Being Induced due to high BP - why can I only find horror stories??

Hey All,

I am booked in on Thursday for an induction as my BP has been rising and is only on the border line - I would love to go naturally and will be hopeing that I do b4 Thursday - but hey if I have to have an induction so I am healthy and more importantly bub is healthy then I will dop whateve it takes!

But I can find nothing but ppl saying that inductions are bad and I am yet to read one storey of an induction that went well - I am sure they exist - it just comes accross to me that most ppl think they are bad.

Does any one have any good stories for a first time mum!?!

Cheers
Kate

Kate - you've done so well to come this far - can they start the induction process slowly?? Have you discussed exactly what their intentions are - ie what process they will take - I suggest you get then to do it slowly - maybe you just need a nudge in the right direction - have they offered you a S&S - I'd start there personally.

I was induced with DS because my waters broke and I was too naive and impatient to realise that I could have waited - having said that, it was full on but well worth the effort for the healthy baby at the end - but I'm sure you realise that already :hug:

ETA - I had the drip, EPI and the ventouse suction - but no stitches and got up and had a shower pretty much right after it - I think thats pretty good considering...

I know someone who was induced because she had pre-eclampsia. She had a vaginal birth with lots of pain but she managed it on gas & peth so really not any different to what I experienced & I was not induced. If I remember correctly her labour was shorter than mine.

Hi Kafer Girl,

I was due on 1 December but was induced on Saturday. I was very scared because like you, I hadnt heard many good stories about inductions, however it all worked out really well with my labour lasting less than 2 hours after the syntocin started. I wont lie, the pain was intense and the contractions were on top of each other almost straight away, but my body was obviously ready to give birth, otherwise I wouldnt have had him so quickly. I only had the gas as pain relief, so it can be done without epidurals, pethedine and c-sections, but this was my second baby, and my cervix was considered 'favourable' as I was already 2cm dialated when they started. I was lucky because I was totally aware during my labour this time whereas I was totally drugged out during my first (from having so much gas and an epidural). Also, I felt great pretty much straight after.

As I said before, this was my second baby so Im not sure if it would have been worse if it was my first.

The only advice I can give you is to try and stop them from rushing you from one intervention to the next. Once they broke the waters they wanted to start on the syntocin within 1 hour! I wanted to wait and see if the contractions started on their own, but I wasnt given the chance. I should have argued harder because it would have been a much more comfortable labour.

Dont be scared, but do be prepared for interventions galore and you probably will need more pain relief than you intended.

Good luck. I hope it all goes well for you.

KG I had augmentation which is basically the same but I had already had early labour pains..... TBH I didn't think it was that bad, and in the end I thought it helped because it made the whole experience shorter.... only 6 hours from ARM to birth and I managed with only gas and had no tearing or stitches, and didn't need ventouse, forceps or cs. I think it helped because without it I would probably have been completely exhausted by the time she was born, I had been up since 3am with labour pain (she was born at 9pm).
If you're really keen you can read my birth story

Kate - with my second labour I was induced due to pro-longed ruptured membranes. Synto started at 8am and she was born at 12.46pm - it was an intense labour, I had gas and a shot of peth, but overall when she was born, it was still natural and I felt empowered and ecstatic.

Only thing I would say, and I stress this is my opinion (and others do share it) the peth affected my DD's feeding in that she was so sleepy for the first few days it caused me a bit of stress :redface:

Go and get a really vigourous and hard massage tomorrow if you can and practice your breathing or imagery techniques - everything helps to prepare the mind. ;) - your body already knows what to do hun.

Thanks Ladies
My Ob is planning to give me the gel at 4.00 on Thuersday arvo and then if labour doens start soon I will go to the ward and stay the night and then go again in the morning - so she did say that we will start very slowly and give my body as much time as we can. She belives in starting small and slow and she is hopefull that my body will then take over.

Thanks for taking the time to reply you have made me feel better!!

DianneQ - Not long to go now hun! We have done oh so well havnt we!!

Diamond - thanks for taking the time to write your experiances - it has been very helpfull!

Satya - thanks!!

I just remembered that I had syntocin at the end of my second stage as my contractions were receding. I actually had less pain after I had it than what I did before it. I know that doesn't gel with what you get told but that's how it was for me.

Pixi - I will pop in and read your storey! Thanks!

