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My OB wanted to induce anytime after 37 weeks for severe SPD. I was terrified so waited until the last possible date she let me go (38+5). My first came on her own at 38+1, so I was hoping #2 would follow suit, but she didn't. I was 1.5cm/50%/-2 the day of my induction and was expecting a long day ahead. Pitocin started at 9:30 and I made very little progress by 11. The doc broke my water and around 12 I decided I'd get the epidural since things were getting a little painful (I wanted my pain to be at a zero - I'm a wimp!) long story short, by the time they finished the epidural 45 mins later (that failed BTW!) I was basically crowning. The entire process was 4 hours and I pushed 3 times. It was way easy and I thought my first labor (15 hours/1.5 of pushing) was a breeze. I'd definitely be happy with another induction next time. It was weird picking babies bday, but also really nice to have it planned so we could prepare our childcare, etc. we dropped DD off with my inlaws like we do every other Monday and went to the hospital. It was not stressful at all.

Good luck! I cannot wait to see this beautiful miracle of yours!

@jaguar: I love that your baby is chubby and comfy in there after the long journey you've had!

I was induced at 39 +4 because of low fluid levels. They were fairly low on a Friday and by the second scan that Monday they had gone even lower so I was admitted that day. Pitocin started at noon (I was already 3cm dilated and 70% effaced) and I didn't really feel painful contractions until 4. Got the epidural at 6, took a delicious nap, water broke maybe 10ish, started pushing around midnight, baby was out at 2:50am.

I learned the hard way that Pitocin ramps up your contractions more quickly. I went from laughing with DH to crying in a ball within 2 min! The epidural was absolutely necessary. But I'm glad I waited until I could to get it, because I was stuck on the bed with a catheter for the rest of my labor.

Inductions can take forever or be quick, but the upside is that the doc has a bit more control by lowering or upping the dose. Mine watched the monitors and adjusted the dosage throughout.

So incredibly happy for you!

I was induced with my first due to a slight water leak at 40+2. Since I was full term, they told me I wasn't leaving without the baby. They did measure contractions that I wasn't able to feel. Started pitocin at midnight, water broke at about 1 am, epidural at 9 am, baby at 2:30 pm.

No problems and I have no issues with the possibility of another induction in January.

I was induced for GD. First miso then pitocin. My water broke after about 30 hours. Then I got a epidural. T was born 14 hours later. Long labor.

I was induced on my due date because I had an amniotic tear and low fluids... I got admitted to the hospital at 6 pm, my ob/gyn manually broke my water at about 8 pm, hooked me up to Pitocin almost immediately, and I gave birth at 4:15 am (with an epidural). The only reason I didn't like it is that they had me hooked up to continuous fetal monitoring so I was stuck in the bed from when I was admitted. I'll do it again if I have to but I'm hoping not.

I was induced and my L&D experience was amazing. I was given some cervadil and then had my water broken. I got an epidural and then slept. The next time I was checked it was time to push. I pushed for about 40 minutes and then DD was born. It was about 14 hours from walking into the hospital to holding my baby, which I think wasn't bad for a first time mom plus an induction. I have only positive thoughts about my experience.

With ds I was induced on my due date for PIH. I was not favorable at all. Pitocin only at 9am. Ob broke my water ~6pm. Epi ~8pm but only Bc they kept telling me that it would help bring my bp down. Ds was born the next morning at 6am after ~20 mins of pushing.

With dd I was induced at 37+3 again Bc of PIH. I was prepared and quite expected an induction. Pitocin only at 9am. This time midwife said I was ~3cm when we checked into the hospital which was a big shock Bc i was 0cm 3 days before and had done nothing. I was getting very little breaks between contractions. The computer monitor showed mountain after mountain of contractions and I was like where the heck are the valleys so I could just breathe for a sec. Asked for epi ~1pm. Anesthesiologist could not get it in after a few painful tries so I told him to stop. I was not surprised Bc it was a nightmare the first time w Ds. Got Nubane but it's not meant for pain relief just made me loopy and doze in and out of sleep. Ds was born at 3:30 after 5mins of pushing.

Overall both positive inductions and I'm prepared and will probably end up w another induction if we decide to get pregnant again. Ob also said I'll probability have to go au naturale w/o epi. And I'm ok with it.

Good luck if you end up having to be induced. I've read quite a few other positive induction stories too.

I was induced, I suppose, even though labor had started in its own. My contractions weren't strong enough and I had a high amniotic leak. I was started on the lowest level of pitocin around noon. Every hour it was increased a step. I didn't get the epidural until close to 10 that night. I just labored through the contractions. Sure, it got tough. But it's labor. I got the epidural because i still didn't dilate past a 1 and the contractions got to 2 minutes long with like less than a minute before the next would start. I was trying to wait until I got dilated to a four or five before getting the epidural because I've heard the epidural can slow dilation. But the nurses wouldn't check me often because of risk of infection. I don't have an issue with when I got the epidural but I'm so glad I got it. The ensuing dramatic delivery would have been just ridiculous for all involved if I had chosen to do it without the pain blocker. The epidural was fine - I could feel everything except pain. I could still move my legs to an extent. But it did cause me to throw up a bit.

