Some questions about being induced...

[[M]umma[M]ia]

hey girls!

there is a chance i could be induced this week and i have a few questions for you all

1) are you able to move around as you would if you werent being induced in labour??

2) are you still allowed to get in a bath???

3) are u allowed to pee naturally or do they insert a catheda (sp)?

4) is there a limit of how long your on the syntocin for? like no more than 24 hours or something?

5) does it hurt more than if your body was to do everything without the drugs??

im sure ill have some more questions for you lovley ladies later. mwah! xox

[onthefly]

1- yes, though the drip is a nuisance
2 - yes
3 - yes
4 - not sure, but probably. Most OBs like to keep things moving along pretty swiftly.
5 - probably, though I don't know as I've not had a natural labour. I did delay the sintocinon for a few hours after I had my waters broken and the contractions got a lot more intense, very quickly once that started.

[Chocaholic]

1) are you able to move around as you would if you werent being induced in labour??

2) are you still allowed to get in a bath???

3) are u allowed to pee naturally or do they insert a catheda (sp)?

4) is there a limit of how long your on the syntocin for? like no more than 24 hours or something?

5) does it hurt more than if your body was to do everything without the drugs??

From my experience with one induced and one spontaneous labour:
1) no, as I was kept on the monitor for most of the labour so they could make sure bubs was not in distress. Basically stayed on my back or side for most of my labour.
2) no as I was being monitored
3) able to pee naturally and encouraged to do so frequently. I think the catheta (sp?) is only inserted if you have an epidural but I could be wrong
4) I think they strongly suggest a c-sec if you get close to 24 hours as it is classed as failure to progress
5) it was a crapload more intense being induced as the contractions came on strong from the beginning and I was not able to get a handle on them at all

HTH

[BellyBelly]

How are you being induced? A rupture of the membranes induction is a huge difference to a synto induced labour.

Yout cant get in the shower or bath as once they put a drug into you, they need to constantly monitor to you see how the baby is coping with it all. You wont need a catheter until you have an epidural due to loss of sensation.

[Junglemum]

Hi Hollye! In a bit of a hurry, but will try and be quick!

I had to be induced because i had PE. My OB and i discussed it at length as i didn't want to be induced. (Lucky i did as my placenta was shutting down and my DD was not getting many nutrients. ) He was fine with me having ARM and walking the halls to see if anything would happen, but after 5 hours and no contractions i had syntocin.

If you have gels or ARM, you should be able to move around freely. If you have to have the syntocin drip then moving around is a little challenging, although you can still do it if they put the drip on a pole. (It has wheels)

Not sure about the bath, although i don't see why you wouldn't be able to if you only had ARM or gels..... i would guess not if you had an IV drip in. Could call and ask...


Pretty sure you only need a catheter if you have an epidural.

Not sure about a 'syntocin policy', but you could certainly phone the hossy and ask.

I can't really comment on whether or not it is more painful as i don't have anything to compare it to. But i have read other people's comments which go along the lines of it being more painful as it starts full on rather than working into it.

Best of luck love, you'll be holding your little girl before you know it! xxx

[MrsFabuloso]

Hi Hollye,

Generally when you're induced, the midwives like to monitor you, so you will be confined to a bed or chair, I was anyway. If you insist, they might ,let you be monitored intermittently.

I don't know about the shower. I would think not though since you will be monitored.

I was in labour for almost 24 hrs with DD (though not on synto for that long I don't think) not sure how long I had it for but I had the maximum dose I could. I was pushing for 3hrs and I was headed for a c/s but managed to get DD out before the OB came back to take me away!

I think it did hurt more than when I had DS (a completely natural birth- ie no drugs at all). With DD I had 2 shots of pethadine and gas and would have had an epi if there had been an anaethsatist(sp??) there. With DS I managed to labour at home until 8cm dialated and gave birth a few hours after arriving at the hossy.Though it definately does have a place, I would honestly say if you can avoid induction.

Yep, you can pee normally.

[onthefly]

Oh yeah, i forgot about the monitorying (somehow..). Actually I was monitored quite closely so had to stop every now and then for them to check, but didn't need to lie flat till towards the end (when I really needed to move) cause baby's heartbeat was dropping. They didn't mind me getting in teh shower and bath though...

