March 2016 Moms

FTM getting induced Thursday night. I have a few questions!

bdanksbdanks member
edited March 2016 in March 2016 Moms
My due date was yesterday and when we went to the doctor today the nurse walked in and told us when we were scheduled for induction. So we will be meeting baby boy Friday for sure (if not before)!! But I've been scared of induction the whole time so I have a few questions for anyone that has already been through it.

What did you eat before?

How did the cervidil feel? (I had a friend say it made her loopy)

We'll I guess those are the only two questions I can think of, but flood me with info. I'm getting really nervous and just feel like I need all the info! Thanks in advance ladies!

Re: FTM getting induced Thursday night. I have a few questions!

  • I was also scared of being induced, but it was nice to be able to prep ahead of time and not have to rush around in labor. I ate the Panera turkey sandwich I had been craving the majority of the pregnancy prior to going on. But since pitocin was not started until the next morning, I was able to order breakfast. I was given cytotec instead of cervadil, but it is just like a tampon that is left in for 12 hours. I did not react to it at all, but it did not work to dilate me either. Good luck!
  • I was due to be induced at 11 am, at 7 I got up and had a bowl of cereal and an orange (not because I was hungry but more because I knew I should.) Unfortunately we had a very long wait at the hospital and did not end up getting induced when we were supposed to. At around 6pm I asked the nurse if I could eat and she told me to go ahead, I had my husband run out and get me a footlong sub from subway. This was not a good idea, once I was in active labour I got extremely sick to my stomach and threw it all up. Honestly, I think it would have been better to be hungry but I really had no way of avoiding this as I didn't know when labour would be progressing. I certainly wish I ate lighter!
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  • Do you need to be induced?  You mentioned you've been scared of it and didn't mention a reason so just wondering if you considered telling them you'd rather wait a while longer (if it seems safe to do that). Also between now and Friday you could try lots of walks and other natural methods to try and bring labor on sooner. 

    I am due today and had my appt yesterday where it looks like I might go another week/week and a half without talking about induction unless they find something worrisome on an ultrasound later this week.  
  • If you aren't even 41 weeks yet and there are no signs that your baby needs to come out, don't feel like you have to go through with the induction unless you want to. FTMs often go past their due dates! I'm a third time mom and I am over a week past mine. I was also a week overdue with one of my other kids. You can ask for extra non-stress tests and ultrasounds to keep an eye on baby, the placenta, and fluid levels. I was scheduled for a Thursday induction as well simply because I'll be 42 weeks, but since all of my tests are showing a perfectly healthy baby/uterus/placenta, I'm going to continue to be monitored with tests every three days and wait it out until either 43 weeks or baby comes on his/her own. This goes against the "standard" practice and so it involves signing a waiver, but I'm being supported by midwives and an experienced OB and I feel confident in my decision. There's just not enough evidence of it being medically necessary at this point. (That could change . ..  hence the extra monitoring!). We did reach a compromise that I will deliver in hospital after 42 weeks, but it was a compromise that I was happy with.

    I can't offer experience with an induction, but I just wanted to throw that out there in case you want to get a second opinion. Good luck to you! :)
    It's a boy! Born 42 weeks, 2 days.
    Pregnancy Ticker
  • I agree with the above - unless there is a medical reason it seems like you should be able to go longer? I was induced with my first at 41.5 weeks and they were willing to let me go the full 42. I had Cervidil and I don't remember feeling anything?! It's just like a little tab they insert next to your cervix. The thing I liked the least about being induced was having nowhere to go once contractions started. There's only so much you can take your mind off them when walking the same little loop on the hospital floor for the hundredth time. Overall I had a very positive induction experience BUT I was 600% ready to be done at 41.5 weeks. I would highly suggest making sure you really feel like you've discussed everything with your doc and feel like you're making the best decision for you and baby. 
  • I was induced last Thursday at 40+3.  I was already 2 cm and 70% and he was at -2 so we just did pitocin.  I had a very good experience for the most part.  I ate a bowl of cereal before we left for the hospital and that was enough for me.  But we started pitocin at 6am so I was on Iv fluid as well which helps you feel full.  unfortunately little mans head was twisted when he dropped so I never got past 6 cm and 80%, he just couldn't get far enough down to really engage my cervix and when we adjusted to get him to get him to move his heart rate would decel after contractions (his cord was under his shoulder on that side).  We ended up with a C-section 22 hours later due to failure to progress and fetal distress but it would of happened if we went into labor naturally too.  I didn't think the contractions were any worse on pitocin than my natural labor had been.  Hope all goes smooth for you!
  • Thanks for everything so far ladies! 

