Being induced on Wednesday - if nothing has happened - experiences please!

[LoveActually]

Was supposed to be having a sweep yesterday, due to midwife 'mixup' didn't happen. Ended up calling hospital because basically my last check up was nearly two weeks ago (now 41 weeks).
Anyway baby is fine, I am fine etc. Offered me a sweep but advice was to book in for an induction anyway. So I did.
Am wondering if there are any stats on induction, I know it can go wrong and that contractions can be more painful. Any advice gratefully recieved.
xx

do you want to be induced?

No not really, but I didn't want a sweep either! Am hoping (because by Wed will be 41 weeks and 6 days) that the baby will have arrived. I wanted to be booked in on the hospital's system just in case - having been left high and dry by community midwives.

why don't you ask just to be monitored instead?

At my hospital we assess a woman's cervix and depending how 'ripe' i.e. how much it has dilated, effaced, etc we will either use prostin gel or perform an ARM (artificial rupture of membranes). This can only done if the cervix is beginning to open. If it is a first baby you can have three lots of prostin depending on how you and baby are tolerating this, and whether you are contracting. If you are not labouring after the three lots, they will again assess to see if an ARM can be performed and assess the need for an oxytocin (synthetic version of the hormone your body produces in labour) drip. This means continuous monitoring for most women, but does not mean you have to be confined to bed! Many women report (myself included) that the contractions are more painful and less 'copable with' and many women find an epidural useful as by this point they have been in hospital for about 24 hours and are shattered. However, all of these interventions are YOUR choice and you should ask as many questions as you feel you want to. There are no guarantees with childbirth and no-one can tell you what will happen, only what is possible. Good luck honey!

The midwife didn't offer that option. I decided not to have a sweep (offered to me today) because I do feel strongly that baby will come when she is ready. It's only now I'm realising just how uninformed I am i.e. midwife has only really been covering the basics. Hospital midwife asked me today if I was having a home birth. This is the first time anyone has even mentioned this to me!

Hello reikizen. My only 'experience' of induction is my sister, when it didn't work and she ended up having a CS.
I'm going to register with new community midwife service tomorrow (which is what I should have done when we moved) and see how it goes.
x

here are the NICE guidelines on induction of labour

Thanks Kristina. Looking at that now.
I'm still going to play it by ear (or should that be bump) and possibly asked to be monitored instead.
However, I am extremely uncomfortable, can't eat (had stomach problems before I got pg, which have got steadily worse in the last week to the extent every mouthful gives me heartburn) and have somehow managed to badly strain rib muscles on right hand side so I can't get up or lie down without DP having to help. x

i know...i went to 40+17 and 40 +19 with my last two. late pg is not fun

Did you have induction or sweep or did you ask to be monitored? x

I had DC2 on 17th Dec and was induced and compared to my first labour it was much, much better.
Was admitted to hospital on the Monday evening and dose of prostin gel was administered. To cut a long story short, I eventually needed 3 doses of the gel which was applied over a 18 hour period and gave me periody cramps, but not much more. The ward I was in was quiet, so sleep was not a problem - I realise this was maybe just luck .
On the Tuesday evening when midwife examined me I was told I was now favourable for induction and it would be carried out the following morning - apparently the nightshift don't like extra work with induction ladies. The following morning after tea and toast (served to me in bed no less!!) my waters were broken. One hour later I was put on syntocinon drip (11am), contractions were fast and furious and I requested an epidural, but it didn't work which I'm really, really glad about now. DC2 was born at 2.40pm that afternoon and I managed on gas and air...not bad as I'm a complete wimp with pain
I had a wonderful midwife so that helped a lot, but I was really pleased with my induction experience. They're not always bad

Thank you HM,
Like everything I guess experiences vary. Anyway woke up with what feel like really bad period pains, made me wince but subsided. That was 45 minutes ago, so maybe, just maybe..