Good luck if you have to be induced. I really was fearful of being induced but now that it's all done, I'm just happy to have my baby out any way and that we both are safe.

Related to your comment above, and not sure if you're allowed, but I had good luck shifting a posterior baby by spending lots of time on hands and knees. Basically anytime I was just hanging out the last month or so it was on hands and knees. Worth a shot?

I was induced at 38+1 for hypertension. 1cm, 30% effaced. It took 30 hours, but was successful! Got cytotec first, and dilated to a 2, added pitocin and got to 3, broke water and got to 4 (that was the first 24 hours) then contractions with the pitocin were unbearable so we added the epidural and 5 hours later I was at a 10. They let me eat the first 15 hours, and I had a great team of nurses. It was a good experience!

@Mrs. Microscope: our experience for the first part were quite similar,

except I stopped progressing at a 7 after my epidural and had a C-section after 36 hours of labor. However, even though I had a failed induction overall the experience was nothing but positive, I had a great medical team and support people, I got skin to skin right after and my son latched on when I was in the recovery room and after a week at home I felt pretty normal

I was induced at 3925d with DD2 (I was scheduled to be induced with DD1 but I went into labor 3 hours before!). It was an elective induction bc 1) I was in a favorable position for delivery and 2) I wanted to deliver with a doctor I knew.

Arrived at 8am, hooked up and Pit started at 9am. I was 3.5cm and about 80% when I arrived (as I said I was in a good place and a favorable induction candidate). Pit from 9am-12:30pm only put me to a 4cm - I freaked out. I thought my induction was failing. FWIW - Pit was up to 11 out of 20.

Dr suggested breaking my water but instructed me that if I wanted an Epi I should probably do it before I have my water broken. Epi placed at 1:30....water broken at 2:45 (5cm at this point)....Baby was out at 3:45...it was crazy fast once they broke my water...

Best of luck to you. I was terrified of choosing an induction and then something going wrong and regretting it. At the end of the day I asked my Dr what she would do and she informed me she had zero concern inducing me ... I trust her so I went for it...

I had an induction at 39 weeks due to GD.

It was ok, it was just long! Started Cervadil at 1am. After 2 rounds of it, finally got over 3cm after 12pm the next day to start epidural/Pitocin. Then waited till 9pm to push, baby out just before 11pm.

When I got induced I was totally shut tight, not effaced, nothing! So it took forever, and kinda sucked cuz I was stuck to a bed, and then we also had a heartrate scare that almost got me an emergency C-section. But since everything turned out fine, I would just say that it was long. I feel like I wouldn't be pushing that long if I hadn't been in the hospital without food for so long prior.

I was induced for similar reasons. Basically from 27 weeks on I had to be very gentle because I was having contractions that were timeable (sometimes 2 minutes or less) and while they were more than Braxton Hicks they did not change my cervix. So after weeks for basically sitting and lying down and contraction after contraction and multiple trips to the hospital to be monitored they decided to induce me at 39 weeks and 1 day. My OB was afraid that I would ignore them that one time they were actual cervix changing contractions and then end up delivering at home because I had been to the hospital so many times for false alarms. We chose a Thursday so my family who live six hours away could have plenty of notice to join us and also be able to stay for the weekend. My husband owns his own business and since we would be in the hospital during the weekend for the most part it worked out well for him time wise. Silly I know. The induction went well. I went in at 5 am and was given IV fluids and then pitocin, epi and they broke my water. I moved very fast to 8 cm but then stalled out for 6 hours. My OB physically pushed my cervix down to a 9 and I had to practice push and her head widdled it down to 10 cm. I was so close to being a c section mama. They were all pushing me to give up after stalling but I held strong and delivered vaginally. Bonus for our date we picked is her first birthday ended up being on a Saturday so we were able to have her party on her actual birthday and celebrate her the whole day as opposed to having her first birthday on a week day. I didn't think about that when we scheduled the induction but it worked out well!

I was induced at 40w1d due to low fluid. They'd been threatening to induced me for 2-3 weeks, so by the time I actually got induced, I'd been to the hospital with my bags packed 6 times. They kept telling me that it was borderline, that I could elect to induce, and that I was "probably okay," until they said we had to induce. They tried miso (vaginally) and it did nothing, so we went straight to a low dose of Pitocin. It kicked in quickly and my body took over so they didn't need to up it. In fact, they had to take me off it for a while because labor got to intense so quickly. I had the epidural because I was so exhausted and thought I might have many, many more hours of labor (I was wrong!). Pitocin started at 8pm, labor started at 10pm, epidural at 3:30am and baby was born at 6:30am. I reacted strongly to the epidural so I felt almost nothing! When I asked to be checked at 6am, baby's head was peaking through my cervix! I had to be told when to push. (2nd baby opposite- Came on his own so fast I didn't have time for an epidural!)

Best of luck to you!

@jaguar: 8 pounds 7 ounces, which was slightly smaller than estimated, but still would have been pretty big at 40+ weeks.