Cervical ripening and induction...

tinkerbell.8.6 · November 2011

Has any 2nd time moms had this cervical repening done before and did you go into labour before you were induced??

I'm 40 weeks and 1 day today. Today at my appointment I found out I'm not dilated at all. My doctor told me if I didn't have the baby by Monday I will go to the hospital for a cervical ripening and then the next day I will go in for an induction.

I'm hoping my little guy will decide to come before I'm induced because I heard it can make labour last a lot longer and there can be complications.

PitterPat11 · November 2011

The cervical ripening is a pill type medication they insert into your vagina, it's called cervadil. I was sent over to the hospital to have this done for my first as I was late,. but went I got all hooked up and ready to start I was already in early labor and so they didn't want to do it and I progressed on my own and had a super smooth easy labor. With my son my cervix was already ripe so when they induced they used pitocin. My friend just was induced a few weeks ago with the cervadil, and low doses of pitocin, although her labor was very long she did great and everything worked out wonderfully and smooth.

fallsbride · November 2011

I have yet to ever go into labor on my own. I have been induced each time for being late. This time I will be induced b/c of an issue w/ my cord. I have had a great experience each time and it has always resulted in a healthy baby!

GL hop you go on your own soon! If not I am sure the induction will go fine for you!

capulet · November 2011

I had cervical ripener with DD and it put me into labor (I was supposed to go in for pitocin the next morning) - as far as I'm concerned it was an induction, because I had no progress on my own before that, and the contractions were pretty intense. I went back to the hospital 12 hours after it was inserted with contractions 2-3 minutes apart but only 2 cm dilated...ended up with a c/s due to fetal distress. My OB practice didn't routinely induce for postdates until 42 weeks, but I had to be induced a few days earlier due to hospital scheduling. I wish I'd been able to wait longer.

angelina477 · November 2011

You can always request to wait another two weeks. That is typically the latest they will let things happen naturally without the cervidil or pictocin.

Linds1224 · November 2011

I was 6 days overdue with my daughter (2nd baby) and was sent to the hospital to have gel inserted to get my cervix ready for a pitocin induction the next morning. I wasn't even 1cm dilated and my cervix was still posterior. That was at 5pm. I went to bed at 10pm feeling completely normal and expecting to wake up the next morning and head in for the induction but woke up at midnight in full blown labour .. contractions every 2 mins lasting over a minute each. It was a mad dash to the hospital and she was almost born in the car .. my labour from start to finish was 1hr 18mins. The doctor who put the gel in told me it doesn't generally start labour but I think it totally did for me. Just be prepared for things to move quick just in case!