Lovely ladies' experiences of induction. Yey or nay?

[SiameseCatLady]

I have been told that if I go past my due date on the 6th, when I see the consultant on the 7th, he might set a date for induction.
I have heard about lots of people saying induction is not great...
So as to make an informed decision, what are people's experiences of induction?
Negatives/positives?
I won't be scared. I would really appreciate the cold, hard truth!
The only benefit I can see at the moment it's that my husband's parents would meet their first grandchild in time before they go away for my sister in law's wedding on the 17th to Turkey!
My feeling is I don't want drugs, but do the induction drugs affect the baby/affect chances of breastfeeding etc.?
Thanks in advance.
Xxxx

 

[Kholl]

I can not urge you enough to avoid induction unless baby is in distress or you go to or over 42 weeks. We don't really know how induction drugs affect babies. Synthetic oxytocin can disrupt the healthy hormonal pathways in mom and baby which could feasibly affect breastfeeding and bonding. Furthermore, inductions usually bring contractions that are so intense that coping without an epidural is near-impossible. And that introduces a whole new batch of drugs to your system.

Induction is a godsend when needed. Sometimes babies are in distress or at risk and NEED to come out. But that is rare. And in general, in life, it is always preferable to choose the long-term benefit over the short-term one. In this case, inducing because you are "due" and you want baby to meet family is a short-term benefit. I get it- trust me! But you could seriously compromise your labor experience and recovery, and unless you or baby NEEDS it, it's worth avoiding at all costs.

The fruit falls from the tree when it is ripe. When the signal comes from a baby who is truly ready, labor and delivery usually go well. Bonding and breastfeeding are not affected, and you can feel confident baby got the full benefit of time on the inside.

And this is coming from someone who is 41+1 today and so fed up - so I DO understand the temptation, trust me!!

 

[fcroxy]

I've been induced both times with the pessary. Both labours were good and quick. Roughly 5 hours from having pessary to baby being born. I did find contractions very intense and seemed to have no gap between them but still manageable with just gas and air. As far as I know the pessary doesn't affect baby, not sure on breast feeding as I formula feed. I know I'm in the minority tho as I have heard a lot of negative stories about being induced but both mine were positive. Good luck x

 

[Kholl]

I've been induced both times with the pessary. Both labours were good and quick. Roughly 5 hours from having pessary to baby being born. I did find contractions very intense and seemed to have no gap between them but still manageable with just gas and air. As far as I know the pessary doesn't affect baby, not sure on breast feeding as I formula feed. I know I'm in the minority tho as I have heard a lot of negative stories about being induced but both mine were positive. Good luck x

This is a great point- if you can be induced with a method like this it's definitely a different story!

 

[Mictho29]

When my waters went with last baby contractions were VERY intense and managed on gas and air I guess everyone's choice/pain threshold is different I'm. Booked in for induction on Tuesday and they start u off with a pessary and I believe that has no harm to baby x

 

[SiameseCatLady]

Thanks ladies. Very interesting! Exactly what I was looking for!
I don't think they would do anything that would seriously damage babies' health. I think I'm more worried about the effect of the drugs on bonding period/breastfeeding/'awakens'/awareness of baby when born. So many women have inductions, it can't be the end of the world.
I know some people at not have a choice, but think I am worried about missing out on the experience. There is a chance this will be my first and last baby, so would love to go into labour naturally, despite this being out of my control essentially!
Thanks again!
Anyone else? Xx

 

[mummywanabe]

My friend had her baby induced as she had a very fast labour first time Roy d they were afraid she wouldn't make it to the hospital in time, they put the drip up and baby was born within the hour, she didn't have any complications baby was very healthy and they were discharged the next morning

 

[Phoenix85]

I was induced with my first two children, with the pessary, 3rd baby was a spontaeneous home birth.

My inductions were straight forward, no drip, no ARM with first baby, partial/attempted ARM without my consent 2nd time. Both labours were reasonably quick, under 10hrs from start to finish with my first, and just 7hrs from start to finish with my second. Both times I had pethidine, 2 lots with my first baby, one lot with my second.
It didn't affect BFing with my second, but my firstborn was sleepy and didnt BF til about 4hrs after the birth. But, I was given the second dose of pethidine less than an hour before my baby was born and I think that made them drowsy. I blame the pethidine more than the induction. That and at the time - 12yrs ago - skin to skin was not the norm and even though I had asked for it, they took her & wrapped her up in a towel within minutes of being born so interfered with that.
My second baby had uninterrupted skin to skin for about 2hrs after birth and latched on after about 30 mins and fed well. With her I had pethidine only at around 7.30pm which was 2 and a half hours before she was born.

