Positive induction stories?

[Carolyn R]

Anyone have a positive story to share? Because of my birth history, we have a scheduled induction, and it seems so much of what you hear are horror stories. I've been induced once before, and while it was a long experience, I had great support, a very patient OB, and was able to labor and birth without pain medication.

If you have a positive story to share, would you mind including what induction methods were used, how many weeks you were, and any tips for having a positive induction? Although I would obviously much rather have a completely natural birth, I am trying to make the best of the situation and go into it in a good frame of mind.

Thanks so much!

[lifeguard]

Great attitude!

I was 39 weeks with ds & due to the gd I had they were concerned he was getting large, plus it seemed his umbilical cord was not performing as well as they liked (this is in the line of if we hadn't done u/s we wouldn't have known & it wouldn't have been a factor but... ).

I was already about a cm dilated so I my cervix was fairly favourable (I had been doing epo vaginally for a couple of weeks 'cause I knew my ob didn't want me to go over 40 weeks). We just did the cervidil gel. The nurse inserted it & within an hour I was having very strong contractions.

My labour was about 11 hours in total with about 2.5 hours of pushing. For the most part the hospital staff just left us alone & let me labour. Every time I would start to say I couldn't do it or that I needed help my ob would actually leave the room & make himself unavailable - he knew I did not want pain meds. In fact everything we discussed beforehand he honoured - including allowing me to tear instead of an episiotomy.

My only regret is that I think I started pushing too soon. I never felt the desire to push & never felt my body was working with me. Pushing was really hard, not very productive & exhausting. I ended up with a forceps delivery, plain & simple, because I was too tired to push anymore. That left me with a 3rd degree tear. I do not necessarily feel this was due to the induction & the 'cascade of interventions' but simply that I didn't know better that I could wait a bit before pushing.

I think the most important things are to have a care provider you trust & a support person(s) that know your desires & will advocate for you.

Good luck mama.

[cinderella08]

First of all, you have a great attitude that so many mama's facing inductions do not have!

I have been induced twice and my experiences were a world apart!  I fully believe that when medically indicated, inductions can be carried out in a way that still supports the mothers desires if at all possible.

My first induction was not a good experience.  I know you want positive, but I'll share so that you can identify what is (IMO) not akin to a "good" induction.  I developed preeclapmsia which rapidly turned into HELLP syndrome ( in a matter of hours).  I was admitted with BP in the 200's over 190's and very, very sick - liver and kidneys were beginning to decline.  I'm surprised they allowed me to labor now that I look back at my situation and how grave it was.   I was on mag sulfate which is used to STOP labor.  I was put on pitocin (was 1cm and 50% when I went in) and it was not regulated well.  It was bumped up very rapidly.  My contractions were every 30-45 seconds lasting 90 seconds within 2 hours.  I got an epi and AROM at 2cm.  My BP went down after the epi and I had to be given resus. drugs three times.  I had a c-section for FTP and CPD (I had a very non-understanding, pushing OB and was sectioned 27 minutes before shift end) after 20+ hours of labor.   This was NOT the typical induction story though.  I was very, very sick and quite frankly my baby and I are lucky to be alive.   Anyway, please don't let this color your view of induction as it is certainly not typical, but I feel it's necessary to tell to give background info for my next story!  Here is her story if interested - http://lifeextraordinarily.blogspot.com/2010/12/ava-brooklyn-plyler-122008.html

My second induction was FABULOUS!  I was under the care of a CNM this time (in hospital) and yet again developed preeclampsia.  I was monitored closely until we deemed an induction necessary. This time, my CNM and I decided to induce BEFORE I got extremely ill to give my body the best chance.  I was closed and 30-40% effaced when I was induced.   I went in with a great birth plan and nearly every wish was honored (no delayed cord clamping because he had some issues breathing and NICU needed to check him out which of course I was 100% fine with).   My pitocin was VERY well regulated and only bumped up 3 times during my entire labor.  I went in at 7am, really go going around 9:30am and he was born at 5pm on the dot.  It was a wonderful induction - I could not have been happier with the way things went and the induction itself.  Here is his story!  http://lifeextraordinarily.blogspot.com/2010/12/levi-alexander-plyler-81910.html

Good luck - I am sure everything will work out just fine!

[thencamehenry]

I don't personally have an induction story but I know women who have had positive induction experiences.  The supportive OB is a big factor.  Additionally, my advice for any woman laboring in the hospital is to request a nurse who feels comfortable with your wishes, in this case a gentle induction  as close to natural labor as possible.  Your OB may be able to give some input, or ask when you check in.  I had a very NCB-friendly nurse at my hospital birth and I think her willingness to work with me made all the difference.  Best of luck with your new baby!

