[Bathsheba52]

Induced twice; fortunately no-one told me beforehand that induced labours are more painfu! First one very slow and painful; had epidural. Second time, still painful but faster and just had time for pethedine. Second time around my waters were broken first up instead of after about 10 hours of nothing.... not sure whether it was because it was a second birth that things proceeded differently... If your waters aren't broken early on in the piece I'd ask why not and could they be, as that is what seemed to move things along for me.

[Mumof1OneontheWa...]

I would try and get some acupuncture over the weekend to try and induce naturally. Other than that maybe some reflexology. Good luck

[imamumto3]

I used a tens machine for most of the labour & then used gas for the pushing stage. My induced labour was no more painful than my natural labour & only slightly shorter (30 mins active labour compared to 45 mins)

[sophiasmum]

I have had 2 inductions.

With DS they started with the gel at 9.30am, it didn't work so at 5pm they did ARM, I walked around for an hour waiting for things to happen, it didn't so then it was the cinto drip all night long during which i sometimes used the gas. He was posterior so by around 5am the back pain was too much to bear any longer so I had an epi, managed to sleep for 3 hrs during which they increased the cinto, when I woke I was 9.5cms, 1/2 hr later 10 cms & he was born at 9.30am so 24 hrs since induction started.

With DD2 they started with the gel at 6pm and it worked great all night long, she was born at 9am the next morning with no further intervention required.

[Felix101]

Thank you all so so much for sharing your experiences.

I had an internal yesterday and was told to expect a quick labour (I think he said I had a really short anterior cervix - his actual expression mid exam was a very surprised 'wow!' - I was expecting to be really dilated or something, but then he explained that my bits were made to spit out bubs - apparently.. not quite those words obviously!:)) so hopefully it will be out in no time and I won't have a chance to worry about an epi.. wishful thinking huh....

Its great to hear that others have held off the drip for so long! I thought the one hr sounded like not much when I spoke to the OB he did say that the 1hr was just the standard but that they would be happy to wait if I looked like I would get going without the drip (but I'm a public patient so I'll have to bargain with who ever is on at the time).

And thanks for the acupuncture suggestion - it was the first call I made after leaving the docs... Yes, even before my husband. Booked for tomorrow morning.

Fingers crossed bubs gets in before the hospital does..

Thanks again