can anyone tell me what to expect when being induced?

clarbar

Hi I was due last Friday 22nd but unfortunately little girl never came , so getting induced Friday my doctor has told me . I have to go in Thursday between 2pm and 3pm, I'm absolutely terrified can anyone who had to be induced give me some info or stories? I have heard that they ll induce at 12 that night? is that true or how does it go thanks

Dravokivich

When they do it, will depend on the condition you are in along with their availablity at the time. I wouldn't get too worried about the exact times they do things on.

1 - When it comes to inducing, there'll be a few attempts to get contractions going, with a drip. Can't recollect what's meant to be in the drip.

2 - Failing at least 2 attempts (it's a couple of hours between each attempt, can't remember specifically what) of getting contractions going, they may suggest or request permission to perform a section.

However, the first one above is dependant on the condition of your waters. If there is a lessening amount, they may proceed to suggesting/requesting permission to perform a section.


Although I think it may be better to check with the hospital, or your doctor, how they may be planning to conduct things for you. There may be something else they have in mind, what I've mentioned above is just a brief re-cap of what I was told at Ante Natal classes recently.

Rosy Posy

I'm not sure of the procedure in Ireland, but here in NZ they start by doing a cervical sweep with prostaglandin gel (naturally occurring in sperm FYI). This might stimulate labour. If not they gave an oxytocin drip to start contractions- in my experience that meant a cannula in my arm and also continuous foetal monitoring- ie a strap around my belly hooked up to a machine. Practically, I found this quite restrictive of movement and also prevented me from taking a shower or bath. If progress is not being made (ie dilation at the predetermined rate) they gave syntocin also through the drip. This augments the contractions so that they're pretty much on top of each other and extremely strong. I was offered the epidural or other pain relief at this point. It's up to you if you want to take it or not, but if not it's pretty intense. I fully dilated and was ready to push after about 4-5hrs of this but depending on the hospitals policy and the baby's heart rate they may decide on a section at some point.

At some point in proceedings they might decide to break the waters (ARM). They do this with a thing that looks like a crochet hook. It's not painful but afterwards the baby drops down and there's some pretty intense pressure, but that's the same with any vaginal delivery (in my experience anyway).

I'm sure you've tried all the old wives tales to get things going already- spicy food, long walks, bumpy drive, sex etc. Anecdotally, some of the best things you can do to help you have a vaginal delivery from an induction are to keep upright and moving, without exhausting yourself to the point that you can't continue.

Best of luck,op. I know it's daunting but either way you'll have a baby soon!

cyning

Times and procedures etc vary from hosp to hosp but I was brought in at 5 in the evening and was given my first round of gel at 10 that night aprox. More gel next morning. More that afternoon. None again until following morning, and then again that afternoon. I was out walking the grounds of the hospital up and down and up and down corridors too: they do monitor baby more frequently but I was encouraged to get out and about. I wasn't dilating at all so they thought induction had failed, but my waters broke on their own 7 hours after last gel, and contractions came on their own at that stage so I never needed drip or didn't need my waters broken. I was induced before due date too so that can take longer.

When you go in ask midwife to explain exactly what they do don't be afraid to ask questions. Make sure you have something to do/read induction is boring too

Emmacash

Congratulations op! In my experience it was much the same as above. I had a sweep and then they hooked me up to a drip and kept me hooked up to the monitor to keep an eye on baby's heart rate. I had gas and air which really helped but then after about 2and a half hours I had an epidural. I would let them know quite early in if you think you'd like an epidural as I was shocked by how fast things moved along! After another hour, baby came along and that was that!
This was on my second child just 6 months ago and I found this delivery a whole lot easier than my 1st one which took 14hours. (Which was a natural delivery )
Best of luck with everything, you're nearly there now

