Have you had the gel on the cervix before an induction? Booked in for next week

[Mum2Willie]

Thanks Ladies!!! Seems like it generally does get things moving!!

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

i too had GD (insulin dependent) and was induced with gels at 39 weeks. i had the first lot put in at 3pm (20/01/09) which started a few mild contractions (nothing too bad) then another lot of gels put in at 10pm which ramped up the contractions but were still bearable. at 12.55am i rolled over in bed and my waters broke - no further induction methods were used. by 1.00am i was in active labour and DD was born vaginally with no assistance, no tears at 8.00am (21/01/09)

GL!!

[Mum2Willie]

Thanks Negrita!!!! That's the kind of story I want to hear!!!

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i actually had a reaction to the gel and had something called an hypertonic contraction. a contraction that went for too long and compressed baby so much the heart beat slowed right down. i dont know if there is any way to prevent that from happening, or find out beforehand if that could happen to you. i have read of a way to apply it attached to a string and they just pull it out if a reaction occurs. with the gel, once it is in ther it is in there and they can try to scoop it out with little success.

so my advice to you is, if you feel an immediate contraction tell them ASAP. they should monitor your tummy straight after application. (being my first baby i didnt really know i was having a contraction cause i didnt know what it felt like and it didnt hurt really it was just a tingly/tensing feeling to begin with) so if you feel strange just let them know.

also, wanted to add that my cervix was no where near favourable and i had what they call prosto pains all night, i think cause i had the reaction they were more intense but thing is they werent doing anything! had to have waters broken and had drip too.

thats just what happend with me though.. best of luck.

[Mum2Willie]

Thanks for sharing Hollo...I had an allergic reaction to misprostal when applied to the cervix and it was absolutely horrible. My OB assures me this will be different.

[littlebear]

I was induced at 41+3. My cervix was completely closed and not at all soft & stretchy. I had the cervadil put in place and left in overnight. It was put in roughly at 4pm and I started having pains/contractions at about 4am that got closer together but not really all that painful, just achey. My waters were broken at 8am & i was 2 cms dilated. I then was put on the drip & had really strong painful contractions etc.

Having said that, I ended up having a C-section because after about 10 hours I hadnt dilated more than 4 cms! Finally a doctor told us that my pelvis was too small for bubs head and that a section was definetly needed.

The gel is really just to get things moving, they will definitely break your waters in the morning. I agree with the others that said keep your partner with you. The pains after the gel is inserted aren't very nice & I really loved having my partner with me to keep my company, and also so I knew he would be there when they broke my waters.

Good luck!

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

Thanks Negrita!!!! That's the kind of story I want to hear!!!

Glad to help hun - i know my induction was a "lucky" one as not many turn out that way, but according to my OB my cervix was already favourable which is why he opted to do the gels rather than ARM and drip (which is what i would have had done if the gels hadn't worked)

[Mum2Willie]

littlebear - thanks for sharing your story and advice re hubby!!

[Jaycee]

I was induced with the gels at 3pm which started period type pain. At the time of the first application I was around 1cm dialated. At 9pm I had a second lot inserted which didn't do much but at 1am I started getting really painful contractions, well actually one long contraction that never really stopped! I couldn't deal with no break in contractions so opted for an epidural, but by the time they got the epi in it was 3am and I was already 10cm dialated, so useless really. An hour later, at exactly 4am DS was born with the help of the vacuum. My labour was recorded as 2 hours 6 minutes, but it was really 3 hours.

So no other induction methods apart from the gel were used, but I'll do anything to avoid it again. Too hard and too fast for me, and an assisted delivery too.

So no

[Mum2Willie]

Gracious G - I was induced with first bubs - waters broken and then drip - and it was hard and fast and had vontouse delivery - sounding much like yours. So probably won't be much different this time, I guess!!! Wow - looking forward to that!

[kawazuki]

i had 2 doses of the gels, and required no further assistance, 18 hours later my little girl was there