Dilapan induction? Can't find any info!

[sabrinaowens]

Hi all, I have an induction schedule for this Friday, and was advised it would be dilapan rods that they will be using. I asked about side effects and was advised there are none! I have a prolapse, and really worried as I can't seem to find much information on this method. Any experiences?

Hi, I’m similarly confused by lack of info and wondering how your induction went?

I had a dilapan induction. It was ok, but I'm not convinced it did anything. It's a bit painful when they out in the rods but not too bad. You don't feel them when they are in. They take them out after 24 hours or something like that,which again hurts a bit but ok. Immediately after taking out the rods the midwife gave me a VERY thorough sweep, which broke my waters and so out me into active labour, but I was only slightly dilated at that point. Ended with an emergency C-section. Not sure that's a reflection on the dilapan method though - my experience was fine.

I had this! It was recommended as drug free and safe for the baby which stopped growing so they wanted to try non medicated induction first as gentler for the baby.
They put the rods in at 6am (1 cm dilated) and took them out at 11pm (3cm by then) and broke my waters at the same time. The baby was born 4 hrs later - only 5lb at 37 odd weeks but healthy and I had no other intervention, no stitches required. It was my easiest birth out of 3 and the other 2 were spontaneous so I considered myself very lucky.

It wasn't painful when they put them in but I did bleed quite a bit afterwards and had to be monitored for the first hour at 6am. Then spent the day watching Netflix and chilling before giving birth.

Good luck!

Thanks both, I had a pessary induction last time and it was ok, quite quick so not sure if I should just stick with that?

I seem to recall they gave me a leaflet, which said that dilapan was more effective than old style inductions, which is why they prefer it as a first step. Did they give anything like that to you? From what I remember, they start with dilapan, then if that doesn't work they move on to the pessary, so it's not necessarily one or the other.

They just mentioned it as a choice I could make, I ve looked up the leaflet online but was still a bit confused!
i think reading various internet posts has made me think that it might get me so far but not to progress enough and end up with a c section?
the statistics seem to say it’s better but people on forums seem to have had more staggered results?

There's a risk of ending up with a c section with all types of inductions, not just dilapan. I'd trust the statistics over anecdotal evidence personally. And having a c section isn't terrible. I was pretty much back to normal after 2 weeks.