For mommys who have been induced..

[Raerae336]

Im being induced in twelve days if i dont go naturally.. I was induced w my first by pitocin and had a 28 hr labor im hoping this time is better. But id like to hear your induction story and if you used pitocin or that thing they put in your cervix.. What do you think is more favorable etc?

[Tryingforbaby2]

I was induced because I had gestational diabetes. My son was only 7#4oz though and so now I have changed to a midwife who isn't pushy about this. I was diet controlled so didn't agree it was neccesary. They wanted to induce me at 38 wks but I pushed and pushed til they agreed to 39wks and 1 day. It was about 28 hours and terrible. I found a dr that would let me carry to 42 wks this time so I don't have to do it again. It is just a personal preference since I was a late baby and everyone in my family was late. I think being induced makes the labor much harder. It was hard on my son and hard on me.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Agree w/ Limonada.  Induction is not always a bad thing!  I've been induced and had no problems.  With my last baby, I was induced by choice.  Wanted to make sure my doc was there to deliver.  I had her within 6 hours of arriving at the hospital.  But she was my 6th one.  Good luck!

[RachelVaughn]

I was induced. I was in labor for 72 hours before I allowed a C-section. I used 3 Cervadils and Pitocin. Im trying to get pregnant right now and I will NEVER allow an induction again. It was a terrible experience.

[Limonada]

All the best!!!   :))  Don't worry about a thing - induction can be wonderful....it does get a bad rap a lot of the time, though!  

[Raerae336]

Thank you for your posts ladies! Found out today shell be using the cervidil.. Said its inserted every 4 hrs til im in labor.. Im nervous but glad i heard stories!

[MEANDMAYA]

wow. i just found out I may have to be induced to but it depends on the babies lung capacity of which they do a test with a needle.Baby is 7 pounds right now which is good but if the OBGYN feels it is necessary then it may be a s soon as next week....Glad I tripped on this one here as I was not looking and all this information is great.thanks everyone for posting....have a great day..

[Limonada]

I've been induced twice at 41 weeks due to being overdue...with no changes to my cervix AT ALL (my babies loved it in there, lol).

The first time, they used Cervidil to start ripening my cervix (done the evening before the day of my induction in triage at the hospital as an outpatient procedure).  The second time, the inserted a Cook's catheter (essentially a balloon that inflates inside of you, forcing open the cervix - and, yes, it hurt like h-e-l-l!).

The Cervidil got me to 1cm, the Cook's to 2cm.

Both times, my OB came and broke my water and they then started the Pitocin drip.  The first time, contractions ramped up pretty quickly and I was having back labour (note that this had NOTHING to do with me being induced - back labour is caused by the position of the baby).  The second time, my contractions didn't get hard and regular until a good 3 hours after my water was broken.  

I had an epidural both times.  I really needed it the first time because I wasn't dealing well with the contractions - back labour is generally painful and intense.  The second time, I was using the birthing ball and my husband and my labour nurse were massaging my lower back during my contractions and I was managing ok but got scared about having things go like the last time and so I opted for an epidural.

The first time, things progressed fairly steadily and I was dilated to 10cms within 7 hours of having had the hard contractions start.  The second time, I got stuck at 5cms for awhile and finally my OB had them turn off the Pitocin and the OB who was on call after him said to leave it off and just let me labour on my own....and I was at 10cms within an hour!  At that point, I'd been in active labour for 11 hours.

I only pushed for 25 mins. both times.  I was no numb that I couldn't feel to push the first time, but I had good sensation the second time (no pain, though!)  

I consider both to be extremely positive experiences.  I wish you all the best either way, whether you end up being induced or not :)

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I was induced twice.  Once with pitocin and once naturally.  Both of my inductions were also VBACs

Pitocing Induction: I was almost 2 cm, they put me in the hosp and started the pitocin at 1:30.  They gradually increased the dose and my little boy was born at 8:28 pm that evening

Natural Induction:  With this last one I was put in the hospital, I was 2 cm.  The doc came in around 5:30 and broke my water.  Later we realized he hadn't fully broken it the first time or my labor would have been shorter, but she was born at 2:11 am so my labor was about 8 hrs 45 mins.  

I've never had the cervidil done.

I have had a membrane sweep but it took 4 days before I went into labor.

[Raerae336]

I had a sweep done on wed it caused a lot of contractions then stalled but i go again on wed and shell do another sweep hope that one works but its encouraging to hear stories of good inductions!

[mom2ariana]

well i had a membrane sweep which put me into early labor but i was technically induced as they broke my water and started pitocin the morning after. my labor was smooth sailing for the most part!! it lasted about 11 hours from the time my water was broken (6 am to 5:14 pm) and i had very little pain other than the pushing part.
i didn't have anything like cervadil but if i were you i'd ask for a membrane sweep when you hit 37/38 weeks!!

[Kels123]

Oops, I meant to say at 1pm they broke my water and 2pm, I went from a 5 to a 10.

[Ashelen]

oh I meant to say you probably won't need the cervadil since you're dilated..I would say let them break your water and go on your own. Pitocin didn't make my contractions that much worse, IMO, so I would say if you want to try that it's not a bad idea but I know some women said it made contractions hurt worse.

[Ashelen]

Did you read my play-by-play when I was induced in July? It was amazingly short. I was already 5cm or so with a sagging bag of waters, so they only put the pitocin on for a short bit, turned it up once, and were able to turn it off because I went on my own. They did break my water, but the whole labor was short and easy. He was born after only a few pushes and only a few hours of labor. My first labor was really easy too and they broke my water with her...I pushed for about 15 minutes with her, but literally it was only 3 sets of pushes for my son and like 6 minutes. I was sitting up as soon as the doctor delivered the placenta and stood up, and I was walking around an hour and a half later and having sex 2 wks later (whoops LOL) so for me the induction was an incredibly positive experience.

