Early induction booked for 38 weeks. What should I expect?

[CC2018]

Hi! First time posting on this forum after being on the fertility network but hoping to get some insight into people's experiences of early induction. A little about me: 2 and half years unexplained infertility, 1 NHS fresh cycle equalled success with our only viable 5 day blasto I also have lupus so put in the immuno fetal clinic and have a higher risk of pre eclampsia and stillbirth due to this hence early induction. Growth scans show baby is on the larger side and as of today at 34 plus 4 is about 6lb 10 oz. I've been booked in for induction 18th March at exactly 38 weeks which I was informed would happen from the beginning though it was either 38/39 but now we have a official date it's made me anxious of what to expect. Any tips or advice will be gratefully received. TIA x

[Hidden]

Welcome! I’ve no experience of early induction but thought if I commented it would bump it back to the top of the feed.

I did have induction as baby was late. I did end up having an emergency c section though but baby was big so I think it was because of that more than anything xx

[CC2018 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply. I was warned from the start I'd be induced early which I didn't really want as I know it means I could spend a long time in labour and end up needing help. I've been trying to mentally prepare myself for it and I think from having so many invasive tests and operations done prior to ivf I'm pretty much over the loss of dignity lol. I think just having been given a definite date for induction it's made me a bit anxious, I mean it seems a bit mad when you never thought you'd have a baby to knowing they could be here in less than 4 weeks x

[Hidden in reply to CC2018]

Mine was IVF too and I hated going over my due date I kinda wish I had been induced early but I get why your anxious now you have a date. I got more and more anxious the closer to got to due date. I just wanted her here safe and sound. Just make sure you have you time and also time with your partner before induction as we didn’t really think to do that and it would of been nice considering what a whirlwind it is when baby comes.

I had my pessary at 9am went home then went back at 8pm that night as they said I could as my blood pressure was slightly up that morning. My waters broke at 1am. I got fully dilated but I just couldn’t do it anymore by 11am and they tried forceps twice before my section and I was numb for that. I also couldn’t move around either as I was on a drip I think.

I didn’t have any expectation of labour and birth so my heart wasn’t set on natural so I think that helped xx

[Lou9]

Hi 👋🏻 I also came to this site from the fertility forum! Congratulations on your pregnancy, I hope you are keeping well - you’ve not got long to go now! I was induced at 39 weeks as my daughter was an ICSI baby and I was advised by my consultant that an induction was necessary. To be honest, I was very anxious throughout my pregnancy and actually welcomed this news as it meant I would get her here quicker! I made the mistake of googling induction and all I found were scary stories of when they don’t go to plan so, in case you’ve done the same and freaked yourself out, I just want to share with you that I had a really positive birth experience. I was given my first pessary at 7pm and had my daughter the following morning at 9.46am so it was very quick. Being induced did mean I wasn’t allowed to have a water birth which I was initially quite disappointed about but I was able to use the bath in the early stages and ended up staying in it for hours! I am also so glad that I had borrowed a TENS machine and used that until the pushing stage - not sure if you’re planning on using one. I was advised by the midwives that induction can often mean intense contractions can come on quickly rather than building naturally when you go into spontaneous labour and, although I have nothing to compare it to, they were quite intense (but doable!) which was why I found the bath and TENS helpful. The other thing worth mentioning is that my husband was made to leave at 10pm the night I went into hospital once visiting was over (because I wasn’t in ‘active labour’ at that point) which I found really difficult and wasn’t prepared for! So it might be worth asking what the protocol is at your hospital so you’re prepared. As it turned out I phoned him at 2am once my waters broke and he raced back! Sorry if this message is a bit incoherent, I am slightly sleep deprived and delirious tonight so please just ask if you have any questions! 💕

[CC2018 in reply to Lou9]

Oh wow thank you for your reply! Yes, I've seen a lot of horror stories about induction that end up in assisted delivery which I don't want but I also don't want to tear badly. I'm hoping she'll be a quick delivery as she's so active and my mum was fortunate enough to have me at 36 weeks without any pain relief or difficulties and was in and out of hopsital the same day! It doesn't help that the consultant said it would take 4 to 5 days and oddly enough said I was okay to have a water birth when I asked Your story has given me hope though. I'm hoping baby is ready and rearing to go. Hope you get some sleep xx

[lianm8]

Hey 👋🏼 my two girls were ivf icsi and my first was planned c section as she was breech. My second was induction by syntocin drip (I couldn’t have pessary due to previous section) as had reduced movements she kept going super quiet in ctg.

