https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 22 May 2026 19:44:56 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2844715 Tue, 11 Sep 2018 12:09:23 +0000 hellobeeboston 2844715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBucky: That's so great! Congratulations!! :girl: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2844636 Tue, 11 Sep 2018 07:59:00 +0000 MrsBucky 2844636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wanted to cross post this from my due date thread to let everyone know how it ended up going. I am so grateful for everyone’s stories which helped me believe it would end up being ok. And spoiler! It did! </p> <p>Long story: Despite the IUGR diagnosis on Friday before Labor Day, I wasn’t scheduled for an induction until Thursday morning. Tuesday I had a midwife appointment and was told my cervix was basically closed and pretty far back still, so we would start with cervidil. Wednesday I got a call saying it made more sense to start overnight so was scheduled for Thursday night. Thursday night we finally got the call to come in at 9:30 and we finally got started at 11. I was amped up and took a while to settle in, plus with monitoring and nurses checking and everything it wasn’t a great night and I maybe got a few hours of sleep. The cervidil didn’t do a ton- it did thin me some and I got to 1 by the time they removed it at 11am, but I was pretty disappointed and nervous about the next steps. They let me eat lunch and shower before deciding what to do next. Since I’m a second time mom with a successful delivery, they decided pitocin made more sense than cytotec and started me at 1:30 on the lowest dose- a 2. Almost immediately I started having regular contractions but they were very manageable. An hour and a half later they raised it by 1. The nurses kept saying my body clearly knew what to do because for most people that amount does nothing. I labored all afternoon and it felt very much like I remembered it from last time- I could manage the pain well, it felt productive. They checked me at 5 and I had only made it to a 2 and I was a little disappointed but I also knew how fast I went from 3 to 10 last time so trusted I was on the right track- luckily my midwife did too. After about 7 things started to get more intense by I was still doing ok. I asked to get in the shower and around 8 I did- labored ther for an hour or so with my DH streaming hot water on the small of my back- heaven! After I got out my midwife came back and checked me and said I was at an open 4. I was really upset but she was happy with it. I stared having classic transition thoughts (I can’t do this, I don’t have anything else left, etc) and the midwife said- your cm say 4 but your demeanor says transition. I’m going to stay with you and we are going to have a baby soon. She coached me and DH into some new positions to use during contractions and was awesome. Within an hour I knew I needed to push but was terrified. They barely had time to set up the bed and call folks into the room. Suddenly I was pushing and in two contractions and maybe four pushes she was out! So I went from 4 to baby in my arms in maybe an hour total. I was shocked she was a girl, and shocked that after the IUGR concerns she was 6lbs1oz! Overall I was happy with how the induction went for me, minus the anxiety ahead of time. Sorry for the novel! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843664 Wed, 05 Sep 2018 11:01:09 +0000 mdf106 2843664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced at 39+1 with my second. It was a great experience. They started pitocin in the morning, broke my water around lunchtime. Contractions were not painful until my water was broken. One painful hour later I got an epidural. I was fully dilated a bit under three hours labor, and delivered after about a half hour of pushing (baby was pretty large at 8 lb 7 ounces, the reason for the induction). I did not find it much more painful than my first labor, although my water broke at the beginning of my first labor. I did not have any negative effects from my epidural. I did not mind not being able to get up, even before the epidural, or during my first labor, I did not get up except to go to the bathroom. </p> <p>So many of these inductions start at night, I was really happy with my morning induction, I did not spend any sleeping hours laboring. I did wait until I could shower to sleep that night, which was slightly later than I preferred. </p> <p>I am in the early stages of a third pregnancy, and I will go for another induction if it is offered. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843662 Wed, 05 Sep 2018 10:53:36 +0000 Mrsbells 2843662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced at 40+4 with my 1st. One dose of cervidil and then pitocin. Although it did kick start labor I never dilated enough and ended up with a csection. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843599 Wed, 05 Sep 2018 08:46:22 +0000 snowjewelz 2843599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 1st was induced at 39 weeks. Two dose of cervadil between 1am to like 9am maybe? Then started epidural/pitocin after lunch, started pushing at 9pm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843530 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 22:01:58 +0000 crazydoglady 2843530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: @MamaBear87: @bhbee: Thank you for the well wishes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843510 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 20:22:04 +0000 Becky 2843510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With DD1 I was induced at 40+ 5. I would have waited if I could go back. I was maybe 1cm dilated when I went in. They put the cervadil in overnight and said I’d hopefully start feeling something by the morning but I didn’t. They started the pit and she was born 10 hours after my first contraction. I labored pretty well for the first few hours, but then the doctor (who I had never met—pretty sure he wasn’t with my practice) didn’t write an order to turn down the pit so it was on a very high setting until my OB came in around the last 1-2 hours. I would definitely advocate for yourself and tell them to turn the pit down once you start having real contractions. I got an epidural when I was about 7cm and a little under 2 hours from pushing her out. It helped immensely but after having an unmedicated second birth I realize a lot of my pain could have been managed by turning down the Pitocin. I pushed for 18 minutes and had a 2nd degree tear with lots of stitches. DD2 I pushed for 21 minutes and had no tearing. For me I actually felt like I was More effective at pushing the first time around, when I had the epidural. