How long does induction take?

[CraftyPeachBear]

For those who have had an induction, how long until baby arrived?

Im expecting to be induced around 37 weeks, which will be 24th Dec. Do I plan for a Christmas Day baby?

It’s so variable unfortunately. Likely to have a Christmas Day baby though.

11hrs, second baby. Induced with the internal gel at 37 weeks after PPROM at 34.

DD was born the day after the induction was scheduled because I wasn’t given the gel until 6pm. So to have your baby on 24th you’d need an early start and a quick induction.

If this is your first, then a Boxing Day (or later) baby might be more likely

No way to predict it. I was 13 hours from pessary to delivery. SIL had the pessary and 24 hours later still wasn't really un labour.

Both my babies were induced at 37 weeks.

My first took 5 days. 2 lots of 24 hour pessaries, a Foley catheter, then a lot of waiting around for a bed on labour ward for ARM and the drip.

My second took 3 hours. 1 pessary sent me straight into labour.

Myself and my cousin were due around the same time. She went 10 days over, was induced, 48 hours later ended up.in a section because she still wasn't progressing.

I on the other hand, was induced and had my baby within 4 hours on his due date.

Everyone is different.

Really individual to each person.

I Had 3 inductions. The first was started early on 30th Dec, and I didn’t give birth until Jan 1st.

second was 12 hours

third took 90 mins.

Started Thursday lunchtime, baby arrived very early hours of Saturday. Home on the Sunday afternoon

2 hours. 2nd baby. I was 42 weeks.

Started just before midnight on the Tuesday and had my 2nd DD on the Sunday, pessary worked initially but the contractions then stopped, and the rest was waiting around for a bed on the labour ward for my waters to be broken as they were so short staffed

I would ask for a different date. I was induced on Xmas day due to pre-eclampsia and there was no consultant in the ward until 27 Dec.

I was induced at 10am on the Thursday.
My son was born by EMCS at 5am on the Friday.

Very hard to say. Induction at 37 weeks will surely be very different to 42 weeks.

Even if similar timeframes they can vary hugely - I was 10 days over and my induction took 6 hours (5 hours of nothing, 45 mins 2cm-baby out, horrendous!).

Friend was 14 days over and her induction took 5 days. Also horrendous!

I’d honestly (and did, subsequently, twice) choose a c section instead.

I think the answers will vary hugely here @CraftyPeachBear

I was induced Saturday night and baby was born early Tuesday morning 🤣 it was a slog!! - but all fine thankfully, no interventions and we were home by mid afternoon ☺️

@Ramblingaway Makes a sensible point - maybe ask about staffing etc. I think I’d rather hold off until just after Xmas.

First baby — 3 days for me and it ended in EMCS

I went in on the Monday morning but they made me wait until 5 am on the Tuesday morning. They broke my waters, gave me two hours to go into labour, decided they needed me out so hooked me up to the drip (which was absolutely torturous) and baby arrived within half an hour. Sounds easy but it was bloody horrendous.

It’s so hard to get a true answer for this because everyone is so different.

For me I had a stretch and sweep at 39+4 and nothing happened. I went in for induction at 40+2 for induction. At the hospital they found that they were going to be able to just break my waters to see if that would work. They broke my waters next morning at 7am, I went into labour pretty much immediately after and my baby was born just under 12 hours later.

Mine ended up not being a true induction although I was offered Syntocinon but declined.

Good luck!

I'd prepare for a Christmas or boxing day baby. As you have to prepare for hospital logistics as well as length of labour. I was brought in for induction at 36+6 and baby was born at 37+1 even though my actual induction was 20h and active labour 6h.

At 36+6 there were no induction beds so they repeated my bloods and they were no worse than the day before so they said I could wait until the next day. They did a sweep to see if that would get things going and sent me home. They said they would phone me the following morning, they phoned at lunchtime and told me to come in at 3 to be induced.
I arrived at 3 and was put in an induction room, I was there about 2h before I was seen, they put me on a monitor for a while and repeated blood tests. They couldn't start the induction until they knew they were optimistic that there would be a birthing room ready for when I needed it. They put the pessetry in at 8 pm, this could be in for up to 24h but I only needed it in for 4h for me to be firmly in labour, it was removed around midnight. I laboured relatively well and moved through to the birth room around 7 am, I had my waters broken at about 1 and baby arrived at 2.

