What is it like being induced?

I’m 37 weeks 2 days with my sweet boy and I’ll be getting induced on July 1st unless I go into labor beforehand. I had a natural birth with my first son and I’m worried about the induction! What can I expect? How long did it take you? Did you have to sit in the bed the whole time or were you able to get up and walk around or shower while handling the contractions? I didn’t go to the hospital until my contractions were a minute apart with my son because I didn’t want to just sit in the hospital bed the whole time. I do want the epidural and is it true that you can get it whenever you need it? Thank you all and please no bashing!

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I was induced with my son at 40 weeks due to preeclampsia. I had to sit in the hospital bed the entire labor. Had to have the peanut ball between my legs majority of the labor to open up my cervix. They will insert a catheter but again I got an epidural. They started the process at 6pm and ended up having my son at 535pm the next day. I was basically asleep for most of my labor. I remember feeling really uncomfortable and I felt a lot of pressure but no contractions

I was induced with all 4 of mine first 3 I had to stay In the bed last one I could get up sit on ball and walk to bathroom I never had epidural but believe u can’t get till you progress you don’t want to take to early

With my first pregnancy (18 years old) I was induced at 39 & 2, I wasn’t even 1 cm and they used a fully to do the induction. It was the WORST pain I’ve ever experienced in my entire life, it was 29 1/2 hours of labor and almost resulted in a c section, I ended up with horrible tearing and an episiotomy (32 stitches in total). With baby #4 (24 years old) I was induced with pitocin and then they broke my water, I was 2 Cm 70% effaced when I went in (39 weeks exactly) and I was in labor less than 5 hours. It was a super easy process and I had no pain til the very end when I was pushing and they turned down my epidural. He was over 9 lbs and I felt A LOT of pain while pushing. Majority of the time yes they do have you stay in bed. I never was able to get up and walk around or anything. I’m currently 38 & 4 with baby #5 and want to be induced! The experience is different with everyone and every baby. Good luck mama!

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You can get up when you’re induced. But after the epi you are stuck to the bed. You “can get it when you want” within reason. They only do it between certain centimeters though.

I was just induced with my second baby at 39 weeks 1 day I went in at 8:30pm everything was hooked up and started around 10pm and she was born at 8:56am

Being induced is different for everyone. I was induced at 41 weeks still fully closed. Still had my mucus plug. This started at 2 am and by noon my bundle was here. They had to break my water at 8 I got an epidural before they did that. Before that they gave me a fast acting pain pill.

I was induced at 39+4 due to a high fluid level. I was given the pitocin at about 9am, was fully dilated by 7pm and pushed for alittle over an hour, my girl was born at 8:09pm. The worst part of it for me was the pain when they were checking me and trying to put the Foley Bulb in because my cervix was back so far. They ended up giving me my epidural early so they could try the foley bulb again but I was at 3cm at that point so I didn’t need it but getting the epidural early meant I had to stay in the bed for safety reasons. One of my nurses had me use the “peanut pillow” saying it would help progress things and it truly did. I got really lucky and had the BEST delivery team I could have ever asked for.

Its different for everyone. I was induced at 130am, water broke 6 hours later, fully dialated by 11am, they gave me the epidural and let me rest for an hour because they were angels. 3 hours of pushing later, baby. She got stuck because she wouldn’t put her arms down. The nurse that stayed with me throughout it all said mine went fast. Epidural was amazing. Didn’t feel aaaanything.

I was induced and was in labor for 24 hours pushed for 4 .

2 weeks ago I was induced at 40 weeks just because my doctor didn’t want me going over. I was already 5cm dilated and 70% effaced going in. I was given pitocin at 10 and I could walk around and go to the bathroom and things. At 2:30 they broke my water and at 5:30 I started to push, he was born at 6. I got the epidural after trying the nitrous oxide.

When they induce it can take a while. At some point they might suggest pitocin to help get contractions going and to keep them going. If they do, get the epidural as soon as possible because the pitocin will significantly increase the pain of contractions. I’ve had 4, first was the only one with it and was the worst pain out of all 4 (#3 they made me get an epi at 9cm). But until the epi you should be able to walk and move around.