With my 3rd I planned to homebirth, got a definite contraction at around 10.39am, they gradually got closer together til they were about 10-15 mins apart at 3pm, suddenly went to 4 mins apart around 4pm and she was born at 4.33pm after two/three pushes and no pain relief.

Personally although there was nothing inherently bad about my inductions, I would always go with spontaneous birth over induced any time.

The other thing is even with some people having good outcomes, the fact remains that induced labour significantly increases the likelihood of needing interventions, of needing more pain relief, of baby getting distressed and needing assisted delivery or c section etc. IMO it's not worth that risk unless there's a much greater risk from staying pregnant. I wouldn't agree to be induced purely due to being overdue personally.

 

[Clare80]

I've been induced with both mine. My first at 39 weeks (believed low weight and stopped growing) and my second, which was 4 weeks ago, at 38 weeks (due to uterine pain problems).

Both labours were quick. I had an epidural this time and it was the best thing I could have done. The hormone drip does make contractions very intense. You don't get a medal for coping without pain relief, which is what I did first time round and felt frightened and pain horrendous.

I breast fed my first with ease. Chose to bottle feed this time. Both babies (touch wood so far this time!) content, good feeders and sleepers.

Don't be scared about induction and don't struggle on without pain relief of you need it. My second birth was a much much more positive experience.

 

[CharlieSmartie]

I had an horrific induction. Never ever ever again would I have one.

I was induced with 4 other ladies - all of us ended up in c-sections on the third day. We were induced at 10 days overdue (policy for our hospital). I had contractions from within 2 hours of having the pessary inserted. By about 16 hours they were so so painful I thought I was going to pass out, examined and only 1cm dilated. Eventually by 24 hours they said I was 3cm ish. By around 27 hours I was 4cm and they transferred me to a delivery room where I was then allowed gas and air (made absolutely zero difference for me I'm afraid). They put me onto the drip to continue the contractions and it was horrendous, like someone was cutting my stomach in half with a chainsaw. By 34 hours I had had enough and when they offered me an epidural I accepted - best decision ever, actually started to relax for the first time!

Eventually at 42 hours I had got to 7cm but had an horrendous reaction where by body temperature rocketed high and I started having uncontrollable full body shivering, baby went into distress and they took me through for emergency c-section.

One of the ladies I was induced with didn't have any contractions at all for 3 days and ended up with c-section. The other two had similar stories to me and all ended with emergency c-section for various reasons.

I have heard of other people having a fairly positive induction story, so it's all very individual. But for me it was very very traumatic and horrific. I am expecting twins this time so have opted for an elective c-section instead of induction.

Also I breastfed my daughter so it didn't cause me any issues in that department. Also the earlier comment about bonding - absolutely crap in my opinion! I had no issues bonding with my daughter. She was always a great sleeper too!

Ps I am a very tough cookie, have a high pain threshold generally so I was very shocked at how painful the contractions were!

 

[MrsMcc]

My induction at 37 weeks was fine. 24hr pessary isn't work. 6 hour pessary inserted at 1pm and I had baby at 4.30 pm. Very quick if a little painful

 

[platypus]

following this with interest as I have been offered an induction at 39 weeks (due to being on blood thinners). when the consultant discussed this with me she said inductions at 39 weeks don't usually end up with interventions. This makes me wonder if inductions because you are overdue is where the horror stories comes from - but everyone is different so maybe just the luck of the draw if it is a good or bad experience.

 

[Kholl]

I had an horrific induction.

Also I breastfed my daughter so it didn't cause me any issues in that department. Also the earlier comment about bonding - absolutely crap in my opinion! I had no issues bonding with my daughter. She was always a great sleeper too!

