How long does an induction take?

Question

I am being induced on Friday, without the use of pitocin. They are using a softening agent, although I'm not sure which. How long should this take? Anyone have any stories?

Answer 1

sorry the ones i know of ended in csection. what happens is the cervidil doesnt work because your body(and baby) isnt ready to go into labor. which means they usually break your water trying to start labor, then the timer starts. the hospital wont let you go over 24 hrs once water has been broken. so then you get pitocin which only works about half the time, so the 24 hr mark comes and you haven't reached the hospitals guidelines they take you for surgery. its a cascading disaster. labor shouldnt be forced. it should be allowed to happen when its time. since they are waiting till friday to induce its not because you or the baby are in crises.

Answer 2

Please call you doctor's office and find out which drug they are planning on using. If it is something called Cytotec (also known as Misoprostol or prostaglandin E1), DO YOUR RESEARCH. This is a very dangerous drug that many OB's have started using. It has not been approved by the FDA for induction, and the company that makes it has sent out letters to physicians telling then not to use it for induction. It has been know to cause uterine rupture, especially in mom's who have had a previous c-section, also maternal or fetal death. The hospitals like to use this for induction because one pill only costs a couple of dollars, where inducing with pitocin costs much more. I have had one client who decided that she was OK with the info after researching and went ahead with the induction using cytotec. She had horrible contractions which led to nothing and went home that evening saying she would never do the cytotec again. The problem is that it is a drug in pill form. They either give it to you to swallow, or place it internally next to your cervix. But because it is a pill, they can't take it out of your system once it's begun. With pitocin, they can turn the IV drip off if mom or baby is not tolerating it well. With Cytotec if the baby is in distress they will take you in for an immediate c-section. So as I mentioned before, call up, find out the drugs name, and research it. If you are not comfortable with what they are using you can ask about different options, such as pitocin or just waiting until labor starts on it's own. Don't ever feel like they backed you into a corner and you have no choice. You always have a choice. If not, switch care providers. You can switch even while you're pushing the baby out you know!

Check out : Cytotec, safe for inducing labor? http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/plabor/0,,6xr4,00.html

or just do a google search for Cytotec (if that's what they're using.

Answer 3

With my first, I was induced with only pitocin. After 24 hours of labor, my cervix stopped budging. Since they could not use a softening agent on me due to a complicated pregnancy, I had a c-section.

Answer 4

I too was induced with pitocin. I went in at 7 am. I had my baby boy at 8 pm. I ended up having a c-section because my 2nd epidural didn't take. I was in a tremendous amt of pain. My body reacted by closing back up. I started at 4cm. I went into the OR at 0cm. Everyone is different. You can be in and out in a matter of hrs or it may take all day or even a day or so. I wish you luck.

Answer 5

Yep! I was induced the same as you...first my midwife did a cervical sweep...nothing...went in for the gel on the Monday had some hicks but nothing,,then went back on Tuesday had the gel again...then I went out for Lunch BIG MISTAKE....Dont do it....Then nothing no pains....nothing....but I had an urge to put a soaker pad on my bed that night and thank god I did, my water broke so I knew I was having this baby within 24 hours. The next morning Wednesday got induced with pitocin and was in full labour. I was 2 weeks overdue when he finally came out.

Answer 6

From my understanding it can very greatly. Though beginning labor that way can make for a very long labor. My doctor was prepaired for a 36 hour labor. I was scheduled to be induced, however, I started labor on my own that very morning. They decided to let me just labor on my own. This was my first child and I ended up in labor for 16 hours. Though I only had one hour of hard labor. another thing that facors in is that I had an eppi. I didn't use any of the labor tools suggested except for a small back massager. What got me through labor so easily was medication and being surrounded by people that love me. All said and done, it was a great day. Feel free to e-mail me if you'd like more details.

Answer 7

I had to be induced also, I was induced at 6:am , but they gave me pitocin. And I ended up having a c-section because my baby heartrate kept going down everytime I had a contraction, and they had me hooked up to all kinds of things, but my bones were too small for her to fit through, but she was born at 12:57pm. Everyone is different, it may not take too long but it might too. Good luck, and congratulations

Answer 8

It depends on what they are doing to induce you.
What is the reason for an induction? Are you overdue? If you are not overdue, it is more likely that your induction will take longer, especially if your cervix is not yet ripe.
Although it is late in your pregnancy, I would recommend that you start drinking as much red raspberry leaf tea as you can possibly get down. It should help with your labour (and if you have to be induced, you are probably in for a more difficult one).

Answer 9

I had a baby on Oct 25. I had high blood pressure and my daughter was stressed so the doc gave me a "jelly" that would soften my cervix. He put this in at around 7:00 pm and my water broke at 8:15 pm.

I ended up having a c-section as the cord was wrapped around her neck preventing her from dropping but that's a different story.

Good luck :)

Answer 10

My friend's brothers girlfriend was induced last Friday and didn't have the baby until Monday morning. Her little girl was just not ready. But I've heard about people that go in and it's that night that they have the baby. It all depends on your body and the baby. Good luck and Congrats!