[kinkajoujou]

A little background first: the year I got pregnant with my DD, my DH was admitted in a master's degree in the US, and classes would begin very close to my due date. So, I wasn't allowed to enter the US too early before classes, and then I wouldn't be allowed to fly, because I would be very close to my due date. I had no immediate family that I could stay with if my husband left, so the only option would be to try and get the baby out before my DH had to go. My OB said we would only go in for an induction if I was dilated and/ or the baby was low enough in my pelvis to avoid a c-section. He insisted on a vaginal birth, unless we were compelled to go the other route.

I did everything I could to help the baby out, but to no avail, so our only option was the induction. I got pitocin at a very slow rate in the beginning, then they bumped it up, they broke my waters, I laboured for about 7-8 hours and my DD was born in the afternoon. The only issue was that she was pushing against my pelvic bone at first and it took a fair amount of pushing and turning me on my sides to get her on the right way to freedom but after that everything was smooth sailing down the birth canal. So I would definitely say mine was a positive induction case.

[rinap]

I had a very good induction experience. We induced at 36 weeks 1 day for my twins (mono-di, we decided it was best to get them born). Over the week before I tried to induce with accupuncture, which caused increased contractions, but never quite flipped over into active labor, but probably helped my body get ready. Then we induced at 11PM with the cervadil insert. I was lucky that that was suffcient to kick me into active labor. I couldn't sleep by 4AM, and then labor progressed normally until the twins were born at 2:59 and 3:08 the next afternoon.

I fretted a lot about it going in, but in the end it was a very good experience, and didn't lead to escallating interventions (which is what I had been afraid of). It was very gentle and resulted in a natural (except the cervadil) birth of two beautiful girls.

It sounds like you're doing exactly the right things and framing this right. I very much recommend using natural induction techniques first (acupuncture, nipple stimulation, sex, long walks), because I feel confident that they helped my cervix to ripen, and that makes the medical methods (both cervadil and pitocin) work better.

[Magali]

I went into labor with my first child on my own, but was augmented with pitocin.  I never asked why I was augmented but looking back I'm assuming it was because my water had been broken for some time.  I found pit contractions crazy awful, but I also didn't know about moving around and finding other positions to cope with the pain, so I spent hours on my back.  Anyways, I had an epidural that worked beautifully and I had a few hours of sweet rest before it was time to push.  I pushed a couple of times and my son was born.  It was actually really great and peaceful, and nothing bad happened.  I only started to feel bad about my birth after I became a more active member here.  Like I was a failure or something because I didn't birth naturally.  I'm over regretting the pit and epi now.  It was a great experience, I look back on it fondly, and I learned a lot that helped me prepare for my next birth.  

[mschrein22]

I had two great inductions!  

DD1: Induced for pre-eclampsia at nearly 39 weeks.  I was already progressed, so they didn't do anything other than pitocin.  My OB is very slow with pit, so we took our time.  4 hours or so and my water broke on its own.  2 hours later I requested nubain, which allowed me to sleep for 4 hours.  I woke up when they checked me - I was at 8 cm.  They were going to give me more narcotics, but never got to, as transition and delivery went quickly after that.  I pushed for 12 minutes, and it was 12 hours from start to finish.

DD2: Induced for postdates at 40 w, 5 d.  Again, I was already progressed, and really wanted to try to go into labor without pitocin.  I had them break my water hoping for just that, but it didn't work.  An hour later they started the pit (seriously, my OB is awesome, she ordered the pit really low).  I used narcotics again to sleep for a couple hours.  I pushed for 6 minutes, and it was 6 hours from start to finish.  This was the much harder labor.

My suggestions? 1. Make sure your doctor/MW and nurses know what you want and won't push you during labor.  Have an advocate on your side who is thinking more clearly than you lol.  2. Ask if the pit can be administered slowly (no, really, the nurse was like "you literally are riding on a whiff of pitocin").  3. Get up and move around - it pays to get comfortable and friendly with your IV before you're in too much pain to figure it out.  

[~Amy~]

I had a great induction with my second son (VBAC as well). I was 41 weeks, 3 cm dilated, 50% effaced and baby was +2 when we started so well engaged. I saw my doctor on a Friday and she tentatively scheduled the induction for Monday but was shocked that I had made it through the weekend with out going into labor on my own. There wasn't a pressing medical reason for the induction, but she doesn't like to have VBACs go too far past 40w and I trusted her opinion (such a difference from my first birth experience!). She started pit at 10:30 am, broke my water at 12:30pm and DS was born at 3:13pm. I didn't find the pit contractions to be any worse than the contractions with my first labor (spontaneous labor, labored 14 hours, ended in c/s for a malpositioned baby). I didn't have an epidural or any pain meds.