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I was induced at 38w, was 1cm dilated. I had hypertension. I had cytotec for 16 hours, added pitocin, at 20hours I was 3cm dilated. They broke my water, dialed up the pitocin, I got an epidural at the 24hour mark, and 5 hours later I was ready to push. 30.5 hours total, but no c-section. I had been drinking tons of red Raspberry leaf tea and eating dates, as well as doing yoga, and I feel like it helped. Good luck, you got this!

I wasn't induced but I was crampy and sitting at 2 cm for three weeks before I went into labor at 41+4.

I wasn't dilated at ALL when I was induced at nearly 42 weeks. There was zero progress.
I was induced the night before with a balloon, had pitocin in the morning, got my epidural the next morning around 10, and had her at 9 pm and didn't need a c section. I wish I had eaten more at home. I was scared of having too big of a meal so I ate like a bird and I was so hungry and weak by the end of it. I also recc taking something to help you sleep if you feel so inclined if you do an overnight induction. That night of sleep is important.

I was a little over 1cm when I was induced at 40+10, and I had a great labor and delivery for my second. I had been walking a ton to try to get the baby moving along. When I went into the hospital for my induction I was having some contractions already. I did half a misoprostol, monitored for 2 hours. Then unhooked and walked some laps around hospital, got in tub, water broke, got epi, baby arrived 2 hrs later! It was really good! Easier than my first!! Good luck. Hopefully that babe will arrive in the next 3 weeks before your induction.

@anonysquire: You are going to be hard-pressed to find a hospital that will let you go home early. If you are being induced they are going to have to monitor you and they will monitor you after the birth too.

@anonysquire: if you are dilated they likely won't do an overnight induction . Mine was started at 845am

I was induced for small size at 39 weeks with my first. Not at all dilated. Two days of cervical ripening and they did allow me to go home the first night and I was going to go home the second night but they saw something on the monitors and wanted to keep me. As long as they haven't started Pitocin they can send you home. Once Pitocin was finally started labor was short, like 6 or 7 hours. I imagine with 2 babies already you will be fine and able to avoid a c section. Induction does NOT automatically lead to c section.

@anonysquire: if your cervix is favorable you shouldn't have to do overnight induction. I was induced at 38+5 for my second (first was spontaneous at 38 weeks) and I was 1 cm/50%/-2 when I went in. Started Pitocin at 9:30 am, hadn't made a ton of progress by 11 so they broke my water and baby was born at 1:30 pm after 3 pushes. She basically birthed herself while I was getting my epidural. I was scared to be induced, but it went great and my doc said that's usually the case for inductions if you have had a vaginal birth before already. You're definitely going to have to stay overnight after though for monitoring.

If you make it to the induction date, you could try cervical ripening twice in the week leading up to it. I had acupuncture at 39+1 and 39+3 and had a fast labor at 39+4 ... not sure if there's actually correlation, but I know my midwives strongly suggest it towards the end.

Also, red raspberry leaf tea. You can start now, 2 cups a day. There are a lot of awesome benefits and it supposedly makes contractions more efficient.

i drank a ton of RRL, walked a bunch, bounced on a ball, etc. hopefully with earlier normal vaginal deliveries with your other two, this one will be the same. good luck and hope everything is okay with baby #3! congrats BTW!

@anonysquire: Being that this is your third and already 2 cm, you should be able to go right to a pitocin induction.

For me though, nothing really helped prepare. I didn't respond to pitocin at all, it wasn't until they broke my water that labor started quickly.

With my son, I was only in the hospital 36 hours after delivery and most of that was waiting for him.

I was induced at 39 weeks due to gestational thromocytopenia. I was 0 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Baby was at +1 station, so I don't think I was even favorable at all. I didn't even have to get pitocin. I was given two doses of cytotec, water broke on its own after the second dose (still at 0 cm), and baby was out in 3.5 hours after water breaking. Total time from first dose to delivery was 9.5 hours.

I was barely dilated and had to be induced at 38 weeks due to hypertension. They used prostaglandins to ripen my cervix. 3 hours after they inserted it I had a contraction and my water broke. Then my body took over and labor progressed without requiring further augmentation (I also gave birth without an epidural, which might have slowed things down). I had the baby about 2 hours after my water broke, less than six hours after they started my induction. As you get closer to your induction date you might also consider prenatal massage. With my first I was on the verge of being induced so I had a massage and asked her to hit all of the points that can facilitate induction. I went into labor that night.

Sorry for a jumbled up response, I have kids climbing on me, but wanted to share my positive experience to encourage you. Good luck!

@anonysquire: I'm sorry you are facing potential health issues with this baby. I know it's not related to this post really, but with my second son, I was monitored for iugr by mfm. When they determined no growth or minimal interval growth, I was induced. Are you sure you should wait another 3 week so for an induction? But related to your question, I was only 2 cm when I was induced at 38 weeks, but was like 80% effaced. Doctor just broke my water at 1 pm and he was born just before 10 pm. I didn't need any oitocin and it was a better birth experience than the time I was not induced. Best of luck.

@anonysquire: No advice, just sending you love and light.