BTDT moms who were induced...

I guess I've been naive, but when I've heard about being induced, I thought I'd just be put on a petocin drip and that would start labor. But after my OB described the process today, I feel like I was envisioning a walk in the park...it actually sounds pretty unpleasant w the pills they insert down there, trying to break my water for me...maybe it just is more than what I expected and it's not so bad. Can anyone please share their experience with it? It'd be much appreciated!!

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced and had 0 progress and a high cervix when I went in. They couldn't even strip my membranes, cervix was too high. I went in the hospital at 8pm and by 9 I was in the bed and they inserted the cervidil. They said they would leave it in overnight, it had to be in for 12 hours but it could take as many as 3 rounds to soften the cervix. Luckily I only needed 1 round. They told me that usually people just fall asleep with it in. BUT for me, I started having heavy contractions with the cervidil starting a half hour after they inserted it and they came every 2 minutes the entire time it was in. They tried giving me percosets for the pain but they just made me fall asleep in between contractions and I would wake up for the contractions. It was torture. The nurses said I was exaggerating the pain...um yah, okay. The insertion of the cervidil was like a regular internal but I have a tilted uterus so internals made me cry and were very painful. At 9 am the next morning, they took out the cervidil (I think that's what happened) and they hooked me up to pitocin via IV. At 11:30 I was just about 3cm dilated and they gave me the epidural. I didn't feel it going in at all, not even a pinch. I had a contraction while they were inserting it and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sit still but the nurse held me down by the shoulders in front of me and talked to me about my life and stuff to keep my mind off of it, her and the dr did a great job at that moment. I got to 10 cm by 3:30. I was totally numb due to the epidural and they had to tell me when I was contracting so that I could push. They said I was an awesome pusher. I secretly practiced pushing at home the entire pregnancy because I knew I wanted an epidural and heard that if you can't feel anything when it comes to pushing that they will turn it down for you so that you can push better. I didn't want that AT ALL so I practiced as stupid as that sounds and I guess it worked lol because they all kept saying, "my what a great pusher" Unfortunately I only got to push a few times because then every time I pushed the baby's heart rate would go down so they let me push 2 more times then said it wasn't safe for the baby to go on and they tried taking me off the pitocin to see if that worked but without the pitocin I wasn't contracting on my own so they called it and said I had to have a c-section.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced due to DD being small for gestational age and low amniotic fluid.
I got to the hospital around 10 am and had to sit around and wait for my doctor until 6 pm but that is an entirely different story.
Cervidil was inserted at 7 and had to stay in for 12 hours - you were not allowed to get up for the first hour (if I remember correctly) but after that you could get up and use the bathroom ect...
I was feeling good until around 11 pm and then the contractions and cramping was getting pretty intense. I was not dialated enough for the epi but the gave me Statol (sp?) and that knocked me on my a$$ - I passed out but woke up to the worlds worst contractions at like 2 am - I begged for the epi and got it around 3:30 am (It was heaven ) I slept until around 7 am where they came in and removed the cervidil (it looks like a white shoe lace/string) and checked me - I was dialted 3 or 4 cm so they decided not to give me another round of cervidil (they can do up to three rounds) and see what my body would do at this point - oh my water broke on its own at some point in the night - I dont remember exactly cause I sneezed and thought I just peed myself a bit and just changed the pad under me myself cause i was too embarrassed to ask someone to do it for me
well I was checked at 9 am and I was progressing nicely. so they came back and checked me at 10 - we did a practice push and DD was born at 10:42 am.
As far as a first delivery I think mine was pretty good - lets just hope the second one goes as easily

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced for my first pregnancy and natural for the second. Breaking the water was just mildly uncomfortable. However, the pitocin was SO strong and contractions so constant, that I definitely recommend an epidural (there was no time for one with the second pregnancy, but natural contractions are not nearly as bad as the pitocin ones - there is NO way I could of endured the pitocin induced pain). Once the epidural kicked in, labor was very easy.

As for the pills (?) Not sure, but is that to dilate the cervix? If so, then I did not get that since I was already 4cm by the time I was induced. Unfortunately, I think inductions end up as c-sections if you aren't first dilated. That is just my own opinion, nothing at all scientific though, based on a few friends who experienced it.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced at 38 weeks for medical reasons. I only got pitocin, which they increased every 30-60 minutes. I think the doctor broke my water about 3-5 hours into my induction. I got an epidural about 3 or 4 hours after that. I never progressed past 4-5 cm and ended up with a c-section (about 22 hours after my induction began).