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843506 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 20:10:43 +0000 MamaBear87 2843506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@crazydoglady: good luck tomorrow! I'm sure it will go great! </p> <p>@MrsBucky: good luck Thursday! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843500 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 19:51:59 +0000 bhbee 2843500@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@crazydoglady: good luck tomorrow!!! :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843495 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 19:13:37 +0000 crazydoglady 2843495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBucky: Thank you!<br /> I'm sure yours will go great! Today, I got a massage, did some light cleaning, set up the cosleeper (well, that was mostly DH,) and we are going to get frozen yogurt after dinner. I was really emotional yesterday and feel so much better today. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843488 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 18:39:07 +0000 MrsBucky 2843488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@crazydoglady: good luck tomorrow! They decided to keep me scheduled for Thursday morning so we won’t be induction twins, alas! I’m trying to decide how to use my last day tomorrow. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843486 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 18:37:08 +0000 MrsBucky 2843486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: I just found out that they will start me with cervidil. Unfortunately my cervix is not nearly as favorable as it sounds like yours was. I’m hoping that my experience is similar to yours though. Did the placement hurt? I experience a fair amount of pain with checks so I’m worried about the placement being painful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843319 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 00:26:13 +0000 ineebee 2843319@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have two kids and both were induced so I have never experienced spontaneous labor! Both inductions went great! Epidurals for both also. </p> <p>First induction was an emergency, similar to you because of IUGR and preeclampsia. Second one was elective because I went past my due date. For both, I labored for about 6-7 hours before it was time to push. I pushed for 2 hours with the first, 1.5 hours with the second. Both were an awesome experience! Good luck to you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843314 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 23:04:14 +0000 DesertDreams88 2843314@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@crazydoglady: I am so excited for you and crossing my fingers for a positive birth experience! I'll be checking the boards awaiting an update :)</p> <p>@MrsBucky: Yeah I was in bed but I wouldn't use the word confined! I was gloriously relaxing while my uterus did all the work it was designed for, while I didn't feel it :) I had a catheter too but it wasn't like gross or a big deal or anything, such a minor part. </p> <p>----------<br /> With my first, I think between my pain and my fears, I was so tense, maybe it prolonged my labor (24 hours, something like 8-10 hours was 8-10cm). Once I got the epi with my 2nd, I was so blissed out, my body just did its thing and dilated *so* much quicker. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843306 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 22:12:14 +0000 ElbieKay 2843306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also took a Bradley class in NYC before my first delivery. I am generally anti-interventions for labor, though I did wind up getting an epidural for my first delivery after 17hrs and 9.5cm. (After that it still took six more hours plus pitocin to deliver him! I was stalled out for awhile!)</p> <p>My second delivery was a high risk pregnancy due to identical twins. So I needed to be induced at 37w. I shared your concerns about heightened c-section risk. I was also told I was a good candidate since I already had a history with a successful vaginal delivery.</p> <p>The induction went really smoothly! Here is the timeline.</p> <p>11:30pm: Arrive at hospital. Confirm I am still at 2cm. Decide to skip the cytotec and move straight to pitocin.<br /> 3:00am: Start the pitocin drip.<br /> 6:00am: My OB wants to start the epidural process so she can break my water. I am still at 2cm so I ask for more time.<br /> 8:00am: Still at 2cm so we decide to proceed with the epidural insertion.<br /> 9:30am: My OB breaks Baby A’s water.<br /> 1:15pm: I am fully dilated!<br /> 1:30pm: I have been moved into the OR for delivery (pre-planned as a precaution due to the twin pregnancy).<br /> 1:47pm: Baby A is born!<br /> 1:54pm: Baby B is born!</p> <p>I made it through without a single stitch *anywhere*. My babies were healthy and stayed with me throughout our hospital stay. We were all discharged together on schedule. I declined the wheelchair and walked myself out of the hospital.</p> <p>It went smoothly and was a great experience! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843301 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 21:27:13 +0000 cyntist 2843301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBucky: If I had it to do over, the only thing I’d change would be getting the epidural sooner. I’m sure they’d have given it to me earlier if I’d asked, but since it was my first time, I really didn’t know what I was doing, and I hadn’t told the nurses that I was 100% on board with painkillers ASAP. Once I got the epidural, it was absolutely perfect - I could move my legs and feel pressure but not pain. Since it didn’t hurt, I didn’t care that I couldn’t get up. I told my husband I was leaving him for the anesthesiologist :grin: So I didn’t have it during transition, but better late than never! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843300 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 21:22:29 +0000 crazydoglady 2843300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ms.Mermaid: I guess it's true that they don't start the pit at full force. I ended up with a level 18 pitocin and a failed epidural (I was stuck at an 8 for 8 hours) so I am a bit gun shy. It had been 24 hours since they broke my water and were being really aggressive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843293 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 20:34:26 +0000 Ms.Mermaid 2843293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@crazydoglady: I would recommend starting pitocin while you can walk around still, then get the epidural before they break your water. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843292 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 20:32:50 +0000 Ms.Mermaid 2843292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a three day induction with my first and am staring down an induction with my second and trying to decide how I would do things next time. I had cytotec, then foley bulb, then pitocin, then epidural, then they broke my water. I then was still at 4cm and they brought me a pump and I pumped every hour to increase dilation. I finally made it to 10 and had a vaginal delivery. </p> <p>Do not fear the pitocin. My experience was so long and miserable because I was trying to avoid the pitocin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843286 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 20:09:20 +0000 bhbee 2843286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: I laughed with my epi too! Having done it twice without pain meds I kept being like “this is amazing are you sure I’m still having contractions??” </p> <p>@MrsBucky: I could still feel and move my legs to a decent degree with my epi but definitely no getting out of bed - however that’s fine when it doesn’t hurt! I could stand up to move to the wheelchair by the time they took me to the regular postpartum room and was waking to the bathroom myself pretty soon after that. I had some kind of Foley catheter where they blow up a balloon to keep your bladder empty. I thought they said the purpose was to keep a full bladder from stalling your descent ... but since they misplaced my balloon that stalled it anyway. But again I didn’t really care since I was relaxed. They took it out sometime before I left the labor room. And it was nice not feeling stitches at all. </p> <p>The thing that I didn’t really know was that epis can drop your blood pressure. They usually pump you full of fluids to try to help, lay you flat if needed, and if that doesn’t work they give shots of epinephrine (at least those things are what they tried for me). I ended up getting two shots, which made my heart race but otherwise were fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843284 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 19:44:42 +0000 MrsBucky 2843284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@crazydoglady: I’m still waiting to hear if mine will Be Thursday as currently planned or sooner. I’d prefer late Tuesday night or early Wednesday because Wednesday would have been my grandfather’s 100th birthday and that would be kind of cool! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843283 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 19:43:19 +0000 MrsBucky 2843283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: my bestie said the same to me. “If you do get an epidural I hope it’s as glorious as mine was with LO1” hah. Once you had the epidural were you confined to your bed? Did you have to get a catheter? I’m so clueless about how they work! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843279 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 19:10:21 +0000 crazydoglady 2843279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBucky: Thank you for starting this! My plan is to start the epidural right before the pit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843277 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 19:04:48 +0000 crazydoglady 2843277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: Your story gives me SO MUCH hope for Wednesday. I am going to read this when I freak out and assume I am going to have an awful induction experience again because the first was so so bad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843275 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 19:00:03 +0000 DesertDreams88 2843275@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had 2 inductions, both with my water broken the whole time, which I hear increases the pain but who knows. I'm not going to describe my first birth bc it was horrible, but basically I do NOT recommend 2 methods of induction at once.... try one and see how your body responds. My only positive memory of birthing LO1 was that he was alive and healthy, everything else was 24 hours of agony. I wasn't able to get an epidural bc of low platelets.