Induction, not a decission to be taken lightly. (Birth Induction)

Member Name: kalliemaile

Product:	Birth Induction
Date:	17/08/04 (468 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: May be needed if there are complications in pregnancy

Disadvantages: painful labour, It doesnt always work first time and you can be in labour for ages

I suffered from boarderline pre-eclampsia in my first pregnancy, this meant alot of medical checks, stays in hospital for days at a time and some unpleasent symtoms, so, when I went into hospital for a check up and was told my pre-eclampsia was no longer boarderline, but full blown pre-eclampsia, I was actually quite relieved to be offered induction.
The thought that my baby would be with me so soon both excited and scared me but I was all set to go ahead, I wanted to met the baby I had been carrying.
So, I was 38 weeks pregnant and huge, I walked to the ante-natal ward where a midwife handed me a sheet which explained how my induction would be done. The midwife would insert a gel into my vagina which would then soften my cervix and make it begin to dilate. I was warned that I may need several doses of the gel before anything would happen and it was unlikly that I would be in established labour for some time, I didnt worry, I was too excited.
Two midwives ebtered my cubical, one examined me whilst the other took notes, they recorded information about my cervix before they used any gel, giving scores to different factors, they then added up the scores to decide which doseage of gel I would need, I was nowhere near going into labour so the higher dose was given.
I was amazed when literally within 10 minutes of the gel being inserted I started to get a burning pain down below, I had been told I had to lay down for an hour after the gel was put in to stop it coming straight out and give it a chance to start working. I rang my bell and asked if the burning was normal, I was assured it was and that it just meant that the gel was working.
I soon began to get cramping period pains and when my hour of laying down was up I started to walk around to try and ease the pain, I could tell the gel was working well and called my mum because I was scared I would have the baby and she wouldnt be there.
Six hours after I was induce my mother and I were sitting
in my cubical and I was in so much pain that I could barely stand, my mum and step-dad were rubbing my back and I kept trying to get into different positions to try and ease the pain a bit. A midwife came in and said they could give me another dose of gel if I wanted, although I was in so much pain I was keen to have my baby so I said I would have some more, she asked how much pain I was in, I told her it was agonizing and she said "are you sure? If you really in that much pain we cant give you any more gel" So, I said the pain was bearable and I was again examined and this time I was given the lower dose of gel.
Within 20 minutes I felt awful, I first tried having a bath but the water anoyed me, I had a tens machine and went for a walk but it didnt seem to help much. Eventually I was allowed gas and air. I was examined and only 2cm dilated, not enough to go to the delivery suite but the midwife could tell how difficult I was finding it and took me to a private room on the ward.
I had been keen to have an active labour but eventually I was laying on the bed with my gas and air feeling dizzy from the pain, I found it too painful to be examined and the doctors were called in, they decided to send me to the delivery suite where I had pethedine and it relaxed me alot, I felt I could cope a little better but after 16 hours of being in labour my babys heart rate was dropping and blood tests were done on him whilst he was still inside me, the confirmed he was distresses and the doctors suggested I had an epiduaral. I wasnt keen to do this but I was told I would be given a mobile epidural so I could still move but they also told me that there was a chance I would need a ceaserean section and if I didnt have an epidurl they would need to put me to sleep for the operation, so I agreed.
As I progressed my baby was getting more and more distredded and after 17 1/2 agonizing hours of labour I was rushed for an emergency ceasearen.
It turned out my ba
by had his cord around his neck.
When I was on the post natal ward a midwife came to talk to me because I had such a traumatic labour she said that being induced made my labour more painful and it does for most women, I was angry I hadnt been warned this before.
In my case the induction was really necessary but I would have liked to have been given more information before hand, and although it wasnt being induced that made my labour end with an emergency delivery, it was being induced that had me in so much pain from begining to end, so I would say that unless there are medical reasons that make induction completly necesary, dont do it! The pain is not worth it just because you are getting fed up of being pregant. I know I will never be induced again unless its 100% necessary.
I have given induction a neutral rating because there are times when it is good because it can save your life or your babies but as you have seen it can be really awful.
I have put that I would not reccomend to a friend as I would only reccomend it if it was completly necessary for medical reasons.

Summary: