STMs Please tell me about your induction.

[Deleted User] · September 2012

Why were you induced and how did it go?

jacksmom119 · September 2012

I was induced due to no signes of delivery at 41 weeks. Went in 730 at night and had my son at 944 the next morning. So easy, loved it, want to be induced again!!

CandaceLeigh · September 2012

I was induced at 39w5d because my doctor was going on vacation for 6 weeks. I agreed to this induction and therefore take responsibility, but will not agree to a hospital induction again. I don't tell my story because I don't wish to scare FTMs. My story is the extreme story. I recommend avoiding inductions because of my experience and because most of the time, your body isn't ready to deliver and you're causing undue stress to your body and to the baby. Recovery takes longer as well and the rate of emergency c-section goes up exponentially. Is there a reason you're considering induction?

[Deleted User] · September 2012

CandaceLeigh:

Is there a reason you're considering induction?

I have a cord abnormality which has slowed his growth. If his growth continues to slow I will be induced early.

CandaceLeigh · September 2012

Have you discussed natural induction methods with your care provider? I recommend using more natural methods to start labor because if you can "trick" your body into doing it on it's own, you can avoid more of the unnecessary interventions and your labor will statistically go much smoother. JMO.

[Deleted User] · September 2012

CandaceLeigh:
Have you discussed natural induction methods with your care provider? I recommend using more natural methods to start labor because if you can "trick" your body into doing it on it's own, you can avoid more of the unnecessary interventions and your labor will statistically go much smoother. JMO.

Well we are more let?s wait and see at this point. I go in for monitoring twice a week and have growth scans every 2 weeks. I am just trying to learn what I can in the mean time. However no one has mentioned natural, only a scheduled medical one because if his growth does start he will be in danger and they want him ou sooner rather than later.

katielynn01 · September 2012

I'm a FTM so obviously I have no induction story, but if you might have to be induced why do you want to hear other peoples stories? What happened with their induction has nothing to do with how yours will go, so when people say things like "Mine was the extreme case" doesn't that just scare you? I mean that's like when people tell me "I was in labor for 50 hours, you'll probably be in labor forever too since this is your first baby." It's annoying, because their labor has nothing to do with mine. First baby or eighth baby, they're all different for everyone. Same with inductions!

This is not a snarky thing, I'm just trying to say that just because other people had really hard inductions doesn't mean anything for yours. Same with the easy ones.

[Deleted User] · September 2012

katielynn01:
I'm a FTM so obviously I have no induction story, but if you might have to be induced why do you want to hear other peoples stories? What happened with their induction has nothing to do with how yours will go, so when people say things like "Mine was the extreme case" doesn't that just scare you? I mean that's like when people tell me "I was in labor for 50 hours, you'll probably be in labor forever too since this is your first baby." It's annoying, because their labor has nothing to do with mine. First baby or eighth baby, they're all different for everyone. Same with inductions!

This is not a snarky thing, I'm just trying to say that just because other people had really hard inductions doesn't mean anything for yours. Same with the easy ones.

I was not really looking for it was good or bad. I am looking for what to expect type of things. I just want to try to be prepared as much as possible.

ang345 · September 2012

I was induced at 39 weeks due to GD. When I went in I was 5 cm and 80% effaced. I had been 5 cm for more than a week. The Dr. came in broke me water and the baby came 1 hr later, a lot faster than anyone anticipated, so nothing in the room was ready, the bed was still low and not taken apart, and the Dr. wasn't there, so the nurse delivered my baby, while everyone screamed "don't push."

I think it helps if you are starting to make progress on your own. Oh, and this was my third baby. He weighed 9 lbs. 2 oz. and came flying out on his own and I didn't tear at all.

weebos8 · September 2012

I was induced because I have epilepsy and the doctor was concerned how my body might handle labor (I had just moved two hours away so he wanted me to be there).

I went in three days before my due date, at 8 at night. They gave me three rounds of Cytotec through the night; it caused me to dilate to 2 cms and gave me contractions every 2-3 minutes. At 8 am the next morning the doctor broke my water and started the Pictocin. I labored through and A was here after 45 minutes of pushing; he arrived at 4:34 p.m. I had a med-free birth (well, no epi at least) and felt pretty darn good afterwards. I am trying to go without being induced this time, just because I would like to labor as natural as possible.

auburnbride2be · September 2012

I was induced because my water broke and many hours later I hadn't progressed at all. You only get 24 hours to deliver once your water breaks or they have to do a c section. So, they induced to get things going. For me, the experience wasn't great, but I have nothing to compare it to. In the end, I delivered vaginally and baby was healthy so I guess that is all that matters. Would I choose to be induced, No. I delivered right at 24 hours after my water broke after pushing for 3 hours and a level 4 episiotomy.

