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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Being Induced

18 replies

Mummy2BeAgain25 · 20/08/2021 20:44

I'm being induced Monday and I'll be 41+4 I already have a little girl and she's almost 3...
basically im really scared for Monday and can't find much information online about what they do, how it happens and what to expect.
What's everyone stories, in order how did they induce you?

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Leftphalange · 20/08/2021 20:59

Hi, started with pessary tablets, given hours apart. This stage can be really slow so be prepared to be waiting about for a while, take books or tablet to watch netflix or something.

Waters then broken, this made me go into labour but if it doesn't work the next plan was for the drip. I heard loads of horror stories of inductions but if I had to do it again I wouldn't be too concerned. Once I got started after they broke my waters, it was really no different to my other births (2 previous) good luck

thingymaboob · 20/08/2021 21:00

I was 41 weeks. Induced for reduced movements. Had the pessary at 10pm, had violent vomiting and diarrhoea from 2-5am, all over floor and walls. Started contractions at 9am, epidural about 4pm, started pushing at 8pm, baby born 8:45pm so less then 24 hours start to finish. No need for drip.

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 20/08/2021 21:01

I was induced at 40+2. Great pregnancy. Induction agreed due to ivf.

Rang on the morning of induction to make sure they had a bed. Went in at 10am. Was just me but that’s because it was April 2020 so covid a drama. They gave me a quick check over. Listened to baby etc. 11am midwife inserted the pessary. Was uncomfortable but more because she was trying to get it right behind my cervix. Baby’s heart rate went a little high so was monitored closely but went down in 20 min.

Then not a lot happened. I bounced on the ball a lot. Watched Netflix. Texted DH. I had monitoring every 2 hours for 40 mins or so. At 11pm I started to get what felt like period pains in my tummy and back. Legs started to ache a bit. Had a warm bath and two paracetamol. That helped.

1am I needed the loo but didn’t see. Thought it was my waters midwife checked on the bed and I nearly soaked her! But then waters were brown colour as baby had a poo. Started with mild contractions.

2.30am rang DH to come to labour room. Contractions coming along nicely. 3am 3/10 contractions. 5.30am contractions thick and fast and hard. Asked the midwife for pain relief had been using gas and air. She said she just needed to check me. She announced I was 10cm and needed to push! Then contractions felt different and I pushed. Pushed for around 30 min. Then contractions slowed down. They gave me the drip and they started full bore. My beautiful DS arrived at 6.30am. Bloody amazing.

Unfortunately I had to go to theatre after to repair a nasty 3rd degree tear and a torn uterus but the actual labour was fine.

Good luck!

Cupcakelover01 · 20/08/2021 21:04

I was induced with my last 2 babies, I'd also heard horror stories but I actually preferred being induced as I knew I was going to be in hospital ready and not having to worry about going into spontaneous labour. I had the pessary both times and 24 hours I delivered.
Don't worry at all, and good luck with your new addition

Dyra · 20/08/2021 21:09

Methods vary from trust to trust, but the general rule of thumb is this. First, use something (pessaries, balloon, rods) to open your cervix. If that sends you into labour, great. If not, or your cervix is already open enough without the need for the first step, then rupturing your membranes (breaking waters) is next. If labour happens, great. If not, then the next step is the hormone drip. If that doesn't work, then C-section.

For my own part, my induction was absolutely fine. 37 weeks, bishop score of 0. Started with 6hr gel pessaries x2. Just about got cervix open enough for waters to be broken. There was then a few hours waiting until a bed was available on the labour ward so I could have my waters broken. Once they were broken I had 2 hours to see if I would go into labour. I did not, so i had the drip. Around 12 hours of drip later I had my baby girl.

Best of luck @Mummy2BeAgain25!

KHR1 · 20/08/2021 21:20

I was induced with DC1 at 40+10. I had the pessary 8am (1cm), spent all day walking and bouncing on a birthing ball. Waters broke naturally at about 5pm, was rushed to labour ward due to meconium liquor (2cm). Contractions started about 6-7pm but monitor wasnt picking them up very well and so was put on the drip at 10pm (4cm) begged for an epidural pretty quickly after the drop started (if I'm induced again I will be asking for an epidural before the drip starts!). Fully dilated by 2am/3am, baby was born 5am.

