Views on induction

[nickosmoo]

Hi

I wanted to get some idea on your views on induction. I was booked for an induction as I was overdue and my blood pressure was rising. The night before though my labour started anyway and waters broke etc. I got to the hospital at about 5 am on the day I was to be induced and they decided to give me the drip anyway as contractions stopped (as is fairly common). They soon started again and I found them to be very strong and the pain quite unbearable. I had gas on hand which did nothing for me. I always thought I had a fairly high pain tolerance until labour. I made it to halfway dilation before the epidural but wondered does being induced increase the intensity of the contractions? They were space fairly normally. I guess I'm just wondering if next time around I should be more adamant about not being induced as I would have preferred to get further along before getting any pain relief.

Any views or experience on inductions?

[OopsieDaisy]

Hi there
I had an induction when I lost a baby a few years back. I found the gel and tablets to be ok but as soon as they got the drip in me it was very painful, a different labour to my first who came naturally.

I know that I would like to avid an induction again, but if I had to have it of course I would. I think that because it is faster and a synthetic way to start labour so to speak (can not think of another way to explain what I mean :rolleyes: ) that it does have it's differences to a self starting labour.

[Lachlan's Mum]

Hi Nickosmoo

Your birth story is IDENTICAL to mine.......I too went into labour on the morning of the day I was to be induced (6 days overdue)...(I even got to the hospital around the same time!!) and they gave me the drip too and then the contractions started immediately and were intense.

It was my first baby so I can't say whether it is worse than normal labour...but I have been told by many that it makes it much more intense sooner than if your labour progresses naturally.

I too made it halfway (dilation) and then had to have an epidural.

I know this doesn't really answer your question but I thought I'd post because of the similarity. :)

[mamafelix]

Yes a drip definately increases the intensity of contractions- though that depends on the level of hormone they pump in- you can ask for it to be turned down I believe.

Artificial induction is often the beginning of what is called a 'cascade of interventions' that is once they start doing things to change your labour you are more likely to need more 'help' such as epidurals, suction, forceps, c/s.

Personally I come from a viewpoint of wanting to minimise intervention in my labours, I believe I can do it better without help. That isn't to say that there isn't a place for intervention when needed (both emotionally and physically)- I just think that in today's world it's often overused.

[earthmother]

Hi All,
I was also induced and I was totally unprepared as I didn't read up on it prior to having DD, as I was hoping to go as natural as possible :rolleyes:
Anyway, I had to be induced as I got diagnosed with obstetric cholestasis (sp?), which symptoms included unbearable itching of palms of hands and soles of feet. I thought it was just the hot weather, but when I had my check up at 38 weeks, my dr ordered me some blood tests that showed my bile count was very high and this places extra pressure on the liver which is not good for bub.
I went in to hospital in the evening and had gel (prostaglandin) inserted onto my cervix. I was allowed to go home that evening to get some rest (no rest) and let the gel 'ripen my cervix'.
At 6am the next morning my DH drove me to the hospital and I was feeling quite uncomfortable down below. I went into the labour ward and had some more blood taken for testing, my dr broke my waters and I was hooked up to a monitor and had a drip in my wrist. By about 8am I was having full on contractions, down on all fours, on the yoga ball while still attached to the mobile drip. It was quite an experience :eek: and very fast and furious. My sciatica was giving me more pain than the 'nether regions' and I asked for an epidural. It was just way too powerful and I felt I had no control. It felt like my back was going to break and my poor DH was rubbing my back so hard that I had a huge bruise.
From memory I was having up to six contractions every 10 minutes as DH was monitoring them.
Once the epidural kicked in I was able to relax and slow down for a little bit. It was funny though, as my midwife checked to see how far I was dilated AFTER I had the epidural and she was shocked as she believed that I was fully dilated. My dr. came in and checked, and sure enough I was fully dilated. I guess I was lucky to have gotten the epidural administered in time.
After an hour I was given the go ahead to push and pushed for 20 minutes and then my DD was born. I was still able to feel the contractions building and could let my midwife and dr know. Towards the end when DD was crowning, I could feel everything and it was hell to stop pushing when told to stop, but managed to find a spot on the ceiling and concentrated on that :eek:
I used the mirror to assist with the birth and this helped immensely as it really gave me a goal to reach for each time I saw my DD head appear when pushing. I only had a couple of sutures, but could feel the stitches being put in.
It was funny as only moments after giving birth to DD, the aneasatist (sp?) came in asking if I needed a top up :D
All in all, my labour was 4 hrs and 20 mins.
I guess I didn't really have a choice about my induction process as I was at risk as well as by baby.
Even though it was fast and furious, I was happy that the labour didn't go for hours and hours and there were no complications.
Thanks for letting me share my induction story with you all.