I was induced with DS (I had high blood pressure so there was a need to get things moving) and I have to say it wasn't bad at all!
I know things don't always go to plan with an induction but my experience was very positive.
The ONLY bad thing was that when they adminisitered the prostin gel which was placed by my cervix, that was pretty painful ("some women may experience mild discomfort" was what the advice said! Ha bloody ha). Anyway with the second tablet, they gave me gas and air whilst they inserted it. Fan - bloody - tastic. Helped no end. So I would def recommend having a bit of that when the gel is given.
The advice also was to have an epidural before the syntocinon was hooked up as the contractions bought on by that come on quite quickly. I did and it was fine. Active labour for about 18 hours and DS born with a bit of help with the ventouse. No problemo as was still hooked up to the epidural at the time.
Hope all goes well for you what ever happens.

So ladyhelen - you recommend insisting on gas and air when they insert the gel? I'm not too bad with pain though but you never know.
I am coming round to the idea of induction as this morning my rib pain was aggravated when I reached for soap in the shower. I know it's not anything serious as I was checked out by m/w yesterday but I don't think it's going to be good for me to carry on much longer. Have also lost 2lbs since last Monday, I know this can happen but I think it's a sign. x

I've been induced a couple of times. At 42 weeks with DD1. Induced with pessary at 11pm at night, contractions started during the night and DD born around 10am, with just a bit of gas and air for help.

DS1 induced at 40+5 weeks, due to his projected size and my problems walking. Had prostin pessaries over 2 days, but nothing happened. Declined to be put on a drip as concerned it would lead to a c-section. Asked if it was ok to go home and come back a few days later, and they said yes. Had next induction booked for 42weeks, but started contractions in the night before. DS born a few hours later, into water, with gas and air. He was big at 10lb 4.5oz.

I am really glad that I didn't continue with the induction at 41 weeks, as I am sure it would have ended with much more intervention.

I would say, see how the induction goes, with DD1, I was clearly ready and it all happened quickly. DS1 had no intention of coming initially, and if you don't have to, then I would recommend waiting as long as possible, although I sympathise with wanting it over..

I suppose every woman is different, but if I had to be induced again then I think I would INSIST on gas and air before they went anywhere near me with those pessaries. But thats just my experience! TBH I've not heard of anyone else doing that. I may just be a complete wuss.

It's good to know all your experiences as I know being induced can come with another load of issues. I want to avoid CS but saying that none of my friends who've had them have complained.
If the first pessary works (with gas and air!) then I'll probably be back here saying how great it was. I'm glad you told me about the G&A ladyhelen because anything that can help with increased pain is good. x

Loveactually. I was induced with my first. I had my 1st dose of prostin around 6pm, and expected my next 6 hours later, I started getting contractions, fairly mild and bearable after about 2 hours. I was then told that they were short staffed and if they did offer me another prostin at 12 and went into labour that they wouldn't cope. So i was left overnight, contractions died down by breakfast time but i didn't get a wink of sleep. I waited to be examined the next morning no dilation or movement in my cervix. 2nd dose of prostin given mid afternoon, same thing happened again, contractions, painful enough to take my breath away and make me ask for pain relief. again not enough staff on, left for contractions to die down. Another sleepless night. I may as well have been in labour the lack of sleep and exhaustion i felt. Examined again next morning. no dilation, no chance of breaking my waters. I was told i could have a final dose of prostin that afternoon and if thatw orked they would try and break my waters, they said they could try and break them anyway, but tey might not reach them and it could be excruciatingly painful. or i may end up with a c-section.

I burst into tears. I was shattered, fed up and just wanted to see my baby.
I alwasy remember a friend telling me, if you think there's a chance you'll end up with an emergency c-section, opt for a planned 1 if you can.
I couldn't imagine another night of no sleep and then having the pain of labour and need for energy which i just didn't have.
So i todl them i wanted a c-section, which they tried to talk me out of. I knew the risks.
So i was booked in for the next morning, and my almost 9lb son was born safe and well.