Hope all goes well!

ToastedSesame · 20/08/2021 22:30

I went in to be induced at 41+5 after two failed sweeps at 40w and 41w. They examined me and said I was 1-2cm already and waters were bulging. Popped the waters and baby delivered 4h later.

MrsB2019x · 20/08/2021 23:18

I was induced at 39+2 due to large baby and polyhydramnios. I got to the hospital and was 2cm already without knowing. I had one pessary and that did enough in the first few hours to then break my waters. Contractions ramped up after that. From waters breaking to birth was 12 hours. Good luck!

Original poster

Mummy2BeAgain25 · 21/08/2021 07:25

Thank you ladies! I feel a lot better

OP posts:

8dpwoah · 21/08/2021 13:45

Your best bet is to scroll back through the last few weeks on here and the childbirth board as there's been some really good threads lately that cover the different ways of doing it.

Easier said than done but try not to worry too much, I've just been told I'll be having another induction this time and I'm WAY less worried about it than I was first time, the idea of it and the unknown is worse than the reality so I totally understand your worries.

The advice on the induction threads on here is likely to be way better than anything you get in person and I wish I'd had chance to read more on here before my first one which was a bit of a surprise turn of events! Keep us posted.

Fluffyhairdontcare · 21/08/2021 15:52

I was induced and had a really positive experience. Main thing to remember is that you have choices and you are allowed to ask questions and have time to make decisions. Eg I started with pessary, which didn't do anything. They talked about oxytocin and I asked for a sweep first (which actually started labour), talked to 2 doctors over my 3 nights on the ward at different stages of the process.

Also, it took me 3 nights on the induction ward. Very disheartening and I heard women arriving and leaving multiple times while I waited for contractions to begin. Just FYI. Good luck for Monday!

Fluffyhairdontcare · 21/08/2021 15:57

Oh and I was told by friends that if I were to have the drip I should ask for an epidural first as drip contractions cam be much harder to manage. I talked to my midwife about this and we agreed it beforehand although I didn't end up having a drip in the end.

RoseA89 · 21/08/2021 23:54

I was induced at 38 weeks due to bleeding throughout the pregnancy. I had been given a sweep a few days before but it did nothing as my body was not ready to give birth itself. I was given a pessary and was told I’d likely need a few of these before they could break my waters. 2 hours later my waters broke naturally. The midwife was so surprised! I had to wait a few hours for a bed in the labour ward but when I finally got there I was put on the drip. The contractions were very intense but it only took 5 and a half hours to deliver my baby from having the drip inserted. I did have to get an episiotomy as baby’s head got stuck so I got stitches after which healed completely fine. This is my first baby and I’d heard loads of horror stories but it was absolutely fine! Good luck and just remember you will have a beautiful little baby soon x

PurpleHaze287 · 22/08/2021 16:09

I was warned being induced can take a couple of days or so to work. Not one midwife told me a pessary can actually induce a very quick labour. So I was very shocked when my labour started and progressed at a very quick rate. So be aware it may take a while or it may be super quick!!!

PurpleHaze287 · 22/08/2021 16:13

Also when I had my birth listening apt afterwards, the midwife said you can have a rod inserted instead of a pessary (can't remember the name of the rod), as these reduce the risk of a quick and intense labour

Xyzzzzz · 22/08/2021 16:40

Induced at 39 weeks due to GD - first pregnancy and dd was born 3 hours later.

PeasPeasPeasAreGoodForYou · 22/08/2021 16:47

A good variety of people's experiences!
Good luck for tomorrow!
My induction was long, in at 8am on the Monday, DS arrived 14:11 the next day.
I binged a lot of films and slept before things got going.

Spiritbaby2022 · 01/03/2022 11:02

I’m 38+5 and was told yesterday they want to induce be before I’m 39 weeks ( cutting it short I know ) is there a chance they will let me go over 39 weeks? I’m being induced due to High blood pressure, I’ve been given labetalol to take 200mg 3x a day.

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