</p> <p>As a contrast, once I got an epidural with LO2, I was on cloud 9. I could feel basic sensation, but not pain. I was so excited to meet my daughter. I got to rest. I kept raving about how amazing the epidural was and how much I loved the anesthesiologist and how my legs felt like puffy snowpants, haha. When I was birthing LO2, I acutally laughed a couple of times because of how amazingly different it felt, epi compared to no epi. When she was crowning, I yelled *happily*, "Oh my God there's a baby in my vagina," smiling at DH. I *honestly* feel so bad that so many women put themselves through such pain when there's such a great alternative... but different strokes for different folks? </p> <p>I LOVED my epidural and if you get one I hope it will be like that.</p> <p><a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/shes-here-pro-epidural-39-wk-augmented-lampd-story" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/shes-here-pro-epidural-39-wk-augmented-lampd-story</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843271 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 18:06:13 +0000 Ms. RV 2843271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My second was an induction. Got into the room about 8:30am, DS was born at 7:22pm (my first I was in labor 27 hours, so this was an improvement). The contractions were much more tolerable with the induction, I didn't get an epidural until 7cm with the induction vs. 2cm with my first. DS came out in two pushes, with use of forceps because he was sunny side up and stuck (just like my first, but she was a vacuum). </p> <p>It was also awesome going right to L&amp;D vs. hanging out in triage.</p> <p>The induction was so much less stressful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843269 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 17:55:32 +0000 Littlebit7 2843269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had two successful inductions. My second was almost pleasant. With my second I was in labor (but it was early labor) but the hospital was so slammed my ob fought for me to get a room so I didn’t have to come back. And then induced me.<br /> My advice is to get an epidural early. With my first I had one painful contraction on pit and asked for the epidural. With my second I basically asked for it as soon as they started pit. And it worked out really well both times. I had minimal to no pain (until I waited to long for them to hang a new bag for the epidural PCA pump; I didn’t ask when it ran out so I had some breakthrough pain around 10 cm!)<br /> But both inductions were generally great and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843266 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 17:52:20 +0000 Calibee 2843266@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced for my second after a spontaneous labor with my first. I LOVED it! </p> <p>They started pitocin and broke my water. My son was born 3ish hours later. Had time for a heavenly epidural even though labor was overall short. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843264 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 17:48:02 +0000 misolee 2843264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first and third had similar experiences with inductions with vastly different results but I don’t resent one or the other. </p> <p>LO1 ...I was induced at 41 weeks bc she didn’t have the slightest inclination of coming out. I was told that they would call when beds are available sometime in the afternoon and to be ready. We got the call at 4 am to come in by 6 am. After all the pre checks and paperwork, we started the induction at 10am. I was 2 cm dilated so just pitocin. The pain started intensifying at around 5pm at 7cm so I got an epidural. Progressed nicely til 9cm and then I got stuck there for several hours until they decided to do a csection at 6am the next morning. She ended up being sunny side up. </p> <p>Lo2 came super fast at 37 weeks. No epidural and a successful vbac. </p> <p>Lo3 was also enjoying her time in there and so an induction was scheduled for 41 weeks. Per my doctors practice policy, I wasn’t allowed to go past 41 weeks and technically induction wasn’t allowed either. But my primary doctor was convinced that I could still avoid surgery bc I had a successful med free vbac before and allowed me to be induced at a very slow and low rate. I was also 5cm when I was admitted. This time they told us to be ready around 6am. At 5am, they called and said beds were not available and to come in closer to 8am. After all prechecks and paperwork, induction started at 11am. Again at 7cm I asked for epidural bc pitocin contraction hurts way worse. But by the time I actually got the epidural, I was at 10cm and it was time for pushing. This one was sunny side up too and I ended up needing forceps to have the vbac. Super super super grateful for the epidural bc I had a third degree tear and the epidural helped as I was getting stitches. </p> <p>Sorry for the long post but things learned: 1)inductions are called by hospital whenever they want. 2)induction labor pains are way worse than regular labor 3)sometimes having epidural helps with other pain after the actual birth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-induction-experience#post-2843263 Mon, 03 Sep 2018 17:45:49 +0000 MamaCate 2843263@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBucky: specifically to second baby inductions: my water broke the morning after by 39 week appointment but labor never started. We got to the hospital around 9 or 10, went to triage, confirmed it was really my water broken. I labored on my own for about an hour, asked for the epidural, got it right away and it worked. Then they had me hang out and after an hour I was at 10. I pushed a few times and the baby came out easily. He was born before 3 pm so I think it was less than 6 hours from when I got from the hospital to the birth. </p> <p>Which is just to say, I think having had a first vaginal delivery helped set me up for success. The indution went well and the baby got here safely which was the most important factor in the end. Good luck!🍀 </p>