Sami - My midwife has told me this about Peth so I will be hoping to use only the gas - thats the plan anyway!

Hi kafer girl,
OMG how exciting you get to meet your little bubba on Thursday :D!!!

I was induced with my DD and my birth was great. I did end up with an episiotomy but that was because my DD had a big head so I would have had it even if I wasn't induced. My labour was 3 1/2 hours, so it was hard and fast but I did it drug free.
Your movement is going to be restricted as you will be monitored but I spent no time on the bed at all during 1st stage but had to get on when I couldn't get her head out. I still used the floor, birth ball, standing, walking, rocking and shower. Don't think that just because you are being monitored that you are restricted to the bed. The CTG has long cords and DH can move your drip around for you.

I'm also a midwife and have seen quite a few births, both induced and spontaneous and I have seen a mixture of labours and births, both good and bad, for both.

Best of luck gorgeous and I hope you have an amazing birth. Can't wait to read your birth story. By the way it is normal to be scared. I walked into the assessment room the morning of my induction and my midwife walked in (I work where I gave birth) I took one look at her, burst into tears and said I don't want to do this. Slightly embarrassing now, LOL!! We made a plan of attack and like I've said I had a beautiful birth.

Best of luck gorgeous.

I was induced with synto as well as had my waters broken. I was ripe and 2cm dialated before the process started, but as they thought DD was IUGR I was still induced.

Apart from the synto drip I didnt have any drugs (including gas) and found the whole process really great. I can't compare it to a spontaneous labour but my induction experience was REALLY POSITIVE.

Good luck with your impending birth experience.

hey hun

I have had 2 labours induced dur to high BP and the 3rd was going to be but i went into labour on my own

1st labour- went into on my own

2nd labour . arm followed by syntoicin .. gas only no tearing 4hrs in total

3rd labour gels, 30min labour once contraction started, no tears no drugs


so it can be done!!! good luck hun

Thanks Nurse Dan & Nell - your experiance have really helped!
I really belive that it also comes down to how you are feeling and your attitude - I am really looking fwd to my birth as I get to meet my bub! I am calm and I know how I want it to go - even if it doesn go according to plan I know its going to be a good birth!

Thanks Beatrix - you have had 3 wonderful births by the sound of it!!

Thanks so much to eveyone who has taken the time to comment - I cant wait to be writing my birth announcment!!

Love
Kate

I was induced because my baby was small for dates. Like you said there are lots of horror stories and I too was apprehensive so after getting a 2nd opinion from my GP about the necessity of it, I had one last night of uninterrupted sleep and went in to the hospital. My story turned out really well. I had my waters broken and was hooked up to the syntocin and it all went from there. I delivered naturally after 9 1/2 hrs and managed to do it only using the gas.

I suppose the advantage of it being the first baby is you have nothing to compare with so don't really know if it is any more intense than you would have experience naturally. Sure it hurt but for me it was manageable pain. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting.

One thing I would change is because I was hooked up to the ongoing monitoring I felt like I had to be bed bound. From all the reading I have done on this forum I have wondered if this increased the length of my labour. Next time I want to try and stay upright, walk and use showers or the bath for pain relief. Last time I didn't ask and it wasn't offered but it can't hurt to ask for intermittent monitoring instead of constant monitoring. I used a fit ball for part of the time and that was also really helpful until I got too tired and my legs got shaky. The great thing was after giving birth, a bit of a rest and a shower I walked to my room from the labour ward an hour later and couldn't believe how normal and good I felt after going through something so intense.

So yes it is possible to have a good result from an induction. Just take all the information you have read from this forum and empower yourself so that hopefully you have the birthing experience you want. Good Luck!

I was induced with my Oliver and it was a wonderful, perfect birthing experience. It was a quick labour but I never felt out of control, I didn't have any tearing and did it without any pain relief, not even gas.

Don't let the fear creep in, keep telling yourself you will have a wonderful birth and that you can do it.

HTH
Spring

There are loads of women who have inductions every day and not have any problems with it, but the truth is that an induction (by way of synctocinon drip) is a hell of a lot harder on your body than what a spontaneous labour is - that is not a lie at all. Other induction methods like ARM, S&S, gels or the balloon method are somewhat more gentle on your body, but again it is still *forcing* your body to give birth when it is not ready kwim? So that's why you do often hear the 'bad' induction stories.

