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Pregnancy

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Original poster

What did you do the day/night before your induction?

24 replies

TheBeesKnee · 30/04/2023 21:39

FTM here being induced next week and I don't know what to do with myself.

I feel like I should relax but I also feel like I should do stuff that I won't be and to do once the baby's here?

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Treasureboxkey · 30/04/2023 21:42

I went to the pub and had half a Guinness because someone told me that it might get labour started. It was the only drink that I had the whole pregnancy but it didn't get baby moving.

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 30/04/2023 21:44

Walked and walked and walked....

MW told me it was the best way to get ready for Labour and encourage baby into the right position, so I just went on these huge zig zaggy walks through town stopping for drinks and to rest my legs every hour or so.

mexicanandafewdrinks · 30/04/2023 21:45

I had a massive curry. a lot of my friends did the same its supposed to help get it moving!

Nat6999 · 30/04/2023 21:46

Went to bed early, I didn't know I was going to be induced until I was admitted as an emergency the night after.

Batinthehouse · 30/04/2023 21:48

Painted banisters. What I should have done is get lots of sleep and rest as I was induced that night and DS wasn't born til the following lunchtime so I was exhausted afterwards.

Gherkinsandwich · 30/04/2023 21:50

I went to a wedding the day before. On the day of induction, I had a nice day out with my husband whilst I waited to be called in (eventually got summoned at 7pm!) - went out for a walk with my husband, had a leisurely lunch in our favourite cafe, pottered around aimlessly in the sunshine. It was lovely.

USaYwHatNow · 30/04/2023 21:51

Slept 😂 I was an inpatient for 3 weeks with pre eclampsia and was knackered. Just wanted him out. FTM but also midwife so knew how long it could go on for. In the end I had my waters broken and from that point to baby born was 4hrs 🤢🤢 so I was a bit shell shocked and glad I'd had a rest the night before.

TommyLeeRoycesTinyArsePhone · 30/04/2023 21:53

Went into labour…

MrsALambert · 30/04/2023 21:54

TommyLeeRoycesTinyArsePhone · 30/04/2023 21:53

Went into labour…

Me too

Gherkinsandwich · 30/04/2023 21:56

I should add - haven’t really had a nice chilled out day with my husband in the two years since 😂 So maybe you could try and have a bit of an aimless, no schedule sort of day if you’re at a loss about what to do!

Augustone · 30/04/2023 21:56

Took my German shepherd for a long walk across fields and through woods, enjoying the peace and quiet. Sat on a bench for a while then went home, showered and tootled off to hospital.

Kickingupmerrybehaviour · 30/04/2023 22:01

Walked a lot. With hindsight I should have read up properly on inductions

RandomMess · 30/04/2023 22:01

Was just a regular evening an night but with not much sleep as was too nervous I guess.

The same all 4 times!

Original poster

TheBeesKnee · 30/04/2023 22:45

TommyLeeRoycesTinyArsePhone · 30/04/2023 21:53

Went into labour…

Tbh this is my dream!! I really don't want to be induced.

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Original poster

TheBeesKnee · 30/04/2023 22:45

Kickingupmerrybehaviour · 30/04/2023 22:01

Walked a lot. With hindsight I should have read up properly on inductions

What do you mean?

Anything specific to flag?

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ricketybeauty · 30/04/2023 22:47

Called my husband in the taxi on the way back from triage to tell him to wash the 2 pairs of enormous pants. And cried!

Kickingupmerrybehaviour · 30/04/2023 23:06

TheBeesKnee · 30/04/2023 22:45

What do you mean?

Anything specific to flag?

Show quote history

Well I didn’t realise that inductions are kind of a package deal. Because I’d had a fast natural
lsbour with my first I presumed that it would be easy. I didn’t realise that there would be time limits placed on me before I was progressed to the next intervention. If it’s like mine they will start you with pessaries, and hope that works but if it doesn’t they’ll break your waters, then they tell you you have to go into active labour within two hours of the waters breaking they’ll want to put you on the drip. Drip contractions are not like normal contractions in any way shape or form. They don’t warn you of this. If they put you on the drip I would ask for an epidural. I didn’t get any pain relief but I wish I had. Like I say I wish I’d read a bit more about the different processes and interventions.