Roesy

Hi Clarbar, I was due on the 28th of October and was brought into Cumh on the 6th of Nov at 4pm to get gels at 6pm and 12 to get things going with the intention that all going well my consultant would break my waters on the morning of the 7th. I was told to expect to be holding my baby by 7/8 that evening. First gel was administered around 6.30 and I was turned loose to walk the corridors to see would it start anything. No joy! I must have walked miles. There was nothing stirring so I sent my husband home around 11 as we had been told to expect a long day on the Thursday. I told him I'd give him a buzz after the consultant had been in around 7/7.30 and let him know the plan for the day. Had the second gel around 12.30 and tried to get some sleep. Started getting pain in my lower back within an hour or so and said it to the midwife. Was told that the gel pains could be quite uncomfortable and was offered some paracetamol and recommended to try the bath. Neither of those made much of a difference and within an hour or two the pain had increased but was all still in my lower back. I was offered pethedine then and was thinking these gel pains were a complete disaster. Pains eased slightly but didn't really go so I hopped into the shower a few times. Around quarter to 7 I hopped into the shower thinking if these are just gel pains how am I going to cope with labour! Consultant came in around 7.15 to find me on all fours on my bed and took one look at me and told me they weren't gel pains. He examined me and lo and behold I had got to nearly 7cm without realising that I wouldn't necessarily feel contractions in my front. Midwife got a fright because I hadn't called her or really vocalised the extent of my pain. Rang the husband and by the time he arrived I was in the delivery suite at nearly 10cm and about to start pushing. No time for an epidural, little miss arrived about 12 hours earlier than expected!

Don't be afraid to call the midwives and tell them what kind of pain you are having, don't play it down either. I have a high pain threshold and got the impression that the ward was busy that night so I didn't want to be bothering them with my gel pains! Also, don't get too tied up with the time frames. Different hospitals probably have different procedures too so it might be worth checking with your consultant about what to expect. If you go to the October 2013 thread and go back a few pages Wooha has a very detailed post about her experience with induction. It was very different to mine.

Good luck with it all and try not to worry. At the end of it all you'll be holding your beautiful baby and length of labour/pain relief etc will be quickly forgotten about!

vitani

I was induced on my daughter. Brought in early one morning, and after being assessed by a doctor and being put on a trace for a little while to monitor the baby's heartbeat, I was given a dose of gel. I had to lie down for about half an hour afterwards and then I was free to wander the corridors, coming back every so often to be put on the trace again.

They gave me a second dose of the gel at about 5pm and that's when my labour really started. At one point, they talked about breaking my waters but they went naturally as soon I was moved into the delivery room. That was about 9pm and she was born shortly after.

To be honest, the labour and delivery weren't nearly as bad as I'd expected. I had been worried that being induced would make it more painful but I found the contractions to be no worse than very bad period pain. This is going to sound kind of hippyish but when my labour really started, I realised that my body knew what to do and all I had to do was breathe and go along with it.

Best of luck on Friday and by Saturday, you should be holding your beautiful little girl in your arms.

January

They will bring you in and if your cervix is not dilated/favourable they will use prostin gel to try and thin the cervix down. You have to lie down for at least half an hour after having this and are hooked up to a trace during this time. They will give this a few hours to work and if it hasn't, they may administer another dose.

If it works and you go into labour you may not need any more intervention. Sometimes they may suggest artificial rupture of membranes (ARM), breaking your waters with a crochet hook or hooking you up to a syntocin drip to bring on contractions.

Very rarely, if none of those work, you are not progressing or baby gets into distress they may suggest a c section, but unless there is something wrong that will always be the last option.

Good luck and hope you have your little bundle in your arms soon.

Lola18

When I was induced in the coombe I was told to be there at 8am, they done the gel and at half 8 they broke my waters. Started getting bad pains shortly after that altough i wasnt really dilating. Tried the gas but it made me sick so I gave up on that!
Epidural at about 2 and was still only about 5cm. They kept checking and at 5pm I was still only 6/7cm. The midwives wanted me to have a section because baby was getting fed up, checked again before I was to go for a section and I was 10cm @ 5.30.
Finally gave birth to my ill stargazer at 9.36.