Positive experiences of induction please

[AmyQ]

Hi ladies, hoping for some help. I have planned a homebirth using hypnobirthing and have been working very hard to get to a nice calm and relaxed mindset about giving birth. However, Baby Q seems to be very cosy in there and if there is no action soon I will be having to go into hospital on Friday to be induced.

Please don't get me wrong, all I want is my baby safely in my arms, but the thought of a hospital birth and induction is certainly not the way I wanted to go.

I hate hospitals, I get nervous just going into the doctors for a standard appointment. I also feel that my body is designed to give birth, so surely this is something that happens naturally so an induction implies that I am not capable of giving birth naturally (well within the 41+5 days the NHS in my area allows).

In order for my hypnobirthing to work I need to be calm and relaxed which I can't see happening while I'm stuck in a hospital bed waiting for interventions to work and wondering why my body can't do this on it's own.

So really I just need some positive experiences from you about how induction wasn't as bad as you expected especially if you had planned a homebirth.

Thanks ladies xxx

 

[CARNAT22]

I didn't have a planned home birth but I did use hypnotherapy techniques and planned a water birth. I read the Maggie Howell book and used her CD's from about 34 weeks. I also read the Marie Mongan book but found Maggie Howell better as her theory is more UK based.

I went a week over and when things did start I didn't deal with it very well. I stayed at home but I was in a lot of pain and wasn't able to eat or sleep much so when I went in although I was 5cm I'd been in early labour for 36 hours and was a wreck

I went to birthing centre but stalled at 6cm so I had to have an augmented labour (not an induction but I needed to be helped along with the drip and I also needed my waters broken) I was distraught when I was taken from my lovely en suite room that was light and airy and had a comfy bed and a ball to bounce on to a completely medicinal labour room. My one fear was ending up strapped to a bed which is what ended up happening.

Baby was put on regular traces then they attached a clip so they could constantly monitor bub, I was on a drip and having fluids via IV so I was effectively bed-bound. Even going to the loo seemed an issue...

When it came to delivery I was exhausted. I'd done 36 hours at home and another 12 hours since I first arrived at the hospital [maybe 4 of them with the drip?] I pushed for 2 hours and finally delivered baby all by myself.

It was about as far away from the birth I wanted and for days afterwards I felt quite traumatised.

Now though I think things went quite well considering I had such a long labour... I refused an EPI when I was put on the drip (despite two male Dr's telling me I'd be calling them back begging for it soon enough), I did have a hit of diamorphine but never reconsidered about the EPI.

I know I was very close to having an assisted delivery but I managed to push baby out without so much as a graze and I was up having a wee 10 minutes after having him.

I wanted a calm water birth and ended up delivering baby on a bed with my legs in stirrups whilst he was on a trace and I was hooked up to an IV.

I always say hypnobirthing didn't work for me but I got to 5cm's on my own, I delivered baby myself after an epic 50 hour labour without an EPI so maybe on some level it did work. I would def go down the same route with number two (and I def want a number 2 LOL)

Sorry, this has turned into a rant!

Chances are you'll go into labour before induction date but if not then I would be prepared for an eventuality.

Whatever happens though keep calm and know it is a means to an end, once baby is here your labour really does become insignificant.

xxxxxxxxx

 

[Babyhnumbertwo]

Hi

First time I planned waterbirth and did hypno birth classes. My baby was breech so ended up with planned section.

This time I planned a vbac. Went for sweep at 39 weeks and appeared my hind waters had gone. Was given option of repeat section or try for vbac, for them to break my waters and tie me drip. I have always said i will never havean induction. I have an anxiety about all things health related and medical but opted to try vbac.

I was super anxious when the went to break my waters, so much so my cervix had moved because I wa so stressed. But the doc did manage it. Anywayi started getting myself worked up, fear of unknown I guess. I was crying hysterically and refusing the drip etc etc. lol.

Anyway I realized I had to calm myself down to give my body the best chance. I am atonal believer in the brain being so powerful and affecting rest of body. Anywayi had bought the maggie Howell cd and my hubby had uploaded it on my iPad. I did take an epi. Was labouring from 7pm to 11am next day and I swear I played that meditation over Andover and over all those hours. I was so relaxed and gotto 10cm on my own. Baby was back to back so when I was pushing he wouldn't Coe down far enough. I had forceps which I didn't want but 3 pushes and he was out, safe and healthy.

One of the midwifed said they had thought I would have never got to 10cm on my own. I think because my stress levels were sky high. I truly believe that Maggie Howell cd saved me, encase I also think the level of anxiety I had, my body would have got to 10cm either.

So although not the perfect birth and although I had to give birth in at hospital and drip etc I did end up being calm.
X

 

[beckyboo1]

I had a positive induction at 41+5!!

Having an induction doesn't mean that you can't move around

I had a pessary inserted at around 11 and as I was low risk I was told if I wanted I could go home and come back when things started off.

As it was we stayed for a couple of hours and it all kicked off with contractions. I could still move around, bounce on ball etc

They also didn't break my waters they went naturally, so apart from the pessary my labour was no different from going into labour naturally

You can also refuse induction if you wish, but they will want to monitor you regularly to ensure your placenta is still working as it should

Any questions ask away xx

 

[AmyQ]

Thanks all, been very uncomfortable today - lots of painful BH. MW said it is a good sign so either LO is cutting it very fine to escape before hospital or it means the induction is likely to be successful.

Guess I'll let you know in a few days xx