I highly doubt they'd bring you in on Christmas Eve for a routine induction. They will have skeleton staff. Anyone who is off won't want to go in so they'll need to keep the staff they have in case of emergencies. Probably the 22nd/23rd or 27th

Thanks everyone!
I have to be induced for OC, so theyve said Ill be induced regardless of it being Christmas if needed. Isnt ideal at all but they wont let me go further than 37!
Just want an idea of how much to pack/take with me as Id planned for natural rather than induction, reckon Ill pack for longer than I thought now just incase! 😁

@CraftyPeachBear I’d definitely pack for a good few days ☺️ hopefully you won’t need it but easier to have it than not ☺️

I was induced for oc too. The original plan was to discuss induction at my "37 week induction" at my Obstetrician appointments at 37+3. They wanted the induction to be at 37 weeks ie before 38 weeks not necessarily at 37 weeks on the dot. I was having weekly to biweekly blood tests and knew that from 35 weeks it could be any time as if my levels increased they would get me straight in.
My blood test at 36+2 showed that my ALTs had increased again and now had low platelets so they got me in for repeat bloods at 36+5. These showed that my bile acid has jumped back up to the 80s, they had stabilised at 30s on UDCA. As soon as the consultant saw these she arranged for me to come straight in for induction. I was at the hospital about 2h after they reviewed the results, they repeated my blood tests when i got there and they were no worse than the day before so they said i was ok to wait for an induction bed before inducing me and could go home after the sweep. Had they been worse I think the plan was to keep me in and potentially start the induction on the ward. I was called about my blood results and need for induction at 1pm on the Saturday and they didn't start the induction until 8pm on the Sunday.

There's a thread on the childbirth board where another OC discuss her induction. They were originally looking at induction at 35 weeks but in the end they induced at 36 weeks. I would prepare for induction between 35 and 38 weeks, with moderate OC the risks come after 38 weeks

I packed an overnight bag at 32-33 weeks with things I needed for me, a couple of sets of pjs, underwear, wash bag, chargers, book, medication, cloth pads etc. I had a threatened preterm labour at 34 weeks so was glad I had that in the car and was admitted for extreme fatigue the following week and was in for 3 days.
When being induced I stayed in comfy clothes and didn't get changed so the overnight bag was sufficient.

OP, please don’t take this as a hippie dippie please give birth with dolphins post. Also feel free to ignore any and all things contained within this post. You must always make the decision that is best for you and your family. That being said, I really dislike the language of ‘need’ and ‘must’ within healthcare, it always feels like you’re being told to turn up for a detention in school. Care is a conversion between you and those providing it.

Please remember, any intervention is a recommendation, not a must do. You do have the right to decline any offer of treatment. You also have the right to ask to ask for a slight delay. Even if that is ‘I would like to be induced half way through week 37, rather than bang on 37/40.’ There’s a booklet about human rights in childbirth that you can read if you so wish.

The RCOG leaflet on induction of labour is also helpful to read before hand. If your trust offer it, it may be helpful to read about cooks balloon IOL as well.

The website labour pains by the royal college of anaesthetists is a great read for your options about pain relief in childbirth.

Sara Wickhams website is a good one for research around induction as well. She’s a midwife researcher and very good at what she does. She has written a book about IOL and associated research.

The British Liver Trust has lots of information about OC.

https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-conditions/intrahepatic-cholestasis-pregnancy/

It may be worth doing a hypnobirthing birthing book, or mindfulness type course. One of the leading factors in birth trauma is the loss of control, so having things/techniques that will help you feel in control during the whole process might feel helpful for you. This is not me saying you’ll have a horrid time, just things that I’ve found helpful in the past.

As for packing, I would bring those disposable heat pads. Perhaps bring a tens machine to help you through early labour, and things to help distract yourself. Pack nice tea bags, hospital tea bags leave a lot to be desired.

Also, I’d put things in easy to grab bags, just so you’re not digging through your case like a mad woman.

Once again, please feel free to ignore everything I’ve said, apart from my best wishes for the rest of your pregnancy and birth. A Christmas baby, how exciting!

I had an induction at 37 weeks with my first because my waters broke but my body didn’t go into labour. I had gel at 8pm which did nothing and then IV induction at 8am the following morning, he was born at 9pm that night

They absolutely would. Especially as there's a medical reason for it. Christmas Eve is the same as any other day.

Unfortunately OP it's like asking how long is a piece of string. I've not had OC but I have had two 37 week inductions. The first took 2 days from start to birth. The second took a little over 5 days due to delays. I would pack for 2-3 days, and if it looks like you're going to need more stuff, your partner can bring it in.

staffing will be exactly the same as any weekend/night/bank holiday.