My Experience with Induction: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Pregnancy is a journey full of surprises, and for me, that included all four of my babies arriving well past their due dates. By the time I was overdue with my third child, I had accepted that my body simply took its time. Two out of my four pregnancies ultimately resulted in induction, an experience I found both challenging and eye-opening.

Understanding Induction of Labour UK

being induced

Induction is the process of stimulating contractions before labour begins naturally. It is often recommended when pregnancy extends significantly beyond the due date or when there are medical concerns. While induction can be necessary, it is important to understand what to expect and how to prepare.

My First Induction: The Unexpected Struggles

I had read extensively about induction and the various methods used. I knew it wouldn’t be the most pleasant experience, but I wasn’t fully prepared for:

  • Having a pessary for induction inserted in a way that felt more like a veterinary procedure.
  • Walking, bouncing, and jumping for six hours with no progress.
  • Hearing, “I don’t think you are getting anywhere,” after my second pessary.
  • Feeling like my body was failing me for not going into labour naturally.
  • Spending a night in the assessment unit, listening to others scream and then hearing newborn cries.
  • Being sent home, only to finally give birth three days after the induction started.

My Second Induction: Different but Still Challenging

When I was induced for the second time, I was better prepared for the difficulties. However, there were still aspects I hadn’t expected:

  • A room filled with other women going through the same process simultaneously.
  • Contractions becoming intense just an hour after the pessary.
  • My TENS machine feeling ineffective.
  • Not being believed when I said my contractions were two minutes apart and lasting over a minute.
  • Discovering I was fully dilated just two hours after the pessary.
  • Being rushed to the labour ward in a wheelchair like a scene from a medical drama.

Understanding the Oxytocin Drip in the UK

In some cases, if labour does not progress after initial induction methods, a Oxytocin drip (the UK equivalent of Pitocin) is used to strengthen contractions. This IV medication is often administered when:

  • A pessary or membrane sweep has not been effective.
  • Labour is not progressing at a sufficient rate.
  • There are concerns about the baby’s well-being.

The Oxytocin drip UK is given under continuous monitoring to ensure both mother and baby remain safe during the process.

Lessons Learned and Advice for Expectant Mothers

raw motherhood

Every birth story is unique, and induction experiences vary greatly. However, based on my own journey, here are some insights for those preparing for a possible induction:

  • Educate Yourself: Research different induction methods NHS, including membrane sweeps, pessaries, and the Oxytocin drip. Reliable sources like NHS Induction of Labour Guide can be very helpful.
  • Advocate for Yourself: If you feel something isn’t right, speak up. Trust your body and instincts.
  • Have a Comfort Plan: Bring items that help you relax, such as a playlist, essential oils, or stress-relief tools like a stress ball.
  • Be Flexible: Labour rarely goes exactly as planned. Prepare mentally for unexpected turns.
  • Seek Support: Whether it’s your partner, a doula, or a midwife, ensure you have someone by your side to advocate for you.

Final Thoughts

Induction is a means to an end. When you’re overdue, it can be a relief to know your baby is finally on the way. That said, the experience can be both physically and emotionally demanding. More awareness is needed about how induction affects the body and how women can be better supported during the process.

Have you been induced? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments. Sharing our stories helps expectant mothers prepare for the journey ahead.

13 comments

  1. Gosh it sounds like you could have been supported so much better than you were. I think fear and not knowing are the two main difficulties in labour – they make the contractions so much worse. Did you feed back to the hospital about your thoughts and experience? It I were a midwife I would definitely want to change my practice to make mothers feel more empowered. I would really struggle to be in labour in a room full of women also in labour!

    1. I did feedback but it was shrugged off – I didn’t feel it was enough to make a complaint, I was just a bit disappointed. Thanks for reading 🙂

  2. I was induced. I was told by three different midwives it was going to be much, much more painful than if I had gone into labour naturally. I appreciate they were doing their job but having never had a baby I didn’t know painful from ‘much more painful’ so when the contractions hit I pretty much had a panic attack. Oh and I had the pessary and jumping up and down like a noob biz and in the end a doctor just stuck a big knitting needle up there and popped the waters – so high tech 🙂

  3. I was induced with both my girls. I too was not prepared for the surge of pain instantly. It came on so strong so fast. I did not have. A long drawn out process. Once the contractions started it wasn’t too long. My first daughter came out so fast it developed a hematoma (blood clot) and I kept insisting I felt pressure and it HURT!!!! They gave me an Advil and said it will go away. I did not, it persisted and I was soon in tears and almost screaming. They gassed me and they had to squeeze the blood clot out. Kill me now right? It was awful.

    I would love if you took a look at my latest post and hopefully more 🙂

    http://abigaildaybyday.blogspot.ca/2015/05/the-bane-of-my-existence.html?m=1

    1. Thanks for sharing your experience Susan – I have left a comment on your post. 🙂 Sounds awful – “kill me now” yes I can totally understand that.

  4. I was almost induced with B and lucky had him the night before but I always wondered what the process was. Sounds very community involved hahaha Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme

  5. Great post! I too had the pessary induction, twice. Both failed and the registrar kindly told me I had a ‘non-pregnant cervix’ Good to know. The third attempt came by way of the hormone drip and oh my goodness, I’ve never known pain like it. That’s something I don’t want to experience again any time soon!

  6. I feel you! I have one child (Noah who is 2 next month) and he was induced just before his due date due to a change in his movements. I went in on the Friday morning thinking I would be bringing home a baby that night! So stupid to think that! I had a similar experience to your first, I had two pessaries (the first of which was inserted WRONG?!) neither did much but just made my bits swell up and then I had 2 doses of gel too. It took forever to be dilated enough for them to be able to break my waters but once it had been done he was born 6 hours later. A 3 day induction is exhausting and emotionally draining but we did it!

    1. Ah Noah! I have a Noah as well 🙂 Thank you for sharing your experience. You are so right, both exhausting and emotionally draining but like you say you did it! I felt a bit stupid too xx

  7. I had to be induced with my third as my water level was too low.I had been having niggling pain all day but then when I said that I knew I was in slow labour the midwife tried to brush it off and said it would only be Braxton hicks.I have had 2 other children at this point so I knew she was wrong especially since I was also getting back pain.She then gave me an internal and decided that I was correct and was indeed in labour so I could wait for labour to progress on its own for a few hours.I then lost my plug and had my waters broken and was left another hour in agony with no pain relief they finally they decided to do an internal and realise I needed to be taken to the delivery room after 4 hours of active labour I finally had my baby but I was disappointed that I wasn’t believed when I told them I was in labour and when I was I was left alone for hours to just get on with it despite being classed as high risk and being told i would be needing a cannula in case I needed another blood transfusion which they didn’t have access to on the ward I was on.It did however happen to be the least painful labour I have had my first was back to back which I had a vaginal delivery with and my 2nd was a normal vaginal delivery but the most painful.

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