What's a birth partner need to know about induction?

Looking for some advice on induction for a birth partner!

My darling sister is currently 41+5 with her second bubba - her DD arrived naturally after spontaneous labour starting at 41+1 and we were all sure that #2 would arrive in his own time... but the dreaded 42wks is looming and she has been booked for induction on Friday morning, when she will be 42wks.

She's a bit nervous about being induced and I thought I'd do some research for her on what she needs to know so I can be a good birth partner and help her stay empowered and in control.

From what she has said, the plan is:
- second stretch and sweep Thursday (she had one Monday)
- back Friday morning (if nothing has changed overnight) when they will do an AROM
- I believe they are happy to let her walk around and spend a bit of time trying to start labour naturally from this point but...
- ... at some stage after this (not sure how long they will give her) they will hook her up to the drip if labour hasn't started

I've picked up the following from other threads:
- Try and get her as much time as possible after AROM to start things spontaneously
- If drip is required, start on as low a dose as possible
- If ctxs start on low dose, ask if drip can be removed to see if labour continues on its own
- If drip increase is required, increase slowly to allow her time to adjust

What else do I need to know??

I am not sure hun but I was due to be induced at 42 weeks and DD came on 41+6 so really hoping something happens for her soon. Has she had any pre-labour? Did she tell you what they said at her internal on Monday? Was she effaced or dilated at all?

whilst she is hooked up to the drip she will be probably attached to a monitor too. It will be possible to mobilise from this position but she will be limited to hands and knees on the bed, sitting on a ball beside the bed, etc. Some midwives are less happy unless she is lying on her back but an induced labour is harder than a natural one and lying no her back will make it more painful still, so insisting on trying different positions will help her avoid an epidural (if this is what she wishes).

Also some people (and I am by no means encouraging this) encourage the labouring woman to frequently pee. This means being unhooked from the CTG (but usually not the drip) and mobilising all the way to the loo (hopefully having a few lovely contractions on the way). Personally if I was being induced I would feel the need to pee every 15 minutes to half an hour:lol:

She has had zero prelabour. Nothing.

She had an S&S with DD and the day after that she started having back pains and labour started the next night... nothing since Monday.

Apparently once you've had your first your cervix doesn't need to efface - it is already nice and thin?? That's what they told her anyway?? (Someone can confirm or contradict this if they know...) So she just needs to dilate... she was about 1cm but apparently that is common after you've had one as well so it doesn't mean anything!

She says it doesn't feel like he wants to go anywhere!

I told her to go see my acupuncurist but she said no... :(

Thanks Traveller, great tips!!!

She's at least with a birth centre so I'm hoping the MWs will be more amenable to things like taking the drip out once it has started... so going to the loo might be encouraged!

I'm hoping they'll help her into different positions too. They say they are all for encouraging pain management through use of different positions, shower, fit ball etc, so we'll see if they help her achieve those things!

I would be suprised if she was allowed to labour in the birth centre following induction...are you sure? Normally the induction mandates that she be on labour ward because it makes her higher risk.

No I'm not sure to be honest!

I'll find out some more tonight when I go to pick up my DD after work. No I'm not making a 42wk pg woman look after my one year old :lol: she and her family live with my parents :D

I did think the same thing?? Maybe they'll do the AROM in the FBC and then if nothing happens she'll be shipped through to the birthing suites in the normal part of the hospital... will find out for sure tonight.

if it happens that she is out of the birth centre, then now is the time to find out what equipment (mats, birthballs, etc) they have in labour ward. Some are better than others but if there is not much in the labour ward then perhaps you could bring pillows, etc, from home to help her out.

Just texted her (I am impatient!) - if the family birth centre is not busy they will do the AROM, but if drip is required it is on to the hospital.

Good point... I will ask her if she knows. She had her DD in the hospital part so she should remember.

Thanks again