What was your experience of induced labour?

Question

I was nearly induced on Thursday because a sonographer thought my amniotic fluid had dissapeared (I haven't lost any waters) my consultant checked again and found some small pockets of fluid around my baby and has let me continue the pregnancy another week (Yay!) but I will definatley be induced over the next week or so because the the fluid is severly low, thankfully my baby appears to be perfectly healthy despite this.

So what was your experience of induced labour?
if you previously had a natural one was it any different?
what is it like having the gel inserted behind your cervix?
did you feel very restricted by constant fetal monitering?
all your experiences good and bad please.
I am 36 weeks today.

mml- not worried in the slightest, my baby is healthy and I really don't care how much pain I have to go through to ensure his safe arrival, this my second baby so I know labour. It really is just curiosity.

Answer 1

i had induced labour with my second child, and it didnt work very well...i was induced on the friday morning an eventually gave birth on the sunday lunchtime..the pecessaries were quite uncomfortable, and i did struggle...but it all turned out good in the end, and that is the main thing. Good luck with the birth x

Answer 2

I'm a labor and delivery nurse.
Most induced labors go off without a hitch. Always goes better if your cervix is ripe for the process, that is the purpose for the gel behind the cervix.
Some women think it's a harder labor, but I've always felt it was because your nurse/doctor controls the amount of pitocin you get therefore the frequency of contractions.
If your baby has a decreased amount of fluid, it's better and safer to be induced then to progress a pregnancy that could get your baby in trouble.
you have to weigh the risk and the benefits.
Fetal monitoring can be very restrictive, but it is important. Especially if you have decreased fluids and/or on medicines to induce labor. Your doctor needs to monitor the baby's well being continuously and be assurred your baby is handling the stress of labor/delivery.
I personally have had 4 kids both ways. I think every experience is different for every mother. I personally preferred epidurals, but I tell my new moms to keep an open mind throughout the process. That it's okay to go natural, and ok if they change their mind needing pain meds, etc. If you've never given birth before, how can you know what you want and want as far as a birthplan, right?
Remember, keep an open mind, focus on having your baby, and try to enjoy the process....it's something you'll always remember! Congratulations!!!

Answer 3

I was induced with my third pregnancy at 40 weeks 1 day as my son was huge and I had developed PSD so could hardly move.
Getting the gel inserted is just like any other internal and you get monitored for half an hour before and half an hour after then you get to walk around to try to encourage things. My first dose didn't work and I got a second dose about 8 hrs later. If you aren't due it can take a few tries to get things started so be warned, its really boring. My second dose worked really quickly and I was breathing through regular contractions within a couple of hours.
The monitoring is done at regular intervals rather than constantly providing baby is ok and so are you so its not intrusive. It only bugged me during delivery as I could not get comfy and it was a mass move every time I cramped or had to move to relieve the pain in my back and pelvis.
Had my waters broken when I got to 3cm then got the urge to push about and hour and a half later. The midwife checked and asked me to hold off for a couple of contractions (my hubby thought I was at it until she brought out the delivery kit - he was gobsmacked) and half an hour later I had my son.
It was very fast compared with my first two deliveries and I think some of that was to do with experience and being more aware of what my body was telling me but it was definitely more intense than my first two.
The worst bit was having to hang around the hospital waiting on labour starting - got to walk just about every corridor but did have visitors and met friends for coffee in that shop so it wasn't too bad.
The staff at St Johns in Livingston were great and supported me all the way. If I were to have any more I would try to avoid induction though as I preferred my natural labours.

Answer 4

With my first my back waters broke first at about 6pm on a Monday the waters leaked out slowly over night without any contractions so the doctors induced me at about 10:30 the next day it didn't start working for a few hours. By the time 7 that night came they just decided to brake the front of the waters instead which lead to me having him 26 Min's later so i found with all 3 of my kids was to have my waters broken as soon as i go into labour the easiest way. So maybe ask about having your waters broken not long after getting induced that way the baby doesn't have to work as hard to move down into the canal.

Answer 5

I was induced with my first. My waters ruptured the day before, what they called a hind-water leak (the amniotic sack tore at the top side not at the bottom), but the contractions stopped soon after. I was given the night in bed and induced at mid-day the next day.
They put the drip and gel in at the same time and labor started 20 minutes later. The gel was cool, uncomfortable but did not hurt, the drip did (I HATE needles). I was told it would be around nine hours or so before I delivered. Four hours later, I asked for my doctor, but they said it was too early, as my waters hadn't even ruptured yet. Four minutes later there was my daughter, and two minutes after the doctor came in! No stitches, no tears, a little bruising, but a good experience. Up and walking 1/2 hour after the birth.

