Induction: Your thoughts.

[Mildly]

Thank you all for your comments and experiences

I am hoping at my appointment this Friday that they will have a prod around and let me know how things are looking down there. I think part of it is the frustration that I have no idea whether my cervix is even looking favourable or not. I think the decision on what to accept is pointless without knowing how far along nature has got me already.

In terms of natural induction, I have been walking quite a bit, eating pineapple, sex and bouncing on my ball. I did attempt a curry but it was way too hot for me! Walking certainly helps the pains increase but nothing ever seems to be regular so I'm not sure how much help it is.

I think part of my reluctance is, like ReggiesMummy said, about the increased strength of the contractions after the pessaries or drip. I think I am worried that I won't be able to cope mentally withe the speed and pain and therefore agree to pain relief that I didn't really want and that will take me away from my water birth.

Nicki that is really good advice about the moving around and the positive thought. I guess it hadn't really clicked with me that the faster the contractions the less time labour is likely to take which is an adequate trade off.

I haven't even written a birth plan on the basis that I didn't want to rule anything out from the beginning. I think I have learnt that in my mind, even though I haven't admitted it previously, that I want a birth that is as intervention free and pain relief free as possible and that worries me as I don't want to be disappointed if things don't go that way. As many of you have pointed out, it is the LO in your arms that is the focus not how you get there.

taika, sounds like we are in the same boat I really hope that it is something that we don't have to face and that we both go into labour naturally in the next week.

All your stories are really helpful, thank you I think I am currently hoping that on Friday my cervix will be favorable and that a sweep might get things going. If not then I am prepared to consider a pessary induction or forced waters breaking. I am still very resistant of the drip but I guess I'll see what happens and what they say.

AnDi, congrats on your due date tomorrow. I hope you go into labour naturally too. I must admit I think the inherent stress of not knowing what to expect from labour together will the stress of being asked when my baby will arrive is definitely effecting my body's ability to do this naturally. I kinda thought that knowledge was power though and hoped that knowing this would help my body relax and do what it needs to

Anyway thanks again for the comments and experiences

 

[NickyB]

I had to have a drip induction, and constant monitoring. It sucked, I wanted a waterbirth and to be able to move about. The constant monitoring really got me down, one of the sensors went off spot if I moved from lying/sitting. I couldn't sit up or stand up without the readings not coming out.

The other thing was pain relief, I knew that a drip is much more likely to result in intervention, which it did. I ended up having an epidural. BUT, I don't care at all now. I seriously don't, even if it is such a cliched thing to say.

My back is a little sore, but my one or two grazes are worse, so that must say something.

Basically, don't be too disheartened .

 

[Mildly]

Thanks Nicky, I know in the end I just won't care. Perhaps I'm just making stuff up to worry about because I'm annoyed and bored that nothing has happened yet

 

[fayegal]

I was kinda hoping that I wouldn't have to think about this but as I'm now almost a week overdue and have an appointment on Friday to discuss induction at the hospital, I'm interested in other people's thoughts too. Please don't think I am trying to judge other people whether they have had inductions or not, I just wanted to talk through some of the research that I have found on the internet.

I never realised that the last part of your baby to develop is the lungs and when they are fully developed, they send out hormones which kickstart labour. This got me thinking about the effects of having labour started artificially on LO. I know the chances are that the lungs will be pretty much developed by this point in the pregnancy but levels of asthma and other lung conditions have increased since the medical profession has increased its rates of induction.

Then I came across this analogy

What does induced labour feel like?

Someone once told me how to imagine and compare a normal labour with an induced labour like this:

‘Normal Labour’:

1. Hold your hand out flat, like you would to receive money from someone.

2. Clench your fist and hold it closed for a second

3. Release your fist back into a flat position again.

If you repeat the above over several times, this is how a normal labour would be to the uterus. You can see how it’s not so bad and the circulating blood, hence oxygen, would be restricted but the uterus has time to recover. Now for the ‘induced’ analogy.

‘Induced Labour’:

1. Hold your hand out, clench, out, clench, out clench, out, clench, out, clench, out, clench, out, clench, out, clench, out – keep going for a minute or so – is your fist tired or sore yet? Imagine how this would feel for your uterus to do this for hours on end and what difference this could make during your labour and for your baby.

Now don't get me wrong, there are plenty of cases where induction is better for both mother and baby and not being a doctor I have limited knowledge on the risks of certain conditions. I will be listening to whatever medical professional I have for my appointment on Friday and taking their advice on board. I think my problem is that, looking back through my notes, apart from PGP, I have had a textbook pregnancy. No problems whatsoever, no measuring excessively small or big, no diabetes, no blood pressure or urine problems and because of that, I know the only reason they are going to suggest induction is because I am over on my dates. The other factor is that because I charted my temperature when TTC I know the exact date of ovulation which changes my official due date from the 3rd Sept to the 6th Sept, so I have three days in hand.

On the other hand, I am so fed up with being pregnant. I am huge, everything is painful, I hate going outside the house because people stare at me. I am sick to death of people asking whether I have had it yet. So I can understand completely the desire to be induced and get this horrible phase over and done with. Not to mention, during my research I found that often women will only release the hormone oxytocin (the main labour starter) when they are calm and in a safe place. It is thought that this relates back to our oldest ancestors who would only birth when in complete safety (i.e. not being chased by large animals and in their own caves etc.). I found this quite interesting because it seems to me that in this day and age, what with due dates and social pressure, it is actually quite difficult to remain calm when everyone is expecting you to have had your baby.

Anyway that is my current rambling thought pattern, I would really like it if anyone had any advice or thoughts too. At this point I am not ruling anything out be that refusing induction or going with it. Thanks

I am having the same thing, I am 40 + 5 today and they have offered me a sweep on Monday and if that does not work they want to book me in for induction. I never really thought about induction I just assumed it would happen naturally (this is my 1st). But now I really am scared, it's the thought of being given a tablet/gel/drip and then just waiting for the pain to start that I don't like! I think it takes away the "exitment" of going into "natural" labour aswell.
Buuuut...... on the other hand I really have had enough of being pregnant now! I have not been able to sleep properly for over a month I am like a zombie during the day, I have had no "nesting instinct" at all! I am heavy, tired, bored, I feel like my life is on hold until the baby arrives!!