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Induction Stories?
It looks like I'm headed for an induction this weekend (woo hoo won't be pregnant forever!). I know a few of you ladies have gone through one, I'm looking for stories if anyone wants to share....
Specific things I'm wondering:
- how long did it take (i.e. what time did you go in at, what time did baby actually arrive)
- How was the pain management? I'm hearing pitocin can make things more intense than a non-induced labour (not that I'll have anything to compare it to). Did you need an epidural? Both my midwives have mentioned that I might need one with an induction? If you did get an epidural at what point did you get it?
- If you need an induction again for a future birth is there anything you would do differently?
- Anything else you want to share (I don't really know what else to ask... just looking for more info on people's experiences)
Thanks in advance ladies!
Re: Induction Stories?
I was induced due to PUPPS and honestly, to me it was no big deal - although I don't have anything to compare it to.
went in at 8 am to have the gel inserted and was back home by 10 I think. While still at the hospital I got a mild pain on the left side that didn't go away - the pain stayed and turned into a cramp, then moved to the right side. These were contractions. So the gel worked for me right away. The entire labor was 14 hours, and that includes the time at home that I spent working in my office and watching tv. I knew I wanted an epidural and I got one within about an hour of being readmitted that afternoon. The nurse told me that things are different with an induction and you don't have to wait as long.
I know some people have problems with things taking forever when they're induced, and having to go back to get the gel inserted more than a few times, but for me I just went once and labor immediately kicked in. I found the entire experience to be a positive one.
Sorry things haven't started happening for you yet! That sucks - I so remember being there.
As for my induction story, I was fairly happy with how things went down. I ended up with a foley catheter b/c I had not dilated at all. Got that put in Saturday night, and aside from having a hard time sleeping with a tube taped to my leg, it wasn't as bad as I'd expected.
The hospital called at 7am the next day b/c they weren't busy and told me to head in. Got there at about 8:30 after a shower etc. and checked in. After I was admitted they pulled the foley and broke my water. Then we waited, for a while. It was several hours of trying to get things moving - walking, bouncing on the ball, relaxing in the tub, etc - and still no real progress. I think I was still at 2 cm at like noon. I'd put of the pitocin for an hour or so at that point and finally I caved in and got it (I didn't want to be confined to bed if I could help it). Had the drip for quite a while - contrax getting stronger and stronger and had v. little progress. I think it was like 3 pm and I had made it to 3 cm. It got so that I was struggling through each contraction and still nothing was happening so I said fvck it and got the epidural. Got that in and went from 3 cm to 7 cm in about 45 min. I think it made me able to relax and let things start moving.
In about another few hours I was ready to push finally! DS's head wasn't in the right place so they were concerned he wouldn't move down properly. I pushed for an hour and a half, and with help from the resident to move DS's head to the right place, he was out! I had some fairly bad tearing b/c DS's heartrate really dropped as he was crowning so I had to push w/o a contraction even and wasn't able to do that part slowly. boo to that, but it's amazing how hard you can push when suddenly people start looking concerned about your LO!
Whew - I hope that helps you! Epidurals aren't all bad, I'm pretty sure I would have ended up having a c-section without one because it had been forever and nothing was happening. I think I lost a few hours in that re-telling because DS wasn't born until almost 3 am...
My only real complaint is that I have a latex allergy and they kept bloody forgetting - the foley catheter they put in on Saturday was latex and gave me a really bad reaction over the next few days. An awesome addition to recovering from delivery.
Good luck! Can't wait to see pics of your LO!!
ETA: I wouldn't have been confined to bed after the pitocin, but couldn't use the tub after and IV was put in and I really thought the tub would help me so that's why I was putting it off.
I was induced at just before 40 weeks because my OB had stripped my membranes (she didn't ask me if I wanted it done) and it caused my water to leak, but not break. Because of the risk of infection, they induced me.
I tell you the following not to scare you, but because you asked.
I went in at 5:30pm, was on the pitocin drip by 6:30pm. They did not try the gel with me. When I started I was 1cm dilated, and the baby was "right there" Because I was on an IV for the pitocin and needed to have the baby monitored, my walking around the hospital floors was more limited. I ended up staying in a small area of my room for my entire labour. Hard labour started maybe between 10 and 11. At 5:30 am, I was only 3-4 cm dilated. I took a Demerol at that point, as I was so tired (no sleep, no food since 2:30pm). With the Demerol, I was able to sleep a bit between contractions for maybe 90 minutes, but my contractions were fairly close together and very intense, so it wasn't the most restful sleep. At 8:30 am I was still only about 6cm dilated, so I had another demerol. That calmed my nerves a bit (I was so tired at this point, I was freaking a bit because I still had so long to go), but did not take much of the edge off the pain. Around 11:30am, I couldn't take anymore (mostly because of the lack of sleep and food for so long that i had no more energy), so I asked for an epidural. I didn't end up getting it until 1 (took that long to get the anaestheiologist. At 2pm I was fully dialated and ready to push. DD wasn't born until 8:45pm, but that is because there was only one doctor on call, and everyone else was apparently a higher priority as it was my first baby, she wasnt' in distress and I wasn't having urges to push. By 7pm, my contractions had pretty much stopped - I'm not sure if it was from the epidural or because my uterus was so tired from being in such hard labour for so long.
