Induced at 37 weeks

[lilygogan]

Hi, I'm going to be induced at 37 weeks

Due to a medical condition. Has anyone

Had any experience with this.

I'm scared about being induced

As I've heard it might not work?

Has anyone had success with an early

Induction?

[sophiechristophy]

My best friend was induced at 37 weeks too, and although it took a couple of days (my natural labour took as long as her induced one), she had a beautiful baby boy. Good luck with everything!

[Pickle]

I've been induced twice now at 37 weeks due to obstetric cholestasis. If it's your first baby it's likely it will take a while to work - I was in hospital for a couple of days waiting for things to start moving, but in the end it all worked well and I had a natural birth. Second time it was much quicker.

I'm 95% sure to be induced again with #3, and feel quite relaxed about it having had two positive experiences already.

Try not to worry.

P x

[newtoedf]

Hi,

I was induced at 37 weeks with my first due to IUGR. It all happened very quickly for me, first try at 10 am, established labour at 7pm, baby arrived at 1.30am. Gas and air and tens machine were sufficient pain relief. So all in all very positive. Good luck!

[lilygogan]

Thank you guys I feel a lot better. Were the babies all okay? I feel a bit guilty getting her outta there early

[newtoedf]

Bearing in mind my induction was because the baby wasn't growing properly, she was fine. She was 2.3kg and we had a problem establishing bf which led to jaundice so we spent a week in hospital but have never had any other effects. Tbh, I spent a lot of time wondering if we'd done the right thing and it wasn't until my second was born that I realised that the problems with bf were more to do with an over-medicalised approach to the immediate postnatal period than the timing of the birth.

[apenn]

Hi Lily,

37 weeks is considered full term - don't feel guilty!

-A

[Pickle]

My two were 6lbs 5 and 6lbs 4, and both perfectly healthy. If anything I was glad to have them 3 weeks early having then watched my friends go to full term and beyond - it means you miss out on those last few weeks of discomfort! Early also means smaller, which if you have a natural birth is a good thing :)

[lilygogan]

Thanks everyone

[lilygogan]

did you have the drip or pessaries or both? and did any of you ladies have to have help eg forceps c section ect...?

[jollybaby]

I was induced a year ago today at kings and they were using a newish pessary system called propess which is a bit like a tampon and wraps around the cervix. This is meant to be better than th traditional pessaries as it continues working for 24 hours.they like to take things as slowly and 'naturally' as possible and so will often repeat the pessary rather than moving onto an oxytocin infusion. Also You cannot have the infusion unless your waters have broken. if you do need to have the infusion you may want to consider having an epidural first as they can be quite intense.

I don't have the best induction story as ended up having an emergency c section - but I was induced for being post dates so a totally different scenario. Baby was in an occiput-posterior position and had a big head and hadn't descended well so it was really a non starter.

Good luck and don't worry too much - you'll be well looked after.

[Pickle]

For my first I had pessaries and then the drip once my waters broke. Second time just one pessary was needed, so very simple.

You will hear both good and bad stories about induction, I was terrified about needing a c-section, the fact that an epidural was "necessary" etc., however had neither and managed both labours using just a tens machine. So remember that everyone is different and your experience will be unique to you.

No matter what happens, you end up with a baby at the end of it... that's what you've got to keep telling yourself :)

[kapaxiana]

I was induced in June, was nearly 40 weeks but my blood pressure was a bit high so the decision was made to induce. Like you I was scared but in the end it was all fine.

I had the pessary at 11pm, started contracting the next morning and although I was told the pessary would stay in for 24hrs it got removed because they were hoping it had been enough to start off and that my body would take over. when they checked I had started to dilate and was 2cm, after lunch still 2cm so my waters were broken. Evening came and I was till 2cm so they started me on the drip, after that it was all very quick. I was put on the drip and had my epidural, I went to sleep and 4 hours later I woke up to be fully dilated.

I wanted a very natural birth (wasn't planning to take any meds) but I am very glad I followed the advice of a friend who was induced as well. She told me to take whatever pain medication they offered if I had to be induced because when you go into labor naturally you body has time to adjust to the pain but when you are induced the pain is suddenly there. The moment they broke my water the pain started within a matter of minutes and it was hell so I just said YES PLEASE to whatever they offered and after the meds started working I basically slept though most of it..until pushing time obviously :-)

From my experience I think it's important to have as much information as you can, for example I knew pethidine would have an effect on the baby so when they offered me it I was able to ask questions and make an informed decision. Good luck and hope all goes well!

[malwinka11]

I was induced at 36+4 days( i have developed pre-eclampsia around 35 weeks).

37 weeks it counts as a full term and i am sure you will be fine;))

I was induced at 10pm and my baby girl was born at 4.30 next morning;)( she was born on the 23/12/10 but wasnt due till the 16th of January 2011 . She was fine ( got her 10 out of 10). I went home the next day:))) They were more concern about me than the baby:)

They always check if your baby is big enough to come out ;) and I am sure she is ;)

A Friend of mine just gave birth to her lovely baby daughter 8 weeks earlier( she was just over 3 pounds, but she is doing great)

So do not worry !!

Just think about that lovely little baby inside you that you will soon be able to see.

[malwinka11]

I want to add she was/is my first baby:)))

[malwinka11]

As Kapaxiana says "The moment they broke my water the pain started within a matter of minutes and it was hell so I just said YES PLEASE to whatever they offered" if you arent too strong to be able to deal with the "PAIN" ask for something to help you to deal with it. Onced you`re induced everything goes soooo quick( quicker than normal labour and your body hasnt got time to prepare;)))

[Pickle]

That's interesting, goes to show how everyone is different. My waters were broken with #2 and the contractions then started gradually - they did intensify quite quickly (waters broken at 11pm, baby arrived 2:30am), but were never unbearable.

I've got about 15 weeks to go before I have to go through all this again, the time is passing a bit too quickly for my liking at the moment!

[Smiler]

I was induced with a syntocin drip at 37 weeks after waters went but nothing else had happened for 3 days. It was an attempted VBAC, but ended up with a second unplanned C-section. Not a bad experience overall, but it did hurt, they keep turning up the level of the drip. In the end, when had to have the section and they turned the drip off and my contractions subsided it was bliss, and even better when they did the spinal!

It was quite closely "managed", with constant midwife presence doctors doing rounds etc. We found this reassurring, but some people wouldn't like it am sure.

Try not to feel guilty - I did, loads at the time and still sometimes now, though see I should let it go. my daughter was 5lbs 10oz, but she was and is totally fine. I broke with good breastfeeding practice and shovelled formula down her in a syringe (but also had her on the boob 24/7) for the first few days, I was worried about her losing weight.It worked for us.

Hope it goes well for you.

[Smiler]

Malwinka, it doesn't always go quick with induction, didn't for me, bah!