August - I am pretty sure they don't hook you up to the drip unless you have started to dilate, and you have not started contracting. So you will probably find that unless your cervix has started softening and dilating a little at 37 weeks (unlikely for first bub, but not impossible) then you will be given the gel to begin with.

In my case I was induced at 38 weeks with my first baby due to pre-eclampsia. I was given about 4 doses of the gel I think (they gave me each dose 6 hours apart, in order to give it a good chance of working). My body was definitely not ready for labour yet, but after the fourth dose I had dilated a little and my cervix had softened enough, so they broke my waters and hooked me up to the drip. If the fourth dose of gel hadn't worked enough I believe they were going to consider a c/s as they really wanted me to give birth - my BP was through the roof and I had high levels of protein in my urine. Anyway it did work. Overall my induction experience was not a pleasant one - I can't fault the midwives or OBs, it was just all the intervention - so many doses of gel, meaning so many internals, then the ARM which was not pleasant, then the immediate strong contractions because of the drip, then I had an epidural which meant a catheter and internal monitor hooked up to bub's head...I narrowly avoided forceps thankfully, as I was able to birth Harry without that intervention but I did have an episiotomy and then to top it all off a post partum hemorrhage which I believe was due to having the syntocinon drip. So all up not the greatest experience! But I was happy that I had a vaginal birth and avoided a c/s.

But I do think that knowledge is power - in your case you are already off to a good start because you have plenty of notice and time to prepare, and you have a chance to try some natural methods to get your body ready for labour. I wasn't prepared for my induction at all, it just never occured to me that it might happen and I didn't know much about pre-eclampsia, so the whole thing had me off guard. So I think that probably contributed to it.

BTW if you check the main site of BellyBelly I am pretty sure there is an article on there about natural induction methods if you want to have a look.