I want to tell you my birth story with induced labor. It took 4 days!
The Reason For My Induced Labor
Two weeks before the due date, I went to the Dr for another check-up – my belly didn’t grow as it should. The Dr told me that they wanted to induce labor, cause my baby wasn’t well in there. I was quite shocked; it was still 2 weeks before my delivery date and I hadn’t even packed my bag!
Well, I called my husband who came with some clothes and things for me.
First Try of Induced Labor
Since my cervix was not ripe, the doctor put some prostaglandin gel on the cervix. Nothing happened. We waited almost the whole day and at 3 pm I got another dose. The contractions finally started.
By 10 pm the contractions were really painful and came only 5 minutes apart. A midwife came to examine me and I was so convinced that my baby would arrive soon. But nothing had happened. No dilation, no ripening of the cervix. I was so disappointed and also worried – if it could be this painful without anything happening, how would “real labor pain” be…
Since it was now quite late, the doctors decided to give me a shot to stop the contractions, to give me a chance to sleep. Unfortunately, that didn’t help either. Another shot and things did slow down enough for me to at least be able to rest for a while. Then the contractions finally disappeared and I slept some.
Failure of the 2nd Try…
Unfortunately, they disappeared a bit too effectively, because the next day no gel in the world could get the contractions started again. I was very tired and slept from the early evening until the next morning.
And Finally the 3rd Medical Induction
The next day (the 3rd day!) centimeters me again – no difference. Since the gel was obviously not doing any good, the doctor decided to use a balloon instead. Now, something finally starts to happen. 9 hours (!) later I’m open 5 centimeters and exhausted. Will this never end!?
The nurse encourages me to walk around, but I really didn’t feel like it. Well, after a while I did get up and I must admit that it made a difference. The contractions got stronger now and three hours later I’m 7 centimeters dilated. I asked for a walking epidural and got it almost immediately. What a relief!
Strange enough, after I got the epidural everything started to happen very fast. 40 minutes later I was fully dilated. I started to push and then my boy was born after only 15 minutes more. I couldn’t believe it all went so fast after all hopeless waiting for induction to work the days before!
The birth went really well at the end. No tearing at all, just very exhausted. And with the loveliest baby on the planet. He was a bit skinny when he came out, but he has compensated that by now… :-)
Thanks for reading my birth story with induced labor. Good luck with your own pregnancy,
Maya
More Vaginal Birth Stories
- Fast First Labour, Almost Preterm
- Detailed Story Of Normal Vaginal Birth
- The Water Can Break… Anywhere!
- Normal Birth And Pre-eclampsia
- The Worst Day Of My Life
- Quick Labor With Baby No 2
- Giving Birth Is Nothing Like On TV!
Or head over to our main Birth Stories Section to read about other types of birthing experiences…
Paula Dennholt founded Easy Baby Life in 2006 and has been a passionate parenting and pregnancy writer since then. Her parenting approach and writing are based on studies in cognitive-behavioral models and therapy for children and her experience as a mother and stepmother. Life as a parent has convinced her of how crucial it is to put relationships before rules. She strongly believes in positive parenting and a science-based approach.
Paula cooperates with a team of pediatricians who assist in reviewing and writing articles.
