Are inductions really that bad?!

[Nellynoo182]

Pregnant with DS2. My first birth was great although my DS1 was born premature. My waters went at 3pm and baby was here by 10pm, went from 5cm-10cm in 11 minutes. I did need an episiotomy but I didn’t find this traumatic and recovery was great and baby was delivered with a few puffs of gas and air.

I am 37 weeks now and baby has dropped from 90th centile to 50th and have been offered an induction on 2nd Jan. Everything I am reading about inductions sounds so traumatic and I am really frightening myself! Is it because labour tends to come on more fast? More intense? I really don’t want a c- section unless necessary due to the recovery and having a 1 year old at home. Any positive induction stories? If yours wasn’t so positive - what could have made it better ? (without horror stories please!) thank you!

I’ve had 4 inductions (never needed the drip, just a couple of pessaries) and never had a non-induced birth to compare it to. Labour did come on quickly when it eventually started, and it was intense (maybe all labours are though?) but on the plus side it was over quickly with no complications, bar an episiotomy with my first. Labours lasted 1h 10minutes, 50 minutes, 40minutes and 3h 10minutes from first contractions to delivery.
After my first induction (at T+10) I had elective induction with the other 3 (at 38, 38 and 37 weeks) so obviously didn’t find it traumatic at all! The 37 week induction was because of slowing growth, the others were to ensure a midwife could attend in case my natural labour was as fast!

I think inductions are fine if your body is already going in to labour somehow - so you’re dilated already or your cervix is ripe and soft etc.

Theyre much worse when your body isn’t ready at all.

either way, the contractions can be harder and more frequent but they don’t always mean you need a c section or intervention

@Howmanysleepsnow thank you for sharing - your story sounds similar to mine in when labour came on for me the first time round it was quick and intense but I didn’t mind because it was over fast! I am hoping if I do need an induction then it won’t be so bad because this is all I am used to. Did you have an epidural at all do you mind me asking please? My midwife said she would not accept an induction using the drip without an epidural first which took me by surprise but useful advice to be given.

@ShirleyPhallus this seems to be the consensus I am getting from friends, with those whose bodies weren’t quite ready having a c-section in the end. I guess we will find out more in the next few days!

It was awful for me, I've had a year of therapy to overcome the trauma. Balloon caused me the worst pain I've ever had in my life (4 attempts), tried to break waters 4 times, on the drip for 14 hours, ended up with forceps and episiotomy. Baby came out all scratched from breaking waters and severely bruised from forceps. I'd only do it if medically necessary.

Agree with PP, harsher on your body when it's not ready, but having said that my natural Labour has started anyway, and it still took 3 days of being violated... I was 42+3

The issue that i and many other mumsnetters have experienced is that we are induced, then there are either no staff or no beds on delivery suite. This means you are left in limbo of being in stuck in labour but not able to progress further (eg you’re waiting to have your waters broken or go on the drip). This then results in c sections.

I would ask this as a serious question to your midwife/consultant - how likely is this to happen.

My waters broke at 34 weeks, my body didn't go into labour, after about 36 hours lots of monitoring etc they decided they had to induce due to infection risk, although my hind waters were still intact. They just kept saying my cervix wasn't favourable, I still have no idea what that means. The pessary didn't work so they used the drip I went from 2cm to 10cm in an hour, labour itself was hard and painful, but my epidural didn't take and no one told me I could have pain relief as well I thought it was either or, so just had gas and air. DS got stuck I was exhausted I ended up rushed to theatre around midnight and needed a ventouse and episiotomy to get him out, I lost a lot of blood. It was traumatic, but I think it was because I was so early, my body just wasn't ready. By the time he was born I'd also been in hospital for two and a half days and wasn't allowed to eat in case I needed an emergency c section, why a planned one want of to be instead of the induction I have no idea. I had also been told previously I had a narrow cervix ,

DS was back to back and had broad shoulders and a big head, so maybe it would've been that way regardless. He was 7 pounds 9 but scrawny looking, born that early so God only knows how big he would've been if he'd gone full term, DH was just shy of 12 pounds MIL tells me! DH is 6'4 and DS is taller than all if his classmates even at his young age, so I think I was destined to have a big baby.

Only problem I had was my induction date kept on changing, due to no beds.
My induction day went like this:
9am went into hospital room
11am had waters broke & then got put on drip
1pm started getting period cramps
3pm started getting mild contractions
4pm intense contractions - had pethidine but it didn't do anything so wasn't allowed anything else

8pm baby was born
Hope this helps 😊

I think it’s fair to start an induction but say you want to move to c section if it is taking too long - they will listen to you. And at the end of the day , the baby is small so you want him/her out safely. Inductions can take many days and there is the chance of an emergency section being needed if baby gets distressed. Alternatively, a section is much quicker (and can actually be better planning for another child at home). For this reason I’ll be choosing a section vs induction if I go overdue. My last section was lovely tbh and I looked at my old journal - I was up and about stopping my painkillers 2 weeks pp! Never had any issues unlike a lot of people I know with vaginal births.

No they aren't always. My induction at 37 weeks was far less traumatic than my regular births. Hope it goes well for you.

