Induction

I had a complete natural birth with gas & air. I had a pessary to start me off and it worked overnight was put in around 5pm and was in active labour by 5am

@Danielle was your contractions more painful due to induction?

I had the gel and the pains were so intense and close together. I laboured for 24hrs and got rushed for a section. I’m not trying to scare you just prepare for a section as you never know I didn’t expect to be having a section. Everyone’s induction stories are so different!

@Bethany thank you. I'd rather hear honest truth

@Chloe only part my waters broke with my first born so they broke the rest but the pain was the same as what I remember with first born. My first born I laboured for 3 days (including slow labour) and stayed in for 4 days after to be both treated for sepsis. 2nd born I was out in 6 hours after giving birth x

@Danielle ok thank you

I was induced and had to have a forceps delivery but I don’t think the two were related, apparently baby was in a funny position. In hindsight I actually suspect if I’d had a more experienced midwife I might not have needed the forceps.

@Sophie ah ok. Thank you

I was dilated enough that my waters could be broken but when I was put on the hormone drip my contractions were really intense. I ended up having an emergency c-section due to baby not moving and concerns about her not getting enough oxygen. A lot of the time induction does end up in an emergency c-section so be prepared for that and inductions are lengthy so take snacks and things to keep you occupied x

@Reema ok thank you for the honesty and advice

I had the pessery and then the gel 3 days later I never progressed past 1cm so had a csection

@Sian that sounds intense trying different ones but no luck

I had the pessary at 3pm. Started contractions at 7pm by 4am I was going to labour ward. Started pushing at 7pm that day. Ended up with forceps and episiotomy because baby turned his head up. 16 hours of labour but it wasn't bad as I had epidural and didn't feel much I did have a choice of forceps or c section and I went with forceps. Baby was born at 9pm

I was induced and had a natural delivery with just gas and air. The lack of pain relief wasn’t by choice but because labour was very quick (about an hour and 20 mins). I do have a family history of quick births, but could have been the induction process which sped it along. Different for everyone, but I had a positive induction experience and no need for interventions. Hope all goes well!

@Caroline thank you

@Chloe the pessary is meant to be put in and naturally help induce labour so if you have the pessary you can go home and wait, it like helps soften the cervix to dilate. Whereas the gel will basically induce labour within hours and can be more intense/closer together contractions! You can pick which method you’d like to chose! the midwife maybe should give you the option whether you want to try the pessary first? Like I said before I had the gel and the pain was unreal, like so bad! The midwife told me if I went naturally my pains wouldn’t have been as intense so just really think about it - if you can wait and try to go naturally I would because my experience of the gel then ending up with an emergency C section really traumatised me and I feel I wasn’t best supported by the midwives I had, I asked for an epidural and didn’t get it till 24 hours after being in that pain for so long! Again not trying to put fear in it for you but I’d hate someone to have the same experience as me

@Chloe also the pessary once had it you can go home, and the gel you have to stay in x

@Bethany that is good to know. Thank you

Everyone’s induction will be different. Induction will only work if your body is ready. I went in on a Friday 06am at 39+5 days, had the first gel, worked instantly and was contracting but then was told i was over stimulating and contracting too close. Had a 2nd gel on the Saturday, again same problem. Contracting too close. After all of this I only got to 3cm dilated, was taken to delivery suite on Sunday at 4pm for artificial breaking of my waters, put on a oxytocin drip and ended up in critical care requiring emergency c section because my baby got wrapped in his cord and I was unconscious with low blood pressure and obs almost flatlining. I’m not posting this to scare mong you or anyone but my top bit of advice would be to just prepare yourself for ALL scenarios. Obviously the ideal would be as natural a birth / minimal intervention as possible but it’s good to know that things may not work out and that’s also ok.

Also depending on your hospital, you may not been given choice of induction method. My hospital only did the gels and I had to stay in, couldn’t go home. Just something to bare in mind / ask your induction team about x

@Niomi thank you for honesty. I hope my body be ready if I need induction. As I'll be 41+5

@Niomi sounds like you went through quite a lot

@Chloe definitely have a higher chance as you’ll be over, so I really hope it works out for you. Take plenty snacks and something to keep yourself occupied! Good luck x

@Niomi thank you