Induction at 37 weeks - positive stories?

[h0lly88]

Hey everyone! This is my first pregnancy and have been told I need to be induced by 37 weeks (about 4 weeks time) as there is some issues with anti bodies in my blood due to being AB negative & baby positive.

I really didn't want an induction after reading some horror stories so now am feeling a little deflated but the main thing is that he is here safe and sound so will do whatever the hospital recommend and feel in good care with them,

I guess I'm just looking for some positive early induction stories if you would kindly share yours! <3

We also have to stay in hospital for a little bit after birth so he can be monitored not sure how long for but if you have any recommendations on things you packed in your bag that really helped you that would also be great! <3

Best for baby as might need blood transfusion. 37 is not very early. Induction can be more painful but that's all.

37 weeks is early to be induced and the odds of it going well are not in your favour, particularly as it’s your first baby.

What is the justification for induction? What are they hoping to achieve? The antibodies issue is not going to change whether you give birth today, at 37, or at 41 weeks.

I'm not sure if it's quite the same but my waters broke at 37 weeks and I didn't actually go into labour so had to be induced a couple of days later due to risk of infection. It was my first pregnancy so I didn't know any different. I had pesaries first I think maybe two but they didn't do much i only had some period type cramps so ended up going on the drip at 2am and had baby at midday. They did turn up the intensity of the drip the further on I got and it was intense but manageable. I had just gas and air. I was going to get pethidine but by the time the midwife came back it was too late. My birth was positive and didn't need any interventions which is what I was afraid of. Good luck! It's all worth it when you hold baby in your arms 🥰

I was induced at 37 weeks with my first due to early waters breaking. I had the drip and epidural in the end, but all was positive. You’ll be just fine, best wishes!

It's probably the case that Rhesus incompatibility is putting the baby at risk by remaining in mum and they've determined that 37 weeks is the best timing for delivery in terms of balancing risks of prematurity vs risk of rhesus incompatibility.

OP I didn't end up needing induction but had one booked for gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy. There are a few different methods of induction so worth asking what method they use at your hospital. Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

@Planits yeah pretty much what @SouthwestSis said, the anti bodies will become an issue if they start affecting him and could lead him to become anemic etc. I trust the care team that it's the right thing for us :) As my post suggested, I am only looking for positive induction stories.

@SouthwestSis thank you! I actually didn't know until recently that there was different ways of inducing so definitely want to ask about the options:)

I was induced at 37 weeks due to rare antibodies I'd got from a blood transfusion. Dt were born within 12 hours. It was actually a better birth experience than my singleton born at term following a spontaneous labour. You hear proportionally more bad experiences than good because the good are nothing to write home about. I have long-term health issues from the spontaneous birth that still affect me 20 years later, dts birth (apart from being dt) was nothing much to say.

I was induced at 37 weeks with both of mine due to pre-eclampsia. Bishop score of 1 and 3 respectively. The higher the score, the more likely an induction is to work.

I had drip and gas+air with both, then diamorphine with my first and an epidural with my second. First ended in a relatively standard vaginal delivery, my second in an emergency C-section. But the C-section was due to baby's position. Nothing to do with the induction. Both were incredibly positive experiences, despite their differing births.

Stuff in my bag I really appreciated having was a long cord charger, my own pillow, and a vast amount of cereal bars for when I was starving a few hours post delivery. Other stuff had its uses, but that was the stuff I was really grateful I had.

Induction here at 37+2 (pre-eclampsia) took 2 days to get things moving but baby born healthy and happy, no issues at all, asked for epidural as soon as poss (got it as soon as they burst my waters) and had a somewhat pain- currently 24 weeks with no.2 and would be happy for the same again should I need it again 😊

I was induced with my first around that time due to pre eclampsia. I’ll be honest, it would fall into most people’s idea of a nightmare induction - 4 days, almost no sleep, still couldn’t break my waters and when they eventually did I was too exhausted and the pain was too much so I went straight for an epidural. Baby got stuck, was getting distressed so we we ended up in theatre for a rotational forceps which fortunately smears successful at the third attempt - which is all they’re allowed 🙈.

Why am I telling you this when you asked just for positive experiences… well DS was born healthy and fine, so whilst it wasn’t what I would have hoped for, the process was what it was. You can’t predict it or plan much for it, it was horrible at the time but overriding everything was a healthy baby in the end.

I didn’t have time to prepare for options and choices - I was admitted and induction started immediately. I would definitely recommend spending a little time finding out about the induction methods your hospital uses, what pain relief you feel you might choose and remember you can request a CS - I was offered one a few times in the days I was there, it was just not something I wanted (and obviously if the induction progresses well then there may not be time, but if it’s not working it’s an option to ask).

DS was born in lockdown and the hospital stay was boring… take headphones, a long charging cable and a tablet to watch some box sets, and a book/magazines. Definitely yes to your own pillow! And a big water bottle with a straw - hospital only had teeny plastic cups. Straw one is handy so someone can hold the bottle for you to drink in labour. A kind midwife gave me a stash of decent tea bags which was amazing, also pack a few snacks. Slippers or sliders, dressing gown and comfy jammies. As well as some baby bits of course!! x

How do you know the antibodies won't change? Are you a qualified doctor of some sort? There is obviously very good reason they're inducing the OP as they don't do this lightly.

I had induction at 37 weeks and baby arrived in about 24hrs . All was fine .
My daughter induced at 37 weeks and she had a perfect labour and birth . We both had epidurals.

I was induced both times - first baby at 37 weeks, second baby at 38. Had epidurals with both and it was a great experience both times!

37 weeks is considered full term so the earliest point to safely deliver early

I’ve been induced twice, once a balloon induction then the drip, once they broke my waters then the drip. Each induction was for different reasons. I had an epidural before the drip each time. Both painless and straight forward births. Best of luck OP

I was induced at 37 weeks on the day. I went in at 9pm, having waited all day for a call to go in. Had pessary fitted, but next morning it had come out, so another fitted and a sweep performed. My waters broke at 11am and contractions started, he was born at just before 10pm, so just over 24 hours since I went in to be induced, so not a really long time like you hear with some. I didn't need a drip, just the pessaries. I did end up with a forceps delivery as after 2 hours of pushing he wasn't moving down enough. It wasn't exactly what I hoped for with my first birth, but I'm fine and he arrived safe and sound.

While it might seem like the 'ideal' scenario to go into labour naturally, at the end of the day the most important thing is getting your baby here safe and sound 😊

I was induced at 37+4 as I had preeclampsia which was getting worse so it was decided DD1 was better out than in. Went in at 10am, had a gel pessary, at 10.30pm I rolled over in bed so they could put the monitor on me, and my waters went spontaneously. DD1 was born at 10.29 the following morning. I had an epidural and it was all fine.

Hi OP. I was also induced at 37 weeks. Baby was also measuring small so not sure he was entirely ready. Anyhow, I had a propess pessary. Not a lot happened for the first 6 hours, but I spent as much of it as possible walking around the hospital grounds, standing up and bouncing on a birthing ball. Contractions began around 7 hours after the pessary was inserted, I was 10cm a couple of hours later and he was born in the birthing pool an hour after that.
I couldn’t have asked for a better induction and my midwife told me to share my story as most women don’t hear positive induction stories.
I had a playlist of some of my favourite music to listen to through headphones which I found helpful to relax (and drown out the tv from the cubicle next door). Also a TENS machine which I used once the contractions started and it definitely helped.
We were in for a week afterwards so I really appreciated my own pillow and ALL the snacks!