S & S - Induction

[BelindaL]

I'm now 5 days overdue and my midwife has booked me in for a S&S at 10 days over (wednesday) and then an induction at 12 days over.

Can anyone tell me exactly what you went through with your induction? or S&S? I'm a little worried about it as I really want to experience every part of labour naturally..... My midwife did explain it all to me but it's always good to hear other people's experiences.

Also, I REALLY want to have my baby in the birth centre but if I have an induction, I won't be able to.....

Me - 28
DH - 34
Bub - Overdue 5 days :eek:

[the_queen]

I was induced with Vallerie, at 40wks+7 (I think that's how to write it? I was exactly 41weeks). I was told my "borderline high blood pressure" meant that I "had" to be induced. I had no other symptoms of pre-eclampsia, and the only stress I was experiencing was the OB saying I "had" to be induced. But unfortunately, at that time, I was more trusting of the doctor than I was of my own body.

When they broke my waters, Vallerie's heart-rate dropped significantly, an oxygen mask was shoved onto me and there seemed to suddenly be 1000 doctors/nurses in the cubicle. They had to attach an internal monitor - that's a needle in Vallerie's scalp, while she's still inside me - so I had cords dangling out of my vagina, and could not have an active birth at all. I could barely move, because of the internal monitor.

If you want my honest advice, do not have the induction.

First babies are usually late - and remember, "late" is only a term that we adults use. If that baby was ready to come out, s/he would have come out already. The thing that kicks labour off is the baby. If you are induced, you have a 40% chance of ending up with an emergency c/section. 60% chance if you have an epidural.

I know it's hard when you're so anxious to meet the bubba - but I strongly advise you to not have the induction. When s/he is ready to be born, it will happen. And if baby is ready, labour will go much more smoothly, you are much MUCH more likely to have a completely natural birth, and be satisfied with your birthing experience.

I have been told that induced contractions are more painful than natural ones - I can't comment on that, but this time around I will not be induced under any circumstances, so I'll be able to make an accurate comparison in a few weeks.

[Jamily]

I had 2 x s&s. The first at I think around 4 days past my EDD. I was 0.5cm dilated and it didn't do anything except a few cramps and bleeding. I had another s&s 9 days past my EDD when I was 2 - 3cm dilated. I went into spontaneous labour about 12 hours later (after some BD'ing which the midwife said may help).

I had a 13 hour labour from first contraction to delivery of the placenta. I had a drug and intervention free water birth - it could not have been more perfect.

I am not sure if the second s&s was the catalyst to get things going or whether it was co-incidence, but either way it didn't affect my birth in any way.

I am sorry I can't help with the induction....I was due for an induction the day after I went naturally.

Anyway just hope that this gives you some reassurance that you may go on and have a great birth experience after a s&s, and that you may still go before an induction. I actually was convinced I would have to have an induction as my Mum was 3 weeks 'overdue' with me and she had to be induced after 15 days past EDD with my brother.

Good luck :fingerscrossed:

:hugs: Claire x

[Baby Girl]

I had a S&S at 4 days over with DD1 and then went out and walked around and played pool all night while I waited for DP to finish work, then we went to a friends b'day party and I played some more games of pool (all that stretching and moving) and then we went home and BD'd (as told by middy it could help after the S&S) and then 45 minutes later I had my first contraction!! So about 12 hours after my S&S.

I would opt against an induction if it was me, partly because of the horror stories I have heard and witnessed because it has been unnecessary and mainly because I trust my own body to do the work it was made for!!

Did your midwife tell you what the S&S actually does? Or how the actual procedure is done?

I only ask because mine didn't tell me until the day I was getting it done and I wish I had known about bubhub to ask about it then - I like to be prepared :thumbsup:

[cosmic]

Belinda, everything I have read and heard indicates to me that if you want a completely natural birth, stay away from inductions. Those figures Queenie posted are verified by all the birth stories you can read on here - induction leads to horrible, painful labour and all too often ends in c-section. Not for everyone, but for many.

