Foley ballon method induction stories…

[meadowkoa]

Hi all,

I may be getting induced in a couple of weeks via the balloon foley method due to c section first time.

I wondered what people’s stories were as I don’t know anyone who’s been induced this way. Good or bad, let me know! I like to be prepared!!

thanks xx

I had this method 20 yrs ago, a doctor who came from a different country, told me that they didn’t have access to the same kind of drugs we have in the UK, so they used Foley catheters to dilate a woman’s cervix as an induction. I agreed to try as the pessaries hadn’t really worked. Now, it was not a pleasant experience, lots of pain, but I can’t tell you if it was the previous drugs/actual labour or the Foley catheter. Positive is if you don’t like it, it’s too painful, it’s easy for a midwife to remove it! It didn’t work for me and ended up having IV drugs to move labour along. I haven’t heard of anyone else having this since, but don’t know that many people who have been pregnant recently! Hope it goes well!

Thank you xx

I had the balloon inserted at 10pm and give birth at 00.21.
My water broke within 45 minutes after
the balloon being inserted.
The balloon was then removed and I was taken to labour ward.
Ds was born an hour after being on labour ward.

I don't recommend it. It was painful and it didn't work.

highly recommend :) as with all inductions, how fast/well it works depends a bit on whether you’ve had babies before and how your cervix is to start with.
I had Foley in at 10pm, not sore (although some find insertion painful, usually you can use entenox gas if you wish). Wee bit of mild cramping, balloon fell out 0200. Had planned epidural after that then broke waters 0400, had a nap, baby here 0830. Honestly probably would have been fine without the epidural but I wanted to try it after previous unmedicated spontaneous labours! And I thought I would want it if I needed the oxytocin drip.

I work in this area also and chose this method over hormonal methods.

These comments have made me feel a lot better! Thanks all x