Well, I'm being induced Wednesday evening. Any helpful tips?

Answer 1

get sleep! you will need to catch up on as much as possible! other than that, make sure you have some meals prepared so that your husband and family can just pop them in the microwave or oven to heat up. the little things that you forget to do make the most difference.

congrats! you'll be fine.

Answer 2

Go in with an open mind regarding painkillers and an epidural. I was induced with 2 of my three children. The contractions were stronger with those two than with the third one who came on her own. But childbirth can't happen without some pain unfortunately. Some ladies are great at the meditation thing and can take themselves "someplace else" during a contraction. Others find concentrating on a certain type of music or nature sounds or even a picture can help. These things helped me in the early stages but not in the later stages. The epidural was nice because I could control the release of the medicine and even stop it if I felt like it. The doctors make sure that you can't get too much to harm you or the baby but you get a button to push when it starts to wear off if you want more at that time.
Take something to read or a puzzle book. You could be there for a while. Try to be calm and relaxed when you go in. I know it is exciting and that it is hard to relax. All you can think about is the brand new child you will be seeing for the first time soon.
If the hospital offers you the options of sitting in a warm tub or taking a shower during labor, do it! These are some things that will help to naturally relax the muscles or at least soothe some of the pain. One mom I know said that sitting in a warm tub of water cut her pain in half and prevented her from needing any pain meds.
Also walking around can help make the labor go faster and easier.
Now if the doctor wants you on constant fetal monitoring because of the inducing these things won't be possible, but your husband/partner/coach can do things like a back or leg massage, temple massage, brush your hair or anything else that you find calming and soothing.
Also, after the baby is born, try not to have a constant stream of visitors through your room. This is a very short period in your life when you will have a whole crew of nurses to watch over your baby while you take a nap or a shower or whatever. I am NOT advocating ignoring your baby but I AM advocating taking some time to recover from the childbirth yourself. This is not soemthing that is easy or that you can just spring back from qucikly. Some ladies are lucky enough to feel better quickler than others, but give yourself those two or three days to relax and enjoy the help with the baby. Get some sleep. It will be hard to come by at home. Family and friends can come by once you are home to visit your new baby. You could even ask some of them to watch the baby for 15 minutes to let you get a shower or maybe ask an aunt or a grandma to watch the baby for an hour so you can take a nap. But take this time in the hospital to take care of you and get to know your baby a bit. I had visitors during my hospital stays but I did make sure that I had time to rest too.
Good Luck! Have fun with the new baby!

Answer 3

Tips, sleep, pack bag, make sure everything is ready for your family/pets. Relax as much as possible durring the induction.

As for Cervadil, I myself don't suggest it...I had it with my fist induction and I hated it, everybody has different reactions, Mine was when they would come in to check me it felt like they were shoving a hot poker up me and digging around with it, and after a day of it, nothing happened what so ever. After the weekend, I went in and got the pitocin. It doesn't always cause fetal distress so don't worry, if it wasn't safe they wouldn't allow you to have it, also, it is a form of the natural oxytocin that our bodies produce on their own they just give you doses of it because it's biologically safer than oxytocin which is made from cow hormones. Pitocin is the synthetic version. And if you do start having problems with the Pit, they will just lower the dose or stop it completely.

I did my first naturally and was 17. NO PROBLEMS! what so ever. No pain meds and 11 hours of labor total starting counting at the induction, thanks to not having an epidural or spinal I was able to walk, use the hot tub, and only had to push for 10 minutes and no tearing or cuting was done to me. I'm 19 now and being induced for my 2nd child Tuesday morning, going alone since my husband is in Iraq, and not feeling any fears. So, my biggest tip is to trust your doctor, don't be pressured into anything you don't want to do, and be as relaxed as possible.

Good luck and congrats!

Answer 4

Get your house clean now! Pack your stuff.
It's nice to know when you will have the baby so you can carefully pack everything.
If this is your first baby, don't be nervous at all. They will give you cervidil on Wednesday night to soften your cervix. In the morning they will start you on petocin to get things moving along. I'm not big on medicines, but your doctors will NOT give you something that will cause fetal distress. Miss know-it-all-go-natural up there most likely had very painful deliveries. They will also break your water with a little hook. Sounds bad, but you can't feel it at all. Then it's just the waiting game.
If you can't decide on pain medication, let me tell you, I've done it with and without and I would take the epidural everyday and twice on Sundays!
Push like you have to go to the bathroom. Don't worry about going on the table....many women do it. Just push and get that baby out of there!
Pack snacks for your husband so he doesn't have to leave you. Also, pack a few saltines so that your husband can sneak a few to you when the nurse isn't looking! Ice chips don't cut it for a day of giving birth!

