Two inductions (Birth Induction)

Member Name: Hatina

Product:	Birth Induction
Date:	19/10/04 (1453 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You have a definate date, Labour tends to be a lot quicker

Disadvantages: It can be much more intense and painful, More chance of intervention, It's not natural

My eldest child arrived naturally, bang on her due date after 33 hours of labour, by the end I was totaly exhausted and memories of her birth are very vague. She weighed in at 8lb 5oz, and I only had a few stitches as they had given me an episiotomy.
When I was expecting my next child, I fully expected her to be on time or even early, as first babies are usually the latest. However, she had very different ideas! My due date of the 22nd December went and I was booked into a hospital 15miles away for a New years eve induction. Although I was disappointed that I couldn't have my baby at the midwife run unit, I was also relieved that the end was in sight. It also meant I could easily arrange for my parents to look after my other daughter.

I arrived at the hospital at 8:30, where they tested my urine, put me on a monitor and finally inserted the pessary through my vagina, to the cervix. This is quite uncomfortable, but tolerable. Just try to relax. [Easier said than done, I know!]At last this was it! I sat and waited all day [my husband had gone to work] to no avail. At 8:00 that evening I needed to go to the toilet to open my bowels, and the pessary fell out! It hadn't been inserted properly!
I trotted off to the ward where they inserted another lot. I was on a monitor again for about an hour, then almost immediatley the pains started. I chatted to the woman opposite for a while, then at about 11pm I went for a hot bath. All my pain seemed to be in my back, bottom and thighs with just period type pain in my stomach. I was in the bath for nearly 3 hours! Everytime I got out the pain intensified so much I jumped back in.

I eventually got out at about 2am, and asked the midwife for some pain relief and if I could ring my husband, she said it was too soon for both.
By 3:00 I convinced her to take me to the labour ward and my husband arrived straight after. I had gas and air which helped a bit.

At 6:00am I was in a lot of pain and wanted to be in a delivery room, but the new midwife wouldn't believe I was close to giving birth, so she left me on the ward. By 6:30 the pain was so bad that I felt I was loosing control. This time when I called the midwife in she was very cross, and told me I still had hours left. I knew I didn't but she just dismissed everything I was saying and went, saying she had "ladies properly in labour" to deal with.

30 seconds after I started pushing and another midwife came running. She kept appologising and within 6 pushes my daughter was born, still in the amniotic sac. Unfortunatley her airways were blocked, and as I wasn't in a delivery room there was no equipment to clear them, so the cord was unceremoniosly cut and she was whisked off before I even knew what she was. Thankfully she is now a bright,healthy 9year old. She weighed 9lb 6oz, and I had a third degree tear as they'd had no equipment to perform an episiotomy with.

9 years later and 11 days overdue with my third child I am booked in for another induction at the same hospital. I cried all night! On the morning I was due in I rang the hospital and they informed me there were no beds available on the ante-natal ward and they'd ring me when some of the ladies were ready for the labour ward. The phone call came at 2pm.
I was taken to a bed and given urine and blood tests. I was then told that they couldn't induce me yet as the ladies who'd been moved onto the labour ward hadn't given birth yet!
At 7:00 they told me they couldn't induce me until tomorrow as the ladies on the labour ward had still not obliged. I could either stay at the hospital and keep my bed or go home and be at the back of the line again the next day. I decided to stay and keep my "place"

At 6:00am they came round and popped me on the monitor for 1/2hr, then they put a pessary in and put me back on the monitor for another hour. By 8:00 I had my first contraction, my husband arrived at 9:30, and I had a bath until 11:30. This time I had pains in my tummy and my right leg.
Once out the bath they bought me some gas and air which really helped. At 2:00pm I felt I really needed to go to the delivery suite but the midwife said I wasn't ready. I told her what happened last time and she got a second opinion. Luckily this midwife was more experienced and took me up to the delivery suite where another midwife took over. She also thought I had a couple of hours left - I knew otherwise but didn't worry too much as I was in the delivery suite. At 2:45 my son was born weighing 8lb 15oz. All was well with him but I had another 3rd degree tear as she still hadn't been prepared enough for an episiotomy.

In some ways an induced labour was easier, you know when you're going into hospital so arrangements for other children are easier to make, your Husband can book the time off work and it tends to be quicker. You also don't have to sit at home wondering if its time to go to the hospital yet. The downside is that labour tends to be more intense, it can be very quick, some people go from 3cm to 10 within minutes, it's not natural and there is a higher rate of intervention with induced labours. Also your stay in hospital beforehand can be longer, you are monitored more often which restricts your movement and your birth partner may not be with you until later on. You can also feel as though you are on a conveyor belt!

Being induced is not the worst thing in the world but I wouldn't choose it over going into labour naturally.

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