I understand S&S is more natural but isn't it quite a painful procedure? Totally up to you with that one, but it is actually chemicals in the baby that trigger labour so it seems to me that we can do all we want to hurry them up, but they are going to come when they are ready.

If it helps, I'm booked into a birth centre too and I asked about how long after EDD do they recommend induction (because I don't want one). They told me that at 10 days over (I think) I can opt for an ultrasound to check on the quality of the placenta (my choice if I want to do that). I can do the same at 14 days. And they might want me to come in each day to check the baby's heartrate - but as long as the baby and the placenta are healthy, I can absolutely refuse to be induced and the birth centre will still support me and allow me to deliver there.

C :)

[bronny-jane]

i was induced with both of my girls...dd1 was with the gel...i hate it it hurts you get pains in your stomach and i had to get it twice cause the first lot did nothing..

dd 2 on the other hand they broke my waters and she was born 4 hours later, it was fast, easy and i loved it........after the head came out:D

i'd avoid the gel, i actually refused to let them use it for dd2. but even though i was lucky some people arent.....but not everyone has a bad experiance, good luck:D

[hayleylea]

I had the drip to be induced (to help bring on labour) I cant remember what it was even called (memory lapse) I welcomed it though My waters broke and i was in labour (with contractions lasting everywhere from 3-10 minutes for 30 hours!! and they were painfull contractions the WHOLE time) They werent getting regular and because my waters had broke they had to do something. Once i was giving the drip contractions straight away become 2-3 minutes apart and i had my DS 6 hours later! I am glad though - it was intense but not too bad but after 30 hours anything to help me getting him out was GREAT lol.

[the_queen]

Hi Belinda,

Last night I found some articles you might be interested in reading before you make your final decision. You sound like you are unsure about being induced - so to quote Oprah, "If in doubt, DON'T!" :)


Elective induction of labour.
http://www.hencigoer.com/articles/elective_induction/

ARM – Artificial Rupture of Membranes
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/arom.html

A Timely Birth by Gail Hart
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/timely.asp

Birthlove’s 10 month mama page – extensive references.
http://www.birthlove.com/free/ten_month_mama.html

Active Management of Labour by Marsden Wagner.
http://www.acegraphics.com.au/articles/wagner01.html

[Taylors_mum]

I was induced with something called a Cervitol (Dont think its spelt right) and within 30mins i was getting contractions. The cervitol looked like a flat tampon that they inserted behind my cervix and it was like a slow release version of the Gell. It slowly releases something into your cervix to help bring on labour. It was totally painfree (until the contractions started:laughing: ).
I end up with a Oxytoxin drip after 19hrs as i wasnt making much progress (getting contractions every 2-3mins but not dilating). After they started the drip thats when i needed drugs as it made the contractions alot more intense. I ended up have a Epidural only because i was totally stuffed. I delivered my DD naturally and the overall experience of being induced wasnt bad and if i have to i will do it again.

I was induced at 39+5wks as i had Gestational Diabetes and they didnt want the risk of bubs getting to big. She was born 7lbs 6oz.

[JorBai]

I was induced with my DS and had a long 22 hour painful labour. I was induced with cervidol and within 1 hour the contractions were on top of each other with no break in between. It was pretty horrible and that went on til i was given no choice but to have epidural which I think was fantastic because I could not have lasted much longer without it.

Unfortunately they discovered late on that Bailey was OP which i think is head facing my back and his chin was not tucked in so I had option of emergency c section or Vacuum, my DH knew i would rather vacuum after all that time this was 20 hours in:eek:

He was delivered after 4.11pm after pushing for about 3 hours:eek:

I was desperate to see my bub as DS is my first that I jumped on Induction when it was offered- next time around I think I would prefer to go into natural labour.

Good Luck with whatever you decide!

[marinaW]

I was induced after bubba was 3 days late. He was also getting really big. So both OB and I were worried - well, mostly me. At 8am i checked into NSP and my OB broke my water and I had a drip. After two hours, the contractions started. It got intense very quickly and bub was yanked out at 4.38pm. Yanked - as he needed to be vacuumed out.