Dyra · 30/04/2023 23:08

Do the stuff.

I was in hospital for the best part of a week before induction with both of mine. With my first, I was gutted I didn't get to relax or do any of the fun stuff I had planned before having a baby. Have my hair cut, watch a movie at the cinema, go out for a meal with DH, prep freezer meals, general nesting. As well as vegetate on the sofa reading books and watching TV. Still got to watch TV and read books in hospital I guess between 4 hourly BP checks.

As for what I actually did? In the day, I went for a long walk around the hospital grounds, and relaxed. In the night, I tried to sleep as much as I could, despite the nerves.

Original poster

TheBeesKnee · 30/04/2023 23:11

Thank you @Kickingupmerrybehaviour they've said that I'll be started on a balloon catheter for 24 hours and then pessary if that doesn't work. Interesting to hear about the time limits, they didn't mention those to me. Do you have any resources I could read?

I want an epidural anyway and I've heard that some people get it before the drip goes in. I asked my consultant but she said they want to make sure it's working before offering pain relief 🤔

OP posts:

wingingit1987 · 30/04/2023 23:16

I was due to be induced with no.5. Plan was for me to have a balloon catheter induction at 3pm. Spent the day going for a long walk, did a big food shop, went for a bath and a nap. Got to hospital and was already 2cm dilated so they just gave me a sweep and sent me home for the night. By 2am my contractions started and by 6.15 I was holding my daughter.

I’d say try to use the time running up to your induction to organise yourself. The days leading up to it I ironed all the uniforms and nursery clothes for the kids as I thought my sister would be doing the school run and stuff like that. I did a big food shop, a lot of cleaning. Napped when I could. It made life so much easier once the baby arrived as I felt I had less to do.

TheFormidableMrsC · 30/04/2023 23:18

To be clear, I was 42, my obstetrician said that I would be induced on my due date if I didn't go into labour naturally. I carried on as normal and the day before due date did a body combat class followed by body pump. Had a big dinner. Went to bed. Waters broke at around 2 am of due date but no contractions so I cleaned up and went back to sleep. Woke at 6 with more leakage that was now brown with meconium. Went straight into the unit and ended up being induced anyway because I wasn't contracting. It was annoying as I'd rather have left things to take their course but meconium can't be ignored. All in all it was fine, son was born 6 hours later.

MO22 · 01/05/2023 06:45

@TheBeesKnee I'm in the same boat, to be induced at the end of this week. Feel a bit cheated out of my 2 weeks mat leave on the sofa but hey ho!

We went mad with organisation this weekend, and batch cooking, getting pram etc, as we're a little behind! Now I'm getting my hair done, a wax, accupuncture tomorrow and might try and squeeze a massage or something... Feels like a lot but I'm not that good at sitting around despite wanting to!

I wish I'd go into natural labour but I'm only 36 weeks so it's unlikely. Doesn't stop me second guessing every twinge though!

110APiccadilly · 01/05/2023 06:50

I treated it like a normal day, it was the end of a difficult pregnancy and tbh I didn't really want to think about it. (All went well in the end.)

I did express some colostrum though, with the toddler staring curiously at me!

Kickingupmerrybehaviour · 01/05/2023 09:21

@TheBeesKnee this is a good article. https://www.aims.org.uk/journal/item/ten-things
and these are the nice guidelines https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng207/chapter/Recommendations#methods-for-induction-of-labour

The time limits on starting the drip shouldn’t be forced on you but they will tell you there’s a higher risk of infection if you refuse. I felt quite pressurised and like they just wanted to get me processed as quickly as possible which may work for some women but as I had very fast labours previously I reacted very badly and ended up hyper stimulated.
For me not giving me the epidural before the drip went in meant I couldn’t have one at all or any other pain relief because I dilated straight to 10 cm within a few minutes on the drip. This is unusual but can happen. I hope it goes well for you.

Ten Things...I wish every woman knew about induction of labour | AIMS

https://www.aims.org.uk/journal/item/ten-things

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