Induction advice?!

[1stBump12]

I've been to see the consultant today as my MW referred me because of my SPD...
He has offered to induce me on the 12th Nov, which will be 6 days before my EDD. He was foreign (as they all seem to be these days ) and didn't really explain anything except they wouldn't induce before 39 weeks...
Can anyone who has been induced give me some advice about the process etc? Part of me is pleased to have a date to aim for with regards to me being more comfortable (seeing an end of the pain of SPD) but there is also a part of me that isn't sure about it (might be because I don't really understand what to expect?!?)
So any advice would be gratefully received... TIA xx

 

[CARNAT22]

My hospital seem to be very anti induction (they only offer the first sweep at 41w ) but this is for low risk pregnancies.

Medical circumstances do make all the difference, and if you are suffering that badly then it is good to know the end is in sight.

I think you need to weigh up the pro's and con's though.

Inductions (depending on if you have pessaries / drip etc) do tend to make for a more painful labour and increase the risk of needing intervention. This isn't always the case of course - I am just speaking in broad terms here.

Personally I would want to do anything to avoid induction but I am having a healthy pregnancy and my attitude would be different if I was in lots of pain.

When is your next appointment? Maybe you will see you someone who can explain things a little better to you?

xxxxx

 

[1stBump12]

I don't have any other appointments booked My MW is still as rubbish now as what she was at the beginning!! I was due to see her on the 13th, and when by chance I saw her down the hospital today and said about the induction and the fact that I wouldn't be seeing her on the 13th if I went ahead she turned around and said 'that's ok I'll just have a coffee instead...' No offer to bring my appointment forward or anything - she hasn't even talked about labour with me!!

Truely if it wasn't for this forum or the few books I have - I'd be even more clueless than I am already!!

 

[Cantstop]

I was induced at 38+5 due to gestational diabetes. I don't have any 'advice' but I'll tell you what happened in mine so you can get an idea of what to expect. I went in Monday 4pm-ish and had a pessary inserted, OH got sent home and I had to chill out in a room by myself for the night. Nothing happened from the first pessary so got another one around 10pm. Slept ok that night, had a few tightenings and a bit uncomfortable at moments but nothing major. Next morning I got took round to the labour ward to have my waters broken. I can't remember now if I had breakfast first or not, but if I was then after that I wasn't allowed anything to eat at all until the baby was born incase I needed a section.

Had my waters broken around 10am, was 2-3cm dilated, and got put on the drip. Started off quite slow but by 12pm was contracting good. Was irritating having the drip attached to me as I kept wanting to go to the loo and had to wheel the stuff round with me. Got offered an epidural either then, or after they'd been to surgery for booked in c-sections, but as I was only 3cm and contractions weren't too bad I said I'd wait till they'd done them and get one later. An hour later I was tired and sick of never ending contractions - it was more that they were exhaustingly relentless rather than really painful - and they popped back in to say they had been delayed and were off to theatre now, and I said I wanted the epidural then before they went in to theatre. Got my epidural in around 2pm and then just lay on the bed snoozing and watching True Blood on my laptop while midwives periodically checked how dilated I was. I didn't really progress much past 3cm so at 6pm was told that if nothing much happened in the next few hours I'd be taken down for a section. At 9pm I got checked again, fully expecting to be taken for the section and they discovered I'd went from 3cm to 10cm in the past few hours, so section off. Got left for an hour for baby's head to get into position and everything and then at 10pm was ready to start pushing. She was born after about 15 mins of pushing.

I did have to be cut as her head was twisted a bit and I did tear but I'm not sure if that was from the epidural or if I would have anyway. I would definitely still opt for an epidural this time again as I had hours and hours of rest from it and found the whole experience very positive. I did have a lot of bleeding afterwards but can't blame that on the epi.

I expect to get GD again this time and end up getting induced a week early again, and my advice to me I suppose would be to take the epi as soon as offered next time and also I LOVED the gas and air (didn't need it due to having epi but enjoyed it so much!) so will be chuffing on that as much as possible I tried using a tens machine last time but it bugged the shit out of me so won't be bothering this time.

 

[1stBump12]

Thanks for that cantstop Found that very helpful, as am almost too scared to look online as it always seems to show the horror stories first - v helpful to hear your experience, doesn't sound quite so scary now!
I am only going to be 4-6 days early (there's still a bit of a ? over my dates, and she's measuring 2 weeks ahead) so I'm quite happy that LO will be more than ok...

 

[Kellybean]

Never look online

I refused my induction last week, but might have to have one if baby isn't here next week.

I have terrible SPD on crutches etc but induction was not an option for me. I am being induced because baby is measuring over 8lb and I am very small and really struggling to carry the weight...so I guess it has a little to do with SPD as well. Just thought of that.

But I was given fantastic advice by my midwife so for you to have nothing is terrible. Foreign or not, your not an expert on inductions and it is an unnatural way to bring on labour, so I think you should have been given far more advice and support. Very disappointing.