Have they advised how you will be induced?

The drip brought my contractions on very quickly and I dialted even quicker so if having drip I would strongly advise asking for pain relief before they start as gas and air didn’t touch the sides xxx

[CC2018 in reply to lianm8]

They've said a pessary to start and then if nothing has happened after 8 hours they'll try something else. Think I need to update my birth plan with all of this good advice! Thank you for replying. It's also encouraging to here you've had more children since, as this is what also makes me anxious, will I be able to experience this again? Xx

[lianm8 in reply to CC2018]

Well I haven’t had one since my induction lol 😆 after I said I wouldn’t have another unless via c section but I think that was due to tiredness and I ended up having episiotomy and forceps - the stitches got infected so that played a big part in me wanting further c sections for any future babies- but now 4 months on I would defo have natural again. My biggest advice is take the pain relief especially with induction as it all comes on so quickly! Once baby is here you’ll forget labour and just enjoy that little bundle 💙💗 especially after having ivf! Xxx

[kt_11]

Hi. I was induced at 38+4 for the similar reasons to you (IVF pregnancy and slightly large-looking baby, but no other risk factors).

I went into hospital at 38+4. After 2 of the propess pessaries for 24hrs each, I wasn’t dilated at all so not able to have waters broken. I then had a gel for another 24hrs and this didn’t work either. So after 3 days in the hospital I went home to rest then came back a couple of days later to repeat the process again. Finally after another 3 days and another 2 pessaries & gel I was ready for waters to be broken (by this time 39+5) but was tired as they do monitoring on baby every 4hrs so I went home to rest again and came back 2 days later (my due date!) to have my waters broken and then the drip to start contractions.

I think the drip went up at about 1pm and baby was born at 11pm on his due date. Things slowed down a bit by the end, I was exhausted and his heart rate was dipping so despite everyone’s best efforts to avoid intervention I did end up with episiotomy & ventouse. This was painful for a few weeks after but much better than tearing and I’m glad it happened to keep both me & baby safe.

Labour was painful but I had gas & air and a TENS machine which was what I wanted and he’s my first so I have no comparison as to whether it was worse than a natural labour. I was able to move around and knelt up for most of the labour. Basically I think baby decided when he was going to come out in the end, regardless of the attempts at induction but once things got going, it actually worked out ok. xx

[JNDuce12-13]

Hi, I didn’t have an early induction, but I was induced on my due date due to my little boy not growing since 36weeks. I was lucky as I had the pessary inserted at 10.40am and at 22.52pm I gave birth. But equally a woman on the ward was induced the day before me and didn’t have her son till 2 days after me. It can be a long process. So take plenty of entertainment, drinks, snacks, clothes... just in case. Good luck. X

[CC2018 in reply to JNDuce12-13]

Thank you. Just need to hope both my body and baby are responsive and ready to go x

[kayakintam]

I was induced with the drip for my first at full term (due to waters breaking and not getting into established labour naturally) It's different for everyone but I had 8 hours of very intense contractions which I didn't handle very well. I should mention that my little girl was quite big and back to back. But happy ending was a natural delivery without any interventions or tearing.

I would strongly recommend looking into hypnobirthing for relaxation techniques and breathing. I'm confident that it is going to be a game changer for me this time around. Also try to be as upright as possible during labour (I also didn't do this last time). Hope it goes really well for you. X

[kt_11 in reply to kayakintam]

Agree about the hypnobirthing. Forgot to mention this in my reply but I found it really beneficial and would definitely recommend. xx

[CC2018 in reply to kayakintam]

Thank you xx

[kayakintam]

I've been watching videos by this lovely lady: youtube.com/watch?v=oomxwDZ...(Not working as expected?)

[Jmww01]

i'd like to add that i was sent down for induction 39 weeks due to unstable lie, they insterted the pessary 4pm and within an hour light contractions had started and i had to have it removed 4/5hours later because i'd gone into spontaneous labour - my baby was born 3am-ish completely unassisted, i know i didnt complete the whole induction procedure but i wanted to say they aren't all horror stories!

my advice would be to not fight the process your body is designed to do, try and stay as calm as possible and to stay as flexible as possible! hypno birthing was highly effective for myself

also my growth scans couldnt have been more wrong, all predicted she'd be 8/9 pounds and she came out tiny!

[CC2018 in reply to Jmww01]

Thank you. I'm feeling less anxious now xx