Positive induction experiences?

[JRTfan]

I am being induced next week on my due date I am 40, it's IVF and baby been a bit up and down with growth. I'm ok with the decision as it's been a very long road and I'm just anxious now to get baby out and healthy.
I've obviously been reading up on induction but come across a lot of horror stories especially for FTM I know we are more likely to hear about the negative but wondering are there people out there that had a positive induction experience? I know it can take a while which doesn't bother me as baby will be monitored it's more the intervention and ending in Emcs that I'm concerned about.

I had an induction 7 years ago with my first. I can say that, overall, it went well. I was in the hospital for almost 3 days with them attempting to bring on the labour, they'd just started talking about it failing when contractions began. They broke my waters at 1cm and put me on the drip and my daughter was born within 2 hours. I would take that again over natural labour any day 😂good luck x

I think my experience was somewhere in between. I was induced due to reduced growth at 37 weeks. It took 3 days. I had the gel and 2 pessaries I think, not sure what way round. I was not in any pain or discomfort for that time but it was tiring being in hospital, and you get a bit sick of being touched and of the other people on the ward. I read a lot and watched TV on my phone, trying to relax. I recommend walking around as much as you can, and bouncing on the ball if there is one.
Eventually they broke my waters and I was put on the drip. Waters were broken at 3.20pm and I gave birth at 11. 52pm. I had gas and air and co-codamol. (spelling?) The drip made the contractions closer together and it was painful but I guess couldn't have been that bad as I didn't have to have the epidural.
I didn't have any stitches or tears and I felt fine after the birth.
The worst thing was that I was really tired from being on the induction ward, so just try to get loads of rest!

Thank you I am going to preload my tablet with some stuff to watch and take headphones for podcast. Apparently my trust try and use the balloon catheter to open cervix if they can if they can't then it's a pessary. I have a sweep next week and hoping baby decides to come of her own accord.

I had a very good experience 2 and half years ago with my first at 41+2 weeks.

Went in at 5 pm, an hour later they put the gel in. By midnight, I was dilated 2 cm, so they broke my waters. The contractions started very fast and intensely after that. The midwife told me they would be back and check upon me in 3 hours, but I had to send my husband for them after 20 minutes as I couldn't cope with the pain. They were surprised how fast everything happened and put me into a birth suit.

I wish I had asked for an epidural earlier; I tried to see how the gas&air would work, but I was in so much pain - the epidural took 3 try before it finally worked. After that, I felt very relaxed - I even had some time to take a nap. I started to push around 11 am, and my baby was born at 1.30 pm. Pushing took a long time, over 2 hours. To be honest, as I couldn't feel the contractions, I think I wasn't pushing hard enough. I had stitches and lost a bit of blood, but the recovery was surprisingly fast for me.

I loved how controlled everything was - always midwife next to me, monitored through the whole time, so I saw my baby's heartbeat and contractions.
I much preferred having my first like this, rather than being home and not knowing when to go to the hospital.

Hoewer, the only negative thing was that they didn't take me seriously when I told them how much pain I was or how intense everything got after breaking my waters. They usually say if it's your first baby, things will go slow, but it's isn't the case for everyone. You just have to be firm and tell them exactly what you want and when you want it.

I was 40 and an IVF pregnancy. I was induced several days before week 40.
I personally wouldn’t opted for this again.
I started induction at 9.30pm on Saturday evening, went through pessarys/gel and was in a position to have my waters broken just after midnight on the Wednesday.
I went through labour and managed to make 9cms dilated to then be rushed for an emergency C Section at 5pm on the Wednesday afternoon due to featal distress. We both contracted sepsis.
I can’t really comment on the section as I was off my nut on gas and air and it all seems a blur but my partner was traumatised by the situation as he through he would lose both myself and the baby.
The experience hasn’t put me off and i would love another but would opt for a c section straight away.

@SH998 thanks for sharing I did ask for positive experiences but I know it's good to have a balance.
I've read lots of experiences and I'm just hoping as I'll be 40 weeks and as it's IVF she's definitely cooked my body and baby will be ready. Or she decides to come along in the next week and induction wont be required..fingers crossed!

@JRTfan

I was induced Sunday gone and had my little girl it went very smoothly by all accounts:

I had the first gel at 11am
2nd gel at 5pm
Waters broke by themselves
I was 2cm at 11pm

Gave birth with gas and air at 1am it went very fast and I didn't have time for an epidural . The birth itself wasn't traumatic at all honestly the Contractions after the second gel were the worst part I had already had petadine so couldn't have it again and had to have gas and air. I went hard on the gas and air and my tens machine so I'm actually missing a couple of hours near the end as I was out of it. If you get induced get gas and air and get the petadine later on and definitely get a tens machine it helped me so much .

I’ve had 2 inductions, neither ended in a EMCS and both were quite fast.

first was a pessary which worked within 4 hours to start contractions. The Labour itself it was to be said was not pleasant as baby was back to back but I don’t believe that is related to the fact I was induced.

second I was already 2cm dilated. They just broke my waters and from then on it was a natural Labour. Contractions started within an hour or two, I progressed well, baby was born about 12 hours after they broke my waters.

Hope it goes well for you.

I was induced at 37+6 with my first for IUGR (plus I have t1d), and it was positive.
I was admitted at 3pm on the Sunday, first pessary was about 4pm followed by an hour of monitoring. Second pessary was inserted at about 10pm and was told I'd probably feel 'mild period pain' type cramping. The cramps started at roughly 11pm. The cramps were painful but manageable with paracetamol.
Midwife checked me at 5am and I was 5cm dilated, so had to ring my OH who I'd sent home at 8pm.
I went round the the delivery suite and my daughter was born at 10.47am.
Less than 24 hours from being admitted until birth. I did lose a few hours due to being spaced out off the pethadine though.
All in all, I'll be induced with my current pregnancy when the time comes due to t1d and I'll be very happy if it goes as smoothly as my first.
Edited to add that I didn't get as far as needing the hormone drip and my waters broke naturally at 8cm.

Thanks for the stories I'm beginning to have hope it won't be the 4-5 day slog that I was imagining. Had a few period pains last night and was hoping that may be the start of something but nothing since.

I was induced with my second son at 40 weeks due to high blood pressure. It took a long time as I don't think I was anywhere near ready to deliver, and I had the pessary (Propesse), the gel, my waters broken in an aggressive sweep and then The Drip. 4 days after the process began my baby was born. I had no pain relief and although the drip triggered contractions were very intense I would do it again in a heartbeat and I felt great afterwards. Good luck!

...also I would add that although the process took a while, I wasn't in any discomfort (until I was in real labour) and was reassured by the monitoring etc. as PPs have said it's hard to stay rested on the induction ward so prioritise taking things to make you comfortable including a pillow, ear plugs, fan etc. it could take a while but similarly my good friend was in and out in 24 hours with her induction. Good luck and God speed!

I had an induction 8 weeks ago for my baby girl and I wouldn’t say it was a hugely negative experience to be honest! My induction lasted 2 days as I had the gels and when they didn’t work I had the rods put in, I was then in labour for another 24 hours after that and in the end did need intervention (forceps) due to her heart rate dropping with contractions but even despite that I wouldn’t say it was a negative experience really. Was it something I’d choose to do again for fun? No! But it also wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I expected. The worst part about it for me was just the tiredness as from starting induction to birth for me was just over 3 days and they monitor you & baby every 2 ish hours (or they did for us) even through the night so you are uncomfy and struggling to sleep then when you do fall asleep you’re woken up for them to do different checks! Take lots of energy drinks and good luck! X