who here has had their labor induced?

[ez]

If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to hear your experiences. I think because of my age (41) my dr. might induce me a few days before my due date next week. I was induced with my dd(10 years ago) but she was overdue and they just gave me a suppository gel, and I went into full blown labor just from that, I never had pitocin or anything, My son (20 years ago) was also overdue, but he finally decided to make an appearance, had him at a birthing home, no dr. or meds and it was only a few hours.Thanks!

 

[onecoolmama]

I was induced with my first. I didnt have gel or anything and it took 5 hours from start to finish. The Pit wasn't great, but I had a really good epidural so I was fine. I played video games to pass the time.

I was induced because it was a good time for everyone and I was one day late. So no big deal. I would do it again in a heartbeat. i think it is better for me to know when I am going to have the baby and I can set up babysitting and the sort.

 

[two4ruff]

With my first, I too, was given the gel two days after my due date (I had developed pre-eclampsia) It kicked everything in gear and 6 hours later....ta-da!

My second wasn't induced but I didn't detect any difference in my labors. They both still hurt!

 

[poohandwendy]

Both of my girls were induced, but not my son...with the first one I had an epidural, the other I didn't. Pitocin does make the contractions more intense and regular than natural labor...BUT...it is 'doable', especially if you can stay on top of your Lamaze breathing...good luck to you, how exciting!

 

[buzzlady]

I did with DS8. They will start out slowly and then increase the pit. It took almost 12hrs but it wasn't that bad.

 

[floridafam]

I have read not to use Cytotec to induce labor.

I was going to be induced with my last one so I did some research and found that Cytotec may cause the uterus to rupture.

I don't even know if it is still used.

 

[Jeafl]

My youngest was induced. I definitely think it is the way to go. They cranked up the pitocin and cranked up the epidural and 5 pain-free hours later she was born. I only had to push twice. In fact they told me not push at all until they could track DH down in the cafeteria, because she started crowning and I didn't even know it! It worked out great for me. Especially after my middle child's nightmare labor of almost 26 hours, 4 hours of pushing, the suction vacuum and forceps. I'm not having any more kids, but if I did, I think I'd like to be induced again!

 

[Galahad]

Originally posted by floridafam
I have read not to use Cytotec to induce labor.

I was going to be induced with my last one so I did some research and found that Cytotec may cause the uterus to rupture.

I don't even know if it is still used.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology does not recommend the use of Cytotec to induce labor AFTER the mom has had a previous C-section. Those are the conditions that have shown to have a link with Uterine rupture. It does not make that recommendation with moms that have never had a c-section. For what it's worth, it is not commonly used in the large university hospital group where DW practices.

 

[birdiesunshine]

I was two weeks late and the Dr. sent me in to the hospital to start giving me that gel that softens the cervix. After 3 doses of that my water broke and I had DD 5 hours later.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I was induced on my due date. I got signed in and the nurse came in almost immediately and hooked me up to a Pitocin drip. Now I've heard lots of people say Pitocin was horrible, the contractions came really hard and fast, etc etc etc. But I guess being a newbie at this (since DS is my first kid), I didn't really know what the difference between natural and drug induced contractions were anyway.

Anyway..I didn't think the contractions were that bad...only the back labor and that took awhile (like an hour and a half)to get truly unbearable where I had to ask them to put in the epidural.

After that..I dialated pretty quicklike. Went in at around 5ish, got hooked up around 5:30-5:45ish and had a beautiful bouncing baby boy at 12:42 pm.

Of course, YMMV.

TOV

 

[preshi]

I was induced with both my boys. In May when I was induced (no medical reason I just wanted him out, he was already 3 days late) I was on Pictocin for 6 hours and they almost sent me home becuase the baby wasn't engaging and I wasn't in active labor. Finally when the Dr. came to check on me Dylan was engaged and they broke my water, 46 minutes later I had the baby!