CandaceLeigh · September 2012

Jessii266:
katielynn01:
I'm a FTM so obviously I have no induction story, but if you might have to be induced why do you want to hear other peoples stories? What happened with their induction has nothing to do with how yours will go, so when people say things like "Mine was the extreme case" doesn't that just scare you? I mean that's like when people tell me "I was in labor for 50 hours, you'll probably be in labor forever too since this is your first baby." It's annoying, because their labor has nothing to do with mine. First baby or eighth baby, they're all different for everyone. Same with inductions!

This is not a snarky thing, I'm just trying to say that just because other people had really hard inductions doesn't mean anything for yours. Same with the easy ones.
I was not really looking for it was good or bad. I am looking for what to expect type of things. I just want to try to be prepared as much as possible.

I agree with Katie about my experience may be nothing like yours. That's part of the reason I don't share my experience, is because I don't want to scare people. You could hear mine and be afraid of things that aren't going to happen during your labor. Are you wanting to know how the process of being induced goes? That I can gladly share with you.

[Deleted User] · September 2012

CandaceLeigh:

Jessii266:
katielynn01:
I'm a FTM so obviously I have no induction story, but if you might have to be induced why do you want to hear other peoples stories? What happened with their induction has nothing to do with how yours will go, so when people say things like "Mine was the extreme case" doesn't that just scare you? I mean that's like when people tell me "I was in labor for 50 hours, you'll probably be in labor forever too since this is your first baby." It's annoying, because their labor has nothing to do with mine. First baby or eighth baby, they're all different for everyone. Same with inductions!

This is not a snarky thing, I'm just trying to say that just because other people had really hard inductions doesn't mean anything for yours. Same with the easy ones.
I was not really looking for it was good or bad. I am looking for what to expect type of things. I just want to try to be prepared as much as possible.

I agree with Katie about my experience may be nothing like yours. That's part of the reason I don't share my experience, is because I don't want to scare people. You could hear mine and be afraid of things that aren't going to happen during your labor. Are you wanting to know how the process of being induced goes? That I can gladly share with you.

Basically yes. I really do not know much about it. Hearing the bad is not always a scary things. It?s better to be prepared than not IMO. But like you said everyone is different. However at the end of the day this would be because my LO is at risk, so whatever they have to do how ever they have to do it is fine with me if it means the safety of LO.

CandaceLeigh · September 2012

Jessii266:
Basically yes. I really do not know much about it. Hearing the bad is not always a scary things. It?s better to be prepared than not IMO. But like you said everyone is different. However at the end of the day this would be because my LO is at risk, so whatever they have to do how ever they have to do it is fine with me if it means the safety of LO.

I'm in the middle of some random things I'm trying to get done while my toddler is napping, but later this evening, I'll write you back and let you know what the general process is and some of the options you have throughout.

Spartanmama722 · September 2012

I was induced at 36 weeks for PIH/pree. My induction started at midnight the on call OB checked me to get a Bishop score and inserted a cytotec tablet to get things started. Once the cytotec was in I had to stay lying down for 2 hours, but once that time was up I was free to get up to use the restroom. I would guess they would have allowed me to walk around too had i not been there for BP issues, but since i was they had me confined to the bed. They also gave me a sleeping pill because I was too anxious to sleep, so I dozed off and on until morning.

At 7ish, my OB came in to check me, get pitocin started, and break my water. Pitocin contractions were painful, but not overwhelmingly so. I labored for a few hours and then the nurse recommended I get my epidural to help lower my BP and since she knew I planned on one anyway.

The epidural was very easy, and things moved quickly once I got it. By 22:30 I was fully dilated but DS was stuck on my pelvic bone, so I labored down for 2 hours while he slowly worked his way down. My OB came back after she was done seeing patients for the day, so around 4:30. I pushed for 2030 minutes and he was out.

I know you aren't looking for stories on how people's inductions went, but FWIW mine was great, despite being early and being totally closed up at the beginning. HTH let you know in general what to expect!

