Not ideal (Birth Induction)

Member Name: angela1985

Product:	Birth Induction
Date:	26/02/09 (143 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You know it's labour and not a false alarm, sometimes essential

Disadvantages: More painful as its a "false" labour

During my pregnancy with my son, I was well aware that I may have to be induced. Both my Mum and my Nan were due to pre-eclampsia and therefore, I saw it as then envitable.

I'll admit, I hadn't quite thought the whole thing through though. Induction seemed to be an easy option, to me it meant having my baby sooner rather than waiting for my body to go into labour naturally.

Anyway, it turned out I was lucky and didn't get pre-eclampsia. However, I did start to get minor contractions at 40 weeks exactly and when at 40+2 I stopped feeling him move, they told me they would induce me.

The reality of it dawned on me when I realised I wouldn't be leaving the hospital without my newborn son!

I was taken to a ward where they inserted a prostin at 5pm. They told me it was likely I would need another 1 or possibly even 2, so I prepared myself for a long wait.

At around 6pm I begun getting dull peroid type aches - I started walking round the hospital, just to make myself a little comfier and take my mind of the dull ache.

The pain got a little moe severe and around 9pm my waters broke - I was walking round the ward and felt quite a sudden gush. I definately knew it was my waters!!

A midwife then examined me and told me because it wasn't a natural labour and was an induction, she would try and pull my cervix forward. This bit was absolute agony, I remember having tears running down my face just wanting it to end. Looking back it didn't even last 5 minutes though.

From then on, it was all go. The pain came thick and fast and after a bath at midnight I decided I needed more pain relief and went down to the labour ward.

However, despite the pain I was still only 2cm dialated. I was taking Gas & Air but decided to have Pethadine around 2am to help me cope.

I was then examined around 4am when I was still only 3-4cm dialated. They then told me I needed syntocin - a drip which gives you "false" contractions. They recommnded I have an epidural as the syntocin can increase the pain and intensity.

I had the epidural and it worked wonders. I couldn't feel any pain at all. I managed to get an hour sleep however at around 6am I realised the pain was starting to slowly come back and I didnt know what was going on. I was confused and wanted to know why no one would give my epidural a top up.

Before I knew it, I needed to push (you do just know!) and it was only 20 minutes of pushing before my son was born at 8.38am.

Even now I am not quite sure why they wouldn't top my epidural up, I ended up pushing on solely Gas & Air and obviously the experience wasn't good. I had an epidural and expected that to be the end of the pain, and it wasn't. It did all leave me quite traumatised, although my son is obviously worth it all, I felt sick to my stomach when I thought about it for months afterwards.


I strongly feel that had I not been induced and needed syntocin, my birth would have been easier and therefore, will avoid an induction at all costs next time!!

Summary: I would avoid at all costs