I am sorry- I definitely didn't mean to come across as saying induction means bonding is necessarily affected! I just brought up something that might or might not be a concern, but of course i know very little and was just sharing the concerns I had for myself when my midwife started talking about induction. Of course tons of women have drug-free spontaneous births and have challenges with bonding and breastfeeding too! And I think the bottom line is babies and mothers are SO resilient and strong and for the most part turn out fine and thrive.

I am so sorry for your awful experience. Best of luck with your twins!

 

[Summergurl]

My induction was lovely but long but I'm putting that down to the fact that babe just wasn't ready to vacate.
I went in on the Sunday at 1130 and had her on the Tuesday at 1124.
I had the propess at 1230 Sunday. Contractions started around 8pm. Propess fell out at midnight. Contractions carried on so they left me hoping my body would go itself. I was 4cm by this point. Started to slow down so had another propess at 10am Monday. Contractions really got strong from about 2pm. By 8pm I was in a fair amount of pain. But still only 4cm and contractions were every 3minutes and they wanted me to get to 4 in 10mins. I eventually went down to labour ward at midnight on Monday. Had an epidural at 2am. Body got to 9cm. They let me go 3hrs hoping I'd get to 10 but it didn't happen. She was also facing up and on her side so I couldn't have pushed her out so ended up having a section.

We found out after she was born that her oxygen was reduced because she was so far over due (born on day14 over) so I'd have no problem recommending induction if overdue just because of that fact alone.

I think the worst part was that I was induced and in a room on a ward with 3 other women all at different stages of labour.

 

[T84]

I was iv induced with dd1 to kickstart contractions as I had strep b. I had a positive experience, although contractions were thick and fast (I had nothing to compare it to at the time tho and tbh it was nothing more than I imagines labour to be lol) birth was a 'good' one and 5 hours from drop in to finish. Breastfeeding and bonding wasn't an issue after either. Try not to worry x

 

[Carla81]

Horrific experience with induction - had gd and although baby and me were fine wouldn't let me go past 38 week. I was in hospital for 6 days, drip was awful and contractions had no gap whatsoever inbetween. Did not want epidural but there really was no choice it was so painful. It wore off then in one hip so felt everything in my hip and anaesthetist couldnt come back. Couldnt feel to push - was sick twice and had to beg for episiotomy which was the only thing that helped baby out! X

 

[Kaedin]

I was induced by drip at 40+2. It was fine, labour was quick, baby was born after 2 hours 54mins and was perfectly healthy.

Baby was born using a ventouse so I did require an episiotomy (which was very painful)

 

[cornishfairy]

Hi! I was induced at 41+5, had pessary at around 10am I'd have guessed, had alreadystarted having some mild contractions which I'd assumed were braxton hicks, but they said I was 2-3cm on arrival so I thought it would be a breeze. However my midday it was getting pretty painful and at 2pm I was in a bath on the assessment ward in floods of tears and agony, with contractions every minute or two. It felt way more painful than I ever could have imagined I'm sorry to say! I got taken to the labour ward and I was 5cm. I got given gas and air but I couldn't control my breathing enough for it to be effective, I was in full on panic mode and kkept feeling the need to push despite only being halfway so by around 5pm I had an epidural. I couldn't have coped without it to be honest. Baby arrived at 2:37am. He'd pood in my waters and ingested/inhaled it and was poorly and on NICU for 5 days followed by 10 days on the children's ward being treated for meningitis so in a way I'mglad I was induced as any longer inside me I dread to think what could have happened, but I definitely vowed never ever to have another baby after that labour! So here I am about to do it again...
whilst I'd hate to have to be induced again, if I was more than a week overdue I think I'd prefer it because I'd be too worried about the meconium risk again. It was a tough time for us, meant we couldn't get to grips with breastfeeding or bonding as he was all wired up for days and not with me 24/7, but worth it to have him here safe and sound now

 

[SiameseCatLady]

Wow. Such a variety of stories!
I have now ha my induction confirmed for this Saturday 10th.
Slightly scared, but thinking I will just have to cope.
I don't know if I will manage without epidural, but will try. It's a worry (my own) that it might affect baby, but many people have babies on epidurals and they are fine, aren't they?
Well, what will be will be! X

 

[Summergurl]

I had an epidural and I have a perfectly healthy, happy and content baby girl. Don't stress yourself over it take it all as it comes.