You will be fine - you have to do what is in the best interest for the health of yourself and your baby.

I was induced at 40w+2days and it was fine. Was 2cm dilated already and had waters broken at 7am. I had a 5 hour labour and it was my first. Contractions were full on, not sure what a natural one without the syntocinon drip is like though, probably not as hard and fast but I survived, had only gas (and a late peth shot but she was out shortly after and not sure if it kicked in by that stage). But yes I have heard horror stories but was fine here!!!

I was induced for pre eclampsia at 38 weeks

had the gel the monday evening at 6pm went home at 9pm.

Arrived hospital tuesday am ay 6-30am and had my water broken around 0730 and started on syntocinon drip straight after.

I laboured well till 3pm with gas and shower, then I need ed pain relief so i tryed pethidine followed by epidural.

At 2030 I thought i was obstructing and at 2100 OB confirmed that 1. i was obstructed at 9cm, 2 baby had not descended any further, was posterior and deflexed.

I went and had an emerg cs but it was a great experience and I would change nothing.

Yes I would have loved a natural pain relief free birth but it wasnt meant to be i tryed i went from 0730 till 1500 with mainly shower with occasional use of gas (didnt like it couldnt co ordinate breathing in and out on mouth pieace)

I was up 12 hrs later showered and bathed baby and walking around.

ood Luck

Hey Kate,

I have had 2 inductions and they both went well. No other intervention was required and was up and around pretty much straight away. I used the gas and with the 1st induction had a shot of pethedene that really knocked me out lol. With the 2nd they gave me a shot of pethedene as well but within 5 minutes I had had my DD lol so never really got the benefit of the pain relief. It came in handy as they had to put in 2 stitches but was still up and around not long after.

Try not to stress out about it. Inductions can be ok.

Good Luck xxx

Oh and may I also add that I was up within half an hour, walked to shower, had a quick one and walked up to hospital room. Felt unbelievable! Was on cloud nine after giving birth and the adrenaline lasted for weeks!!!

Kim, 2 stitches, great! I had 10! But didn't feel a thing and was amazed when Ob was stitching me up, "what are you doing down there" I said....LOL!!! And in my mind I was scared of that part but like I said, felt nothing!

I know what you mean about horror stories! With DS1 I was 41 weeks and had the gel put in at around 8pm and went into labour overnight and ended up with an epidural as the midwife thought I was in early labour (without checking me) so was surprised when she checked 2 minutes after the epidural went in that I was fully dilated!
With DS2 I wanted to avoid the epidural as I knew I didn't need, I had the gel around 8pm and contractions started pretty much straight away, and waters broke at about 2.30am when I jumped into the shower (which was the best thing ever!) soon after being in the shower I started to feel shaky and threw up so the midwife quickly ushered my to the bed and I was fully dilated (I think I caught her by surprise as she said I laboured quietly and progressed quickly and that if I have a third to warn the midwife of this) and DS was born at 3.35am with no drugs.
I think it helps if you're really relaxed as it sounds like you are and if your care providers and support people know that you want to be given time for your body to go into labour, I made sure my obs knew I wanted plenty of time for my body to go into labour before we resorted to the drip (which luckily was avoided both times). Once I accepted that I was going in for an induction I was able to relax, it actually helped being in the delivery suite and getting familiar with the environment and relaxing there before I was in labour, DH and I brought scrabble (which by the way I scored my highest ever score, whilst in labour!) and relaxed kind of making it our 'space'.
Sorry this is long and rambling, all the best for the birth of your baby, you never know you may go into labour before thursday!

KG - I was induced also, and it was not a horror story, although I know how you feel doing the reading.

I was 37.5 weeks and induced for medical reasons. Did the gels at 5pm on a Tuesday, we went off to our ante natal class, and I had a few cramps. Got a few hours sleep. ARM at 8 the next morning, then the drip around 2pm. Hit the shower at 4ish, the gas at 6ish and was weaned off that when I needed to start pushing. Bubs was out at 9.55pm on Wednesday. It was a long process, and I ended up with a cut and a tear as bubs wanted to come out waving to the world!!

There were some times I was more comfortable on the bed and some times I was walking around. In regards to the monitor, it got annoying when I was sitting up, and the midwife just used a portable one to check bub's heart beat after each contraction while I was sitting up on the loo pushing.

Good luck for Thursday!