The thing is you don't know what to expect and we are all different in our pregnancies and labour so I would just try and stay positive and the attitude of 'bring it on'...well that's what I am trying to tell myself. good luck with it all x

 

[kaz1983]

i was started off at 37+6 id say due to a combination of having a show and id developed an itch the two weeks previously.

I hasd read online about induction and was expecting a pessary but nope straight to the drip started at 7am on the monday morning and apparenly by 2pm i was 8cm dilated started pushing at 415ish and Elise was born at 6.1.

Now i dont know whether it was due to having diamorphine injection but I can honestly say (although not completely painfree) it wasny exceptionally sore like i was expecting

Elise was born naturally with only slight intervenion in the form of an episiotomy

hope this helps xx

 

[Lolly85x]

I was induced at 41+3... I only had my 1st sweep at 40+6 and they left me a few days. Nothing happened. My induction was booked for the Friday morning.
I had a really positive induction story, I loved my labour.
It was uncomfortable when the tablets were in.
I had my waters broken at 7.55pm, then I had a drip inserted. It was painful, as your body doesn't build up to contractions. I had a morphing injection, and an epidural. It didn't work as well as it should have. I could feel every contraction which was good for pushing.
I was 1 1/2 cms when my waters were broken, then at 11.45pm I was 9cms. My baby was born at 2.38am only a slight tear. A couple of stitches. I was home 12 hours after birth. Recovered really quickly. Iv had a great labour and post labour experience. I wouldn't hesitate to be induced next time.xxx

 

[Lolly85x]

I did have 3 pessaries inserted and it was the Saturday night my waters was broken. Longest part of my labour was trying to soften my cervix xxx

 

[cosmicgirl]

I didn't have the pessary or gel as I was already contracting but I did have the pitocin drip. I dreaded it as I'd heard horror stories but it was no different to my other labours. It was fine and I had a really positive experience x

 

[cosmicgirl]

Also, I'd been inserting EPO capsules vaginally and mw commented on how soft my cervix was early on x

 

[Jaxx01]

I've been induced twice! First time I went straight on the drip as my waters broke early! The second I was induced by pessary, pessary inserted and my contractions started about ten mins after!! Only advice I'd give is walk around it really helps! I went from 3cm to fully dilated in 35 mins!! Then I have 6 min of pushing and he was here! The only reason I had to stay in was because babies sugar levels needed checking and no one seemed to know the drill!!

fingers crossed it all goes ok xx

 

[Zoe20]

Hi 1stBump12, im being induced on monday too, due to the pain of spd . I was induced was my first over 14yrs ago, so not sure how much has changed this then. Like you the process hasnt been explained. With my first I had my waters broken then was left for a few hours before the drip was inserted and started. the drip was started at about 11am, i remember by 5pm asking from pain relief (wanted gas and air but as i was 15 my mum made me have the epidural) anyway by about 9:30pm i was 10cm and was told to wait before pushing, cant remember what time i was told to start pushing but i had my son at 11:10pm. I'm hoping that its the same this time round.

Zoe
x

 

[1stBump12]

I've had a reflexology session this morning and the lady has 'stimulated' my pituitary gland and has said that she doesn't think it'll be long... So I'm hoping she's right
Good luck for Monday Zoe20 - will be interesting to see which one of our LO's arrive first... xx

 

[EmmaN27]

I was induced using a pessary at 40 + 1 due to reduced movement. I was already having contractions but was only 1cm dilated when I was induced, my contractions very quickly became a lot more intense after the pessary was inserted. The pessary was inserted on the Sunday evening, my waters went on the Monday afternoon and I had Brooke on the Tuesday evening, unfortunately for me it was a very slow and painful labour that nearly ended up in a C section because of how long it was taking me to dilate.

Midwives do say that being induced tends to be a bit more painful and I know a couple of people who agree with this having had normal births aswell as being induced. As this was my first birth, I didn't know any different but hope that my next labour experience is less painful.

I'm sure there are people out there who have had positive experiences with being induced as every labour is different.

x

 

[EmmaN27]

Forgot to say, if the pessary doesn't work, I think they try another pessary and if still no joy they put you on a hormone drip to bring on the labour. x

 

[babymother]

Hi.
I was induced for dates in my 1st pregnancy. No medical issues just dates.
I do not want to worry you but feel I have to be honest.
My experience was horrible. Incredibly painful, no rest between contractions, so much so, I could not talk after 2 hrs as it was so painful. Told to push too early, ended up with swollen anterior lip and was exhausted. Episiotomy that extended and ventouse delivery.
I said never again, and I never did it again! So much so, when I had no2, got to 10 cms and was still thinking when is it going to get like last time lol.
But not everyone has an experience like me. But like the literature says, you start with 1 intervention and it often leads to another.

I had gel squeezed into my cervix twice, then my water went, went down to delivery suite, examined etc, then had drip up, and was tied to bed

You have to do what is right for you and your baby. Good luck.

 

[Mum2betash]

I know I'm a bit late but I was induced with a pessery as waters had broken 24hrs beforehand and contractions wern't getting close enough and within half hour I was in dying pain lol. Then the following morning I was all dilated etc but my contractions slowed again so had the drip! A few hours later my lo was born