    The reason behind induction is the fact that I am miserable. At 37 weeks I started having contractions at work and decided to go to L&D, I was having steady contractions every 2-4 minutes but not progressing. I was dilated to a 1 the entire time. I am still having very uncomfortable contractions everyday and I am still only dilated to a 1. I have tried lots of natural ways such as walking (I am a bartender and was working all the way up until last weekend and working would give me contractions and make me uncomfortable to the point that I just couldn't do it anymore). My OB is very team mentality and we have all discussed this and she along with myself and SO decided that there is no reason for me to be pregnant any longer. The funny thing is my mom got induced with me for the same reason! She was having lots and lots of Braxton hicks contractions and was very uncomfortable. 

    I think a lot of my fear comes from actually having an end point. But I am like PP said 600% ready to not be pregnant anymore. 

    Also I was mistaken about the cervidil my friend was referring to the iv pain meds that made her loopy. Lol! 

    Thanks again! Keep the info coming I love it all!
  • I was induced with my son at 40+6.  I only had to have the cervidil for my induction.  I was having mild contractions when we checked in but nothing that hurt.  Within about an hour of the second dose my water broke on its own and I didn't need any more drugs/medicine after that.   Just try to relax and enjoy the ride without putting too much pressure on yourself.

      I ate that evening around 8:00 and then didn't deliver till 5 the next day.  As some PP said vomiting is not uncommon during delivery.  I am not sure how your induction will work but if you are going in the night before I would definitely eat something.  I read enough boards that when the contractions got rough and I felt like I was moments from vomiting I asked the nurse for Zofran in my IV.  It really is a miracle drug during delivery so if don't be afraid to ask for it.

    Best of luck to you!

      Picture the Moment Photography: Liam &emdash; 938A7372-Edit       

      Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

  •  I was induced at 41w1d.  I was also really scared, because I heard inductions hurt more and because we were leaving the house as a two and coming home is a three. I got to the hospital at 8 AM, I was 2 cm dilated and 40% effaced. I sat around and waited until 10:30 AM and then they gave me Pitocin  and a balloon catheter. I started having mild contractions almost right away and they started getting stronger around noon.  I got a dose of Fentinol (sp?) and it provided some much needed relief but seemed SO short lived.  By 4 I was in full contractions without any break in between. They turned off the Pitocin  to try and give me some relief but it made no difference. At 6, they finally decided to take the balloon out, they had been tugging on it regularly to see if it was loosening. They said it would start to loosen around 3 to 4 cm. However, when they pulled it out and checked, they were shocked to find I was at 9 cm. I got the epidural and after that everything was a breeze, there was no pain to the contractions but I can still feel the pressure of them happening.however, the epidural slowed down the process and I had to be given Pitocin again to progress. At 10 o'clock they finally told me to push, and she was born at 10:10 PM. With the epidural, I can feel the contractions and feeling to push but didn't feel a lot of pain.

     As for eating, my mom brought a huge breakfast which I happily scarfed down before anything really started happening.  But it all came back up quite painfully when real contractions started. After that, even ice chips made me vomit during contractions. On the plus side,  my delivery nurse said she liked vomiting because I was hoping push the baby further down without much effort on my part. 
  • Spoke with my OB on monday because I am at 39 weeks. My OB told me that we can discuss about induction next week. She is fine with me going until 41 or 42 weeks since I have no complication. But she said if I want to, we can talk about induction a little after 40 weeks. I am struggling because I am so ready for this baby to come out and I only have help from in laws and my mom until mid April. Right now my in laws and I are just starring at each other everyday... It can get a bit awkward.

    I heard being induced is more painful when it comes to contraction. Thoughts?
  • Spoke with my OB on monday because I am at 39 weeks. My OB told me that we can discuss about induction next week. She is fine with me going until 41 or 42 weeks since I have no complication. But she said if I want to, we can talk about induction a little after 40 weeks. I am struggling because I am so ready for this baby to come out and I only have help from in laws and my mom until mid April. Right now my in laws and I are just starring at each other everyday... It can get a bit awkward.

    I heard being induced is more painful when it comes to contraction. Thoughts?
    I've heard that a few times too but my good friend that just got induced last week said it was a breeze once the epidural started. My mom as previously mentioned was induced with at least 2 of her 5 and she said once that epidural started it wasn't bad. Also! I feel you on the in law thing! They keep inviting me to dinner every night and I'm sick of his step dad, he's a real a**hole. I'm ready for this baby to come to break the awkwardness. Lol. I'm just ready to meet him!!

