Induced Labor: Moms Share What It Was Like

on June 9, 2009 at 3:38 PM

Wondering what it's like to be induced? CafeMoms share their labor induction stories and tell you exactly what to expect...

Elizabethsma631 said:

I had a good experience with induction. I was given Cervadil overnight, and in the morning they gave me Pitocin. Shortly after, my water broke. After that happened it was four hours later and out came my baby! I did get an epidural. My total labor was nine hours according to the doctor, but I'm not sure what they count as labor. I only pushed for 30 minutes before she came out. If I could carbon copy it again, I would!

Larsbug said:

I was induced in my 39th week. They started the Pitocin and the cervical thinning strip, broke my water, and after about 17 hours, they just ended up doing an emergency C-section.

Mom_n_more said:

I was induced with both of mine. With Pitocin, I would plan on having some sort of pain management (epidural, spinal block, etc.) in mind, because it can make the contractions more powerful and painful in the long run. I had a 12-hour breeze labor/delivery with DD on Pitocin. It was great, and I felt enough pain in the end to feel like a worthwhile mom—just have them take you off the epidural before you get completely to 10. It actually helps you to taper off because you can feel where you're pushing. It did make me throw up, though.

With DS I had the cervical pill at 36 weeks (he was big enough to separate my pelvis ligaments). I didn't have pain meds. It worked very quickly, and I started contracting after 20 minutes. I don't know how I would have done later because after 14 hours (contractions were showing 10 cm strength but my body was at 4), they ended up doing a C-section. He never would have come out because the cord was wrapped around him like a seat belt (just chilling out!). I think the pill is less invasive than the Pitocin. Talk about the options, because there's a few more than there used to be.

Still wondering what it's like? Check out the Advice For Moms Group for even more induction stories.

What happened when you were induced?

About the author Kim Conte

has shoes that make people stop her on the street and ask "Where did you get those?" but it doesn't work for taxi cabs as she was hit by one ... and lived to tell the tale. She has more freckles than Lohan but way less attitude. And she's a fierce cook with tons of recipes to share -- and wishes she could share some with Bourdain.

Filed Under: birth stories, labor, labor & delivery

Comments (16)

sstepph

on Jun 9, 2009 at 4:09 PM

It was a breeze actually. I was induced at 38 weeks due to his size. I was already 3cm, 95% efaced and 0 station when I got there at 6am. They finished breaking my water and started me on pitocin at 9am.. 10:45am I was 4cm and I got an epideral.. 11:45am I was 7cm and at 12noon I was fully dialated but I had to wait til my fiance got back (he just left like 15 minutes before to go get something to eat) and the midwife was doing another delivery.. I started pushing at 1 and he was delivered at 2:37pm. He got stuck and tried to come out sideways, so it was kinda hard, plus I was exhausted from not getting any rest or sleeping the night before.

I think if I had the choice I would probably be induced again! I only had 5 1/2 hours of labor. No problems. He was perfect <3

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CandyMama231

on Jun 9, 2009 at 4:59 PM

I was induced 3 days before my due date with my first 1. I was admitted at 10:00 in the morning on Thursday, they broke my water at 2:30pm, and i didnt have her until 2:52am Friday morning. I went the first 13 hours without pain meds or anything! But I did have to have pain meds and they both didnt help me so i ended up with the epiderel. And after i got that all the pain meds kicked in and i was high as a kite. lol. But the whole thing wouldnt THAT bad! I really liked the whole experience.

mupt02

on Jun 9, 2009 at 6:12 PM

I've been induced with both of mine and am almost hoping to be induced in December when this next one is due.

My first was too tiny so they wanted to get her out. I was induced at 37 weeks 6 days. The pitocin was started at 530am. My water was broken around 730am. I got an epidural shortly after my water was broken. My little girl was born at 1030am with about 4 pushes.

My second was tiny as well, but then developed some complications so I was induced early. She was born at 34 weeks 6 days. I checked in the night before to get the Cervadil. I got my first dose at 9pm. Nothing happened between that and my second dose at midnight. Then I started noticing some contractions. (I wasn't supposed to go into labor until after the Pitocin the next morning.) About 230am I got an epidural. My second little girl was born at 332am with about 2 pushes.

