day at about 2pm, I'd have the sweep. This was not ideal.

From day 2 of induction, I was having mild constractions apparently, I could not feel this. I thought I was broken. I was still only 2 cm dilated.

On day 5, they really didn't want to do the Gel again, but I was finally dilated to 4cm, so could go down to labour ward. Nothing was progressing any further by 1ish, so I was given the hormone drip. Cue horrendous contractions that were wiping me out, so had the Epidural. Baby had a moment when his heart rate spiked and my blood pressure dropped, but then it just came back into normal levels a few seconds later (it was odd). Son was born the following morning on day 6.

They were slightly worried the pushing bit was going to be hours of awful nothingness, but got him out in 38 minutes in the end, which felt like a win after the marathon I'd just been in.

Can't really complain, the care I received was wonderful, the midwives were great and I got a really healthy baby at the end of it.