KristaNbHam · September 2012

I was 41 weeks and 5 days when I was induced. I did not want to be induced, but was prepared to do anything to get out daughter out alive and healthy. I knew the risks of potential c-section and pretty much understood that these days, more times than not, induction=c-section.

I went in the night before, and they started the induction process around 4 am. I was able to go to 6cm before getting an epidural. The labor did not go too fast, and the contractions were easy to handle. It just felt like bad period cramps. I got the epi because I knew I wanted one and I didn't want to miss the window of being able to get one. That was when the labor process slowed down. I went from 6cm back down to 5cm. It took another 1.5 hours before DD's heart rate started to drop drastically with each contraction. My doctor did not force me to go for the c-section, and he even stated that they would be willing to watch for a bit longer before having to make that decision. I didn't want to wait any longer, because I felt she was dipping REALLY low (I have a doppler, and I knew what she was averaging on a daily basis).

We went in for the c-section around 12:50 and she was born at 1:13. The cord was wrapped around her neck twice. She initially scored a 4 on the APGAR, but after a minute she was up to a 9. I did really well with my c-section. Having prepared for it really made a HUGE difference. I knew the key to speedy recovery was to get off the meds and walk around. I had them remove the morphine drip around 8:30 that evening, and I started doing laps around the ward.

It hurt like HELL, but I felt back to normal in about a week from the surgery. I also let DD sleep in the nursery, because coming off of pain meds is not fun and I really needed to rest after all that walking. I cried a lot, but I know that it was worth it. I was only taking 5mg lortabs and motrin at this point. I was driving two days after coming home from the hospital (once I was off of the lortab).

I will be having a repeat c-section this time as well, and I am even more confident going into it this time. The one thing I will do differently is start to take a stool softener a few days before I go in for the c-section. That first poop is AWFUL!

Kadyra · September 2012

I was apparently kidding when I said I was taking a break.

I was induced with ds1 for IUGR at 36w0d. It took less than 24 hours and went great. We were prepared for 34 days and anything less would have been fine. He did great and came home On post partum day 3.

[Deleted User] · September 2012

Kadyra:
I was apparently kidding when I said I was taking a break. I was induced with ds1 for IUGR at 36w0d. It took less than 24 hours and went great. We were prepared for 34 days and anything less would have been fine. He did great and came home On post partum day 3.

Thanks, I appreciate your break from your break to answer my question. But now I have another. Did DS 1 stop gaining or start loosing? They say they will not induce unless that happens. They say that as long as he is growing, even just a bit, they will just monitor.

Jena503 · September 2012

Honestly, not so well. But not horrific either.

My induction lasted 3 days. The medical reason for my induction was borderline at best (I've had 2 other OBs question what was done and not done in my case and they said they would not have induced). So that's obviously very different from your case.

We went in early on a Sunday morning and started cervadil. In bed until 7pm with no food or liquids. After 7 I was allowed to eat the cold hospital food (they saved me a tray. yum.). The next morning we started again with cervadil. Same routine. It hurt like a son of a gun getting it put in both times, no idea why but pretty sure that's normal for cervical ripeners.

Day 3 we started pitocin. I stayed med-free and honestly 95% pain free until about 4cm when the OB broke my waters. We brought in a DVD player and were watching movies while the nurses were like "wow that's a big contraction, don't you feel it?" And I was like, umm, kinda. But after she broke my waters, it was INTENSE. And I got an epi almost immediately.

About 15 hours into the pitocin, my OB was telling me that I'd labored way too long already (which is a complete crock, my 2nd labor, a vbac, went 29hrs) and that I would never progress anymore since I'd been stalled out for hours (no attempt at checking baby's position or having me try different positions which is possible even with an epi), so even though baby was in absolutely no distress and it was 10 or more hours before my waters would have been broken for 24 hours, we just had to do the c/s now. Which, frankly was because it was 9pm and she wanted to go home and be done with me.

So like I said, I didn't have a great experience, but it wasn't horrifying either. I definitely think I'd have felt better about it if I felt like I had been induced for the right reasons - and IUGR definitely falls into the right reasons category!

lavet22 · September 2012

I was induced after my EDD and it was a nightmare. Once my water broke, the contractions were literally on top of eachother (one wouldn't be over yet and then the next would start). I went from 3cm to a baby OUT within 3hrs. The contractions were so strong the pressure was almost unbearable even with an epidural. I will go to 41wks before I even consider being induced again. I live 45min away from my hospital and my OB really wants to induce me because it's my 3rd baby and the last one was delivered so quickly, she's afraid I might not make it to the hospital in time. I told her I'd rather deliver on the side of the road than go through another induction...

