Being Induced

[katznkt]

I was induced at 37 weeks for PIH this past January. Went to my appointment at 9am that morning was sent over and given pitocin after my doctor stretched me from 2 to 3 cm and swept my membranes (ouch!). Pitocin started at 10:30 and went until 2 with contractions not really getting worse. They mixed a fresh batch of pitocin and doctor broke my water. Contractions got harder and I got my epidural at 5 cm 3pm. I labored comfortably until about 8. I went from 7 to 10 cm in about 15 minutes and pushed the baby out in 3 pushes! I did get magnesium during labor and of course afterward for a couple of days. Really it sucked afterwards, but was kind of nice during labor because it made the bad contractions toward the end when my epidural wore off bareable. In the end, I really enjoyed the process as much as you can enjoy labor. Good luck. Thoughts and wishes are with you. Hope your labor and delivery goes as smooth! One caveot- since I was on magnesium for multiple hours during labor, the baby had breathing issues for the first couple of hours. Her lungs were perfectly developed, but the magnesium messed with them. 4 hours after birth I finally got her back from the nurses and doctors and got to love on her. She was fine after that. She is happy and healthy 2 month old right now. :)

[milesymommy]

Do you want the truth or do you want to be reassured and not scared? lol
DS1 - induced at 36 weeks due to PE/HELLP. On mag. Mag sucks. Did I say it sucks? Really really horrible for me. Plus, I didn't plan on being induced early, or on mag, so there went all my ideas on a "nice" child birth. Got an epi - numbed first, a little pinch and pressure. Took forver for the pitocin to do its thing. But I was only in active labor for 2-3 hours, can't really remember exactly now. So, bring a few books, DVDs, lots of music, magazines...
DS2 - induced 39 weeks, PIH. No mag! Took forever and a day for the pitocin to work. Had an overall horrible delivery - you can read it here - http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36526
That said, today I have two wonderful boys and I would do it all over again for them.

[cucocab]

Thanks brandib! I feel a little more at ease, but of course my MW said it doesn't hurt :) I suppose not to scare me. I did read that you can have the area numbed first... i might opt for that if available. I just can't see that long and big of a needle not hurting!

[ashesashie]

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your stories!!!!

[veronica44]

3 cm dilation is AWESOME for induction! I was induced at 38 weeks and with 3 cm dilation at my last appointment (a week before that) and the induction was a breeze! 7 hours on Pitocin (including just 1.5 hours of pushing) and the baby girl was OUT! No Cervidil or anything. Best of luck to you!!!!

[brandib]

The amnio cannot harm a full term baby!!!! The risk is doing it early that it can cause the miscarriage cuz you'll go into labor and the baby can't survive then. An amnio at 37 to 38 won't hurt the baby at all, but I know it does hurt you! I couldn't imagine a 38 weekers lungs not to be mature. If you decline it and they don't induce you that will stink, but thats what happened to my friend :0( They made her wait another week. I would do it.

[cucocab]

love_the_daschies - I will be thinking of you! Sounds like there might be a lot of babies here born about the same time. My b-day is on the 3rd so hoping for the best b-day present ever! My midwife wanted to get on it yesterday, but when she consulted with the MFM he said to wait 'til the 2nd. He didn't think that having a migrane like headache that won't go away for 7 days was enough to induce on.

One question(for anyone)- I have to have an amnio on the 31st before inducing she said. I am scared to death! After reading up on these they say they can cause miscarriages - is that the same for 3rd trimester if they are doing it for early delivery? Is it painfull - anyone know? I am thinking about declining it... since I will be just one day shy of 38 weeks when they induce and we had the steroid shots at 28 weeks. But then they may not induce me if I don't, who knows.

[alexa5]

I was induced at 33 weeks.... they used laminaria (sp?) to ripen the cervix, and then used pitocin. I think induction started on a Tuesday, and I delivered early Thurs am. I was on iv mag, bp meds, had a catheter, epidural--you name it. Though it sounds like a long time, it was all really gradual so it wasn't like I was in pain that whole time.

[lbdefelice]

I was induced 3 times. My first daughter I was only 1 cm and they went straight to Pitocin. My labor with her was 17hrs. My second daughter (my PE pregnancy) I was 3cm at 36 weeks and (also just Pitocin) and only labored for 4 hrs. I also had Mag with that delivery. My 3rd pregnancy, I was 2cm and almost completely effaced (thinned out) and my labor was about 4 1/2 hrs. My OB tried to just break my water and see if I would start contracting myself, but didn't. I did end up going from 7cm to 10cm in 15 minutes. I also did have an epidural all three times too.

[l412angel]

I was induced with my daughter, They gave me the cervical ripening pills and then Pitocin. I really did not think it was bad. Now given my daughter was only 2lbs 11oz 16 in...the labor its self was not bad. I labored for 26 hours.

Now im not gonna lie the MAG was horrible. That was worse than labor...but its all for a good cause!