I had a late term medical at 17 weeks due to suffering with severe mental disorders I was deemed unfit to continue pregnancy by my family and doctors, so I felt pressured to go through with it. Had bought everything for him, was very existed to continue but I didn't want to get into trouble as have previously had a baby adopted out 6 years ago when I was 17. I had to travel 300 miles to the clinic as there's only one I believe that do late term medicals.
I took the first tablet on the Monday, felt really bad emtoionally the rest of the day and a bit crampy.
Second lot were taken the day after and I think it took 3 sets before anything happened. I was in hospital but the nurses were busy with other people. About 3 hours had passed and the pain was unbearable, and that's coming from someone who has given birth before. It was probably more intense as it came on so quickly. They gave me injections even though my plans stated not to be given medication via injection but I was in too much pain to have a say at that point. They didn't do anything to help the pain but after a few hours of rolling around on the bathroom floor screaming my waters broke. Then a few minutes later i had to push and then baby was there, he was pretty much the same as a full term but darker and skinnier. About 6-7 inches head to toe. I'm not sure what you'd do if you didn't want to see as it does happen so quickly, once you feel something you could get a nurse to take it away. I personally chose to wrap him in his blanket and spend some time with him, take pictures etc. Nurses had to cut his cord and put a clip on. I asked to have his handprints and footprints done. I also got a necklace made with his name and date of birth on.
It's been 2 years and I struggle so much with it still, can't look at his pictures without crying, but can't change the past. Drs weren't helpful when I asked for help, they stuck me on antidepressants which made me worse when I asked for someone to talk to. To this day I still haven't found any therapists to vent to about what happened.
Sorry if this seems awful, I guess I will never get over what happened but the experience itself was fine and no different from an early termination at 7-9 weeks. Pain wise I would push for gas and air, even though the nurses said no to my request. If you request it early enough they should give it to you. They had to give me an injection afterwards to help stop the bleeding, I think I had about 6 different injections while I was there which thinking about it now I wish I stood up for myself and said no.
Physcial recovery was fine, I bled for 3 weeks or so. Was a bit achy and tired for a few days after. There's not much information on late term termination around so hopefully this has helped a bit. I don't personally know anyone who's had a late term one so I felt like I was the only one going through with it for non medical reasons. I'm still in the same position now as I was back then, still living at home no job in my (near) mid twenties so I can't imagine how it would've worked out. I guess at the time I thought I'd make it work but I've always been very optimistic