Both of mine were great and went a lot faster than anyone expected including my doctor. They were both perfect and I wouldn't have it any other way.

monkeyberry

on Jun 9, 2009 at 6:53 PM

UGH, I HATED being induced. I had Pitocin and it was a nightmare. I was never far enough along to get the epidural, then, when I reached 6 they called for the ansthesiologist and I went from 6 to 10 in 20 minutes, needless to say the anesthesiologist didn't make it in time...Never Again.

Wife2_A_Soldier

on Jun 9, 2009 at 9:32 PM

I was induced with my last baby and I'm glad I was, the pressure is harder and I got the epidural but it wore off at the end, I had pitocin. My labor started at 11am and by 12:10pm I was ready to push and had her at 12:21pm so it went really fast for me. I just didnt like the nurse because my doc came in at 12 and I was at 8cm well 10 min later she needed to come back in because I knew it was time to push and the nurse gave me a hard time like I didnt know what i was talking about even though she was my 4th baby, the doc came in and went to check me and her head was right there comming out that was the only thing I didnt like but being induced was good for me because no labor of mine last more then 3 hours and plus I had strep B and would have never made it to the hospital in time.

kelinnh

on Jun 9, 2009 at 9:40 PM

i was 2 1/2 weeks late and was induced for three days in a row- didn't do any good. had contractions one day but the just stopped. never dilated one iota! c-section the third evening and he was born healthy...

mamagoose718

on Jun 9, 2009 at 11:31 PM

I was induced wih my second a week before my due date. I was at the hospital at 7am, they started me on Pitocin, about half an hour later. The dr broke my water around 11:30. I didn't have pain meds until 10pm, because i wasn't dilating, i was only 3cm after being there all day. At 10 i got an epidural and at 11:57pm, i had the baby.

jdtink

on Jun 10, 2009 at 2:02 AM

My daughter is 10 now. I was induced about a week early...Dr's agreed she was small and would do better, nutritionally, if she was delivered early.

I was blessed with a VERY easy time of it.

Dr. broke my water at 9:00 AM and she was born by 11:20 AM.

I did not need any pitossun(sp?) or havve any other issues!

Best wishes to all who are having this "procedure".

...tink

elly25

on Jun 10, 2009 at 3:07 AM

I wasn't induced with my son.I was given Pitosen with my son and it made my contractions really painful and intense.They were back to back.They thought that he was going to be too big for me and that I was going to need an emergancy c-cection.So I was given an epidural half way through,but it wore off really soon (hour in a half later).So I felt everything;including pushing.All together it was 11 hours of labor,but I add the hour in a half that I pushed.With my daughter I was induced.I was due on January 4th,but they thought that she had stopped growing and I was having preterm labor contractions bad.The ones that stop you dead in you tracts and you have to blow through them.Not the "fake" ones.I didn't pass the stress test that you get in the doctors office.They induced me on Christmas day (December 25th).They gave me Cervidill to speed things up.I got an epidural,but it didn't work right.It numbed one side and just made me fill pressure on the other side.I was in labor for 10 hours and I only push four times (a very short five minutes).If I get pregnant again I don't think that I will have another epidural.Both times that I got on it didn't do what it was supposed to do and it numbed the back of my throat.Which I was told (both times) was not normal.

Elsabe

on Jun 10, 2009 at 6:40 AM

I was also induced with my son.

I had the show on Sunday evening, went to the gynae the next day just to make sure everything was fine. She said I won't make it to the end of week pregnant, but was only 1cm dilated. So I went home and we were so excited, barely slept that night. But I only had Braxton Hicks contractions, nothing painful at all.

The next morning we went to the clinic as the contractions were regular, but not sore. (It was really weird, but because it was our first, we were super careful and maybe too excited too! lol) Anyway, at 8am Tuesday morning they put the Pitocin drip on and broke my water. Then it started getting painful...

Hubby and I walked up and down the corridors as much as I could handle. At 12:40pm I got into the birth tub, thinking I could relax in the lovely hot water. But I had to start pushing 5 minutes later and at 13:00 (13/03/07) Jayden was born. {3.1kg, 33cm head circ.}

I only found out afterwards that induced labour is much more painful, yet I actually made it through with NO pain meds!! It was great to know I'm able to do it. I would like to do it totally naturally next time though, no induction.... And definitely try to sleep. Lol! It's a good thing that you learn from experience.