If I have to be induced with this baby, I will get the epidural much much earlier. I laboured for 18+ hours without the epidural, and was pissed that I had laboured that long and then had to have the epidural. I would also not get induced unless I absolutely had to (medically) - I didn't want to be induced and was fine with baby being in my belly - I had to be induced because my water broke but labour didnt' start. But even if I was uncomfortable, I think I would wait until medically they felt I couldn't go any longer. I did not have a good experience with my induction.
Like I said - I don't mean to scare you! I hope your experience goes much better than mine!
I was induced at 41w1d with no cervical progress. On a Tuesday afternoon they inserted the Cervidil and sent me home to wait for it to work its magic. I returned the next morning to find no progress. They sent me home again and told me to come back later that day. When I returned there was still very little progress, but the doctor declared me "rupturable" and they broke my water and started me on Pitocin at 6:30 pm on Wednesday.
The contractions were 3-4 minutes apart right from the beginning. I held out until around midnight before asking for an epidural. I was just 4 cm dilated at that point and was disappointed that I hadn't waited longer. Once I got the epidural, however, I was able to sleep, and by 7 am I was 10 cm dilated and ready to push.
There were some issues with the baby's heartrate dropping when I pushed, so they made me wait until my OB arrived to continue. Andrew was born at 10:52 am on Thursday morning.
I was sad that I was on monitors the entire time I was in labour. I had to stay in bed and wasn't able to use the fancy jacuzzi tubs. Maybe if I had been able to do those things I could have waited longer to get the epidural. In the end, though, once I had my baby in my arms none of that mattered.
Good luck! It's very exciting!
Let me know if you have any questions.
how long did it take (i.e. what time did you go in at, what time did baby actually arrive) Induction started at noon (straight to oxytocin - so skipped the gel), laboured until 10PM and only progressed to 4cm when I started to close back up. Got drugs and they wheeled me down for an emergency c/s at 10:45. B was born just after 11.
How was the pain management? I'm hearing pitocin can make things more intense than a non-induced labour (not that I'll have anything to compare it to).Oxytocin is the DEVIL. The contractions come fast and strong right from the beginning. There was no break in between them (they were less than a minute apart). It was pure hell. If I had been able to catch my breath between them and able to use some techniques we had learned and if I had been progressing it would have been fine but none of that happened.
Did you need an epidural? Both my midwives have mentioned that I might need one with an induction? If you did get an epidural at what point did you get it? Yes. My MW told me to get one (and at the same time told Joe it was going to be a c/s). I got it after 10 hours of labour (8 hours of ridiculously hard labour).
If you need an induction again for a future birth is there anything you would do differently? Make sure I am at a hospital that has wireless and waterproof monitors so I can be mobile. I had to stay in bed the whole time.
Anything else you want to share - whatever happens it is a brief moment in time and your LO will be with you in no time!
How was the pain management? I'm hearing pitocin can make things more intense than a non-induced labour (not that I'll have anything to compare it to). Did you need an epidural? Both my midwives have mentioned that I might need one with an induction? If you did get an epidural at what point did you get it? - The pain wasn't bad until after lunch when they broke my water...then it was bad. I had contractions that were 3 in a row. I was able to move around, and had wireless monitors, so I was able to get in the bath. I was also given nitrous oxide (sp??..laughing gas), which I hated (I don;t know why, it freaked me out). I did not progress much at all...it was a little disappointing! Finally at 4 something, I told Jason that I needed an epidural...just as my MW came in and told me that I should have the epidural (to help get things moving). The anesthesiologist was in surgery, so it took him over an hour to get there, and when he arrived, man was I glad to see him!! I had the epi at about 6ish, had a nap, and was told I was 10cm at 9 something...pushed a bit, and out came Ru!
If you need an induction again for a future birth is there anything you would do differently? Ha!!! Of course this has been going through my mind often these days...I think that's where I'm headed!! I will have the epi the minute they break my water. I truly believe that pitocin and an epidural should come together
Anything else you want to share (I don't really know what else to ask... just looking for more info on people's experiences) Bring a book or some magazines...and bring some for your DH. Things can take a while to get going, and you can get REALLY bored. My MWs laughed at me because I would read a few pages, stop for a contraction, then start reading again (this is before they broke my water)
GL!!! I really hope that things move for you soon. I have been stressed thinking about being induced again, but typing this out reminded me that it really wasn't that bad, and knowing what I do, I think this time will be much easier. I'd love to know what it's like to go into labour all on my own, but if not...I know I can handle it....and the end result...that perfect little baby, is worth it all (and that made me tear up...man hormones are crazy!)
I was induced because I was a week overdue and my OB decided to schedule me for an induction. He did give me an ultrasound the day before he decided to induce me and he said that there was a bit of calcium starting to build up in my placenta, nothing to be concerned about but he thought he would induce anyway.