[Raerae336]

Well my first i was induced and it scared me to have to go through that again.  I went in dilated to a good 3cm and very thin they started the pitocin and i started contracting right away i contracted 2 min apart for 26 hrs and had 1hr 30min of pushing but she was face up so i dunno:/ my second i went into labor at home my water broke i starrted actively contracting every 3 min right away at noon they gave me the option of trying to push her out at 7cm or a c-section bc we were both showing signs of distress her heartrate stayed bery high as did mine and we had bad fevers anyways i pushed her out in 19min. I guess Im kind of scared of labor now from both my experiences!

[Kels123]

When I was induced, I went to the hospital at 8pm on June 18th. They gave me 4 rounds of something they inserted in my cervix (I don't remember what it was called). They gave it to me at 9pm, 12am, 3am, and 6am. To tell you the truth, I didn't really notice anything. At 10am they started me on pitocin. Only dialated to a 4. At 1pm, they broke my water. At 2pm they broke my water and I went from 5cm to 10cm in 10 minutes. They ended up giving me medication to stop my contractions because we had to wait for my doctor. My doctor showed up at 2:40 and I started pushing at 2:45. My daughter came out at 2:55pm.
Anyways, I didn't notice any difference with the stuff they inserted in me, but they said it helped soften my cervix. But I guess I would say it was the pitocin that helped the labor.
Good luck!

[cherylsangel]

I was induced sept 27th of this year...i went into the hospital at 8am and had to get 4 hours of antibiotics because i was gbs positive......at 12 i had my waters broke and they started the pitocin.....i didnt feel any contractions until around 2.....by 330 i was 5 cm..got the gas to help me out and by 530 i was ready to push and pushed out my baby at 6:04.....he was sunnyside up too!!!!

all in all.....and i dont wanna jinx myself but i had an awesome first labour and delivery!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

[Kla1]

I was indiced with my 1st and my 4th, they used pitocin with me both times. My labor was 4 1/2 hrs total with my first thats going off of when they started the pitocin. They induced me cause the babys heartrate dropped. My 4th, they induced me cause my water broke but my contractions didnt start, and from time they started pitocin to the time I had the baby was 5hrs. But of course I didnt starte contracting right away. But I go all natural no epidurals. I personally think epidurals make your labor take longer. I wish you an easy labor and a healthy baby!!!

[belle77]

I did it both ways my first daughter was a week late they gave me the pitocin and broke my water and she arrived in 4 hrs.  My second daughter I was induced 2 weeks early with gest diabetes with pitocin and breaking my water she came in 3 hrs.  For my last daughter again 2 weeks early they put the gel in my cervix, then broke my water and she was born in 2 hrs.  I didn't prefer one way over the other, I just wished that maybe I had gone natural so my contractions would come gradual and my body would build up to the pain instead of them coming on full force like they did.  I also didn't have any pain medication because of timing.  Good Luck!!!

[trying43]

Ive done both, where they put the cytotec(sp?)pills in there by your cervix and all that did was cause horrible cramps so they went to pitocin after that.  (this was with my first son I went in at 430 pm on a tuesday and had him on wednesday at 730pm).  With my second son, I was already dialated to a 5 and had been for a week, I went in they gave me the tiniest dose and I had him in an hour with no pain meds at all.  I think the pitocin was the better way to go as the pills in the cervix just made me cramp bad and didnt dialate me at all.

[Brittny27]

I was induced 4 days before my due date. I had been having a few contractions before hand and was 50% effaced but no dilation. I was started on the cervidal at 9pm it stays in for 24 hours. I was started on pitocin at 11:45 am and I was only dilated to 1cm at that time. They turned the pitocin off after a few hours and I delivered at 7:59pm. Little over 8 hours of labor. I didn't think the contractions were any worse than the period cramps I get that make me ball up in my bed for the first day. I did get an epidural because I had PSD and the presure on my pubic bone was more painful than the contractions.

I also took evening prim rose oil starting at 37 weeks. It helps to soften and efface the cervix.

[5n1]

I was induced at a little past 39 weeks..they did the membrane sweep several times, which did not work...I was not effacing at all and only dialated to a 3/4..so pitocin it was...They did a very slow drip and then within 10 minutes I was having full blown contractions, they said I was already contracting on my own, but I did feel them. They only turned it up one time, and it was still a slow drip...They started it at 730am and I had my little one at 1113am..It was very quick with no medicine intervention..I started dialating quicker, within a hour I was a 7 and 10% effaced and then at 1030am I was 9.5 cm and 100% effaced...but I stalled at the 9.5cm so they broke my water around 1050am and at 1100 I was ready to go but had to wait on dr to suit up and all that..I started pushing at 1110am and three minutes later she was born..


I had always heard horror stories about the pitocin induction, but honestly it was not that bad at all...it did not hurt any worse, but that could be because they did not have to turn it up or use alot..once they started it my body took over naturally..

good luck

[ketona31479]

I was induced because of high blood pressure and i was dilated 4 cintimeters. It was a regular once a week check up too... I'm not sure what they used to induce. They did used a long stick to break my water. only 5 hrs of labor. Induced at 1pm delivered my daughter at 6:17pm. I also had a local numbing block for "down there" and just a tiny amount of pain meds to take the edge off the pain. this time i really want to go natural.