Some questions about being induced/labour on MONDAY!!!

[Shahhhh]

Hi! So I’m being induced on Monday at 39 weeks due to high blood pressure. It’s our first baby so we really don’t know what to expect! I’m at hospital on Sunday morning for a balloon to be fitted. I’m already 1cm dilated so depending how far I am on Sunday, they’ll fit that and I keep it in til Monday unless it falls out.

I know most hospitals/trusts can differ but for anyone who’s been in this position…

1. will I have my own room when being induced? I’ve heard sometimes you’re put on a ward?
2. will my partner be able to stay the whole time? I’m anxious about him having to leave and something happening
3. if we’re in for a long time, will we get food? I’m going to take snacks but what about actual food?

feel like I have a million questions but can’t think right now! Thanks so much in advance :)

In my experience:

Own room during induction but ward before and after

Partner could stay if he liked during induction but not able to stay on ward at night once baby born (I stayed one night as had emcs)

No food given during induction

On ward for induction.
partner able to stay 24/7 if you want them to.
meals provided for you as the one receiving care not for partner.
induction can take days so I’d send partner home to sleep over night as things are unlikely to happen quickly even if they do start when they aren’t there.

At my hospital there is a ward for induction. Curtains are pulled around you but you'll be expected to be in a 4 bed ward sometimes. I was lucky and got my own room for my induction. You can request a separate room but if it's busy, it'll be a no.

Partners can stay until night time on the ward. Then they'll be expected to go. If you reach established labour before and are moved to delivery, they can stay with you until baby is born and after providing its still daytime.

Food isn't given during induction. You can have water. And partners do not get offered more than a cup of tea.

Thank you all ☺️

logistics like the rooms will vary between Trusts - why not ask yours what the set up is. Often inductions are started on the antenatal ward (small bays) and then once your in established labour/are good to have an ARM then you get transferred to the labour ward (individual rooms).

You can normally eat and drink as normal early on. Clear fluids at least should be allowed all the way through. They may give different advice about food depending on how things are going/synto drip/epidural so ask them.
If you've not already seen the labourpains.org website it may be an interesting thing to do to pass the time early on - has lots of objective info about pain relief options.

I see my midwife today at 3 so I plan on asking her all the questions - was just interested to see what others have experienced here!

thanks so much. We only went for a scan on Tuesday and found out we were being booked in so it’s been a whirlwind!!! 😂

I was on a ward for the induction. DH wasn’t sent home, but that might have been because I was induced due to PPROM so they weren’t going to let it take a long time - if the gel hadn’t kicked things off (it did) I’d have had the drip a set number of hours later which would have been the middle of the night. I was given the internal gel at about 6pm, taken to labour ward at 1am.
I was offered dinner on the ward. And we went for a walk round the hospital/outside at about 8pm to try and keep things moving.

I’d download a few films onto your phone to watch.

For me,

• Yes to ward
• yes to partners allowed all day but encouraged to go home at night - but my induction didn’t work until I went on the drip in the labour ward and had my waters broken by the midwife - then he stayed 24/7 just in case.
• I had meals on the induction ward. They weren’t v good so I’d pop out for a Pret while waiting for my two pessaries to work.

good luck!

Btw he won’t get food I’m sure unless you’re paying privately or something.

From my experience,
Induced on a ward with 3 other beds in the area. All 3 women there were also induced and at varying stages.
Husband could stay throughout but wasnt offered food. To be fair, neither was I just due to the timing of things.
Once baby was born and all drama had finished I was moved to a post natal ward of 6 women. Again partners could stay but werent catered for.
There was a small kitchen that partners could use though for food so DH got a microwave curry of all things from the M&S downstairs and cooked that.
Cant say the staff were thrilled with the smell of wafting madras throughout the unit.

I got food during induction on a 4 bedded ward!

I also left ward and went to the canteen for a better meal when nothing much was happening. X

1. IME (2 inductions) inductions start in a 4 bed bay on the antenatal ward. It isn't until you are in labour or your waters are broken you are moved to a private room.

2. Yes. In my first induction I had my partner with me from the start. However he had to go home once visiting time was over (8pm in my trust). My second we were old hands, and he stayed home until he was needed.

3. If you are an inpatient (not a day case) you should be fed meals. Your partner will have to fend for themselves no matter what though.