[nickosmoo]

Yeah well I think I would prefer to avoid induction next time and hope the contractions are more bearable and also yes Mamafelix there were further interventions as I ended up with a c/s although fully dilated as juniors head was traverse and wasn't progressing toward daylight (maybe that is why he pushes his head backwards when he is trying to get to sleep now ! :D )

[Jennifer]

Hi all,

Im a mummy of one, and had an induction. They brought me in and inserted some gel, didn't work the first time, and inserted the gel TWICE more!! then they eventually broke my waters. So, by the first time the gel was inserted and then the last time, I was in the labour ward for 2 days!! waiting for it to work, listening to all the other mothers to be give birth!! No sleep either!

The contractions were quite intense, but I survived with about 2 hours of gas, and that was all, but did have to have a ventouse delivery. Whether that was from no sleep being there for two days or from the fact of being induced, I'm not sure. I ended up tearing really badly, so much that my OB said at the 6 week checkup, that she doesn't normally remember stitching people up, but she remembered doing me!! That makes me feel real terrific!!!

well, that is my story anyway!
Cheers

[kathyhops]

I was induced also as my placenta had stopped functioning at 38weeks due to blood pressure. My son was born 6lb, so he was quite tiny. But you are right in terms of the labour being much more intense. I had gel at 5pm, and had irregular contractions throughout the night. I think I was naive as this was my first, and as I found it very similar to period cramps I didn't think that was labour. But by 7am the contractions where 2min apart and I was bedridden. In between contractions I was completely exhausted, and couldn't understand why I wasn't walking around like all the other women in labour! I would have had my son in less time, but it took 2hrs to push him out as the cord was wrapped around his shoulders pulling him back each time. By the time I was desperate for an epidural, it turned out I was too far dilated, which in a sense I am glad, because I proved to myself that I could do it. I did have gas, but I don't feel that did much, but keep me concentrating on breathing correctly. I had my son by 11am that morning, and like I said, it should have been even earlier.
I thought I had a low pain tolerance, but birth proved me wrong, which I am surprised with. But what I wonder, is if the labour went for longer than 5hrs, how would've I coped then. I liked the fact that although it came on so intense and strong, it was over before you even had time to think about what was happening, and even think too much about the pain! (although hubby would have said differently I'm sure).
I am 32wk with no2, and given the option of being induced, I would do it again. I guess now its a case of what you know. I don't think I could stand 24-36hrs of labour! Bring it on and bring it on quick I reckon! But who knows what lies ahead, this pregancy has been spot on, so there is no reason for induction. But if I had my choice I would do it again. I guess now I am a bit scared of doing it totally naturally........
Now there is a bit of a different opinion to the others....
Good luck to all... ;)

[Michele Crocker]

Hi,

I was induced with my 2nd child and I can tell you now that it is more painful and intense than if you go naturally. The only time I had a epidural was when I was induced. Induction speeds up your contractions which makes it difficult for you to recover before the next contraction hits.

Michele :o
Mother of Christopher, Luke, Melissa, Jayden and ? (due in November)

[2under2]

My 2nd labour was induced as bub was getting very big and we didn't want same problems as first (bad tearing etc). Gel was inserted at 7am, then again at 12pm, then started to get heavy contractions. 4pm my Ob broke my waters and within minutes I was in full labour - way faster and stronger than first time around. Managed to do it with just gas - all that did was help me concentrate on breathing I think! Ob reckons is because body doesn't have a chance to get used to it slowly as in normal labour. Had to have ventouse anyway and bub was born at 820 pm after 2 hrs hard pushing. I guess the end result is the main thing - healthy mum, healthy baby. ;)

[wattle]

My waters broke during the night, and I tried to go back to sleep but I was too excited/uncomfortable.
I went to hospital at 7am, but had no contractions all day. The Ob decided to induce me at 2pm, but we stretched it to 6pm (as I really wanted an all natural birth).
I immediately had contractions two minutes apart and they lasted 8 hours!! My boy was 8lbs and I tore quite badly. I had gas and a shot of pethedine towards the end, but no epidural.
Contractions were intense, but I don't have anything to compare it to as he was my first. My hubby was great, so we made it through together.