[kirsty_lee]

yeah synto hurts a HELL of a lot.. havent had a natural labour so can't compare but from what i've heard it's a hell of a lot worse because your body doesnt have time to 'come to terms' with the pain cause it's coming so quickly and so hard. I was allowed a shower but i had the midwife standing outside the door hurrying me, and I wasn't allowed to get out of bed after that at all..

[ZigZag]

Have you confirmed that you'd be induced with the syntocin? I think there are a few other types of inducement out there but don't quote me on it. I think docs breaking your waters is also a form of inducement isn't it???

I was induced with a cervix gel first and went into labour 8 hours after it was applied. You can move around normally with the gel but not sure if you can get in the bath with it?

I however, had all the contractions come to a hault about 12 hours into labour with no real progression although I was having about 45 second contractions about 1 minute apart for a good chunk of that, but bub still hadn't engaged and cervix was barely 3cm - lucky me.

Anyway, I then had the Syntocin and it was pretty painful in comparison to what I'd felt the previous 12 hours. I needed the gas with it but about an hour or so later I had an epidural, not so much for the pain but because it was highly likely a c/s was going to be needed at that stage (and did).

So I would say yes you can move around & pee with the gel.

Once I had the epidural, I had a catheda, don't recall getting it when the syntocin went in but really I was pretty weary by that stage.

Best of luck.

[[M]umma[M]ia]

How are you being induced? A rupture of the membranes induction is a huge difference to a synto induced labour.

Yout cant get in the shower or bath as once they put a drug into you, they need to constantly monitor to you see how the baby is coping with it all. You wont need a catheter until you have an epidural due to loss of sensation.

ive been told.. if i am 2cm or more dialited when they do an internal then they will break my waters if not ill start on the gel. Once they break my waters they said they will start the drip. So does that mean i would be having both??

[[M]umma[M]ia]

thanks for all the advice girls.. it means alot. Btw they are wanting to induce me because of PE. i have my appointment with my doc in the morning as he is going to discuss it with me then. Also i have been in pre/early labour since saturday morning so they arnt too happy that my labour isnt progressing.. ive tried to get it to as i dont want to be induced but at the end of the day i have to do what is best for me and my lil girl..

thanks again xoxo

[onthefly]

Holly, if you can I would delay the synto and give your body some time to go into labour with just breakign your waters. That's a 'gentler' method compared to the synto. Your doc may insist you do both at once (ours did), but ask for a good medical reason why you should (there might be one, I don't know your circumstances) In my case i was being induced purely cause I was overdue so we just refused synto till 3-4 hours after my waters were broken. That allows a gentler (relatively) start to labour and gives your body some time to adjust. I'm really glad i did this and think it was probably the one good decision i made

[sweetpea678]

Hi Hollye,

Thought I would let you, I have been induced with all 3 of mine.

Number 1. PRe e at 38 weeks

Had gel, arm then drip laboured for 17 1/2 hours. Was monitored on and off, allowed to walk around, shower, pee naturally. Even had epi and refused catheter as still could pee on own. Once had epi was then on bed for the rest of labour.

Number 2, Pre e at 39 weeks

Gel, ARM allowed time for contractions to start didn't work. Drip labour was 3 hr 45min, again allowed shower periodic monitoring. Used pethadine and gas.

Number 3, post dates 11 days.

ARM, then given 2 hours to see if labour would start, but no then drip, continouse monitoring but was allowed to walk around attached to monitor. Could of had a shower but didnt want one. Moved where ever i liked in the birht suite.


I was never given a time limit, as long as was progressing and bp was stable they said they would see how i would go with each one.

Pain wise can't say never had natural, my first was worse as didn't move around as much. All I can say is make sure you can stay upright as much as possible to speed it up.

Hope this helps you out.

[Sequoia]

Yout cant get in the shower or bath as once they put a drug into you, they need to constantly monitor to you see how the baby is coping with it all. You wont need a catheter until you have an epidural due to loss of sensation.

I was induced due to high BP and low fetal movement, I was encouraged to use the shower if I wanted to, had only intermittent monitoring which was wireless so I didn't spend anytime at all on my back until I had the epi, in which case I didn't have a catheter.

HTH.

