It's Painful (Birth Induction)

Member Name: arleek

Product:	Birth Induction
Date:	20/11/08 (439 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You are monitored throughout so you know everything is ok

Disadvantages: You are monitored throughout so you can't really move!!!

I had to be induced at 39 weeks; due to a pregnancy condition called Obstetric Cholestasis (I have already written a review on this).

On the day they were set to induce me I just felt sick, I was due to go in at 1pm and was really worried, I'd not really been given any information about what they would do to me, so I didn't know what to expect.

We arrived at the hospital on time and were shown to a bed. The ward staff were very busy but they said someone would be along to see me soon... I think someone came at about 3pm. They put me on a CTG monitor because they needed to see what the baby was up to before they started any procedures. Unfortunately the baby's heart rate was really quite high, way above the maximum "normal" level of 150, so I was strapped to this monitor for about 2 hours until the baby calmed down. I blame the full box of sweets I had eaten while I was waiting to be seen...

Anyway, things settled down and a Doctor came to see me who did an internal examination and gave me a stretch and a sweep, what ever that is, which was very uncomfortable and not very enjoyable! He said I was 'favourable' but the baby still needed to calm down, so I was put back on the CTG for another hour.

Later, once the baby had settled, a midwife came and inserted a pessary to get my labour going but warned me that because they were inducing me before my due date, it has a low success rate of working and they may have to try again in 6 hours, and again in another 6 hours, and if that doesn't work, repeat the process the next day. So I prepared myself for the worst and settled down for the long haul. I was still strapped to the monitor so I had to stay sitting up in bed because every time I moved, the monitor slipped and I couldn't hear the baby.

Fortunately for me I started getting quite strong contractions about 3 hours later, and they were coming very regularly. The chart that was coming out of the CTG monitor showed that my uterus was contracting at regular intervals and that I was in labour! At this point I was on my own as my husband had to leave earlier on (visiting hours were over) and it was the middle of the night. I was sharing a ward with 4 other women so I was trying my best to keep quiet as each contraction came so I didn't disturb their sleep! But this was quite difficult and I'm sure the puffing and panting coming from behind my curtain must have woken them all up. Fortunately after a few hours of this, the midwife examined me and said I was 5cm dilated and could be taken up to the labour ward - phew! They also contacted my husband who came rushing back. It was now 1am and I had been in labour for 4 hours.

In the delivery room I was asked to lie on the bed where they had to put me back on the monitor to keep track of the baby (due to potential complications because of my condition). So this didn't allow me to get into a comfortable position because every time I moved the monitor would slip and the baby's heart rate would disappear, so I had to stay laid on my back, which was not really a favourable position for me (with my first born I was on my hands and knees - but this was not an option this time round).

Anyway, the midwife broke my waters (with a big stick my husband tells me!!!!), and my labour progressed quite quickly and I was ready to push about an hour later. The midwife was very keen for me to push the baby out quickly as she wanted her out to ensure sure she was okay. I was not up for this as it had all been really intense and painful so far (no pain relief), and I really did not want to push, but obviously I didn't have a choice!

So after some extremely hard and painful pushing, (while holding my legs behind my head practically) and lots of screaming, 20 minutes later my baby girl was born; and she was fine. And it was all over, thank the lord...

I'm not sure whether being induced caused me to have a quick labour and delivery, or whether that's the way it happens with me (my first was pretty quick too and I wasn't induced). But I blame the intenseness & and sheer painfulness of it on the induction, it left me traumatised for quite a few days afterwards, and I have vowed never to have anymore children...

Well, that's my story, thanks for reading.

Summary: Could cause you to have a quick but painful experience