    I'm ready to start counting the hours. I get nervous then I get scared then I get excited to meet our little man. It seems like we've been waiting for so long to meet him it's almost surreal. I think that's the scariest part is that it won't seem real until we are actually driving to the hospital on Thursday.

    Update on food choice! : we've decided to go to Texas roadhouse around 4pm and eat really good! Then I'll probably have a snack before we actually head to the hospital at 9 pm.

    Keep it coming ladies I love all the input!!
  • Katherine8908Katherine8908 member
    edited March 2016
    The hospital I was induced at does not let you eat before induction .. I was scheduled at 6pm and had to stop eating and drinking by 12in the afternoon I ate a big breakfast but still was really hungry by the time 6 came around. 

    As far as the cervidil ...( It didn't work for me so they went to a foley balloon) but that itself didn't make me loopy but the stadol(sp) they gave me incase I had pain made me very loopy.

    Only advice .. Get the epidural as soon as your able and you will be golden pretty much to the point of pushing ....you shouldn't have pain at all until then its a wonderful thing lol ! Good luck :) 
  • Uscdrea05Uscdrea05 member
    edited March 2016
    Not much to add to what others posted, but I was induced (for pre-e).  Went to hospital for a 9a induction so hubs and I went to a diner for breakfast that morning. Was hard to eat because of nerves but had an egg sandwich and home fries. 

    I needed two doses (well, one and a half) of Cervadil and thankfully no pitocin. Cervadil doesn't hurt. Literally looks like a shoelace that they insert. No loopy feelings at all. With the first dose I had mild contractions the entire time but didn't really make any progress. About 9 hours into the second dose my waters spontaneously broke and we were off. I labored for about 8 hours and then little man was here. My midwife mentioned that the reason my contractions were so intense was because I was progressing so quickly. So not sure if that's true or the case for everyone, but the pain was real. 

    All totally worth it and now he's nearly one month old and sleeping peacefully on my chest as I type this. Good luck!!
  • Definitely eat something. I ended up loosing my appetite the night before. I had my OB start contractions when I was only 1 centimeter dilated. By 1:22 in the morning my contractions got started and when my fiancé went to work around 3 they where putting me on the floor. I went to the ER and they checked me down stairs before sending me up because I had the urge to push a bit. With the pain medication, I can't remember what I had first but it went in the I.V. and Raven would have had to be monitored afterwards if I had her in 3 hours of taking the meds it took the edge off but after about 12 hours there was no helping it and I had an epidural. I agree with the others here though, relax before you go in and bring some snacks with you to the hospital some doctors will let you eat something before they hook you up to the IV and just a P.S. kinda thing I barely felt my epidural and it was a big relief.
  • I ate a steak dinner the night before and some homemade granola bars that morning- full of protein! When I got to the hospital they let me eat until I started on the pitocin and epidural- so they gave me breakfast and I requested a lunch before I got the epidural at 12:30. The cervadil didn't make me feel strange at all. I was getting a little nervous at first that it wasn't working- the contractions were frequent but painless at first. But after 3 hours they slowly started getting more painful. After that they gave me an  epidural and broke my water. Contractions slowed down a little, so they gave me pitocin. Within an hour I was ready to push! I went from 3 cm to fully dilated in 30 minutes :smile:  Between being induced and going into labor naturally the induction was the much easier delivery- WITH an epidural!

    Anniversary


  • Cain Mathias was born 3/25 at 4:47 AM weighing 8lbs 2oz! Induction went super well and super quick especially for this FTM. Once they put the pill in me, I started having stronger contractions. I got the epidural at 2 cm and just an hour or an hour and a half of getting the epidural I was complete! I pushed for maybe an hour and he popped right out. Everyone was surprised by how big he is! We have no idea where I was keeping him! Hope everyone is as lucky as me! Good luck ladies!


  • Congrats @bdanks ! Glad it all went well and smoothly! He is adorable!!
  • I am getting induced the Thursday March 31 and believe me i am freaking out too!! i am not sure what's gonna happend that day lol
  • It's possible to avoid it! I was scheduled for an induction and I kept telling myself that I didn't want to get one so the night before my due date I placed an early primrose oil pill in my va jay jay (just one) and I went into labor at 6:40 that morning. My baby boy arrived at 10:14 that night and he was healthy as can be. I went from being only 1cm dilated that morning to 5cm by 4 in the evening. A lot of walking did the trick that day too. Just a little advice if you wanted to avoid the heavy drugs and go with something more natural :)
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