Induction question - can you agree to only parts?

[OzGirlNat]

Does anyone know if you can agree to just have the gel/pessary and not go all the way to the hormone drip? Or is it just a case of once you're in there being induced you have to go all the way? I know they put you on the drip if you don't progress with just the pessary or if you don't progress fast enough. I'd just rather not go down that route. I would much prefer to just give things a little nudge along.

I can't seem to find an answer to this online anywhere.

 

[ange34]

hi hun im not sure about this but i have heard of a few people sayin they were given the gel or pessery and allowed to go home to see if things progressed,this would be great if everyone could do this.im going to ask my midwife on thur xx

 

[misscrazycooki]

It depends on whether your classes as a normal or high risk pregnancy. If its high risk you will be forced to get the induction rushed and put on drip. I am personally never going to have one ever again. Not at my last hospital. I hope you can get some answers have you tried ringing your midwife? x

 

[Jaxx01]

I think that they will leave you for as long as possible before hey give you the drip. I have been told Im going to have the normal pessary and if that doesnt work, will be given a 24 hours pessery then if that doesnt work they will try and break my waters. thing is once your waters go you are at risk of infection after 48 hours anyway soo will need to be pushed along. It's not pleasant but they'd only be doing what is in the best interests for you and baby x

 

[titch]

you dont have to have anything. But to be honest, I had the gel, and I was having really strong 'induction pains' which for all intents and purposes feel like contractions, except I wasnt dilating and they cant stop it once they start it. They were coming every 2-3 minutes for 2 days when I agreed to the drip. Once you start, theres no going back, so if things arent moving, youve got to do something as its not sustainable.

I didnt realise that induction can go 3 ways. I thought it even worked or didnt work, you were either in labour or not.

The woman opposite me was also failed induction but only in the sense that nothing was happening. The way it went for me was really really hard.

 

[Mrs_B1981]

^^ WSS. I was induced, I had 4 six hour pessarys and then went into labour. if I hadn't progressed from the 4th pessary they would have put me on the drip and I was happy with that!
To be honest, I think once you're there in the flow of induction u won't want to stop. I don't think induction is about giving things a little nudge along, that's what sex, hot curries and long walks are for!
If u get to over 40 weeks and need inducing then trust me, you'll take it! Its hard work lugging a full term baba around!

 

[DoulaJen]

The truth is we can't be 'Forced' to do anything, sadly though it doesn't always feel like this in a busy Labour ward. You will need to go in with a strong frame of mind and birth partner ready to stand your ground as they truly cant force you down any road.
I know this sounds a bit ominous like you have to prepare for battle and I have the utmost respect for the NHS staff but in some hospitals some staff have allowed themselves to become blinded and blinkered on they way things 'should' be done.
Stay true to yourself hun and listen to your own body, use your partner for support and strength and if you feel you want things to be sped up because you feel thats what your body and your baby need then by all means do it. xx

I hope that didn't come across as aggressive, I just feel passionately about women being allowed to follow their instincts in pregnancy, birth and motherhood.
Our bodies have been doing this for thousands of years yet we seem to have lost faith in their capabilities xx

 

[misscrazycooki]

The truth is we can't be 'Forced' to do anything, sadly though it doesn't always feel like this in a busy Labour ward. You will need to go in with a strong frame of mind and birth partner ready to stand your ground as they truly cant force you down any road.
I know this sounds a bit ominous like you have to prepare for battle and I have the utmost respect for the NHS staff but in some hospitals some staff have allowed themselves to become blinded and blinkered on they way things 'should' be done.
Stay true to yourself hun and listen to your own body, use your partner for support and strength and if you feel you want things to be sped up because you feel thats what your body and your baby need then by all means do it. xx

I hope that didn't come across as aggressive, I just feel passionately about women being allowed to follow their instincts in pregnancy, birth and motherhood.
Our bodies have been doing this for thousands of years yet we seem to have lost faith in their capabilities xx

well I wanted a natural birth, then pleded for section after they poked proded and generally just hurt me for days. So I can honestly say they kept me in the dark on my risks at the end, as I was diabetic and had to be induced at 38 weeks. I was given only two tablets then connected onto drip then told to drink gallons of water... to which I ended up with bad water retention as they kept me hooked up to monitor and didn't let me move about. But thats just my experience. I ended up having my waters broke after being in the hospital for 12 hours I wasn't dilated so that hurt like hell. Then left, baby was distressed and I got an infection as my waters had been broken and I'd been left too long.

 

[AugustMum]

I agree that you can't be forced to do anything. Before they even begin the induction process youll have a midwife come and explain whats going to happen. I was told I would be given a 24 hours pessary and then they would examine me after that to see if they could break my waters and then go from there. They were quite relaxed at my hospital and didn't mention the hormone drip at first.

From personal experience, I wouldn't allow them to break my waters if the contractions start with the gels and I was dialiting fine. I wasn't offered the drip as I didn't need it but I think the midwives can get a bit drip happy sometimes and push it when its not needed.

Maybe when speaking to the midwife before you start just explain any worries and anything that you might not want and ask for it to be put in your notes (which it will be written down anyway). As long as baby is happy then induction can take several days if you want it to. It doesn't have to be within a set time scale but they will want to monitor you more often the longer it goes on just to make sure everything is fine with you and baby Good luck!

 

[OzGirlNat]

Thanks so much for all your replies. Its good to know that I do have a little bit of say in what happens and it's not just a rollercoaster that you can't get off, once you're on it.