My first I was induced because my water had broken and there was no active labor happening. I was there from 3am and I finally had him at 5:31pm.

In both cases I think the Stadol was what caused them to come. Stadol doesn't stop pain but relaxes muscles. It helped me relax between the contractions. Also even though I thought LaMaze was stupid I really wish I had gone to some classes, the breathing through the contractions if you are going unmedicated is essential. Thankfully my nurse was an angel and she helped me a ton during those quite painful 46 minutes!!

Good Luck!

 

[goofy4tink]

I was 44, at my due date and my b/p had spiked. So, they decided to induce me. I went in at 2:00 pm, started the pit-drip (at a pretty low dosage) at 4:00. Contractions were no big deal. Kind of like period cramping. Then at 6:30 they told me that if nothing happened by 9 they would stop and start again in the a.m. They doubled the dosage at 7:00, I felt a big pop at 7:30 and there was water everywhere. Never had that happen before. My water had to be broken the other two times! They started the 'walking epidural' at 8:00. This allowed me to walk around but not feel the contractions. Very nice indeed. Then at about 8:45 or so, started feeling a lot of pressure. The anesthesiologist was supposed to come back and give me the rest of the epidural but he never made it. That would have stopped the actual birthing/pressure pain. And I had the only o.b. in the world who feels episiotomies can be avoided!!! So, after about 6 pushes (felt like a basketball) at 9:13 my 8 lb. 9 oz. dd was born!!! If the whole epidural had been given, life would have been much better. But, generally I didn't think it was all that bad. I have to say that when they told me they were going to induce me, I really panicked. I had heard only horror stories about it. But, it wasn't the case. maybe I had some really good people. I delivered at Beth Israel in Boston in '93. Good luck.

 

[floridafam]

Galahad,

Thanks for the info.

I didn't think it was widely used. I almost didn't remember the name of it because it has been quite a few years since I read about it.

 

[mtemm]

I was induced with my first due to PIH. The plan was to go in on wednesday for gel, then if nothing happened by the weekend to head in for full blown induction. My due date was monday. well, they started with cytotec, then moved on to gel on wednesday (were able do a few over a period of time). unfortunately during the time we were there, from 8am to around 2pm, Daniel just was not doing well on the monitor. pretty much non-responsive the whole time. His heartrate remained steady, not much movement if any. so dr. decided why wait, admitted me, and started pit by 5pm.

unfortunately for us by 10pm I was only at 2cm, Daniel did not tolerate the pit and it had to be stopped. Thankfully contractions had continued, however, my dr. became concerned about his lack of movement enough to recommend a section. Not in my plans, but we went ahead. thankfully all was okay!!!!

good luck!!!!

 

[Alice28]

I was induced with #2 due to elevated blood pressure and baby not doing so hot on the non-stress test. I was admitted to hospital around noon on the 27th and my cervix was semi-soft and 1cm dialated. He was very high. So they put a pill behind my cervix to soften it and get it ready and basically I watched TV all afternoon and evening and it was uneventful. I was in the hospital this whole time. A doctor came in that evening to talk to me about what to expect and see how I was doing, etc.
(the hospital I go to doesn't have YOUR doctor or midwife there to deliver your baby- it's whoever is on duty, which is ok with me). The next morning I got up at 6:30 or so and took a shower, got ready for the big day. At 8:00 the midwife on duty came in and I was about 3cm dialated and completely effaced. So thank God the pill did it's job. They started the pitocin shortly after that and at about 1 or 2 I needed some drugs for the pain. That didn't do the trick, so around 3:30 or so I got an epidural, which worked MIRACLES with my first baby- I was able to sleep and dialate the rest of the way pain free. Not so with #2- it didn't take in one whole quadrant of my abdomen....I was dying. They tried injecting more meds and it still didn't numb me. So I suffered through it- they offered to redo it, but I hated getting that needle in my back the first time.

So, FINALLY I was ready to push at about 9:15 PM and he was born at 9:42.