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced at 40+ weeks with 1cm dialated. I checked into the hospital at around 7pm and I had a vaginal insert of cervadil. After 12 hours, they check your cervix for softening and further dialation. It was a long night, because I couldn't really sleep. I was on an IV and they have the heart monitor around my belly and the bloodpressure cuff that checks you every so often and it makes beeps and all kinds of noises. I was checked in the morning and still nothing. They tried cervadil, which is like a high dose cervadil and that takes 4 hours. Recheck and nothing. I said that is it and had a c-section.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

thank you all for sharing. it is definitely a bit more complicated than the image i had in my mind. i am hoping i go naturally this weekend, but if i don't and i have to be induced monday night - at least i have a better idea of what to expect. i really appreciate it!!

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

How many days past your due date are you?

Unless there is an issue with the baby, you don't HAVE to be induced, despite what your OB tells you. If you're really uncomfortable with the process, ask if you can wait a while longer.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

My water broke but I was only 2cm dilated and they gave me Pitocin. My contractions were terrible before they gave it to me and by the time I got the Pitocin I had my epi.

If I had to choose between getting induced and a c-section I would actually pick the c-section. I feel like there is too much un-natural with the drugs they use to bring on labor

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced but only received pitocin. I was 38 wks and 2-3 cm dilated. My water didn't break until ds was literally coming out. Though, I progressed from 4 cm to 10 cm in an hour which wasn't expected.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced...Just got pitocin, they broke my water and it took 12 hours to go from 2-10cm! I hadd a very good experience with my induction!

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I got induced exactly 7 days passed my due date. As soon as the OB gave me the option, I took it. I had a great experience with it & actually loved it. I went into the hospital at 6am, started getting prepped & got pitocin at around 8:30am. I played board games w/hubby, watched tv and felt pretty good although the contractions were progressing. They came in around 2pm i think to break my water which was a little uncomfortable but def tolerable. I had gotten an epidural which i thought would be a lot worse also. Maybe I was just really anxious to meet my little one that I didn't notice the discomfort or pain much, I was fairly good. The nurse even commented on my pain threshold. I went from 4cm to 10cm within a cpl of hours after my water was broke & started pushing at 6:30pm. didn't come until 10:07pm but thats because the cord was wrapped around her little neck so she kept retracting as I pushed. The epidural wore off towards the end which wasn't fun but not that bad b/c i just wanted her out. I actually liked the induction personally but like i said, I was so anxious to meet her that I couldn't wait to go on my own....HTH

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

Posted by Mommy2bX2

I got induced exactly 7 days passed my due date. As soon as the OB gave me the option, I took it. I had a great experience with it & actually loved it. I went into the hospital at 6am, started getting prepped & got pitocin at around 8:30am. I played board games w/hubby, watched tv and felt pretty good although the contractions were progressing. They came in around 2pm i think to break my water which was a little uncomfortable but def tolerable. I had gotten an epidural which i thought would be a lot worse also. Maybe I was just really anxious to meet my little one that I didn't notice the discomfort or pain much, I was fairly good. The nurse even commented on my pain threshold. I went from 4cm to 10cm within a cpl of hours after my water was broke & started pushing at 6:30pm. didn't come until 10:07pm but thats because the cord was wrapped around her little neck so she kept retracting as I pushed. The epidural wore off towards the end which wasn't fun but not that bad b/c i just wanted her out. I actually liked the induction personally but like i said, I was so anxious to meet her that I couldn't wait to go on my own....HTH

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced at 40w 6d but only needed pitocin as I was 80% effaced (so didn't need the cervadil to soften my cervix). I had no issues whatsoever with induction. My dr. broke my water around 8am - I was only 2cm dilated at this point. Was given pitocin shortly after...didn't wait til contractions came on strong for epidural - why feel the pain if you don't have to? I got epi when I was just 3cm dilated...best thing ever!!!
Things definitely progressed slowly at first...I wasn't fully dilated probably until 9pm...pushed for 1.5 hrs and DD was born at 10:52 pm.
Good luck!

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

Posted by JeanetteAndSteve

Posted by Mommy2bX2

I got induced exactly 7 days passed my due date. As soon as the OB gave me the option, I took it. I had a great experience with it & actually loved it. I went into the hospital at 6am, started getting prepped & got pitocin at around 8:30am. I played board games w/hubby, watched tv and felt pretty good although the contractions were progressing. They came in around 2pm i think to break my water which was a little uncomfortable but def tolerable. I had gotten an epidural which i thought would be a lot worse also. Maybe I was just really anxious to meet my little one that I didn't notice the discomfort or pain much, I was fairly good. The nurse even commented on my pain threshold. I went from 4cm to 10cm within a cpl of hours after my water was broke & started pushing at 6:30pm. didn't come until 10:07pm but thats because the cord was wrapped around her little neck so she kept retracting as I pushed. The epidural wore off towards the end which wasn't fun but not that bad b/c i just wanted her out. I actually liked the induction personally but like i said, I was so anxious to meet her that I couldn't wait to go on my own....HTH

so, did you start out at 4cm when you arrived at the hospital? i'd really like it if they could skip that other stuff and JUST give me pitocin, but it sounds like they only do this if you're already a few cm dilated.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

thank you all for the feedback.

i think i'm going to keep my appointment, because of a horrible story my brother just told me about a friend of his who went passed their due date, the placenta stopped working, and the baby didn't make it...i know that's probably not a common situation but my baby is measuring pretty big already and i'm just thinking i'll listen to my OB and hope he knows best.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I had an unsuccessful induction at 42 weeks. 3 rounds of cervadil then pitocin and they broke my water. I had a cs at 7 cm, my dd was not positioned well and which prevented me from dilating further.

Make sure if you feel epi isn't in properly or fell out speak up. They hike up the pit quickly if you have an epi. Mine fell out the first time and o one believed me! It was awful. It took 2 more times to get it right.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced on my DD due to low fluid levels. I was about 1cm dialated.
I went to the hospital around 10pm and started the cervidal (sp?) and I don't think I felt that being put in.
They kept that in until 10am the next morning when my Dr came to examine me - at that point they started the pitocin. At around 2pm my water broke from the contractions.
I had the epi at around 4:30. I started to push at 9:55 and DS was here at 10pm
I had a very good and easy experience.
The only part that honestly bothered me was the bed!! I need to sleep in my own bed to be comfy - but other than than that I was good!

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I had a fantastic induction. Was fingertip dilated when I went in, was only given pitocin at about 8 am. They broke my water at about 10 am and baby was born just before 1 pm. It really depends on so many things how fast you progress but it can def be quickly! Good luck!

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

I was induced, at 40 wks and 2 days because of low fluid. I was closed, high and cervix was not softened. Two rounds of cervadil, and then pitocin to get the job done. Cervadil gave me cramps and contractions, and then I got morphine because I was getting contractions at one point. Pitocin was no walk in the park either, but since I didn't have anything to compare to, I figured this how it all feels. Anyway, I didn't have any issues besides a very long labor. I was up and walking within the hour after giving birth.

At one point I did think Csection but I'm glad I went this route, I can't imagine the healing after a C, and DD was in the NICU, and I was able to walk.. albeit wobbly and hunched over, I was able to be with her by walking on my own.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

My cervix refused to move passed 1 cm and never effaced... I went it for the cytotek and pitocin on Friday night at 11pm. Once admitted and being hooked up to an IV, the PA set me up with the cytotek - no big deal... just a little uncomfortable as they can't use lube (only water) to insert it as it neutralizes the chemical...
Once I started "laboring" on my own - by 3am... they let me go for a few hours on my own to see what would happen. But by 7am I was reverting back to nothing. So they started the pit. I was tolerating the contractions, but DS would not move down. So my OB broke my water (not painful at all... just more mentally daunting) and that's when my contractions really kicked in... I waited about 1hr to see if I could handle them, but they were NON-STOP - no break, literally. So I got the epidural. And it was smooth sailing from there. I got my epidural at 12pm and DS was born at 2:54pm.

Overall, my induction was a "walk in the park". It just depends on the person I guess.

ETA: I was 12 days overdue.

Message edited 1/6/2012 6:18:38 PM.

Re: BTDT moms who were induced...

thanks so much for sharing your experiences. i'm definitely feeling better about the whole thing. i still have the chance that he'll come on his own this weekend, but if not i'm ready to be induced on monday night, with a better idea of what it might be like.