[rebecca]

Hi there,

I am so glad that I am not the only one who has experienced an issue with their induction....Here is my story of our birth....
I had read all about natural birthing and water birth prior to the birth of Cooper and was hoping to have a natural birth..unfortunately this did not take place, although I am ok about it...
I was told at a check up that bub seemed a little small and was booked in for a ultrasound on Valentines Day, all was told to be ok and I decided that afternoon to just page my midwife to ensure that all was ok..later that day I received a call from the hospital doctor advising that I needed to come into hospital to be induced as it appeared that bub had stopped growing and needed to come out as he was a little small..I was 38weeks 1 day... So in a panic I called my husband and a few other ears to share my panic and devastion...we then went to hospital 7.00pm 14/2/05...the tablet was given to me that night and contractions started straight away...although I was ok with the pain as it was similar to my endometriosis pain and waited until morning when the midwife came in to measure my contractions..at this time she advised that contractions were fairly strong and I needed to be moved to the delivery suite where a doctor with do an IE(internal exam) to see how far dilated I was.....at 9.00am the IE was performed and I was only 1.5cm dilated and the doctor wanted to break my waters.. I wanted to wait...to see if I would dilate a little further and if they would break on their own...doctor also wanted to give me syntocin of which I asked to also wait to try and birth naturally....
12.00pm came and the doctor came back to break my waters as they still had not broken and I was only 3cm dilated with severe pain...
The breaking of the waters was quite painful for me....I laboured naturally all that day with immense pain and strong contractions from the tablet that they had given me the night before...the doctor still persisted on the syntocin to speed up the birth but I was adamant to try and have this bub naturally..12.00pm 15/2/05 I was told that syntocin would be necessary and my pain was unbearable...the doctor said that I would have to be administered with pain relief with the syntocin as the pain would be too much....although they were also concerned about how my body would react with the syntocin as the tablet had taken a strong affect, they were worried the syntocin would be too strong..I had an epidural and the syntocin at 12.00pm, which was quite strange...I still had feeling in my right side of the body after the epidural and this was topped up to even out the numbness...the syntocin and epidural combined seemed to stop my contractions instead of speed things up....and the top up of the epidural meant that I could not feel the contractions when they did happen and when it was time to push...1.5hours of pushing to no avail..the doctor then vacuumed out our little man at 4.05am....weighing a healthy 2.96kg and 49cm in length..the baby doctor did not even need to look at him......
I am not too sure if we had our time over again if we would allow the induction to have gone ahead...although being our first bub, we listened to the doctors and were concerned about the welfare of our son...he was not small in the end and very healthy.....although the labour was not what I had expected and very traumatic....

Induction for me was not something I would like to go through again.....

bec and Cooper

[mamafelix]

((Hugs)) Bec.

Thanks for sharing your birth story- I'm sorry it didn't pan out how you hoped.
I hope the experience has strengthened you - you are a birth warrior!
If you would like any links to healing from a traumatic birth I can give them to you
Take care of yourself

[Hukuna Matata]

I wasn't induced myself BUT for all of those who were induced for the reason of being past your due date (and even those who had other reasons), were you informed of natural induction methods

For example (and this is not a complete list) hot sex, hot curry, walking, cod liver oil and orange juice (yum - sarcastic) etc.

Although my ds came on his due date, I had plans to do all of the above if the word induction was even mentioned to me.

The funny thing was that my hubby and I were 'practising' our favourite natural induction technique (rhymes with rex) one Sunday morning, having lots of fun sorting out what comfortable positions were and BOOM, 1/2 hr later I'm having mild period type cramps and then my waters broke. 8 and 1/2 hours later my ds was born 'a la' natural. Apparently the semen ripens the cervix just like the gel does....

Just wanting to know if you knew about these options or whether it was all gel, little hooks and drips. Any of your doctors/midwives suggest any walking or stair climbing after the gel???

[Narelle]

Hi Kara,
It's funny you mention cod liver oil, my mum says that what brought me into the world. Aparently it was 2 weeks before my EDD and she was sick of being pregnant so she ate a cod liver oil sandwich (sounds disgusting I know!) and away she went, the doc told her off so there must be some truth in that. They told us about the sex thing at antenatal class and as I only have 3 1/2 weeks to go I'm a little wary, don't quite feel ready to be a mum just yet.
Narelle :)
first bub due 20/04/05 :D

[bubhub]

My first labour experience was very similar to Rebecca's - although I was induced for being post-dates.

But...on a good note...my second baby also had to be induced post dates (I guess it's just too comfy in there!) and I really, really didn't want to be induced because of the first experience. However, it wasn't bad second time around at all. I had just the gel at about 8am and then a second lot at about 5pm. I wasn't hooked upto a drip and labour started naturally at about 9pm. By about midnight the contractions were getting quite strong, but I was still fine with just breathing and concentrating on some cricket match on the TV (!! - first time I've ever concentrated on a cricket score). The midwife took me down to the birthing suite and by this time the contractions were getting really painful and I asked for an epidural (knowing that last time around I still had about 8 hours to go!) I was told that there was no time - I was ready to go and baby girl (called Rebecca) was born just a few minutes later. All in all, I only had about 30 mins of the really bad labour, the midwife was fantastic, I had no pain relief at all and no stitches.