I was induced with both of mine my first I wasnt allowed to walk around my second well I told them I would do as I please and try to stop me… so they left me alone until I called them back to birth the baby lol… walking greatly reduced my time being in labor but everyone is different

I was induced with my 9lb son after a natural birth with my daughter. It took 6 hours…I was 3.5 when I got there. I also had my son natural so it is doable with an induction. But it was very intense.

Oh and you can move around but have to stay in reach of the monitors. With inductions they want you on continuous monitoring because how hard pitocin can be on the baby

I was induced with bith of mine, the contractions are more painful and a lot closer together. I suggest getting an epidural asap.

Got induced at midnight, and he was here by 10:43am :woman_shrugging:t3:

I had my son may 23 thursday at 12:52am… I was admitted tuesday evening and at 8pm they had to give me the cervidil to finish thinning my cervix… By the following morning of wednesdsy… I thinned completely and my sons head was putting a ton of pressure trying to force my hops whose it hurt so bad like i had to take a big poo and it just want coming through… It hurt so bad they had to hurry the epidural guy in to give it to me cause the pain was so bad(was about 7am when i got the epidural)…they started it and then the poticin to induce labor… I wad only on it for 1hr before they had to take it off my iv because my son started reacting to it badly and his heart rate kept dropping…but the whole time i was on the epidural i couldnt do anything but lay there… About 11am they came to rotate mt body and my water had already broken by the time… I dilated the rest of wednesdsy by my self with out meds and by 6pm i was already at 10cm,but my son wasnt moving fast enough down into my canal plus his heart rate kept dropping the entire day,by 8pm i was already 10cm and i still couldnt push cause he wasnt far enough… Finally at 10pm they started majing me push to get him to come down into place cause he wasnt doing it on his own… They threatened c section if he didnt move down…but since i was already at 9 by 6pm they were gonna let him come on his own …so stating at 10pm pushing on and off he finally came by 12:52 am thursday morning may 23

I got to eat move around everything till I got an epidural and I was in labor with my 1st for 4 hrs after induction but my 2nd after they induced me I didn’t start having contraction for like for or five hrs after they broke my water then they gave me an epidural and that’s when things really got moving so like 10 hrs with that one those were my 2nd and 3rd children tho my very 1st child I went into labor the day before I was supposed to be induced and I’m just speaking for myself but I loved being induced alot better than just going into labor I was in complete hard labor for 16 hours and it sucked I also stayed home as long as possible and that time they didn’t let me eat or drink at the hospital but with my 1st baby I was at a different hospital than my 2nd and 3rd child also good luck

I was induced with my 3rd at 39 weeks…my decision…got to the hospital at 5am…by the time they got me hooked up they said I was contracting on my own so they waited awhile to see if they would pick up so then they gave me pitocin…my doctor came in checked me said I was dilated further than I was the week before and gave me the ok to get an epidural…contractions weren’t painful at all at this point…after epidural was put in I was able to rest and even nap…no pain no nothing…if I could go back and be induced with my first 2 I definitely would…from the time they gave me pitocin to the time my daughter was born was about 9 hours…the only way they would make you sit in bed is if you do decide to get an epidural because obviously you can’t feel from mid back down and you’ll have a catheter…as far as getting it when you need it there is a point where it’s too late…with my 3 they made me take a whole bag of IV fluids before they would even do my epidural…they do say that the epidural can slow down progression but if you’re being induced they will just up the amount of pitocin

I was induced with my 4th. I got to the hospital at 10am, the IV with pitocin went in at 10:50am. My son was born at 1:44pm. With him, I did not have the epidural with because the anesthesiologist had a surgery to be at but said he should be done in time. So I just decided I would do it without.

I was induced with both my kids (at 18 & 19 yo) my second was pitocin induced. I went completely natural with both of them. This is your birth, I’m sorry but a hospital can’t “make” you stay in bed unless something is medically wrong, and if/when you get an epidural I’ve heard you can’t get up either. You can do whatever makes you feel comfortable during your laboring process, a lot of doctors and nurses like to think they’re in control but put your foot down and tell them you will be walking around until you get the epi.

Every baby is different but I was induced with my first two and they were 6 and 4 hours of labor maybe 15 minutes of pushing with both. Got the epidural and loved it! Again every hospital is different they had me wait till I was at least 5cm dilated before I could get the epidural. Good luck!

Also contractions are harder with induction but I do feel like it goes faster.