Inducing Labor - Gilberts,IL

Inductions usually work fine when you are already dialated and effaced. Also, since you had a relatively quick birth the first time and the epi worked for you, usually they follow suit. When I had my second they knew that the epi sped up my labor, vs slowing it down so I was given it early to relax. The biggest thing.. just GO with it.. don't worry that it's not the same way it happened last time and you will be fine. Contractions are a bit more intense when you are induced, so a lot of time they do give you an epi early... so they can up the dosages without feeling bad.

My first was induced, and while I pushed for 1.5 hrs (he just didn't want to come down) it went relatively easily. The second baby is usually MUCH easier... my 2nd was "induced" after I was at the hospital IN labor and not progressing and I was scheduled to be induced in two days anyway. I pushed 11 mins with him.. and it was really a smooth and fast delivery...

Just curious why you're being induced in the first place?

Pitocin can make your contractions really hurt and speed your labor up too fast. Are you sure you need to be induced? Are they telling you why? Are you that much overdue?
Can they give you another day to try to labor on your own? You could try natural things like taking mineral oil, drinking red raspberry leaf tea and nipple stimulation... those things bring on labor more naturally where you can better manage your pain and stay calm.
Here is a great board if you want to ask questions about experience with inductions:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/index.php

Sorry to be so negative- I just know that lots of people tend to feel out of control when they start getting the induction drugs! Just trying to give you options to think about!

My 2C
M.

There are many ways to naturally induce and it won't send you spirling into a c section. You can email me personally and I will email you what I have. I would wait until your body does it's job. GOOD LUCK! ____@____.com

First off, personally I would avoid induction if at all possible. It increases risks of c-sections, fetal distress, complications like infections and amniotic fluid embolism, and respiratory distress in the newborn. I was induced with my first due to being postdates (42 weeks and 2 days) and I would not care to repeat the experience.

If you must be induced a good way of maintaining control is to make sure every procedure is explained to you. I work in Labor and Delivery and often doctors will break water and start pitocin without informing patients first.

Realize that most likely this labor will be longer than your first. It takes a little while for pit to kick in and get things going. You will probably be able to get an epidural right away but be aware of the side effects of the epidural (such as fever) that increase with the amount of time you have it and the risks associated with them and maybe hold off on the epidural.

A few women who are induced seem to go quickly and easily and I hope you are among them, but many will tend to drag on and be pretty uncomfortable. Just be prepared for that possibility.

Good luck to you and congratulations.

I am wondering why the rush? The baby will come when it's time. As long as everything is going well, there really is no need. Remember the due date is really an approximation. Inducing is not a natural process. It will put you in the hardest stage of labor immediately, no time to work up to it, and usually it does not make it shorter either.
I would reconsider...

Hi S.,
Being induced wasn't my first choice for my daughter's birth, but it wasn't as bad as some people would have you think. It was my first baby, so I don't know if it took longer, but I was only 1 cm dialated... Once they got me to 4 cm, they started pictocin (about noon) and my perfect baby wasb born at 4:23 pm. Not too bad. I pushed 3 times. A couple things to keep in mind. It doesn't hurt when they break your water. I was really scared about that. Also, you are dialated already, but for future reference, if they make you dialate faster with some balloon thing, it doesn't hurt either. The contractions are stronger (A LOT- but again, this is what I have heard, since she was my first), but you can get through them. I kept picturing myself on a beach, and did a lot of breathing. You will be fine. Good luck and congratulations!!
E.

Hi there, I was induced and I loved it. It was my first child and I was 10 days overdue and she was a big baby. Turned out to be 8 lbs 13 oz. I will definitely ask my doctors to induce me again if we decide to have another one. Why, because the whole process was calm. I went to the hospital in no rush. They got me set up and hooked up and there was time. The contractions was not nearly as bed as I was told and I only began feeling them about 4 hours into the whole thing. I had asked for an epidural from the start and my nurse who was keeping ear open asked if they could give it to me a little early as it looked like the anesthesiologist would be busy with emergency c-sections later, so I had my epidural and it was all smooth sailing from then on. I had a classic 12 hour labour without feeling any pain. I started pushing and she was born 20 min later. Don't be scared, you will be in very good hands and I believe your doctor will not induce you unless he feels there is a good reason to. Hope you have a wonderful delivery.

I was induced with both of my children. I would consider yourself ahead knowing that you are at 3cm and 70% effaced. Do not worry. Once they broke my water, it was smooth sailing. The good news is that this is your first induction, but not the staff's! Focus on the end result and I am sure everything will be great.

best of luck!

I was induced with my second child. It wasn't THAT bad. I was in my room in bed getting hooked up to the pitocin at 1pm and he was born at 7:57pm. At first the contractions are just like any other, then all of the sudden (at least for me anyway) wham! They were very painful. So I ended up getting the epidural sooner than I did with my first child. Oh and my body wasn't budging on dialating or effacing before hand. About 1/2 hour after the epidural was in place, I was very quickly dialating and before I knew it, it was time to push him out. The majority seem to be hesitant to induction, but thank goodness my doc did it, because my son had a bowel movement in the womb, and came out pretty grey in color and the extra nurses that were on hand whisked him away to make sure he was ok (which thankfully he ended up being perfect).I was only a couple days past my due date but it really looked like he had no plans of making an entrance on his own and thankfully no other complications arose from being induced.
Try to relax knowing that you will meet your new baby! Good luck!

Congrat!! Inducing labor is fine and everything will be alright. They give you pitocin to start the labor procedure and before they break your water ask for an epidural. Everything will be smooth sailing and will go well.

I was induced for my 1st child and had an excellent experience. I would definately do it again that way. The pitocin drip was started at 1230 and by 3 I had an epidural, and not because i needed it (the anasthesiologist was going into a c-section and it would have been awhile)I labored for about 12 hours then pushed for 1 hour. You'll do fine, the only thing that will be different is you'll be in the hospital for longer laboring and after you get the epidural you can't walk around. Check with your OB to see if you need to be dialated a certain amount before you get it. You're already 3cm so you shouldn't have a problem.

I was induced. I was 3cem. dilated and 80% effaced. I know this may sound funny due to all the horror stories, but I had a great labor and delivery. My nurse was wonderful. I think that helps a lot. She explained everything to me. My water was broke at 10:45 which is not painful at all, but feels like you wet your pants,and I delivered my bundle of joy at 6:55. I watched TV to try to take my mind off of it and I also talked to my friends on the phone. My husband was there and he was great too.
Once my contractions got bad I got a epidural and that was that. It was fun to watch the contractions on the screen and know I wasn't feeling them. I didn't take long to dilate. And once I did my son was out in about 45 minutes.
Everyone is different, but please remember not everyone has a bad experience with being induced or labor and delivery for that matter. Try to go with a positive attitude and hopefully everything will go smoothly.
Good Luck!

I was induced 3 weeks ago at 39 weeks. I was 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced at my last appointment. I personally thought it was a great thing and really wasn't even nervous. It sounds like you had an easy first delivery, as did I, and the second was even easier. My body does not respond all that quickly to the pitosin, so I was "in labor" for 6 hours, but I got my epidural 1 hour into it so I basically did not feel any pain until it was time to push. My husband and I watched TV, played scrabble and discussed names (we didn't know the sex) It was actually some nice together time before the chaos began, now that I look back. I hope all goes well and good luck tomorrow.