Word of encouragement- a lot of induced births do not last this long- my baby happened to be a "mere" 11 pounds 2.5 ounces. He was so large that he wasn't descending very quickly into the birth canal to press on my cervix to dialate it. They thought he was about 8.5-9 pounds, not 11!

Good Luck!

 

[Christine]

I was induced with #2 because my due date was Christmas Eve. The docs thought I might want to be at home at Christmas. I thought about it and agreed. It was just the best thing for me. I didn't find it anymore painful than regular labor but my docs were very skilled at timing the pitocin and the epidural.

 

[CamColt]

With DS#2, my water broke at 9:15am and I had been told to go to the hospital fast because DS#1 came fairly quick for a first. After getting to the hospital we found out I was 5 1/2 cms...where I stayed, with very mild contractions(no pain) all day. Finally at 6:00pm I agreed to pitocin. I was very much against having an IV because they make me extremely queasy, to the point of passing out, but I was so aggravated, I gave in. It was started at 6:30 and I went from saying "I think Im having a contraction(had to check the monitor)" to saying "WHOA!!!" by 7:00. By 7:45 I was telling the nurses I was ready. They said I had to wait for the doctor. The doctor came in at 8:00, checked me out, said lets go, and DS was born at 8:12.
So from my experience, that stuff definitely works good.

 

[Lewski709]

I had both babies normal deliveries, not c section. One pitocin (induced) and one not. I would much rather NOT. With the first, I had pre-eclampsia and was admitted Monday night, induced Tuesday am and did not deliver until Wednesday am. HARD!

Second, went on my own. Got to the hospital at 6:06 and had him by 7:16am. Much nicer and easier.

A couple mistakes though with the first. Didn't get the epi soon enough and it didn't take.

Good luck.

 

[Pongo69]

Well first congrats on your little one to be

My water didn't break with my first child so the doc had the honor of doing so. It was such a painful experience for me being my first birth and all, my dh and mom swear they heard me speaking in tongue.

While pregnant with my son, my water broke around noon on a friday. Not experiencing this the first pregnancy, I thought I sprinkled myself when walking up the stairs which wasn't the case.

After arriving to hospital I just knew I would have my son within a matter of hours because I read somewhere that your second comes much faster than the first. THAT IS A BIG FAT LIE!!

I'm lying in my hospital bed watching tv with monitors beeping nurses buzzing around doing their thing. I dreaded the glove check ewww!! My doc come in and says If I didn't dialate overnight he would induce labor.
Well the next morning came and still nothing so he called for a pitocin drip which was fine with me. I was so hungry, I just about died when dh walked thru the door with a White Castle bag.

Omg the gas burgers were smelling soo good my mouth was watering. I just knew I could have at least one, but the nurse who was checking the heart monitor said No So I laid there pissed off and ready to go balistic until my dh and mom decided to walk to the gift shop.

The GB's were saying Chea come eat me. I got out of bed- walked over to the table- opened the bag-grabbed the GB and commenced to eat while enjoying every morsel until all hell broke loose. I don't know what I was thinking by trying to sit down at the table but these loud buzzing sounds started coming from the machines that were connected to my stomach. I thought the cords would reach without a problem, but oh well.
I tried to make it back into bed before getting caught but it was too late.
There were a team of nurses, dh and my mom rushing thru the door just as I was trying to waddle back to my bed with another delicious GB in hand.

They thought it was hilarious to see me in that position but hey I didn't care. I had my Myles late Sunday afternoon after being induced early Sunday morning

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Originally posted by ez
If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to hear your experiences. !

I was induced at 34 weeks due to Toxemia. I wasn't anywhere near dialated so I was sent to the hospital on A Friday night, and they did the gel stuff twice. They started Pitocin at 8:00am on Saturday, and Katie was here by 11:14am. I didn't think that it was a horrible experience as far as the induction goes, and I got my epidural pretty quickly after I started Pitocin (at 3cm).

Good luck to you!