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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

anyone been induced early?

14 replies

emmaij · 24/04/2003 17:14

anyone been induced early as an alternative to a c-section? What was it like? And what happens?

(This early induction or c-section is due to previous difficult birth)

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grommit · 24/04/2003 17:23

emmaij - I was nearly 2 weeks late with dd and was induced. I hate to be one of these women who shares birth horror stories but getting induced was a bit of a nightmare for me. I was really not prepared for what would happen. I was taken in on Friday night and some gel inserted to start labour - I spent the night in complete agony - not like contractions as you get a break between these but constant pain - I was vomiting it was so bad. The next morning they broke my waters at around 11am and then put me on a drip to start labour. The labour was more intense but not any worse than i expected and I got through it without an epidural. I have vowed this time that I will NOT be induced, even if I have to pay for a private C-Sec. I would advise anyone to avoid being induced if at all possible! Sorry to be so blunt but am just being honest

SoupDragon · 24/04/2003 17:26

I was offered both an early induction and an elective c-section with DS2 but turned them down. This was due to a difficult 1st birth and large babies.

I actually went into labour naturally 2 weeks early in the end though (due, I like to believe, to hypnotherapy )

Hope it all works out for you, emmaij.

WedgiesMum · 24/04/2003 17:35

I've been induced with both mine. With DS at two weeks over, and with DD at term (because DS had been HUGE and they wanted to avoid having another really big baby)and although labour does start quickly into bad pains if you are 'ready' to set off it doesn't always happen that way. With DD I wasn't ready to give birth and was induced 4 times before I dilated enough to have my waters broken to get things going, after that pains were quite strong (and assisted by a drip), but length of labour not too long really.

I'm not sure I would advise a c-section instead of induction though. Several friends have had them second time round and found that the pain afterwards, plus having a little baby and a toddler (or two!) to cope with, and the fact that it is major abdoninal surgery after all, has made the first few weeks at home really difficult.

For me I was home with DD within 10 hours and fit as a flea, in fact to midwife had to stop me doing so much because I just didn't feel like I'd had a baby!!

Basically induction is the insertion of a gel pessary as high up towards your cervix as possible, then they monitor you and the baby to see how you both cope, if it sets you off they let you carry on, if not they will do another pessary. then you'll proceed as if you started off naturally, and you can have as natural a birth as you want. they may use syntocinon if you need it to speed things up a bit (ie contracting but not dilating) in which case you will be very closely monitored, but I would have thought that they'd take good care of you anyway of you've had a previous difficult birth.

Sorry to ramble on - got carried away. Hope it helps and let me know if i can say (even) more!!

Slinky · 24/04/2003 17:44

I was induced a week early with DS1 and had a fab birth!

My labour was 1 hour 15 mins from the start of contractions to end - my son was born in the birthing pool, which caught everyone by surprise LOL!

I would have no worries if I was to be induced again - out of my 3 births, DSs was the best !

jobey · 24/04/2003 18:59

I was induced and had my son 10 days early.It's o.k to be induced if your ready anyway But I wasn't it took 3 lots of the gel to get me started and I was so sore bt the end of it and had like a period pain from the 2nd lot of gel.After the 3rd lot I was in even more pain and they wouldn't belive I was in labour (1st baby) they sent me to bed with a sedative injection and a sleeping tablet 2 hours after that my waters broke ended up with forcepts because I was so knackered.The last bit would't happen to you of course but it could still take some time.I vowed I would never ever be induced again.On the other hand that really is a small amount of pain to go through and only a couple of days compared to a c-section I've had one off those to and wouldn't have one unless it was ness.I was told when I was induced that there is more chance of it all ending in a C-section,forcepts if induced anyway.So it's a difficult choice.When is the baby due?

morocco · 24/04/2003 19:40

hi emmaij
just wanted to say that induction as an alternative to c section might not work out that way - I tried it first but then the baby was in distress so c section anyway.
I hope this isn't depressing - I didn't have anything I would call bad contractions whilst being induced (altho after 12 hours was only 3cm dilated so not really very far along)and just in my own experience would recommend trying it but being mentally prepared for a c section jsut in case. It does involve continuos monitoring if they put you on the drip so this might interfere with any plans you have for walking around, kneeling on bed etc altho I understand some hospitals are more flexible about it.

lou33 · 24/04/2003 21:37

I was induced 4 weeks early. One lot of gel, which I swore wasn't working, but it was because I was 4 cm, waters broken and baby boy 22mins later. The worst part was breaking the water, could've happily kicked the doc in the face. Felt like kissing him when he had finished though.

sobernow · 24/04/2003 21:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Claireandrich · 24/04/2003 21:46

Please don't rely on an iduction over a cs. It might not work out that way so better be prepared for any eventuality. I was induced (12 days overdue, not early) but it just didn't work properly at all for me. I had 3 lots of the gel, the drip, the lot. The induction got me to 2cm only - on the 3rd evening I still ended up having a cs.

As one or two others have said, induction can be an unpleasant experience too. Mine was painful and unsuccessful. Despite only getting to 2cm I was in agony for a whole night with one long constant contraction - no let up at all! Personally I would never want to be induced again.The cs was such a relief on the end! Mind, I have heard of others where induction has been great so you can never tell. I guess all births are like that one way or the other.

BTW, my cs was great and my revcovery was pretty easy too. I had DD at 8:50pm, and was up and about, having a shower and breakfast the next morning. I was out of the hospital on the 3rd morning. I've had no problems with my scar either. True it is major surgery and you have to be careful to take it easy - no housework! But, if followed a cs can be very positive experience.

Good luck with your decision. Hope all goes as you want it to.

mears · 24/04/2003 23:02

emmaij - what was previous difficult birth. I have seen that writtn in the notes and it turns out difficult birth might have been the result of induction in the first place.

I have been induced 3 times as a result of complications with rhesus antibodies. I found each experience to be actaally OK, despite being induced 5 weeks early with no.3. Would you mind giving more details?

SamboM · 25/04/2003 16:05

emmaij, I was induced on my due date for a number of reasons. I had 6 doses of prostin gel over 6 days which did almost nothing. Then they managed to get the crochet hook in and artificially rupture my membranes. Gave me the drip for 12 hours and nothing happened so I got a csection. Had huge haemorrage afterwards (10hrs gen anaesthetic, intensive care for 1 day, HDU for 3), they said it was because my womb was floppy and exhausted from the induction and would not deflate and stem the bleeding from where the placenta came away.

The reason they did the 6 doses on 6 days was because they said they were understaffed and couldn't cope if I got overstimulated (ie contractions too strong)!!! So instead they nearly killed me by doing it slowly. Watch out that they don't do that to you, with prostin you should really have one dose then another with proper monitoring it shouldn't be a problem.

If I had my time again I would DEFINITELY go straight for a c-section which was fine. The waiting during induction is awful and everyone I know who has been induced has had a long wait.

Don't want to scare you but is best to know all the facts, I wish I had!

Original poster

emmaij · 01/05/2003 09:17

Oooh, some pretty scary induction stories there. But thanks everyone for coming back to me with your experiences. It helps to know what might happen.

My last baby was big and I'm small and so her shoulders got stuck. I was lucky to be in very experienced hands so all was all right in the end - but poor little thing came out all blue, needed resusitating and gave everyone a scare.

So now I'm being advised to either have a c-section, or be induced early (Neither, of course, I want.)

OP posts:

quackers · 01/05/2003 09:57

Could I please join in to give a positive experience of being induced? I really didn't want to be but you only ever hear bad stories and not good ones.

I was induced a week overdue. I was given a gel and within a couple of hours the contractions started getting stronger. They gave me another gel 4 hours later and they got even stronger. I kept thinking don't take pain releif this is going to get a hell of a lot worse. I was then told that I was 9 cm and almost ready to push!! The pushing was hard and they put ina catheter to make some space then said they would give syntocin drip if I didn't push her out now as her heartbeat had gone doen to 60bpm! this alone made me push for england and she came out!! The labour was short, steady, painful but got by on gas and air and TENS! For a real wimp that's great!! I would be induced again. I didn't get to use anything in my labour bag - it was over too quick!

WedgiesMum · 01/05/2003 10:15

Just a thought emmaij but have they checked to see how big this baby is?? My first baby was 5kg (11lb 2oz) which is why I was induced at term with no2 (see my earlier post). they measured no2 all through pregnancy and decided to induce at term because they thought she might be big too if left too long, and she turned out at a mere 8lb 8oz (they reckoned that if we went as far over as with no1 she would have been close on 10 lb). They can do a scan and take some measurements and make a good guess, and see how 'wide' this one is so you could make a more informed judgement....

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