Originally Posted by Ragirl

Linzi pretty much got it right. They try to soften the cervix first, some docs break water, some don't (that's a personal preference I guess), and they will start pitocin. I had a friend who gave birth without pain meds, once naturally and once with induction, and she said the induction wasn't more painful per se, you just never get a break from the contractions. But she said it was doable. Try to get up and walk as much as possible, which can be a pain with the IV, but it will help move things along. The more you sit in bed, the more likely your labor is to stall. Good luck!!! And let us know how it goes

Originally Posted by Margerle

Induction depends entirely on the doc, how favorable your cervix is to begin with, and if you are already in a bit of 'prelabor'. Inducing a 42 week pregnancy is sometimes a lot different than inducing a 'younger' pregnancy.

You didn't note if you were having any kind of lower back pain, or pressure, or if your midwife had checked your cervix.

If you are still tight and closed, you will be given a prostoglandin vaginal suppository (or pessary) to help 'ripen' your cervix. Sometimes this is all that is needed to kick start labor.

If you are ripe, and starting to dilate and efface, they may skip that and just break your waters for you. That will hopefully get contractions moving and away you'll go .


If these more benign ways of getting labor started doesn't work, you will be given a drip of pitocin which is a synthetic oxytocin. Oxytocin is what your baby is supposed to trigger production of to get labor started.

Above all, no matter what method or methods they use, stay calm and relaxed. Labor is much easier on a woman and much quicker when she can stay 'on top' of the process.

Congrats mommy, chances are you'll be celebrating a birthday on May 8th!