Positive induction stories?

More painful, longer labour and increased likelihood of further medical intervention are genuine stated risks of induction (which is why some people automatically go straight to c-section). Could you try request sweeps first? They tend to be less risky and can atleast give you abit more indication if you have already started to induce naturally- this can make a huge difference to the effectiveness of medical induction too!! Xx

@Amy ah thank you! Yes I’ll have a sweep this Thursday and hopefully that’ll have its effects before I manage the next decision steps…!

I think you can have sweeps every 48hrs so might be worth asking for a few (just saying this as they are trying to push induction for me but i want to avoid it if possible so I’ve pushed for more sweeps). The first sweep failed as I wasn’t atall ready but only 37+5, todays was successful 38+2 and 2cm dilated - when discussing it with my midwife she said if I had accepted the induction the day they tried my first sweep I would’ve probably ended up in section as my body just wasn’t atall ready. But if I were to have one from now onwards it would be much more successful because my body is already starting to do the right things. I have an induction booked for Monday, but hopefully another sweep on Thursday will do the trick 🤞🏼 best of luck to you whatever happens! Xxx

My first birth was induced at 42 weeks and I would say it went pretty well. The first stage was slow to get things moving but that’s not negative as such, just a bit of time waiting around in hospital whilst cervix was being helped to come forward and shorten more etc. I then had waters broken at 2am ish, went on the oxytocin drip at 4am and pushed baby out naturally, no assisted birth or anything, by 9:50am. I didn’t feel ‘proper’ contractions until I was put on the drip so really only about 6 hours from starting active labour to having my baby. Yes it was intense but so are non induced births and you can absolutely do it!! Stay positive, believe in your body and see the induction as that extra help to kick start labour. However - I would also say if there is no real risk to you or baby with waiting a bit longer for labour to happen spontaneously and this is what feels most right to you then hold tight! I felt pressured but held my own for ages and then by 42 weeks I was just ready…

For baby to be here so opted for the induction eventually! sending you all the best wishes for a positive birth! You and your baby have got this ✨🩷🫶🏻

Thank you Danielle and Amy for these, so helpful!! 😘 Liz xx

Similar experience to Danielle! I had a little panic when I moved to the drip due to my experience in my first birth (not induced but was augmented with drip) and because I was only 3cm after several hours of contractions (that were intense but I was coping with in the pool!) - I just thought I would have been further along! So I opted for a low dose epidural to help me get some rest and stay calm which worked a treat and still enabled me to feel and manage the pushing stage, which actually was only 4 hours after the drip started (so in hindsight, I could have managed without epidural!). I did not need any instrumental assistance to birth my first or second babies. Also agree with Amy on the sweeps - they helped moved my cervix along pre-induction so I only needed one pessary before waters were broken :)

I was induced Friday just gone 29th November. I had a sweep prior to this on Tuesday 26th. My sweep didn’t work, I was 1cm. So went into the induction hoping I would have been at least 2cm so they could break my waters. Baby’s head was still too high up and I was only 1cm still. I arrived at 9:30am (after calling up at 8:30) and was put on the monitor for a bit. I was then checked about 12/12:20pm and was given another sweep before having the pessary inserted. I was told I’d be checked again 6hrs later. I started getting some cramping about 2:30-3pm but wasn’t painful, I was then put in the monitor again about 6pm and was cramping more, but again not painful. Was told they’d check me in another 6hrs so about 12/1am. I went to the toilet about 11:45 and my pessary fell out. They came and checked me and I was 3cm and could break my waters, and said they’d send me to delivery. So I went to delivery about 12:30am and had my waters broken not long after-

Contractions got more painful and around 2:30 I asked for gas and air, they were struggling to monitor baby, so I needed the monitor that goes on baby’s head, they checked my cervix at this stage (about 3:16) and I was only 5cm, baby was then born at 3:30am exactly 😂 so I had progressed very quickly after that. I was back down on main ward by 6am having tea and toast. I was so worried about my induction, it was my 3rd baby and first induction, but a very positive experience for me! Hope yours goes well! (I forgot to mention I was 37+6 on the day of my induction) xx