Induction help?
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Topic: Induction help?
Posted By: misty
Subject: Induction help?
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 9:20am
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Hi everyone
I'm kinda new but thought some of your experienced people might be able to help. I'm 41 weeks and 2 days pregnant and my midwife is keen to induce on Monday (when I'll be 41 weeks and 5 days). It's a bummer cos obviously I'd prefer NOT to have this procedure, but was wondering what it's like (for those who have been through it). My BP is normal and I've had an excellent pregnancy, but bubs has been engaged for 6 weeks now and no action, very very lazy. Any advice? Also, should i be asking about an elective Caeser too, since we'll be using a private obstetrician for the induction if we have to, we could avoid labour altogether? |
Replies:
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 10:01am
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I've had 2 inductions and both of them were fine. The only thing you have to worry about is that if you cervix isn't ready. They will apply gel to it to soften it and hopefully start the contractions. If this doesn't happen then you "may" end up with an ECS. The only thing to realise with a C section is that it is major surgery and will take you out of action for a few weeks where as a VB will not, if you can go that way have the induction and hope for the best. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 10:02am
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I was induced with addison and it was sweet. I just went in first thing and the midwife did the gel thing which was no worse than when they do a general check up there (not exactly pleasant but bearable and quick) then we just waited and walked for ages, got another dose of the gel and my waters broken a bit later but again while not pleasant it was over so quickly and not really painful. I had an epi when i started to feel sick and once that was in my midwife did a pretty full on sweep but I couldnt feel anything and bubs was born not much later.
I know some people avoid being induced but it wouldnt bother me if i had to do it again. |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 11:51am
| i was induced twice also - they were both diff births tho. i was 42wks with my first and 42 3 with my second. Your mw may offer do to a sweep first and that will let her know if it is favourable or not and may also help to get things started. Dont feel pressured, if you want to wait till 42 weeks let her know. It may mean almost constant monitoring tho. |
Posted By: misty
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 12:30pm
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GandT, and everyone else, thanks for that. I guess I'm keen to get this baby out because my closest friend also had a very healthy pregnancy, was ten days overdue, booked induction for day 11 and baby died inside her without warning or explanation before this could be done. So I'm nervous - I would have waited but I think I will go with the induction.
My midwife has said she hasn't had great success with the stretch and sweep before and would rather just go onto gel/oxytocin if I'm happy with this. My main fear is the stress it puts on the baby, many of my friends who have had inductions have needed emergency caesereans in the end. Also the pain and quickness of contractions! Guess I just need to bite the bullet and get on with it. |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 12:46pm
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Hi misty, I think it very surprising that your mw has no confidence in s&s. I think you should ask her to give it a try anyway as it is the least intrusive method. I think gel is your next bet if you still want a relatively uninduced bubba.
Lots of babies go overdue, try not to worry. Don't forget your mw is also there to reassure you if you are nervous etc. Yes, a lot of inductions go on to ec/s but not all. From someone who has had ec/s and VB, I'd still try VB first as even though it hurts, so does c/s, and you will recover far quicker with the VB. -------------  |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 1:27pm
with my first induction my waters broke after the gel and there was meconium and so i was pretty much bed ridden the whole labour with drips and monitoring etc. i didnt have a c sect either time. my second they broke the waters for me after regular contractions and after that it was all go - 3 hours from then till baby. it was a very different birth as i got to labour in a pool and there was not even a mw in sight. i think that you have to be mentally in the right place and also the more ready the baby is the easier on your body it will be. I think also that just cause your mw hasnt any luck with a sweep doesnt mean she should rule it out. at least she can have a look/feel and should be able to tell how ready or not your body may be. You never know your luck tho, i have heard so many people say they went into labour just before they were due for induction...fingers crossed for you. and do come back and let us know how you go.
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Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 1:55pm
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If your cervix is "ripe" an induction (like the gel) will work straight away, and theres no reason why things shouldn't run smoothly, however, if its not, the induction process can get quite lengthy, as you are only allowed 3 lots of gel per 24 hours and if that doesn't work, they tend to try 3 more lots and if that doesn't work then you may need waters broken/synoticinon (?sp) drip, which can lead to fast and painful labours. If you need to go down the drip path, I would be making sure you could have an epi at the same time. And as far as I am aware, you are more likely to need forceps/ventouse as opposed to c/s with inductions - c/s are usually reserved for cases like obstructed labours/failure to progress which are more rare... ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Snappy
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 3:01pm
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Hi misty
have you thought about acupuncture? I had acupuncture and went into labour 12 hours later. |
Posted By: misty
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 3:14pm
| No, someone else suggested acupuncture though so it might be worth investigating. I've literally tried everything else... raspberry leaf tea, brisk walking, hot baths, lots of curry and sex! |
Posted By: Snappy
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 4:41pm
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you really should! its not painful, it just feels a bit strange.
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Posted By: buzimumto3boys
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 4:45pm
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Also squeezing and stimulating the part between your thumb and first finger...or so I have heard!
Good luck! |
Posted By: misty
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 5:40pm
Well, am just back from scan and apparently my baby is 9 pounds 4 oz!!! I wonder if he just can't fit 
It's a bit of a shock as he was "guesstimated" to be about 7 and a half and I'm still quite small and compact. My midwife says it's a week's wait to get a confirmed induction appointment (at National Womens) but will be "on the phone morning noon and night" for a cancellation. In the meantime will keep trying the old wives tales... |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 6:12pm
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Misty I had a 9lb 4 baby and its really not that bad. So long as the head isn't that big you'll be fine. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: fadeless
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 6:23pm
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Misty you wont know if baby will 'fit' until you are pushing and then it wont really matter if bubs is 10lbs or 6lbs lol you will just want him out! Its actually more common than you think for a woman to have a baby over 9lbs these days.
