Positive induction stories?

[AJR30]

Hi, I’m due to be induced tomorrow, I’m 39+2 (I have gestational diabetes which is why I’m being induced) but I’m terrified, I’ve read/ heard all horror stories on induction not working, taking too long and still ending up with c-section. Has anyone had a positive induction experience that can help ease my mind.

[NicoJono]

Hi AJR30,

I just wanted to wish you good luck for tomorrow.

All types births can be a positive experience. There are horror stories for natural deliveries etc too.

Just try to stay calm and remember each step is a little closer to meeting your beautiful baby.

Xx

[Seb9]

I've had two inductions due to GD and they were both fine, I had two vaginal deliveries with no tears. I had an epidural with number one and with number 2 just gas and air till the end and then a shot of pethidine.

My recommendations would be to ask them to check if you're dilated before they give you the pessary to relax your cervix, if you're already dilated they might be able to skip ahead to breaking your water and starting you on the drip. If you have to have the pessary, it might be a bit uncomfortable so ask for paracetamol and a tens machine if you're not comfortable, they both helped me with my first when I had the pessary.

If after the pessary they take you up to the ward to break your waters, ask for a break between your waters being broken and starting you on the drip, as you can't eat after they give you the drip. Ask for the menu and order something yummy, they didn't have great GD options, but I'm not sure so close to giving birth it matters as you're about to use that energy up pretty fast.

If your labour doesn't progress comfortably after the drip and you're in pain with contractions that you can't handle, get the epidural! I had it at midday with my first and then just chilled out till baby was born at 10pm. If I'd felt every contractions up until that point, I would have been exhausted! Instead I napped till I was fully dilated.

I listened to a really great hypnobirthing book, for baby 2 which gave me some really good ways to advocate for myself and some good breathing techniques and guides on pushing. I realise now my first I was doing the sort of noise and groans you see on TV and baby number 2 I pushed all that energy into pushing and it was much better.

Listen to your midwife when they tell you to push or not push, they can really help guide you as to when to ease off and when to push hard and I found that really helped with the not tearing, especially with baby number 2. My midwife said that I was so controlled with my breathing and pushing and that it really helps.

Also if you haven't already start collecting colostrum and freezing it, it really helped get babies sugar levels back up after their initial dip. I breastfed, gave colostrum syringes and baby got some sugar syrup too and they only ever had 1 low sugar

Good luck with your induction and I hope it all goes brilliantly.

[AJR30 in reply to Seb9]

Hi Seb9, thank you for your detailed reply, I appreciate it. I wasn’t aware that I could ask to be checked to see if I’m dilated before the induction process. I only had a phone call yesterday to ask me to go in for tomorrow so I haven’t had time to ask all of the questions that pop into my mind, I was originally being induced at 40+2 so thought I had time for a sweep and to ask questions etc.

I had a vaginal birth with my first and had an episiotomy, she was 9lb15 so I’m not too worried about delivery itself, just the process of induction and it taking too long or not working.

The drip is what worries me as I’ve heard it can cause much stronger contractions a lot quicker.

It sounds like your first birth went rather quickly after you were induced, this is what I’m hoping for as I’m dreading staying in and being stuck in bed for several days.

[Seb9 in reply to AJR30]

With my first I had the pessary for 24 hours and then went onto delivery ward for the drip, started drip in the morning and have both at 10pm. So it was a fairly long day, that's why I said eat after they break your water, as once you have the drip they don't let you eat, in case you have an epidural or c section. I think second time round, you could definitely see if you're dilated enough to go straight to having your waters broken. I didn't like the pessary and so I had asked for a water balloon (foley) which meant no hormones. The hormone pessary worked, but I found I was quite sensitive to it and it made me sore even before baby came out of it!

The drip for my first did set the contractions off hard and fast, so that's why I had the epidural, but second time round I found the contractions were much better. I think they slowed the drip down and the contractions built up slower.

I found because I got the epidural done fairly early on, when it was time to push, it had worn off a bit so I was able to feel the contractions and when I needed to push, I was out of bed within a couple of hours and in the shower, before I went back to the ward. Baby number 2 I walked round and round the ward after my husband left as I couldn't sleep and I was walking the dog round the park on day 3.

I know not all induction stories are great, but I really think if you can advocate for yourself and be able to accept that you might need to change your birth plan to make sure you and baby are safe it can really help prepare yourself to deal with anything that's thrown at you. Good luck tomorrow xx

[LCEIreland]

I’d say every person’s experience is different. I was 39+3 when I was induced. I had the pessary at 4pm by 6pm I had really bad back pain and by 9pm I was being taken down to the delivery suite and my LO was born at 11:46. I had a friend that was induced the month before me that induction was started on a Thursday and her LO wasn’t born until the Saturday. It all depends on how your body reacts to it.

Just stay relaxed and listen to want the midwife’s are saying to you is my best advice. Good luck

[GeorgiaMac]

I was induced at 39weeks for GD, all went fine. I had gas and air and morphine. I was already over 4cm dilated, so no pessary. They burst my waters (not nice because my bag got "stuck", but I don't think that's terribly common). Went on the drip. Within 12 hours, baby in arms, all good and worth it in the end. You'll do great, just try to go with the flow!

[monkee641]

I had GD too but was getting induced because of my age and the fact it was an IVF conception. My waters went by themselves 5 days before I was due to have the original induction date tho, and I ended up being induced early. I had the pessary which made no difference what so ever, it turns out I still had lots of water there that hadn’t broken yet. After hours of nothing, my waters were broken and I had another wait. Still nothing, so I went on the oxytocin drip, and was recommended an epidural. 6 hours in, I was fully dilated and pushed for 2 hours. Baby decided she wasn’t quite ready to make and entrance, so I ended up in theatre having forceps and an episiotomy. 2 tugs and baby was out. I wouldn’t say it was an entirely positive experience, but I was prepared for anything to get my baby out and would definitely do it all again for her. She was worth every minute 🥰🥰 x x

[Rainbow_1989]

Hi.

I had an induction at 39 weeks due to baby measuring small. I was given one dose at about 2.30pm which didn’t work, and I was given a second at 6am. (The gap was due to some tremors that it’d caused so they didn’t want to stress the baby). After the second dose, my waters broke at 8.30am, I walked to the delivery suite at 10.30am, started pushing at 11.30am and baby was in my arms at 12.05pm with no pain relief.

So a positive experience can be had. Hope you have a great experience and manage to enjoy some rest beforehand xx