If you are at the end of your pregnancy

And you are told that your labour is going to be induced

Do not Google for information

I was told on Monday

That I would be induced on Tuesday

And the eve of induction was awful

Horrible

Evil

As I scared myself silly with stories

Of how the next day might be

Stories of sections, instruments and medical interventions

Fast labours, slow labours, no pain relief, too much

I awoke in the morning terrified

And wanting to call the whole thing off

Wanting to wait to go into labour naturally

But I couldn’t

How could I?

According to the hospital

There was a chance my baby was failing to thrive

And I would never forgive myself

If I let our baby die

And so with fear and trepidation

I made the call

And arranged to be at the hospital for nine

Just before we were about to leave

And many more times throughout the day

I read an email that changed everything

That changed my focus

My frame of mind

An email that I think changed my induction experience for the better

And now I am going to share the email

In the hope that it might help someone else

As much as it helped me

The email came from Janine Rudin at The Birth and Baby Company

We talk to each other on Twitter

When we talked about the growth scan

And impending induction

Janine said she would email me

And help get me ready to meet our baby

And that is exactly what she did

Hi Jennie

With induction, like any labour, you need to go in and say what you want rather than feeling like this is all medical from the start.

Key things:
Being active – you can move around, you certainly don’t need to be stuck on the bed. If your baby needs to be monitored and you are attached to a drip you can make a nest next to the bed so you can stand, kneel, rock, sway, sit as you want to. Do you have a birth ball to take in? If not ask for one as soon as you get there.

Relax & breathe – stay calm, head off any anxiety with your breathing, give your body the chance to let labour happen. Imagine breathing out kids bubbles – long, gentle out breath to slow your heart beat and prevent adrenaline.

Say what you are doing to be comfortable – don’t ask for permission.

Birth pool may be an option if pessaries work to start labour – if not ask if there is a bath/shower you can use.

Some hospitals have a policy of sending fathers home at night if labour hasn’t kicked in. If this is the case and you don’t want him to go home, speak about Matilda, cry, pull on heart strings to get what you want – use your emotions to get beyond policy.

Drink plenty of fluids, take in plenty of good nutritious snacks, remember to go to the loo every hour so baby has all the space.

If you need an epidural, have the back of the bed upright to provide some gravity and get up on all fours on the bed to push and birth – gravity will reduce the need for interventions and will help you with pushing.

If a medical intervention is mentioned and you are not sure, don’t be scared to ask for more information and reasons why. If you are fine and your baby is fine, there may be no need to rush anything.

Let your emotions out – you may be anxious at times, you may be upset at times, you may be angry at times, you will amazing at all times and you will also be awesome!

Induction can take a while to get going – take plenty in to keep you both occupied, go for a walk, wander the corridors, go outside, go for tea and cake, take in pictures of your children, take in your scan picture. It all helps.

You have birthed 3 babies before so induction could be quick and really positive, your body might just need a nudge. If it is taking too long and you are struggling emotionally with that, ask for a caesarean if that feels right for you. There is nothing wrong with that at all if that is going to give you a more positive birth and if it feels right for you and your baby.

If you feel panicky or anxious close your eyes and focus on your breathing – breathe in calmly down to your baby, feel connected to your baby and when you breathe out – a long gentle out breathe – let all the tension leave your body. Relax your jaw, your shoulders, your fingers, stop any pacing, just stop everything and breathe.

Your breathing will be good for your baby so try to be as calm as you can
Take in your phone to call anyone you may need to speak to – call me whenever, I am here to help keep you calm and focused. Put my number in your phone just in case.

You can do it – remember you are going to meet your baby very soon
xxxxxx

At a little after 9am

We arrived at hospital

With this email in my phone and on my mind

And with Hope in our hearts

Tomorrow I will tell you what happened next

In Baby Bea’s Birth Story

The Rapid Arrival of Beatrice Hope