Elective inductions seem like a great idea when you are a FTM and miserable and just want the baby out, but it's so much better to wait until they come on their own. Most women I know who were induced at 39wks ended up needing a csection because their bodies didn't respond to the pitocin. It sucks, but waiting it out is the best thing to do.

lavet22 · September 2012

lavet22:

I was induced after my EDD and it was a nightmare. Once my water broke, the contractions were literally on top of eachother (one wouldn't be over yet and then the next would start). I went from 3cm to a baby OUT within 3hrs. The contractions were so strong the pressure was almost unbearable even with an epidural. I will go to 41wks before I even consider being induced again. I live 45min away from my hospital and my OB really wants to induce me because it's my 3rd baby and the last one was delivered so quickly, she's afraid I might not make it to the hospital in time. I told her I'd rather deliver on the side of the road than go through another induction...

Elective inductions seem like a great idea when you are a FTM and miserable and just want the baby out, but it's so much better to wait until they come on their own. Most women I know who were induced at 39wks ended up needing a csection because their bodies didn't respond to the pitocin. It sucks, but waiting it out is the best thing to do.

OK, I just gave my experience without reading the comments before. I assumed you were just wanting an induction, not that you needed one medically. Big difference, so I'm sorry if I seem all negative in my response. In the end, having a healthy baby is the most important thing, no matter how they get here. Good LUCK!!!!

columbiamommy · September 2012

I was induced with DD for rising BP a week before my due date. I went into the hospital on a Monday night to get cervadril. I'm not going to lie, it was the worst night of my life. The bed was so uncomfortable, and sleeping at the hospital was just uncomfortable. The next morning I got some pitocin to start contractions. Not long after that, DD's heart rate started dropping with each contraction. I had a emergency c/s. Overall it really wasn't that bad. I was exhausted from no sleep the night before, but other than that the c/s and recovery went well. My second c/s was much easier since it was planned.

CandaceLeigh · September 2012

Sorry! I flaked on you last night, but as promised, here's the general outline of events.

If your cervix is not ready, meaning not dialated very much and not effaced much, and you're not having any contractions, then the hospital will generally insert one of two medicines into your cervix. Hospitals like to use cytotek because it's cheaper, but it has some crazy side effects and is not FDA approved for use in pregnant women. Cytotek is a little pill that has to be inserted into your cervix. The other medicine is cervadil. This is medicine on a string that is inserted into your cervix. This medicine is more expensive, but has statistically shown better outcome in use on pregnant women. Once either of these medicines are inserted, you have to remain lying down for a period of time, an hour to two hours depending on where you are. This ensures the medicine stays in place long enough to ripen the cervix and begin contractions. Nursing staff generally strip or sweep the membranes while inserting the medicine.

Another option you have to open the cervix, is to insert a foley bulb. Basically the foley bulb is inserted into the opening of your cervix and is then blown up to 3-4 cm. This forces your cervix open and begins the dilation process. After your body dialates past 3-4 cm, then the bulb falls out and can be removed by nursing staff.

Once one of these options has been completed, generally pitocin is started to augment contractions to ensure labor moves along more quickly and the contractions are strong enough to progress dilation. If you are already experiencing contractions (early labor, or prodromal labor), the doctor may choose to skip straight to use of pitocin. The other option is to rupture the membranes to try to augment contractions. This is generally done in addition to the pitocin for women who start with a closed, unready cervix. If a woman comes in with contractions already and a ripening cervix, the doctor may choose to start pitocin or rupture the membranes depending on where MTB is in the labor process.

From this point, a woman is in active labor and the induction part of the process is over.

There are a few natural options for encouraging induction, if you think you're headed that direction. Lots of sex helps to ripen the cervix; a man's ejaculate has prostaglandins in it that serve this very purpose. Nipple stimulation during early/prodromal labor will augment contractions. Several cups of red raspberry tea each day will help to start early labor. Evening primrose oil does the same thing. Women say to use castor oil, but I think that's just gross.

I think I covered just about everything. If I missed something, please feel free to add to it. If you've got any questions about any of this, feel free to ask away! I hope this helps you get an idea of what to expect if you do need an induction.

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