I found out on Thursday that I have the option to be induced at 38 weeks because I have SPD. I'm going back to the hospital this Thursday to talk to someone about the procedure and book in a date if I want to go through with it.

I dont want to google it, but I just wondered what peoples experiences of being induced were, because Im really nervous about it. I want to be able to go into my appointment on Thrusday with a clear head and know exactly what the doctor is talking to me about.

I've heard that labour is more intense, and quicker, that I can't have a water birth and an epidural is usually advised. Just wondering if there was any truth in that?

Also Im worried how Ill cope up until then... I dont like the thought of knowing the exact date the baby is going to come because Ill dwell on it and I dont think Ill make the most of my free time through the worry of knowing exactly when everything will happen. That probably doesn't make sense but I know what I mean lol.

Anyone???

xxx

My experience was with my first so not sure of comparisons but to some up my experience:

The labour lasted for 12 hours once induced.
It was intense in that contractions started stronger than they usually would but in a way i just got used to that intensity.
I did have a epidural but not probably didn't need one as I only had 3o mins labour after it...so hold out if you can.
No complications at all though.
Not sure on water birth...

But overall I wouldn't say you should worry at all

Thank you

xxx

Hi Linzi...

You probably know I was diagnosed with SPD myself recently and am now on crutches because of it.

May I ask, who did you have the discussion with about being induced? Only, so far I have had one appointment with the physio and am going back in about 2 weeks for a follow-up. My community M/W is about as useful as a chocolate teapot and so far through my pregnancy has never once given me any sort of advice about anything!!!

The whole labour thing has had me worried ever since I found out I was pg! But even more so now with the SPD and all the physio said was there is no reason why I shouldn't have a normal labour. Now I know I should believe her and she was a really nice girl who seemed to really know her stuff.... but everything I've read about SPD seems to point to being induced early, or even c-section.

I know you're a bit further on than me which is probably why the subject hasn't been raised with me yet, but I just like to know what I'm likely to expect cuz I am sooooo scared as it is!

Hi Linzi

I was 10 days over so I was induced with my first.

They used pessaries at about 7pm (stupid time but they messed the booking up at the hospital) and I had to lay still for 30 mins.

At about 11pm I started feeling something happening. Just strong period type pains to start. They sent me back to bed with sleeping pill but the pains got stronger and eventually as I sat on the side of my bed after walking about for a while, my waters broke.

Once they did it was pretty intense. I had planned not to have an epidural and no one had talked to me about what induced labour can be like to start with - I was only just turned 20. So I panicked a little. I was given gas and air but I thought if this is the start then whats it going to be like in a few hours!!! I demanded an epidural which with hindsight I might not have needed. Once I got the hand of the gas and air the contractions acutally settled right down but by this time I'd commited to the epidural.

I gave birth at 15.58 the following day so it went on for a while but I honestly think that was because I was immobile for so long.

My advice is try not to panic if it seems to start off very intense - it may well settle down in to a more 'normal' pattern.

x

I was induced with my first, because of PE 2 weeks early. I had a pessary 7am in the morning, and then when it was time for my 2nd the labour ward was full, so i had to wait while morning, i had no pain, was just uncomfortable for the night. When i was examined in the morning i was 2cm dilated, so i was put on a drip, and had my waters broken. The labour was pretty intense, so i had an epidural, and Lewis arrived after 3 hours 46 min in labour.
Mine was a good experiance, but if i was you i would try, and manage without an epidural if you can, labours much easier if you can change position.
Good luck whatever you decide, i'm sure you'll be fantastic, with or without an epidural.

P.s When i was induced you had to have a fetal heart moniter on all way through, which obviously made waterbirth impossible. That was 6 years ago though, things might have changed.

Come to think of it so did I.....

I'd ask about that Linzi.

x

I was induced at 39 weeks due to PE. The doctors tried to delay inducing me as long as possible, as they said it is preferable for the baby to make it's appearance when it decides it's time. I was monitored in hospital from 38 weeks, until the doctors felt that the risk to me of the PE was higher than the risk of the inducement to the baby. Inducement can often lead to more complicated births, which can last longer and often lead to assisted delivery or caesarean. Hence the reason that I was being monitored for the optimum time for inducement.

This was my first birth so I cannot tell you if induced births are any different to normal deliveries. However, I can simply tell you what my experience was, so you can make your judgements.

I was given the gel, which is supposed to kick start the process at 5pm on the Wednesday. I was then given a second dose at 11pm that night and a third at 6pm on the Thursday. After the second dose I did begin to feel some twinges. Eventually, after the third dose at 12pm my waters broke and contractions started in earnest. I was offered paracetamol at this stage, which I laughed at as I knew this would not touch the pain, so thought best to try to just manage on my own.

Five hours after my waters broke, I was taken to the delivery room, where they started the iv part of the induction. This lead to my contractions stepping up a gear. I did try for several hours to cope with no pain medication, although I was offered a epidural straight away - the midwife advised this for an induction as I had been fairly sleep deprived for the last few days when they had been using the gel and because they expect induced labour to last a lot longer.

After a few hours I tried the gas and air, when I had continual contractions for twenty minutes with no break in between - apparently this is common with inducements. Unfortunately I had a bad reaction to the gas & air, and freaked out. It was at this point I agreed to an epidural. This was a life saver as I managed to get some sleep - yes you can actually sleep through some of the hard work of the contractions with this - and regained some of the energy I would need for the actual birth.

However, after another four hours with the epidural, I started to have some side affects from this (which included uncontrollable shaking and vomiting), so they withdrew the epidural feed.

Then at one point they started getting concerned as they thought my labour was not progressing and my BP was increasing while the baby's HR decreased. They started planning for an emergency C-Section! Anyway, just as they were about to take me to theatre, they completed a final check on me and told me that I was actually fully dilated. I was then able to start pushing, and my son was finally born at 4.34am - 30 minutes later after I started pushing.

So in total, from my waters breaking my labour lasted 16.5 hours, although the inducement had started 20 hours before that. I was actually told that mine was actually a fast labour for an inducement.

Therefore, although inducment can make the labour a much more prolonged affair, and the contractions can be a lot more severe, you have to weigh up the risk of having an induction v's the risk of not.

However, two pieces of advice I can give is that if you need an epidural have one, don't think you're been weak (which was the reason I delayed, I felt I was letting myself down). My partner was the one who said that I shouldn't worry about that, as he said you'll look back with fonder feelings later if you had a bearable labour rather than an unbeaarble one.

My second piece of advice is that it doesn't really matter what type of birth you have - as soon as that baby is born that's the most important thing. The pain does just disappear (although you will feel a bit bashed about afterwards). When you look into your baby's eyes the last thing you think about is what you went through to get them here.

I went to a 'pelvic/back pain' clinic on Thursday just gone and I spoke to a lady there about it. All of the other women didn't have any problems opening their legs, but I can't get mine open hardly at all. So theres an obvious problem. She said they don't like to do c sections for it, but usually induce at 38 weeks for the mothers comfort.

xxx