Any positive stories of induction?

I had gestational diabetes and was induced on my due date. It was much better than my first delivery as it was only 5 hours start to finish and also I got a stronger urge to push, which made it much easier. Managed on gas and air. Afterwards I was made to stay in for three days so that they could check baby's blood sugar (?) and I disliked that. I landed up bottle feeding just to get out of there and then established breastfeeding when I got home.

 

Hi,
With my first I was induced at 38 weeks started contracting within a few hrs had a straightforward labour and Baby was born following afternoon! 2nd time round was diagnosed with poly hydraminos at 35 weeks then placenta started to fail so had emergency c-section at 36 weeks. I think everyone reacts differently to induction so prepare yourself to be in hospital for a few days before and after birth some babies of diabetics have to go to nciu due to low blood sugars - both mine went there. My first was only there for one day but my 2nd was there for 3 days but that was because he was premature. If you can express some milk before you give birth that also helps if babies blood sugars are low. Good luck! xx

 

I’m a recently retired Midwife.

Generally, the more interference with the natural process, the more chances the outcomes are suboptimal. The bottom line is your healthcare providers are there to provide you with up to date, good quality research and evidence that fits your demographic and then support you in your choices. The care for pregnant women with diabetes and their babies varies greatly from trust to trust, it’s not standardised.
The care for babies born to diabetic mothers can be wildly different too and often completely unnecessary with consequences that completely change the babies health.
One feed of an artificial milk can be enough to alter the gut microbiome of a baby for life.

 

Gawd don’t ever assume that! Surgeons like surgery and all obstetricians are surgeons. They are not the ones that provide options either, they should only advise and support.

Check out The Association for the Improvement of Maternity Services. A plethora of the evidence surrounding childbirth, all summarised for easy reading.

 

Yep, don't just assume this like @wiflib said above. Definitely do your own research and then present your team with whatever you like to do and discuss it with them. My diabetes team were horrified that I refused induction at the time and said they'd never had any diabetic going longer than 38 weeks (and I did go into labour myself at 40+2). My obs was amazing though and fully supported me with my decision and made sure I got scans and CTGs etc to check on baby. I ended up with an emergency section at 40+4 after 48hrs of labour but that was completely unrelated to my diabetes. My obs told me afterwards my placenta looked perfectly fine and baby thankfully didn't need to go to NICU. Good luck in whatever you decide! xx

 

Ooooooo, I LOVED looking after women like you!

 

You know what?! I would have LOVED to have a midwife like you. At least I would have known that you totally understand the situation and my wishes etc.
Saying that all the midwives I have met during my almost week long stay were amazing and lovely. I was very lucky that my obstetrician was supportive and I trusted her 100%. And I just had my own ideas about labour which were totally different to "the usual induction by 38 weeks" that our hospital seemed to do LOL. I do hope I'm gonna be lucky enough to have another baby at some point and hopefully my labour/birth goes a bit more according to plan then

 

If you laboured spontaneously and dilated your chances of having a fast, normal birth are greater the second time around then the first. Many trusts now offer Midwifery led care for women with previous section, birth centre, water birth, the lot!

 

Yeah I know. I'd love a waterbirth next time maybe. Or at least a natural rather than emergency section under GA LOL. Have to save money to be able to cycle again as our little boy was the result of 3 IVF cycles in just as many years ttc

 

I’m sending loads of positive baby vibes in that case.

 

Thanks so much

 

My induction wasn’t the horror show I was expecting it to be at all - I’d been to some birth preparation classes and it was presented as something that you don’t really want to happen, like an emergency c-section or forceps delivery. This scared the **** out of me knowing I would most likely be having one (I’m type 1 so would have only avoided it by delivering early, which would have been even less ideal).

I was dilated with a balloon over about 8-10 hours, which started some contractions - my waters were broken (none of this was painful) and then I went onto pitocin a few hours after that. From start to end I was in labour for 11 hours and I had some pain relief to help me through the transition, but managed 9/10 hours without - which I was led to believe would be impossible The hardest part for me was how quickly I went into transition to pushing - I’d planned in my mind to have an epidural and it was too late. I think that the nurses and midwife sped things up because they wanted me to deliver within a shift, and that’s the only thing I’d watch out for, and is something that you can express concerns about if you think it’s happening.

Putting this here because after my experience I’d be fine being induced again, and I was terrified previously about what I’d heard. It can be absolutely fine - we were out of the hospital 6 hours after my daughter was born. Obviously everyone is different, but don’t feel you need to be scared silly about something that might not happen x

 

I wasn’t type one but had gestational diabetes with the pregnancy of my daughter, and needed insulin to control my numbers. I had excellent care through out the pregnancy, monitored by diabetes nurses, midwifes and diabetic consultant, and really pushed for what I wanted and to make sure I felt in control. As I didn’t with the birth of my son, also gestational. It is a bit of if you don’t ask you don’t get, sometimes I think.
With my first child, I was advised that I would need to be induced, and I declined, mostly due to feeling like I already had very little control over the birth plan due to having diabetes. The day before my due date I saw the midwife and she did a sweep (sorry if tmi) and next morning on the due day I went into labour.
I had growth scans etc so had an idea of how big the baby was getting, something they worry about. The scans always predicted far bigger than the baby actually weighed come the birth. With my last birth, after lots of discussions with the consultants, I had planned for an elective csection, and the care was fantastic. This time I made sure after care was good too. Asking them to check my babies bs levels and mine before leaving hospital and my iron levels. After the birth I had a hypo, as hadn’t eaten for hours due to fasting for the csection op, but the care was brilliant in the hospital. They helped feed my baby little bit of first milk colostrum, expressed from me, on a tea spoon as I couldn’t yet hold her. At first they said the csection would be 2 weeks early, then it was a week early as they wanted the baby to be as long as could get away with, similar to an induction time. It is such a personal thing and you never know what is going to happen come the time. I would say as long as you feel in control it will be a far nicer, far more positive experience for you all! I really found that to be true with my last pregnancy. I wish you lots of luck, how exciting to be soon welcoming the newest member of your family! Wonderful xxxxx