My induction itself was mostly fine. I was already a couple of cm dilated and was probably ready to go anyway. I had the balloon; it was painful going in and caused cramping for hours after but settled. For some women this can just continue to ramp up. It is essentially a continuous sweep. It did kick start labour for me but I didn't realise as I expected contractions to be much worse. I had the same issue as the previous poster of being stuck in limbo waiting for my waters to be broken but no beds available. When I eventually got down there on day 3 I was 5cm dilated. Hardly needed the drip. Managed on gas and air. Baby was out in 4/5 hours - so a quick first labour. I did need an episiotomy. I was induced for medical reasons I was 39 weeks and I would do it again if needed. The lead up to it being stuck in a hot and noisy ward on hospital food and endless waiting made me much more exhausted than I might have been at home - that is something to consider.

2 births one spontaneous and one induction. The induction at 37 weeks was actually better than the natural at 40 weeks. Induction was a twin pregnancy and done to make sure staff available. From induction to second baby being born was 6 and 1/2 hours. So not all inductions are bad, not all natural births are good and vice versa.

I had one because I went overdue. It was fine. It did take 3 days though - there are several different steps they can do and they will happily do them all over 3 days if you’re tolerating it fine and baby heart rate is fine when they monitor. I was only in pain for a couple of hours with the drip then asked for an epidural. 4hours from the start of drip to holding the baby. I had the balloon too and didn’t find it painful.
I was really pleased to avoid a C-Section.

Hi 👋🏻 I had induction due to not being able to properly date my pregnancy. On induction ward for 4 days waiting for my turn. Had multiple pessarys, water broken twice (first attempt failed) and the hormone drip. I was already slightly dilated 1/2cm upon starting the process but the drip is what really kicked things off, it was quite intense and fast after that point. I ended up having 1 pethadine injection, and gas and air. Did ask for epidural but was too late by the time I'd asked. Next time I would try and avoid an induction and would instead advocate for regular monitoring, but at the time they seemed keen to induce and as a first time mum I went along with what they said

My induction was a dream come true. Only needed the gel, a lovely walk around the hospital garden while it kicked in and then back to my room for dimmed lights and music. Then a bit of g and an and 20 mins pushing then that was it! 8 hours start to finish. I'd do it again tomorrow if I could.

You can never tell how your body is going to react to it. It can jump start what your body is already to do or it can be forcing a labour that your body has no interest in. You've had a Vaginal delivery before so you may just be a jump start and it'll go smoothly from there.
I would suggest thinking about what you would prefer, like PP mentioned plan the medication you want, some say an epidural can slow down an induction, others would be without. Would you prefer a C-section or is this something you'd like to avoid. For me I ended up being minutes from c-section, kept going in for blood from babies head to check oxygen and was ventouse in end. I didn't want a c-section so it was fine for me. I was 24 hrs in hard labour. Perhaps if you put a plan in place after 8 hours from contractions nothing has started I want to be brought for c-section.

I’ve had two - first one labor was 12.5hrs, second was 2.5hrs. I was already 2-3cm dilated for both. It didn’t feel like a sudden intensity in terms of contractions, there was a build up in both cases. I didn’t have pain relief for either. I feel my labors were bearable/average but then I have no alternative to compare to as both were induced. I had an amazing doula throughout which I think made the biggest difference. She was able to keep me calm, focused, and centered and also advocated for me when I needed (DH was there but pretty overwhelmed and useless throughout 😅). Good luck!

I've had 2 inductions and had a reaction to the drugs both times which caused me to go into hyper mode (there's a term for it I've forgotten) which meant hugh intensity contractions every 20 seconds for hours and hours. Both times after about 12 hours with no increase in dilation I went for the epidural to give myself a break as I physically ran out of steam. Once I had the epidural I calmed down and babies delivered about 12 hours later. I'd recommend demanding an epidural the minute you're out on the drip.

I was induced at 39 weeks. It was fine! Just needed the pessary - had that at about 9am and baby was born at 4am next morning. One lot of paracetamol and dihydrocodeine and a bit of gas and air; didn't need any more pain relief or any additional interventions. I'd do it again, it was a good experience.

Another positive induction story here - it was far more positive than my spontaneous labour (DC1) and my elcs for breech baby (DC2). I found the elcs so horrendous I was very keen to avoid another.

Mine (also a second birth) was fine. Was quicker than my first but didn't feel any more intense or anything. I wasn't dilated at all and just needed the internal gel which kicked things off and then it was pretty similar to my first.

I had two. One amazing and one horrendous! So there's every chance you'll be fine! If you're pro epidural you can be adamant they give it to you before the drip, that's what i did for my amazing one and it was pain free throughout and I could still push , no stitches etc.

Mine bloody painful but super quick. Not sure which I’d choose over first birth (spontaneous and also painful but went on for evvvvvverrr!) You’ll be fine

I think inductions without the drip tend to be better but I believe you’re more likely to need the drip if you’re before 40 weeks and not ready. I had a quick delivery with my first ( 20 mins after arrival at hospital) no pain relief so I didn’t think it would take much with my second when they wanted to induce at 39 weeks. As it was they broke my waters and then three hours later put the drip up. Then all hell broke loose, hyper-stimulated, and I dilated really fast inside of 30 mins to ten cm. It was absolutely excruciating and much more painful than my natural birth. I was in shock afterwards and really traumatised.
If I had my time over I would insist on an epidural before the drip went in.

@Nellynoo182 no, I didn’t have an epidural. I asked for one the first time, but delivered before the anaesthetist arrived!
In response to PP comments about induction being harder if not dilated/ cervix not soft, mine was closed tight all 4 times and the babies hadn’t even dropped so it’s not necessarily the case.