Experiences with planned inductions

I had a scheduled induction due to being post dates. I have nothing to compare it to as it was my first baby but it was very painful so I got an epidural in the end which worked brilliantly. My daughter was born 12 hours after the induction started and I delivered vaginally. I had the usual issues with BF at the start with latch issues while we were both learning and she needed a tongue tie snipped but nothing related to the induction. We’re still breastfeeding now and she’s almost 16 months 😊. I know quite a few people that were induced for various reasons and I don’t think any of them needed a C-section so I’m surprised it’s as high as 40%! I wouldn’t have chosen an induction if i didn’t need one but it was the safest option for me and my baby at the time and I don’t have any regrets and would do it again if needed. I hope whatever happens you have a straightforward delivery! X

@Jess that’s really helpful thank you and I’m glad your little one is doing well ❤️I’m just trying to weigh up my options as also my first so I have no idea what to expect! I don’t think I can have an epidural so I’m also thinking about pain relief 😬 Yeah I was surprised that it was 40% too! Xx

I had a fantastic induction with my first, I was 37+2, I was very scared at first as I heard it was more painful (I had nothing to compare it to) I had the pesssary in at 1, was in active labour at 5 and he was born at 5:15, I had a second degree tear which was more painful than giving birth I found, but the induction itself was fantastic x

I was 37 weeks and nothing happened until being rushed in for an emergency section.

I had a planned induction via balloon due to my son measuring big which resulted in an emergency section as I had a prolapsed cord. I wish I never went forward with it as he was only 7lb13 when he was born and being my first I didn’t really know what I was doing so I felt pressured into that decision by midwives/consultants! My birth experience was quite traumatic due to this and I wish I just took the section straight away but everyone is different! I think it can depend on the type of induction you get but there is risks with any of them as they are trying to put your body into labour sometimes before it’s ready, I know of a few people that had planned inductions that resulted in sections so I’m not surprised that it’s 40%! Everyone will have different experiences but it’s just important that you make the decision that’s best for you and baby ♥️

Induction risks far outweigh the slight increased risk of bleeding you might have from taking the blood thinners imo.

@Becky oh wow so that was actually quite quick then. How did you grind the recovery from the tear if you mind me asking x

@Amy I’ve read lots of stories like this which is why I was curious to see what people’s experiences have been. Thanks for sharing

@Lottie if you’re not part of her medical team I don’t think you can really say that. Blood thinners can cause massive haemorrhage and I’m sure you would feel awful if your dangerous advice caused someone to become seriously unwell. I see so much medical advice being given out on here but really the only people that can weigh up the risks are a patient and their medical team

@Laura everybody is going to tell you good and bad stories, I tried to go in with an open mind as I was a high risk pregnancy so it was the best option for me, and the tear itself wasn’t so bad, I had salt baths and used ‘spritz for your bits’ which helped take the edge off, and used cooling sanitary pads, I’m currently 29 weeks pregnant with another high risk pregnancy and they’re pushing for a section but I’d rather try it being induced for my own reasons with recovery from a section and a nearly 3 year old to run around after, inductions I find are more monitored and I was watched a lot closer x

@Lottie I have to come off them either way I believe. So I think my options will be c-section/induction plus he’s a big one 😂 The more I read the more I’m leaning away from agreeing to be induced.

@Kayleigh oh I’m so sorry! It’s stories like yours that make me want to really understand the pros and cons with everything before I agree to anything.

@Laura yeh you likely do but to not have an option to await spontaneous labour is pure coercion and fear mongering from them. Do some research I would recommend. What’s saying he’s big? How many weeks are you at the moment ? Scans are notoriously inaccurate especially in the third trimester.

@Jess I mean i wasn’t telling her what to do. Inductions and major abdominal surgery can also cause haemorrhaging so like you say let’s leave it up to the pregnant woman (she isn’t a patient, pregnancy isn’t an illness…)

@Laura I wanted to try give birth vaginally and avoid section due to the recovery afterwards but the recovery after actually wasn’t as bad as I thought! The section would have been a really nice setting if it was planned as you can pick your own playlist and your partner is there with you too! Either way - your experience will be unique to you so just make sure you get as much information as possible before you make your decision as it’s a vulnerable time being a FTM and having to make a decision like that! ♥️ xxx

@Becky that’s my plan I’m trying to do as much reading as I can so I can be prepared and ask all the right questions on Monday. I feel like my mind goes blank as soon as I go into the room 🤣 Oh gosh yep I can’t imagine recovering from surgery and chasing after a toddler! X If I could chose my perfect preferred option I’d love to have a water birth but not sure that’s on the cards. The delivery suite only have 1 pool and I think it depends on the monitoring (another question to ask I suppose).