I was induced with my first and it wasnt a good experence. She ended up getting distress and i had a emergency c/s. My second was over 1lb bigger and she was a 'normal' birth. With my son i was 18 days overdue i wanted to wait and had a stretch and sweep which really got things going and was in labour 24hrs later. Good luck with what you choose to do. ------------- DD 9 ~ DD 8 ~ DS 7 ~ DS 5 ~ DS 2 ~ DS 14mths ~ DD 3mths |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 8:25pm
Don't worry about the size, the scans are not always accurate and it doesn't seem to be size that matters or not. I have a brother who was 11lb7oz born, no stitches and only gas  ------------- |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 8:32pm
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There is this yucky stuff you can get from the herbal dispensary if they have one near you. I know a few people who have taken it the day before they were supposed to be induced and ended up going into labour on their own. Its pretty gross but if it works
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 28 September 2007 at 8:46pm
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i was induced with Jake and my labour started intensely immediately after having waters breaking. that said, (and looking back remembering obviously not a lot) it wasn't that bad at all. i coped with gas and pethidine and a few stitches which (and i never belived this when someone else told me)didn't hurt AT ALL, and my graze from baby two which required nothing hurt like a ...very sore thing.
It is completely natural to be a bit scared of labour and all that, but don;t believe the horror stories about induction. realy not that bad. |
Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 29 September 2007 at 7:57am
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Stay positive love everyBODY & every baby is different.
Things are monitored closely when you are induced. My fisrt babe was ECS after a 51 hr labour, 2wks overdue being induced & having all the drugs the hospital offered. My waters broke just hours before the induction & i was 1cm so was given synotocin rather than gels.. After a long long long time of monitoring esc was discussed & agreed to coz i was a failing to progress. Lucky tho my babe who was estimated at 7-8lb turned out 9lb6oz only 2 days after the estimated weigh in. My next babe was elective & 1 week overdue 8lb 1oz & was still regarded as malpresentation & Mal proportioned (i kinda knew my body was too little to push out fat heads LOL) Just so you know- when your water break its like VERY VERY VERy sore esp with syno added on top!!! I difenately second acupuncture as an alternative to induction. But what ever happens stay positive All the best with you birth love  ------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007 |
Posted By: misty
Date Posted: 29 September 2007 at 10:24am
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Well, it's all happened super fast and a cancellation has come up. We're going in tonight (saturday) for the gels. midwife will monitor tonight and tomorrow and all going well we should have our boy out by Monday morning at latest!
I'm very nervous, but hopeful, and I think judging from what scan showed (ie deteriorating placenta and an enormous baby) it's probably safest to get him out rather than wait like my friend did and take the risk. Thanks for all the support! Will let you all know next week how it went |
Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 29 September 2007 at 10:32am
| Congratulations you will enjoy motherhood and you should join the October thread on first or second child thread |
Posted By: misty
Date Posted: 07 October 2007 at 3:00pm
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Hi to all the lovely ladies who answered my questions about induction. I had a really positive experience - it took 24 hours and 3 lots of gel to get me having contractions (ow!) and I did lots of reading and eating while I waited - quite relaxing actually! Of course, the minute I sent my other half off to get pizza for dinner my waters broke and sent me into get-me-an epidural NOW territory. I was 7 cm dilated already - in about 3 hours - so it all went really fast from there. Into delivery, epi in, baby out - my super midwife gave me a deadline... which was great, I found! Because she wanted the baby out by 3am I kept on checking the clock going 'OK, only 25 mins left... must push harder!" and I made it with 7 mins to spare! My son was born at 2:53am, and he's perfect.
Again , thanks for all the help. I was so nervous, but I'd do it again in an instant. |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 07 October 2007 at 9:07pm
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Thats good to hear misty. Its always the way, send the oher half out for something and everything happens. happened both times with me. First MW went to get changed and second DH went to go and get some dinner. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 07 October 2007 at 9:15pm
| way to go, glad it went well for you! |
Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 07 October 2007 at 10:11pm
| congratulations! |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 07 October 2007 at 10:29pm
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Congratulations. how much did he weigh in the end? ------------- 
 
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Posted By: misty
Date Posted: 10 October 2007 at 3:17pm
| He was 8lb 5 oz which just goes to show how WRONG the scans can be! A whole pound under estimated weight! |
Posted By: MelanieAndBree
Date Posted: 10 October 2007 at 3:30pm
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I was induced and it took 2 days for the gel to do anything. Then had my waters broken and 5 hours later Briahna was here
------------- Melanie. Mum to Briahna Robyn, 3yrs |
Posted By: mummy_dee
Date Posted: 10 October 2007 at 8:23pm
Yah congratulations Misty! And welcome to the world baby boy  ------------- Daphne Married Stuart: 19/03/05 Oliver: 9/06/06 Lilia due: 19/03/08 http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: MelanieAndBree
Date Posted: 10 October 2007 at 8:40pm
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Oops i totally missed that post lol.
Congrats!!!! ------------- Melanie. Mum to Briahna Robyn, 3yrs |