So even though the first experience was bad, the second one was absolutely fine and if I could guarantee that the next would be the same, I'd be happy with that. The next one is due on Monday....!!!! I've got a hospital appointment on Thursday and if no signs of imminent labour then, they'll book me for an induction again. The midwife also suggested trying acupuncture, so I might look into that to bring on labour 'gently' too!

Hilary

[leannelizzy]

Hi All

I was induced at 38 weeks 5 days with Lachlan by choice for several reasons (Obstetrician going on leave for 1 week, my birthday during the coming week etc). I found the gel OK during the night (glad I had a sleeping tablet though as I had mild contractions through the night), but due to being VERY sensitive when it comes to internal exams (IE's), pap's and the like I had an epidural before they broke my waters and had the drip. All was going OK until lunchtime when I had 1 minute contractions with 1 minute gap and the epidural top up had no effect. Had the next stronger dose of the epi and all was again fine until I was fully dilated at about 7pm (apart from the mother-in-law "popping in" to see what was happening). Ended up having to have an emergency caesar as little Lachlan decided he wasn't ready to enter the world yet - despite my obstetrician using suction. My words of advice:

(a) Don't tell people you are getting induced if you don't want to be hassled - particularly first time grandparents
(b) Don't get too hung up on what your idea of the perfect labour is, accept the advice of your obstetrician as he/she is the trained porfessional.
(c) Really the best outcome is for a healthy baby and healthy mum - everything else pales into insignificance.

[wattle]

I agree - don't tell the grandparents if you're scheduled for an epidural. Save all your energy for you and baby. The last thing you want is a visit while you're in labour. :p

[blacktulips]

I was induced for 2 of my 4

The first and second I went into labour on my own. had epidrals for pain had everything. had a few little problems with both. nothing major.

The 3rd 2 weeks overdue I was placed on a drip and waters broken. The pain was bearable and form start to finsh was only 4 hours. I didn't have any problems infact i found this was the easiest birth out of all of them. I was up walikng around with an hour of giveing birth.

Number4 i was given the gel twice i was 3 weeks overdue, I found this to be the hardest birth of all had lots of problems. to myself and to my baby.

This time around if I have to be induced I will go with the drip.

Cheers
Colleen

[kailensmum]

Hi,

I also had to be induced due my boy being overdue and high bloodpressure. He was 10 days over when induced the first time. I had to be induced 3 times and i the gas for the 2nd and pethidine for the third. I wish i had had the epidural then. I dilated to 7cm then i swelled back to 5cm, which i seriously believe was due to the induction. For me it just got worse from there, his heart rate dropped & i was prepped for an emergency ceasar. Then his heart rate came back to normal & the theatre staff had to go on thier break beacause thy weren't allowed to do anymore overtime. 6hrs after that i asked for the epidural, 2hrs later the tap moved so the block was gone. So it was another 2hrs before the aneasthetist could get back to me. I got the 2nd epi and bub's heart dropped below 60bpm and went into distress. so finally after 44hrs of indcutions and labour i finally got my "emergency" c-section. Next time i won't let them induce me, i'll just have an c-section.
From Fran, mum to Kailen 7 weeks :o

[Jayne]

Hukuna Matata,

I was induced because I was 2 weeks overdue with my baby.
For your information, I had loads of sex and went walking everyday, and still no baby, therefore I needed an induction to get my baby out.
As you said, you were not induced, luckily your baby came naturally, but it doesn't necessarily mean it came out because you had sex.
Share a thought for us that couldn't have our baby naturally, even though we tried as hard as we could to get our baby out natually.

[AM]

I think inductions are wonderful IF there is a SOUND medical reason for them.
Heck, in some cases they are life saving.
That been said, I hear so many stories about mums being induced for very questionable reasons, and my belief is that birth is a natural process which should only be interfered with if there is CLEARLY something wrong.
Full term is defined as 38 - 42 weeks, and if I was well and so was baby, I would not let anyone near me before 42 weeks are up, and even then I would have tried nipple stimulation, epo, walking, sex, swimming, etc etc, as many different non invasive methods I possibly could.
The thought of my baby being prematurely ejected into the world fills me with horror, a baby knows when it has 'baked' long enough, in the vast majority of cases, and I have far too much faith in mother nature to mess with her plan.

The other factor is that edd's are based on an imaginary 28 day cycle, which not everyone has.
If you tend to have long cycles for instance, your edd may be out by a week or even two.
So when you think you are due, actually, you are still a ways off.

I'll shut up now.

Angie