I was taken to the L&D room at 5pm, and was monitored for a half an hour before given Pitocin. The nurse started that at around 6pm after the OB checked me and broke my water to try and speed things along. The OB told the nurse to continue increasing the Pitocin until around 9pm and then turn it off and she would be back around 10pm to check me and see how things were going. Honestly the pain wasn't that bad, and I'm a big baby when it comes to pain so I thought I would be begging for an epidural in the very beginning. My contractions really started to pick up probably around 8pm, I got up and walked around a bit to help manage the pain a bit. Around 9pm after the nurse had shut off the Pitocin, she checked me and I had only gone from like 3cm-5cm and I was really starting to feel some serious pain so I asked for the epidural. We had to wait for the OB to come back and check me before I could get the epidural, and she was coming back at 10pm. It felt like a year before she finally got there, and the contractions were getting worse. So she checked me first and come to find out I was 10cm all ready!! I went from 5cm to 10cm in like an hour!! So, no time for the epidural or any other pain medication for that matter!! And Sophia was born at 10:45pm. So I pushed for like 45 minutes.So in total my labour took like 5 hours.
If I had to be induced again, depending on the pain I would probably ask for the epidural again. Although I was very proud of myself, that I went through the whole thing with no pain medication at all. I still can't believe sometimes that I actually did it!! I think if I were you, I would just wait and see how you're feeling. If you think it's too much, ask for something.
Soooo true. I got an epi about an hour after they gave me some pitocin (which I probably didn't need, but gave to me because I was in agony due to the PUPPS and they wanted me to have the baby soon so I could get some relief) and I was so happy they did. As soon as I got the pitocin, the contractions came one after another immediately. I couldn't catch my breath, it was brutal.
I didn't have this at all with the pitocin, but then my contractions were never really regular. I would have 3 or 4 right on top of one another and then a 5 minute break. That's partially why I had to push for longer - I could only really 'use' the first 2-3 contractions, and then had to sit out the last 1-2 b/c I was spent. The 5 minute breather was a great way to rest up though!
At the end of the labour (after I'd already been pushing for a bit) the nurse turned off the pitocin thinking things were well on their way on their own, and my contractions totally stopped. It was weird. I needed that drip or DS wasn't going anywhere!
Thanks for all the stories ladies. It was a big help reading through all of them.
I'm starting right into the pitocin on Sunday morning
Here's hoping that it works well for me.
My mom was induced with my younger sis (she didn't want to go to 43 weeks like with me or my old sis, I wonder why, lol). And she said it was a good experience, went in at 10 am, baby was here by 3 or 4 in the afternoon. That was her third, so I don't expect my labour to be that quick, but hey, a girl can dream!
Or maybe my baby is a procrastinator like I am and will wait until the absolute last minute and I'll go into labour natrually before Sunday morning.
Whatever happens though you ladies are right, it's only for a brief period of time and it will all be worth it when baby arrives.
Thanks again for all the stories!
I keep hoping you have gone into labour!!!!
You and me both!!!
I know you have a lot of stories, but I'll share mine too - with Noah, I was induced at 41w6d, had him at 42w.
how long did it take (i.e. what time did you go in at, what time did baby actually arrive) Induction started at 8am on a Friday morning, only with the gel insert... monitored for an hour, then went home to rest. they told me to be back for 2pm insert of the 2nd gel... but the nurses were busy, so I didn't get it until 4pm. contractions started with that insert. I had Noah at 5:20am - so 13 hours.
How was the pain management? I'm hearing pitocin can make things more intense than a non-induced labour (not that I'll have anything to compare it to).I didn't have any drip, just the gel, so I did the rest on my own. I managed pain with breath, the shower, and visualizations... and the occassional back rub from T. I had nothing to compare it to either... and within days or weeks, you kinda forget about the pain enough to think about having baby #2. so I can't even really compare the 2 boys.
Did you need an epidural? Both my midwives have mentioned that I might need one with an induction? If you did get an epidural at what point did you get it? no... it was the worst pain ever, but I managed it without the epi. At one point I asked for the gas mask, but it was like putting a band-aid on a carwreck. so I discarded that within minutes. it did nothing and was a pain to hold. I think you know my fear of needles, esp ones in my spine.
If you need an induction again for a future birth is there anything you would do differently? With Jeremy I went naturally. I started feeling contractions around 8:30pm, by 11:30pm I convinced T that it was real (started to be more intense), my mom was at our house by 1:30, we were at the hospital by 2:30, Jeremy arrived at 5:15am. If we decide to have another child, I hope it goes as smoothly as both of these. I quite enjoyed my induction... I don't like needles, so I'm happy I didn't have to get any IV.
Anything else you want to share - Jen's advice is perfect. Also, with every contraction and breath, I counted each breath slowly (in my head) and also said to myself OPEN. I concentrated on the word Open so much with Jeremy, that I believe that helped me to open that much quicker. good luck!