SG
xo

[Je$$_84]

With My 1st i had my water broken within 45 mins bubs was out. I the clip on bubs head to monitor and was confined to bed didnt need to pee but no catheda (spl)

With my second i had the gel. Its usually up to 3 doses 3-4 hours appart i was told but luckily for me i only needed one. I was sonfined to the bed for an hour for monitoring but the pain was getting to me and i told them i needed to pee so i was allowed to get up to go to the loo. I was allowed to have a shower also which was good but felt like bubs was going to come out so got out and then was rushed up to delivery (2 hour 16 mins after the gel went in i had my DD... Both times VERY QUICK... I had natural start to labour 1st time but once water was broken pain increased and intensified. With DD the gel i had pain almost straightaway... (the insertion of the gel hurt as they have to push it in quite far... but it was very quick and one thing i wanted was not to be stuck on the bed and they did allow me to walk around after the monitoring...

I think you just have to TELL them what you;d like to happen (i.e. moving round, shower etc... They'll tell you what they want but even if you need to demand things (unless its life threatening they';; accomodate your requirements... )

Good luck... I know how anxtious i was on the day. I hope you get the delivery YOU want

[queenbee]

Holly, I am a success story, so many people made me fear induction. I was induced at 7.00am and I had my daughter by noon. 5 hours! The contractions come on hard and fast with the synto but I had gas and it seemed to make a bit of difference. I had no epidural but a peth shot late and it didn't kick in until after she was born. It was full on but look what you get at the end of it!!! Good luck with everything.

[mountain mummy]

Hi Hollye

In my experiences, induction has been better than not being induced! My 1st, I was in labour for about 16 hours before having my waters broken and an internal monitor clipped to bubs head, plus a catheter, thus confining me to bed, and flat at that.

My other 3, I have been induced - ARM plus drip and every time, had bubs about 3hours later. Don't know about baths/ showers (I guess each hossie is different too), but I was encouraged to go pee normally as much as I wanted.

For me, the pain was equally intense with all 4, but was a heck of a lot shorter when I was induced! LOL! Being induced was also a lot less exhausting for me too. But everybody is different!

I think the most important thing is if you have to be induced, try to see it as a positive thing - what is best for you and bubs!

Good luck hun!

[Tobily]

Much will depend on how you're going to be induced.

If you are going to have your waters broken, and that sends you straight into labour, you will be treated the same as a woman who goes into spontaneous labour once your labour is established.

If you are having syntocinon (drip) then there are very marked differences to a spontaneous labour.

1) are you able to move around as you would if you werent being induced in labour??

You will need to be on monitors to make sure that the baby is coping well with the dose of synto that you're being given. You're also hooked up to an IV line. This will usually keep you out of the shower and confined to the area around your bed. You shouldn't have to be ON the bed though, you can sit on a birth ball, stand, lean over the bed etc you just can't "wander".

2) are you still allowed to get in a bath???

Some hospitals will not allow you to use baths after your waters have broken but you can shower. If you're on the drip you probably won't be able to use either as you will have a fair bit of equipment attached (IV lines and monitors) which makes showering a bit hard.

3) are u allowed to pee naturally or do they insert a catheda (sp)?

Catheter won't be done unless you have an epidural - worth noting that full synto inductions (not augmentation, inductions where you're on higher dose synto from the beginning) can have epidural uptakes around 80% or more.

4) is there a limit of how long your on the syntocin for? like no more than 24 hours or something?

Most hospitals would not continue with synto past 24 hours before wanting to do a c/section, unless you were very close to birthing. The longest I have seen someone on synto was 19 hours.

5) does it hurt more than if your body was to do everything without the drugs??

Usually, yes. This is why we see higher epidural uptake in induced labours. Synto is particularly brutal.

If you are going ahead with the induction, ask to have your waters broken first and negotiate some time to see what happens - as many hours as you can get. In that time walk, walk, walk, move around, stimulate acupressure points - do whatever you can to get labour going. Anything you can do to avoid synto is probably going to make for an easier time for both you and your bub.

And finally, you can always ask for monitoring to reassure you and your caregiver that your baby is doing well if you want to hold off a bit longer. Induction should be completely your decision and if your baby is going along fine, waiting even just a few more days may be all you need to get going on your own.

Good luck