My second delivery was forceps delivery after the doctor gave me an injection to hurry the labor along. I truly believe it was his golf appointment the next day and not concern for me that he did it. He told me if she wasn't born by 9.00pm he would go in and get her.
That was the worst experience of my life! Labor was more difficult, I was as high as a kite, and tore so badly the doctor refused to tell me how many stitches he put in! (I stopped counting after 36). Stayed in the labor room for 9 hours after the birth, too ill to move. Sore for a long time after.

The third was a natural birth. I was in control and after a 4 hour labor my son was born, delivered by my husband, in hospital. No stitches, no tears, a wonderful experience. Up and walking within minutes.

My fourth child, a little girl, I delivered naturally myself in a hospital, with the staff watching on. A truly amazing experience! No stitches, no tears. No problems.

Each labor experience was different, but not just because some were induced, and some were natural. There was a difference in attitude from the staff, and that does make or break the birthing experience, so it might be worthwhile finding out what that attitude is.

But remember whatever the experience, the ultimate goal is the safe delivery of the little one. May all your troubles be little ones.

Answer 6

I was induced when I had my son because he was 2 weeks late.

The gel being inserted is just like having a normal internal check. This is sometimes enough to soften the cervix and allow natural contractions to start. It didnt work (that well) with me after 2 days of gel so I was actually admitted into hospital and placed on a drip to induce it further.

The labour came on pretty strong but it was fairly quick and I gave birth after about 6 hours of labour.

Good luck .

Answer 7

I was induced with my daughter and when they break your water if they have to is not a pleasant experience. If they have to dilate you it is not much fun either. My epidural did not work and had front and back labor, but once you start pushing you don't care about the rest of it. You are going to be a person with nerves in knots anyway waiting for that angel they hand you so it will all be worth it. The act of childbirth is not a fun experience induced or not for most people and they say you forget the pain. That was not my case but every time I look at my daughter whether she is acting right or not, I would go through it all over again to have her. Good luck and I will pray for you. You will do alot of that during your experience too.

Answer 8

i was induced with my first baby and i have to say that having the gel inserted was very painful (sorry), but they said that was because i was no where near ready to give birth (even though it was my due date, i had to have the gel done two days in a row and i didnt like the fetal monitering at all you just couldnt move and at one point they thought that my baby had stopped breathing, but no the monitor had just come out of the babys head so i have to say it wasnt a great experience.
but with my second baby i didnt even feel the gel being put in and that was because i was already soft down there and that labour was only fours hours and they didnt nead to monitor me as much.
so i think it really depends on whether or not the baby is ready to come out.

anyway good luck hope everything goes well, and remember the pain cant be to bad or we wouldnt do it again (thats what i keep telling myself anyway)

Answer 9

I had 4 children, induced with them all at 43 weeks. It is very restricting I must admit, and would have prefered natural birth but some things are not meant to be, I was just glad to get it over with. First 3 were boys and I needed epidural with all 3, so you can't move anywhere. Last one was a girl, and I didn't need any pain relief, because she was very quick, by the time I asked for an epidural, the midwife said "it's too late for that, the baby is coming". Just goes to show boys are lazy, and girls like to get things done.

Answer 10

Hi, I was induced and when they put the gel in I gotta say it wasn't the most comfortable of feelings. It didn't hurt though. Just really uncomfortable. I was hooked up to a monitor but they took it off every now and then so I could move about. It's not something I'd like to have done again but if i had to it wouldn't be the end of the world. Good luck xx

Answer 11

I didn't know being induced would mean the contractions would be so different than natural labour. With natural labour, the contractions build and have a natural ebb and flow. With induction, they just kind of slam into you, with no building up. The gel thing didn't work for me, had the drip.
I kept wanting them to take off the fetal monitor! It really hurt, but of course they could not. Good thing they didn't, because after a day of being in labour, my baby's heart rate went dangerously low, he was in distress, and I had to be whisked away for an emergency c-section; the cord was wrapped around his neck twice. All was fine, however!
Wish you luck!