induction « Back to Group Discussions

[withlittlelungs]

I'm being induced Monday at 6am. I'm not happy that we are forcing them out (but I'm ecstatic to meet the babies!), but induction has always been our plan once we got this far along. 
I was wondering if anyone has been induced and what I might expect. I'm already 4cm, so that's a bit of a positive. If baby A descends by Monday we will break my water. If not, I will be put on Pit until labor gets going. 

[wildmansmom]

I'm sorry you are doing something that you aren't happy about, but yeah for meeting the babies!! Good luck!

I was semi-induced with DS.   My body was ready for birth, my mind obviously wasn't.  If you are at 4cm, surely your body is ready to and should respond well to induction as I did.  Here's a brief outline of what happened with me.

* Labor started on Friday, good contractions every 4 minutes, went to the hospital Saturday AM, 1cm, went home

* Contractions continued Saturday, went to the hospital Sunday AM, 1 cm, went home

* Contractions continued Sunday, went to the hospital Monday AM, 1.5 cm, when I was checked had bloody show, admitted for dehydration (and pain!) at 5am.

* 8am - contractions slowed, basically stopped with IV fluids, DR broke my water, contractions started back within an hour

*12-1pm - contractions were pretty strong but irregular and I had only dilated to 2cm in 4 hours, started Pit and got an epidural

*1pm-5pm - dilated 2cm to 10 cm

*5:30pm - began pushing

*7:45 - delivery
 

[scruffy too]

4 days until you get to meet the babies!! How exciting!  I've never been induced (or been 4cm) so I'll step aside and let the others chime in.

[Tear78]

How exciting that you'll get to meet your babies so soon! My induction story was very atypical as I was pre-e, 3 weeks early so my body was not ready, and was on magnesium sulphate which counteracts labor. Needless to say it didn't work. I think with the way your body is ready to go that you will have a successful time of it. Keep us postd and may you go into labor naturally by Monday, or if induction is necessary may it b quick and easy!

[writinglove]

Hi WLL,

I've been induced, and it was ok. I wasn't anywhere near dilated when they induced me, so I had to deal with misprostal and pitocin, but I still found the the experience wasn't terrible. I did find that the pitocin-induced contractions were very strong (on top of the soreness that I experience from the vaginal exams), and ended up with an epidural.  Given that you are starting at 4 cm, I imagine that the process will very probably go smoothly for you, and you won't have to deal with nearly as many vaginal exams as I did, and the resulting soreness from the exams, leaving you in a place to be able to deal with the pitocin.

Since my previous delivery, I have had the privilege to meet with Penny Simkin, and she taught me to request that they start the pitocin drip slowly to most accurately mimic real labor. With a slow pitocin drip that gradually increases in intensity, it is likely you will find that the induced contractions are manageable and amenable to laboring without an epidural. I recommend talking with your health care providers about if they would be willing to proceed this way!

I wish you the best of luck!

[GranolaMama09]

I was induced with DD - I was at 3cm when I went in and began a pit drip.  About 7ish hours after the pit started, my water broke on it's own but I stalled.  DD went into distress and off to OR we went.  HOWEVER, while induction does increase the likelihood of a section, in my case it's more that due to a vaginal septum missed by my OB I was unable to dilate past 7cm.  Had the OB known and cut the septum at the appropriate time things may have been different.  I've never had natural labor so I can't compare how the contractions feel but they weren't completely horrid until my water broke.  Once my water broke it did become painful but appropriately prepared, I think I would've done okay.  (For medical reasons, I need an epidural.) 

[MPsSweetie]

I was due to have my water broken last time at 39 weeks, but I had him the day before, maybe the same will happen for you. But if not, you'll still be holding those babies in a few days! How amazing is that! I'm so excited to see them, lol

[eternalw]

<3 I was scheduled to be induced with my daughter at 42 weeks +1, She came last the night before. I wasn't dilated at all... A wonderful ob (military hospital) saw me the day before the induction and could tell I was nervous about it. He offered to stretch and sweep the membranes... He knew what he was doing!

I would imagine that being 4 cm already, your induction will go smoothly. I will be thinking of you!!