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3rd Trimester
sarakiefer
member
Induction Stories.
sarakiefer
member
I'm being induced tomorrow! I've been waiting for this moment for a long time but now that the time is here, I'm starting to freak out. Would any of you care to share any experiences you've had with an induction? I think it's the unknown that scares me the most. Well, besides the pain. I DO plan on getting an epi. How bad did your contractions get before they let you have one?
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Re: Induction Stories.
The one thing I didn't know about being induced was how long it would take. I was only 2cm dilated when I went into the hospital. It literally took 27 hours on pitocin before LO was born. I had consistent contractions the entire time so I was still able to deliver vaginally. Also, they don't let you eat once you get to the hospital in case you need a c-section. I was starving after being there all day and night so I practically begged and got a clear liquid tray (broth, jello, etc).
I got my epidural after being there 12 hours. My pain level was only about a 6 out of 10 but the nurse informed me that they were short-staffed on anesthesiologists that night and if I wanted an epidural I should get it now instead of waiting because they might get really backed up.
I did not need cervadil so I went in the morning of my induction and was started on pitocin. They started it on the lowest dose and at first I couldn't tell. The contractions increased gradually it wasn't anything that happened all at once. They broke my water at 4cm and the nurse suggested that would be a good time for the epidural since contractions are much worse without the padding of the fluid so I told her to please request it for me! It was a good thing I did, the first contraction I had after my water was broken was way worse than they had been. And I found out later that the anesthesiologist went to a c-section right after my epi so I would have had to have waited. I was dilated to 10 cm 3.5 hours after the pitocin was started and I pushed for an hour and a half. I was fortunate to have had a fast labor.
Good luck!
Relax! You are going to be just fine
I was induced with DS and arrived at the hospital at 5 am, pitocin started at 6 am, they broke my water shortly after which led us to discover that there was meconium in the amniotic fluid (so it was a good thing we induced!).
My hospital did not require a certain level of progress before epi, so I was allowed to get one at anytime. I knew I wanted one, and I knew that the anesthesiologist was going to be busy (from what my nurse could tell by the schedule for that day) so I opted to have mine early, before any really painful contractions started - 8 am. They thought that DS would come by lunch but progress was very slow. I didn't reach 10 cm until 9pm and DS was born at 11:45 pm that night.
Take something with you for the waiting period- we watched TV and slept most of the time, and if you plan to have visitors, have them come earlier rather than later - I ended up transitioning while DH's friends stopped in- it was horrible b/c I was vomiting and they just stood there - NOT what I wanted!
Overall the experience was great and I would totally do it again if I needed to. GL!
I went in at 6pm on jan 24th, they put the cervidil in by 7pm I believe. and It took 12 hours to work. Mind you I was not dilated at all when I went in. After that I was about 3 cm I believe. Started pitocin and by 5pm the next day Alex was born. No epi, I did get a shot of staydol near the pushing stage though because it was pretty freaken painful. Stupid pitocin was causing me to have all sorts of irregular contractions. Instead of 1 then rest I would get one, and as soon as it was done another would come right away. That was agony. Then they realized they shoulda turned it down.. *headdesk* After they turned it down I was right on my way to delivering baby.
Honestly if you can hold out on the pain until pushing you are in the clear. (for me anyways) When I started pushing you are all focused on that instead of the pain, and as soon as the baby comes out the flood of endorphins is amazing.
By lilenatalem at 2012-01-28
I had a very easy time with my induction with my first, but everyone reacts to the pitocin differently.
I checked into the hospital at 7:30am and they got me into a room, came by and did all my info, took blood and stuff, and got me hooked up to all the machines (heartbeat, blood pressure). They gave me an IV and pushed some fluids. Around 9am they checked me to see how dialated I was and I was about 4 when I started. They then started me on the pitocin and broke my water about a half hour later. I was having contractions, but they didn't get awful until around 11. I had kidney stones before and they hurt less than that, but were getting close to it. I told the nurse I wanted to wait for an epidural because I heard it prolonged labor and she said that since I was being induced and on pitocin and it won't prolong anything, so I asked for it right away then. They got there around 11:30 and gave me the epidural. It hurt to get that, but it hurts less than the contractions (just think of it that way). I then just sat around and watched TV for a while and didn't really feel the contractions too much. Was fully dialated at 2pm, the doctors got everything ready, pushed for 30 minutes (only really time it hurt was when the baby was coming out, but I tore a lot), and had a baby at 2:55pm.
As I said before...super easy time :-) Hope yours goes as well and congratulations!!
I went in at 6pm-not a bit dilated or effaced, but overdue. They put in the cervadil and I woke up around 6 or 7am in a complete state of shock. When my contractions hit, they HIT! They told me to get a shower in since it could be a while; and I was in so much pain I didn't bother rinsing the shampoo out of my hair. I waddled back to bed-feeling confused and in serious PAIN! They broke my water and gave me the epidural. I could still 'feel' the contractions-meaning I wasn't in pain, but I could easily tell when I was having them. I don't want anyone to think I'm a wimp-seriously my contractions were off the chart and staying there for a couple of minutes before coming back down. They started pitocin, checked me every hour or so and I wasn't progressing at all-so my contractions were not productive at all. They kept making me lay on my right side, and her heart rate would drop, they'd stop the pitocin, put me on oxygen and flip me back to my left until her heart stabilized. This went on until 5pm that night-I was still only 3cm. My midwife said my chance of having a vaginal delivery was "slim to none" so I opted to have a cs. Voila, a half hour later baby in arms! She was 9lbs even...and I'm 5'2" and weighed 110 pre-pg. My Mom had all 3 of us cs, so I wasn't too surprised with the outcome. This one is already measuring ahead so I've elected to have another cs-don't want to go through that nonsense again. GL to you!
Thank you for sharing your experiences with me! I'm feeling more calm now. My fear was overshadowing my excitement and you have helped to put my mind at ease.
I had a great induction experience. Went in at 3:00 PM on Friday for a routine NST. It showed I was having regular contractions every 3 minutes (and was scheduled for induction in 3 days anyway, due to GD- so they went ahead and started it). I had NO idea I was contracting... surprise!
Pitocin started by 4:00 PM - dilated 2 cm and 60% effaced.
They kept upping the Pitocin and I felt NOTHING. No pain, whatsoever, until about 1 AM, when I finally started feeling it. By then I was dilated to 4cm and requested my epidural.
From 2 AM until about 4:00 AM- it was a blur of pain and contractions, water breaking, throwing up and waiting for the anesthesiologist.
Then the epi kicked in... AHHHH!!! They let me rest for a while and I started pushing about 5:45 AM, DS was born at 7:15 AM.
I just hope this labor experience goes as smoothly (except maybe the anesthesiologist can get there a little quicker!)
By lilenatalem at 2012-01-28
I never had any interest in going without an epi. To me it's a medical procedure and I would never even consider any type of medical procedure without pain management. I don't feel like any less of a "rockstar" for wanting to be comfortable