i had 3 lots of the gel with ds2 and it worked and i didn't have to have any further encouragement. my cervix was closed and soft to begin with. how many doses of the gel are they willing to give you before they start the drip?
With DS I went in on the Tuesday (41w+2d) around 4pm for 1st app of gel they checked at 10pm and decided I didn't need another app. I started having pre-labour pains around 11pm that lasted all night. By early morning I was having real contractions and at 6:30am my waters were broken, DS was born at 2:07pm (didn't need the drip).
If this little one doesn't make a move I am booked in for the gel again at 41w, but the hospital I am going to this time will do 1 app of gel in the evening and then monitor you and if all is well you can go home and see if anything happens over night then come back in the morning for 2nd app (or sooner if things really get going). This sounds like a much better plan to me as I hated being alone in a hospital room with pre-labour pains all night. If you have to stay in hossy I would push for your partner to stay with you, I really wish I had.
I was induced with the gel for both my boys at 41 weeks. With DS1 I was 2 cm dilated when they applied the gel at 8pm, my waters broke by themselves around 1am and started to get mild contractions (I actually didn't think I was in labour!) and was 9 cm by 8am!
With DS2 I was 1cm dilated, the gels went in around 9pm and I started to get tightenings immediately, once again my waters broke spontaneously around 2am and he was born at 3.35am, so much quicker!
I was really glad that we decided to stay at the hospital both times as everything progressed pretty quickly. Seeing as it is your second baby and the cervix is soft hopefully you'll only need the gel, your body has done this before!
Glamourcide - sorry the gel didn't work for you but thanks for your well wishes.
Ginger, Jaffaz and sweatpea - thanks for your stories! It really clues in me in more.
Ginger - I don't know how many doses they are willing to give? I didn't know they could give multiple so didn't ask the question. Over what period did they give you your 3 doses?
Jaffaz - Thanks for info re checking in the night. Great that bubs was born without the use of the drip. I think doctor is planning on breaking my waters early in the am. And thanks for information re hubby as I was contemplating that as I have a toddler at home but yours and sweatpea's stories have helped with that! (Although home is only 15min from hospital) so I guess I could call him to come in - as it is a private hossy with a double bed! What do you think?
Sweatpea - It worked well for you both times. 9cm by 8am with DS1 and bubs born in early hours second time. OB did say that he expects me to have a quick labour again once my cervix gets moving - so fingers crossed! Did you have hubby with you at night too? Or did he go home to toddler then you called him in?
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