[sara-jayne]

DH has started a new job. he is on a 28/9 roster. that is he is away for 28 days in Northern QLD and home for 9 days in Eastern NSW.

i have baisicly gone 10 days over with my last three babies (first baby was 2 days early)
dd2 was induced 9 days late with midwife telling me that i was starting to dilate when she did the gels, add a youngish mum and a pushy OB....i 'let' him induce me with one lot of gel, breaking my water 45 mins later and then on a drip half an hour after that. not my best labour. in hindsight i should have told him to sod off when middy said i was 1cm and just gone home, probably would have gone naturally the next day.
dd's 3 qnd 4 both had spontanious labours 10 days late.

so because dh is so new at this job he isnt comfortable asking for more time off so we are thinking that we may have this baby induced. BUT i only want to do that if i can control things a bit more.
like for example have more than one application of the gels (my sister was induced with gels 3xday for 2days, i didnt even know that was posible till her ob did it)
i would also like to hold of on going on a drip for as long as possible. i have very active labours and walk pretty much from the time i get to the hospital till im ready to push. with min 10hour labours i figure im making a start on my post baby workout. lol. the heart monitor and drip make it kinds hard to move around as much as i like.

so can i hear anyones positive PLANNED induction storys please?
what did you plan? how close to that plan were you able to get? do you regret being induced?

[soontobegran]

You can have what is called a 'social induction' if you can get your obstetrician to agree.
There are some very valid reasons at times and to have your partner around to care for your other children is one of them.
There will usually be some criteria you'll need to meet such as you having a 'ripe' cervix, be presenting by the head etc but you'll never know until you ask.
I had a 'social induction' for one of my children as my husband was due to go away for work for 2 weeks when I was 40 weeks and he needed to be home whilst I went into hospital. I was ready to go, my cervix had already effaced and dilated 2 cms so I had a straightforward ARM and an uncomplicated labour without other intervention nor pain relief.
Good luck.

[mrs_bubbles]

We were originally booked in 38 weeks due to size of bubba and my kidney problems (which I had surgery for a few weeks prior). We booked the date on DH days off (works away in the mines). Private OBs are usually pretty agreeable providing mother and baby are healthy and everything is going well in pregnancy.

However, DS had other ideas and I had further kidney problems at 37 weeks and was induced.

I was induced with the gel at 12pm (lunch time), then waited until 6pm was checked 1.5cm so went ahead and broke my waters. Then I labored with the drip, ended up having an epidural around midnight as I was just plain exhausted! and DS was born at 8:37am the next morning. It was an incredibly long labor but I must say it was quite pleasant. Quite a relaxed experience. The midwives and my OB communicated really well throughout the whole experience and I felt really involved with decision making etc.

I loved my induction and would happily do it again!

[esty]

I was induced at 38+4 (gels x 2 then ruptured membranes then drip) and following membranes being ruptured I had a six hour labour, epidural so completely pain free. It was easy and pleasant. Compared to my first birth which was horribly painful, my induction was a walk in the park. Much preferred of the two!

[elle-M]

I'm not sure if this is a social induction but with DD I was induced at 39+6 because of hip pain due to surgery I'd had the year before.

I was already 3cm dilated when the OB broke my waters so labour started on its own and DD was born an hour and 20 mins later - no drugs, no problems! I loved it!!!

I had a spontaneous labour with my first baby (DS born at 37+3 with a 3 hr 30 min labour) and there was very little difference at all.

I'd do the induction again in a heartbeat, but I think the fact that I was 3cm and nearly ready helped things a lot.

Good luck!