Answer 5

SLeep sleep sleep. Chances are you wont sleep the night before getting induced.
Sometimes they'll just use a gel for the first day or so, they'll apply this to your cervix to try and get it to thin and open up. A friend of mine had to be induced, she didn't have her baby til 2.5 days later. Sometimes the baby just isn't ready and doesn't co-operate!! So, my advice is to relax and realise that the baby might not come that night. Prepare yourself that it isn't a fast feat, especially if this is your first baby.

For your home: I'd make sure any housework is done, prepare some meals like lasagna, and freeze them. You'll be glad you took the time to do this with a newborn, you'll be able to haul it outta the freezer and warm in the oven. Easy quick meals that are nutritious and yummy. Cod au gratin is also easy and yummy, even after being frozen.

For your baby: Make sure you install your car seat/ car seat base correctly. There should be a car seat clinic someplace in your town/city. Just call the local medical clinic or public health building, they'll be able to point you in the right direction. Very important to have the carseat in sooo snug and correctly. You'll feel better knowing that it's in there correctly AND make sure your husband knows how to use it all correctly too. Most newborn carseats have handles that can fold down when you aren't carrying them, but they also HAVE TO BE put down when in the vehicle..for safety reasons. Some people leave them up and hang toys from them to keep baby occupied, but this is unsafe. Don't do it.

For your bag for the hospital: socks, underwear, nursing bras, pjs, slippers for you. Also pads for after the baby comes, the ones they have in the hospital are huge and are strapped onto you. They are ridiculous and uncomfortable. Bring a bag of your normal brand. For your baby: sleepers, unscented wipes(here in canada they don't have wipes in the hospital, so you have to dirt up facecloths for diaper changes-make them easier by bringing wipes), car seat..can't really think of anything else that is really necessary. And take money to buy phone and tv in hospital. Coin.

Just get as much sleep now, because you wont get much for the next month or two. Try and enjoy your last few days of relaxing, put your feet up, watch a movie, watch your favorite show, shave your legs/wax them, have hubby help lol, and just remember that your ideal birth experience isn't always what you get. So try and keep open minded and ready for anything. Be strong and confident. Everything will go just fine, I'm sure.
Good luck and congratulations on the baby!! How exciting, I'm currently 20 weeks along with #2, getting a little anxious now :)

Answer 6

It is quite possible to do your own cervical sweep, if you're at ease with your body. You can reach your cervix either while squatting or by lying on your side. It's quite amazing to be able to reach your cervix and tell how dilated you are! Even being able to feel the baby's head with your finger if the cervix is a 2-3cm dilated! A cervical sweep is just when the nurse or Dr runs their finger around the inside of the rim of the cervix, if it's a little dilated this can separate the membranes from the cervix and bring on labour. Very easy to do at home.


try doing loads of housework too,this might bring you on quicker,but dont want to over do it that your too tired to go into labour good luck and hope you have an easy time

Answer 7

I was two weeks over due and they had to induce my labor its not that bad just get a lot of rest and drink plenty of fluids two days before. with mine they induced my labor and i still came out to having to have an emergency c-section cause i would not dilate past 4. but everybody is different. just breath and take it slow. push when told to push an just relax when you get the chance. I'm a mother of 5 and I'm still here i f i can do it you can. i will pray for you god bless and good luck

Answer 8

All 3 of mine were induced except the last 2 were already in progress they just used pitocin to move it along faster. My advice if you are going to get pitocin is to make sure you request the eipdural first. I've had epi's and spinals and prefer an epi any day.

Answer 9

I have 4 kids and two were induced. it was great. you will have so much control. ask for an epidural as soon as you are allowed to receive one. do not wait for the pain to begin. just make sure they do not take you in too early for a c section if it does not work that fast. it will be awesome!

Answer 10

um any helpful tips...get the epidural. i was induced with my first and i made it though. no matter what child birth hurts any way you look at it so just prepare your self for the arrival of your beautiful baby. just remember that you are going through this pain for your baby and your are finally gonna see your babys face and met your child the child you have been talking to and preparing for. my mother told me that its the worst pain you will ever feel but you forget it so fast and its true. besides woman have been having babies for millions of years you can do it ! congrats