Honestly, the sook that I am - really glad that i got induced as the long labour stories i have heard terrified me. I dont know if induced labours can last long... mine didnt. We are trying for bubba 2 next year and if I had to make a choice again, I would get it induced. The sense of control and that I am in the hospital during the labour deeply comforted me.

[kadownie]

I was induced- ended in an emergency c-section. I agree with what Cosmic and The Queen wrote. The reason they induce is because 'they' are concerned about that the placenta will stop working properly (which isn't good) but, like Cosmic mentioned- they can check the health of your placenta and baby by ultrasound.

Next time for me I will definately not be induced! Not only is labour hard and fast, but it's so unnatural! They normal endorphins that are released in a natural labour don't occur, there is a high risk of using pain relief- which has side effects on yourself and your baby, which can interfere with bonding etc. Also, you are put on the clock to dilate and deliver within a certain time frame- and if you don't meet that time frame- off for a ceaser you go!

I would go with your heart- I truely believe now (and I did then too but I went against my heart) that bubs come when they are ready. I met a lady recently who had her babies (all 5 of them) at close to 43 weeks! All of them perfectly fine!

Good luck with your birth! You can birth your baby! Can't wait to read your beautiful birth centre birth story!;)

[MrsTwith3]

I had both my labours induced. With DD it was with the gel then the oxytocin drip. That labour lasted 21hrs and ended up with a high forceps delivery in theatre(just in case the forceps didnt work I was going to have to have a c/s). With DS I had a s&s on the wednesday and booked for the induction on the thursday. Got in on the thursday and was already 4-5cm. They broke my waters then set up the oxytocin drip. My labour with DS lasted 1hr 50mins. It was brilliant and could of done it all again the next day:eek: .
Goodluck with whatever you decide. Just remember a healthy bub and mum is all that matters in the end.

Mel

[SJE]

My bubs was induced.

I was pretty much in pain as soon as they put the gel in.
I do feel like i missed out on the natural labour but then i consider what it would be like to push out a 4 kilo plus bubba:eek: I may not have been able to push out a larger baby therefore resulting in a caesar
I feel in someways this affected the bonding with bubs but i think there were also other factors involved e.g. family interuptions, 1st time mummy.

Next time i will try to induce it myself and then demand an epidural as soon as i get to the hospital - bliss

[MummaRobyn]

All of my babies have been induced. For different reasons. I had my first baby at 19 and I put my complete trust in the hospital staff - silly girl I was! They let me go 4 weeks overdue!!!!! I was due on the 31st May and I didn't have him until the 3rd of July!!! In the end I just sat in the middle of the floor of the clinic refusing to move until they got the baby out of me!!! They took my blood pressure then and there and it was through the roof - I had been waiting nearly three hours to be seen at the clinic and my card had accidently been put in the already seen pile... I was teary and emotional and huuuuugely pregnant!

They induced me with the gel the next night and I started having contractions immediately. I did have a pretty long horrid labour but I think this was more due to not being able to get up and move around and not knowing that I had rights and I could demand to do what I needed to do so the labour would progress easily. They made me give birth on my back for goodness sake! When I was 7cms dilated they broke my waters and the next four hours after that was a blur! After 13 and a half hours he was born big and also bleeding all over cos he had no waters left around him and I was lucky he was born alive because they let him go too far over.

My second child was induced due to me being unwell at 39 weeks. I was given the gel - so not painful this time thank goodness. Within an hour I started having contractions but as I was not being vocal and was able to deal with the pain they decided they weren't strong enough and put up a drip! They broke my waters and then it was full on! I was sweating and the nausea was horrible. I ended up asking for a maxalon shot which made it a lot more bareable - vomiting is not what you need in labour! After 1 hour and 43 mins of hard, full on labour she was born quickly.

