Inductions

My midwife knew that I wanted an epidural and suggested getting it before I was even hooked up to the pitocin. She said she had been through two labours - one induced and the other not and the induced labour was so much more painful! I ended up following her advice and I am so glad I did as there were a few times the epidural began to wear off a bit and I felt everything and I’m not sure I could have coped with them the whole time!

I’ve shared my story a Lot on this app 😅 but basically mine was the most traumatic experience I’ve ever been through. They found he had stopped growing and needed to induce right away. Started right at 37W. Had 4 pessaries over 4 days and was utterly neglected by hospital staff/ the midwives. Was stuck in my little bed on the ward or walking around the hospital alone having contractions for 4 days & nights. Day 5 they finally broke my waters and started the drip. Got the epidural which failed on one side. Got to 10cm and pushing when my temperature spiked and baby’s heart rate dropped so they performed a very emergent emergency c-section.

I think if it’s not your first baby or you’re over 40W or both there’s a much higher chance it goes smoothly, but I absolutely preach if you’re a FTM and under 40W just go for the c-section 🙈

In terms of the pain, the contractions were reasonably manageable for me with breathing and being on all 4s but because it lasted 5 days overall was horrible

2 words - NEVER AGAIN!!!

Natural labour or elective c-section for me next time! X

My induction and labour went remarkably smoothly. The birth not so much lol I was induced at 37+5 for pre eclampsia. Admitted to ward, pessary in and within 12 hours was feeling tightenings. The midwives said its probably just the hormones and its normal for it to be 24hrs+ but a couple hours later I was having definite contractions maybe every half hour or so and my pessary fell out on the toilet. Midwife came a couple of hours later again to see if I needed a new one and was 4-5cm dilated so considering how fast things had gone she talked to delivery who decided to move me over sooner than they usually would. Had epidural once i was in delivery suite and by then contractions were probably around 2 in 10minutes and then hooked to the drip and had waters broken once epidural was confirmed as working as expected. After that was a lot of getting some well needed rest and my son was here 8 hours later

Birth didn't go great though because I struggled getting him out and ended up with forceps delivery but he'd already torn me and I lost in total 2l of blood and he had the cord round his neck and arm so was a bit tangled but he was perfectly fine. Didn't cry as hard as they'd like to start but after 5-10mins of skin to skin and encouragement he showed off those powerful lungs and everyone settled down a bit more then.

I'd 100% do the induction and epidural again though but hopefully with an easier birth experience next time

I was induced with my second at 37 weeks with the pessary. Pessary put in at 2pm. By 4pm my braxton hicks were painful so I knew it was doing something. By 6pm I was having to breathe through them, by 7pm I was having to stop everything, breathe and squeeze my husband's hand. At 8pm (& typically at stagg handover) the midwives refused to check me saying that I wasn't actually in labour but I was in *so* much pain. At 8.45 they put the monitor on me and baby's heart rate was dropping so they had to take the pessary out of me. I was begging for an epidural at this point. At 9pm she took out the pessary and checked my dilation. I was 4cm and cervix was paper thin. She literally ran me down the corridor in the wheelchair into the delivery room and my husband followed. I felt I need to push. Started hemmoraging everywhere. Pushed 3 or 4 times and my son was born at 9.26pm.... 26 mins after I was 4cm. Then my uterus wouldn't contract back down and I had loads more bleeding so all in all it was really traumatic!