I know that it was the right choice for me at the time. The only regret i have, which i hadn't considered at the time, is that if i had a c-section again next the next time and then the next, due to medical reasons it could make a difference to how many children my body could cope with carrying.

I went on to have a 2nd child 15 months later, who i laboured with naturally until 7 centimetres then he went into distress so ended up with an emergency section, and painful recovery, and now 18 months on I am due my 3rd baby, and i have been given no choice about having a c-section or natural, they have said its too risky for my body.

Also not that i'm having any more after this, but if i wanted to i would need to seriously consider the hightened risks of complications.

So you are doing absolutely the right thing by getting as many opinions and experiences from people. I wish i had known more when i went in for my first, and i thought i knew a lot.

I hope our little bundle of joy makes an appearance soon. I had braxtons with my 2nd for a week which eventually made for a speedy dilation to 4cms without me knowing, and he was born at 41wks, so yours will come when its ready.

Good luck

Hi diddle,
My sister had two lots of hormones, but she never went into labour (hip problems) and ended up with a CS because baby was in distress.
Have to be honest I am adamant that I only want one child. I had wanted to have children earlier (am 37) but because of career etc I ended up delaying. I do feel like an 'old' mum not that I wish I'd started my family earlier just that i want to be 'fairly young' when my DD is older. I also think my body could not cope with another pregnancy as I've had problems with my hips for years(congenital hip dislocation).
Anyway this could be theoretical and I go into labour later on today...

I was induced and it was fairly traumatic. The only reason I was induced was that I went 10 days over my projected due date. I had the pessary (don't recall it being particulary painful - not nice but not as bad as ladyhelen's experience) at 6pm and was having full-on contractions 5 mins apart by 9pm. I had a shot of pethidine at about 10pm I think which didn't do much and I was allowed gas and air eventually.
I was continually monitored and they were worried about DS's heartbeat. I was "allowed" to push for about 40mins and then went into theatre where he was delivered by ventouse. I had to have a spinal block. When they got him out they realised the cord was round his neck.
Anyway, he was fine and I was fine physically but I do kind of feel like I was cheated out of a "normal" labour. It all happened very, very quickly and all my preparation for labour went out of my head. I think I kind of went into shock.

With hindsight, I think that maybe it would have been better to wait and be monitored although I was very fed up of being pregnant and getting very down. I'm definitely not saying that you shouldn't be induced - just be prepared that things can happen very quickly and know about the interventions that may result.

That is the thing isn't it. It could go really well, or could end up with CS. My DD-to-be has two days! Hope she's not always going to be this late! x

There are no guarantees either way though LoveActually, even if you go into labour naturally you may end up with a C-section. But, as you know, the risks are increased with induction...it's a tricky one! It's difficult as by the time you get there you are just at the "get this baby OUT!" stage which makes it difficult to make a reasoned decision.
You sound like you are doing a good job though, I wish I'd been as prepared.

i was induced with both of mine and the best advice i can give u is be prepared for it to take awhile! u could end up in hospital a couple of days before baby even comes, but good luck whatever happens x

I was induced. Had one dose of prostin and fully expected to be in it for the long haul. Spent the day wandering about the hospital breathing through what I thought were prostin pains. Then they let me have a bath... on my own and I couldn't get out, not for the pain but cos I just couldn't move.

Checked after six hours, 2cm... they said that was good. Not looking forward to 1cm/hour, went down to labour ward, sent mother to beg for an epidural and by the time she was back I was crouched by the bed pushing! Noone told me that the pessary alone could be so fast! 8cm in 40 minutes. They only broke my waters when they were bulging out... which wasn't nice.

The worst thing for me was the monitoring. They keep a really really close leash on you and I HATED keeping still with those bloody leads on me. Needless to say, the MWs were not at all sympathetic.

Anyway, it ended with ventouse as DDs heartrate was dipping to 60, and she had cord round neck on deliverly.