My third was induced three weeks early due to me having pre-eclampsia. I had three lots of the gel even though I kept telling them I was having contractions. The midwives told me that there was no way I could be able to speak through full on contractions and left me all alone. I pressed my buzzer about three times and each time she came in she told me that my contractions were not strong and that I was just having prelabour and I would probably end up having a caeser!!! She refused to check my dilation or put me on a machine to record my contractions. In the end I thought I would have to deliver my baby myself! I insisted that she check me or just leave me alone to have my baby and she finally did and her head was half way out!!! She rushed me down to delivery suite and after 20 mins of hard labour I stood up out of the wheelchair and bent over the bed and luckily a midwife managed to catch my gorgeous bub!

This time.... I do hope to go naturally. I will try natural ways to induce until I am two weeks overdue - if I go over this time. But I will be definately looking into what to do then. Like I think they can do an ultrasound to see how your placenta is working and how baby is before they make the decision to medically induce you. Inductions make the labour alot faster and more full on - in my experience. I also hope to not have the drip up again cos that made me feel as if I was on a rollercoaster ride that I was not enjoying and it seemed there was no way to get off!!! Also in my experience one lot of gel is enough!!!!

I wish you luck and natural labour.... be patient your lil one will come when the time is right.

[BelindaL]

Thanx MummaRobyn.
I'm now 12 days overdue and going to se my midwife today. I've had the s/s & had acupuncture yesterday and still nothing so, thought I might go down the road of the prostoglandin (sp) gel? I really don't want the oxytocin drip! so hopefully the gel will do the trick! Am still a little scared! I really want an active labour.....

Has anyone else had good experience with just the gel?

ME - 28
DH - 34
BUB - Overdue 12 days :eek:

[Carlz]

i was induced at 10 days overdue, i had the gel when i arrived on the sat night, my cervix hadn't softened yet, so they sent me up to the maternity ward to sleep. About midnIght I started feeling period like cramps and by 4am they were getting closer and more painful, i thought that the birth would be close, because it was pretty painful (this was my first bubba and i didn't know what to expect). They took me back to the labour ward and said my cervix still hadn't changed so they gave me another dose of gel and some pethedine so i could sleep. at about 9am still nothing was happening so they sent me back to the maternity ward again, by 2pm i couldn't handle it anymore, they took me back down to the labour ward and still no change, I had another dose of gel, some heat packs and by 3pm i was on the gas.
at 6pm i was only 1.5 cm dilated and the contractions were ontop of each other, without breaks (the gas just didn't even do anything anymore).
I asked for an epidural but by the time they got the doctor i had already started pushing and it was too late.
Finaly at 8.24pm She arrived
I tore pretty badly, i had 3rd degree tears, so i had to have an epidural in the end anyway so they could stitch me up!:banghead: They left DD with DP for an hour while they wheeled me away to surgery.:crying:

It definately makes it alot more painful being induced, basically i was contracting for no reason (nothing was happening).

I didn't want to scare you, but if you can hold off as long as possible it will mean less pain for you.
Some people are against "the drugs", if you can do it naturally that is great, but just to let you know my DD was born alert & healthy, she had no side effects what so ever.:)

Good luck :fingerscrossed: and don't be afraid to have a little help from the "drugs", your bubba will need you to have the best experience possible.

[katala]

hi belinda i am too now 12 days overdue and i will start induction on wednesday im a little scared to because i really want to birth as natural as possible but if this happens i will have to go to hospital to far away and im not really impressed but i know that they are concerned about the length of me being overdue.ive tried everything possible to go into labour but nothing this little bugger wont come out.im feeling for you and just to let you know im thinking of you and hope all goes well.maybe we should cross our fingers for each other and hope a miracle happens overnight or before wednesday.someone told me if all else fails keep having sex my hubby thinks its great but im not so sure but willing to try anything at this stage to have the birth i want!!:fingerscrossed: :hugs:

[joe]

I was induced with my first baby nearly three weeks ago - I was 4 cms dilated so didn't need the gel but did have my waters broken and the drip. I had the S&S on Monday and nothing happened so was induced on Wednesday. I would do it all again - the S&S was a little uncomfortable but not painful and I was really happy with the way the birth went and was rewarded with a healthy 4kg bub at the end.
joe