Induction questions

I had an induction with my second. It was very quick. I had my water broken at 11:35 am (most painful part). I opted for the 2hr wait to see if I went into labour naturally, I didn't. They started oxytocin at 1:45 and the contractions started at 2pm. I had back labour so I tried to hold off as long as I could before calling for an epidural. I thought I was in labour a lot longer but it was only 3:42 when I was sitting up for the epidural to be placed. I then laid for 15 mins on 9ne side then flipped, but didn't make it to the 15 min mark as she decided to come. They called for the ob and three pushes later my daughter arrived. Only had a superficial tear, it was along a previous tear so they put a couple stitches in to make sure I didn't tear further.

I did it without epidural but only cos it all happened so quickly! Defo recommend getting the epidural 😂 but how exciting baby will be here in your arms very soon!! X

My first, my induction was cancelled due to me having covid. I went into labour 4 days after my due date. I didn't have back labour so it was a completely different experience. I laboured for about 3hrs before calling for an epidural. I then slept for about 4 hrs.
My first, the epidural worked too well and I couldn't feel anything. I had to be told when to push. My second, it didn't fully kick in so I could feel the tear, it felt like the aftermath of a piercing

I had the pessary, it was fine, it started contractions straight away. Really mild and they gradually built up. At the end of the 24 hours I was 5cm and they took the pessary out. Labour just continued normally from there. Maybe because it was the pessary and not the drip, it wasn’t too bad. Just had some gas and air.

@Ellie @Fay @Lorna @Helen, thanks for your stories, ladies. I appreciate it 🙏🏾 I'm excited, just worried! Hopefully they call me soon and let me know when they've got a bed

I was induced at 41+6. Waters broken at 5pm. Felt like nothing happened at all after the 2hrs. They put me on the drip at 7.20pm (I was 1cm) and contractions started immediately. I asked for an epidural but it was too late and I had her at 8.23pm.
My 1st born i was in slow labour for 3 days with him and it was brutal ending up in forcep delivery.

I wasn’t induced the traditional way with a pessary or balloon - my waters went at home but I had a bleed so they wanted to get things going, so I had the hormone drip. I also had an epidural - mine was absolutely fabulous, I felt amazing! I still felt the urge to push and immense pressure when I was fully dilated - it wasn’t painful per se, just a weird, uncomfortable feeling down there!

The hormone drip made my contractions weird though, they were really irregular and quite rubbish really🤣 I had it put in when I was 1cm at 11am, was 3cm by 3pm and then by 6pm I was getting ready to push - so my ‘established’ labour was about 2.5hrs and super quick!!

I totally get how overwhelming it can be - try to keep an open mind and go with what you feel you need. Wishing you loads of luck xx

I had an induction last year for my boy and i went in on a Thursday and they tried the pecery first, i had it in for 3 hours before it screamed that they take it out, it's was more painful than actual labor 😭 then the next morning i had the balloon put in and it fell out by 9pm that night, i got taken up to the labor ward and they checked me and broke my waters and by 4:30am Saturday i had gone from 2 to 5cm dilated and then they did the drip and i did 12 hours in labour overall. He was born at 3:55pm on the Saturday.
I would honestly get the epidural, the hormone drip is so painful xx

Praying for you both!! 🩷

I was induced with my first via the drip and wasn’t offered an epidural at the time. I was screaming for one and never got it as yes it is a lot more painful than a normal contraction. Sorry, Id hate for any other woman to experience what I did. Gas & air didn’t even touch the sides so if you are induced make sure you get that epidural before they do the induction (drip). They didn’t do lots of steps with me as my waters had gone 24hrs before so they did a sweep and then the drip. I think I was in labour for about 11 hours in total and about 3-4 hours of that was pushing, had to have an episiotomy and kiwi cup in the end but I think really I was lucky I didn’t end up with an emergency c-section!
With my 2nd I opted for a c-section & honestly it was a dream in comparison, the epidural was totally fine, didn’t feel a thing! Most amazing birth although recovery was harder.
Any questions just message me.

I had 3 rounds of pessary, after each one I would get some mild contractions but after about 6 hours they would stop, they did keep me awake in the night but werent painful.

I then went to labour ward and had 2 lots of hormone drip - my strong contractions then started halfway through the second drip and they got painful within an hour.

I didnt want to let the contractions get unbearable as I was exhausted from lack of sleep so I asked for an epidural and then when that kicked in it was 4 hours of rest before I started pushing, which took 1.5ish hours before our baby girl came.

I think my experience was positive and although epidural wasnt necessarily part of my original plan, I knew needed to have it to give me rest before the pushing.

The parts I found painful were the insertion of the pessary (although it was quick), and the examinations to check my cervix… luckily once on the labour ward I was able to use gas and air for the examinations xxx

First induction was due to not feeling him at all so it was quick. I was already at 3cm and so broke waters & administered pitocin (they also offered epidural around this point too).
Yes it was typically more painful than my natural *however* my boy was also sunny side up (or stargazing) so facing the wrong way up and he came out like that. I did need other interventions due to this - vacuum and forceps (both failed) and an episiotomy. I have been told I have precipitous labours so not really normal but from the time they started pitocin to my baby in my arms was just under 4hrs.
I did have gas and air as well as a pethadine injection.

My 3rd baby I elected to have an induction (nothing wrong with me/baby at all). I went in day prior for a cervical exam, 2-3cm so they did a sweep and sent me home (if you aren’t dilated at all then they will give you some options - gel, balloon etc). Went in the next day where my waters were popped and pitocin started. At like 4:20pm I was 4cm/4 in 10 contractions. Baby was born at 5:32pm. It was by far the best birth experience out of all 3. Managed on a bit of gas/air.

Induction was more painful than spontaneous onset of labour, but I still managed both without any drugs for pain relief

Thanks for sharing your experiences, guys! They're right when they say its different for everyone! I'm finally on a bed after monitoring in triage for 4 hours due to the baby's HR not being ideal/lack of staff. Hopefully, the labour ward clears up a little, and then they'll be able to give me my options for induction x

I was induced at 39 weeks for reduced movements and health complications.I was given the pessary they leave for 24hrs it didnt work so i had the gel which started waters breaking about 40 minutes later and contractions started roughly an hour after the gel. all contractions stopped after 2 hours but my waters were still leaking so i needed to wait for a bed on delivery to be given the oxytocin drip. I was in delivery at 3am the drip was started at roughly 4/5am by 10am nothing was happening so doctor had to check me and ended up having to break my back waters. I did couple hours drug free then gas and air till 7/8cm but in my case the drip caused uterine hyper stimulation which is when it got too painful and i opted for diamorphine i managed to sleep for about an hour and was very out of it and unfortunately due to this dont remember a huge chunk of my labour.my daughter was delivered safely at 8.01pm and with just a 1st degree tear.My best advice have someone who can advocate for you

fingers crossed you get to meet your baby soon! enormous luck xx

good luck, hope all goes well xx