@Laura it’s my dream to have a water birth 🥲 but same situation at my hospital I think it’s luck of the draw, write it all down so you don’t forget! I’m more scared to give birth this time as they’ve said baby is bigger I didn’t really believe he was but I can notice the difference from my first, whichever way you decide to go it’ll be worth it for the tea and toast they give you after 🤣 xxx

@Jess your right I think it can be quite a big bleed. I cut my thumb at Christmas and my husband thought someone had been murdered in our lounge 😂 I’ll wait and see what options they give me on Monday. All I can do is do my reading and try and make the most informed decision I can 😊

I had a planned induction at 37 weeks due to having GD and tailing growth and it was a really good experience. My body was in no way ready so it took a long time, I went in on the Friday and she wasn’t born until Tuesday but that was also due to lack of staff but once the waters broke it was so fast, less than 5 hours in labour and only 40 mins of pushing. I breastfeed as well and she’s 5 months now and I had no problems other than the standard just learning how to do it. I have no way to compare the pain as she was my first but she came too fast for an epidural and I’m actually glad I didn’t go for it in the end, I was good on the gas and air but obviously everyone is different. I had a second degree tear but it healed quite fast and I didn’t find it too bad. I did end up being in hospital for about 4 days after though as she was jaundice and needed treatment so I was literally sitting in the bed all day

I had a c section after failed induction. All went smoothly. I have been exclusively breastfeeding for five months now with no problems at all :)

I had a planned induction due to severe PGP The contractions definitely came strong and fast it seemed once they started but was my first so nothing to compare. I had an epidural to help with the pain but I also have hypermobility syndrome and degenerative disc disease so was warned in advance labour would be extra painful and advised to plan for epidural anyway. My sons birth did not go smoothly but not as a result of the induction or epidural. He'd got himself a little tangled in the cord and i was having trouble getting him out so had an assisted birth with forceps in the end but he was perfectly fine as was I. Breast feeding we had a little help at the start with getting the latch right but he was happy to feed straight away and has actually never taken a bottle despite my attempts to wean him or to get help with the feeds and is still a boob monster at 16m. Personally there is nothing I would of done differently and I couldn't of asked for better care etc before, during and after

i had a wonderful induction. i waa induced at 39+6, the pessary was inserted just after a sweep when i was 1cm dilated at around 10:30am. i went home with cramps and slept for a while. contractions started around 4pm, they got intense around 9pm. got to hospital for about 11:30pm and was 8cm dilated. waters broke on their own at some point and baby was born in 3 big pushes at 2:57am on her due date. only had gas and air and it was genuinely amazing. can't wait to do it all again, and wouldn't be as worried if i need to be induced this time xx

I had a scheduled induction at 39 weeks due to elevated BP my entire pregnancy and age I guess. I don't know what they do for inductions where you are but in the US a lot of hospitals give pitocin to start contractions. When I was close to the end of pregnancy, I watched a lot of birth vlogs and the girls were getting pitocin and it worked for the contractions, but they never dilated. If I could do it over, I would ask for something other than pitocin because of course it didn't work and I never dilated past 4cm. It ended up in a C section due to my water breaking, me never dilating, and baby getting stressed. Baby was healthy though...all ended well for the most part.

I was induced and 40 weeks 2 days because i had polyhydraminos, excess amniotic fluid, and my contractions from the beginning were a 7 out of 10 on the pain scale. I still had a vaginally delivery but my boy was fighting me. I pushed for 4 hours and at the end my doctor had to use a vacuum to assist my delivery which left my baby with a wound on the back of his head. Other than that I havnt had any issues. I produce plenty of milk, my recovery has been going pretty smoothly so far, and my baby is happy and healthy.

Please trust your doctor and midwives and don’t listen to “medical” advice from unqualified people on the internet. There’s all sorts of scaremongering but the medics really do want the best experience and outcome for you and baby. Whilst pregnancy is not an “illness”, the PE and blood thinners require careful consideration. The medics need to help you weigh up the risks and avoid any dangerous complications. It’s great you’re doing research but try not to listen to anecdotal evidence. I would suggest speaking to your midwife at the next appointment and asking for links to published medical literature about the risks and benefits. Use the scientific evidence to make your decision and trust the qualified medical advice. Good luck, I hope you get the birth experience you want ❤️