Readers Respond: Have you experienced a complication from labor induction?

Problems can include prematurity, problems breathing, longer, more painful labors, and other complications. Whether your induction was necessary or not, did you experience a complication from your induction of labor? Is inducing labor something you'd do again? Share Your Complication

Poorly advised

My waters broke at 39 weeks on my anniversary, I waited a few hours then went to hospital .Next morning 8am no contractions so was induced . I was given morphine for pain relief. Delivery was very very painful and took over an hour as i didnt have natural contractions. I was ripped to shreds even though screamed for them to cut me they refused. My baby was distressed as he was in birth canel too long . My baby taken to high dependency unit as it was almost 24 hrs of labour and he hadn't breathe immediately. I was stitched up badly by a junior doctor and had piles like plums from the long labour. Would never have accepted being induced if I had known the risks to me and to my son. I thought the midwives knew best. That was 17 years ago, my mother had passed away so no family to advise and no internet then . Try and let nature take its course for you and your baby. Good luck ! X ps I'm Scottish

—Guest Jeanie

Complications following induced labor

I was induced at 39 weeks of pregnancy for convenience reasons and I will never do it again as I suffered complications like non stop contractions once they administered the pitocin and I had a postpartum hemorrhage, not to mention that my baby suffered from jaundice a few days later!

—Guest rana

ups and downs

I have two kids and another on the way. I would definitely get induced again. The pitocin made me hallucinate but both kids came out fine and labor was easy and expected.

—Guest destiney

Induced and lived to tell

If only I had known how awful pitocin was before they gave it to me I probably would have insisted they wait. My water broke before labor started at 37 weeks. So after a relatively relaxed 12 hrs. they hit me with the pit. and 2 hrs later I realized why most women want an epidural. Your body is being forced to do something it just simply isn't ready for. Its suddenly the most intense pain you've ever had in your life and its scary. I didn't go for the epidural, but I did take the stadol. Not sure I'd ever do that again! Anyway 3 hrs. after that I pushed out a beautiful 7lb. boy, but NOT unscathed. 3rd degree tear...thank you very much. Induction is the pits...no pun intended.

—Guest Nerbak-McLauglin

I lost the baby

After the induction, my baby suffered from jaundice, he had trouble with breathing, eating and he also couldn't maintain a normal body temperature. So I lost him after two days.

—Guest Esther

Happy Ending Induction Story

Five days over due, my water broke but no contractions. I went into the hospital three times, during which they monitored the baby's heartrate and said he was doing fine. By the third time, since my water had been broken for 36 hours, they said they should induce me. I was terrified because of all the stories I've heard. I was induced at 9am and got my first contraction at 9:30am - my contractions progressed exactly the same as it had with my first (and natural) labour. By 2pm I decided I was ready for an epidural (which I loved!!) The nurse checked me right before and I was 4cm; right after she checked again and I was already at 7cm! An hour and a half later I was at 10cm and ready to push! My baby's shoulder got stuck and the doctor had to use the vacuum but baby was still out in only 10min of pushing. One of my biggest fears about being induced was lots of tearing from a forced delivery but I didn't need a single stitch; both me and my precious baby boy (8lb20z) were in great shape!!

—Guest Guest

Horrid Experience

My doctor pushed an induction at 38 weeks and sent us to a specialist to check the lungs were developed. My husband supported the Dr saying she knew what was best as she was the professional. I wanted to wait and should have listened to my instincts. They claimed I would not have her naturally as she was already at 9 pounds due to gestational diabetes (they were wrong 7lbs 4oz). The drugs caused me to have contractions but not dilate so the doctor broke my water trying to push the delivery along. Soon after a nurse adjusted the internal sensor monitoring the baby. Immediately, I starting passing huge blood clots and ended up in emergency c-section completely unprepared. They had just given me the epidural so Dr thought it was ok to cut. I felt her cut me and screamed when baby was removed. They finally knocked me out. Found out more than half of all inductions end in c-section. Found out after-Dr was moving the following week but did not tell her patients. Just pushed us to induction.

—Guest Angela

No idea what was going on

Had my first baby at 19 scared did not know a thing. Doctor made own decisions for me found out later, when I saw the clinic card written forceps delivery did some research and found out I was induced. Luckily no complications with the baby. It was painful, now am older and wiser.

—Guest Guest Dee

A not so bad experience

I was induced with my first son with pitocin, I ended up getting an epidural. Fortunately I was only in labor for about 10 hrs so it wasn't long an drawn out. I had my last baby naturally without induction and without pain meds, and I'm pregnant again, and after doing all the research I have done and reading all these posts, I WILL NOT get induced unless I absolutely positively have to. I want to have the same type of birthing experience as I did with my last baby, it was the most awesome experience.

—Guest Stacey

I loved my induction

I wanted my daughter on her due date, and so they inserted that pill the night before at the hospital, and the next morning started my pitocin drip. Now, I had really painful contractions from 11-3, they never seemed to stop, but the kiddo didn't seem to mind, she never faltered, it wasn't until about 3 that I begged for an epi, I took a nap for about an hour and a half, and at 5.03 my 7 pound 1 once daughter was here, big red lips, bright blue eyes, head full of black hair. So now as I am typing this, I am due in 7 days, and I want the same experience, so we'll see. Plus I start my last semester in 30 days, so I really need to get the show on the road.

—Guest Karmaslaugh

Biggest Regret

Induced, I knew I should not have been. Ended up in a cesarean. Can never go back.

—Guest jen

Never again

Another horrendous experience here at 42+3, wish I'd waited longer. Pregnancy now and don't care if I go to 44 weeks, they won't be inducing me again. Can I just add though, that comments such as "women have natural births are my heroes" are not very helpful. Many women feel awful from their experiences, which couldn't always have been avoided, and those silly comments add to the distress and can make one feel like a failure on top of it all. I call those women very lucky.

—Guest Stasher

Complications Post Induction

Well, I was schedule for a c-section on Monday, but thankfully I went into labor on the Saturday before. I thought long and hard throughout the pregnancy about when to go to the hospital (not until my contractions were 5-7 mins apart). I live 40 mins from my chosen hospital, so timing was everything! I arrived at the hospital with irregular contractions somewhere between 3-7 mins apart - how bizarre! And when the nurse examined me, I was only 1cm dilated and 90% effaced. After 3 hours of 3-7 mins of painful contractions at the hospital - I received an epidural. Then a couple hours later, I was reexamined and had only dilated to 3cm - the nurse mention I may need Pitocin to get my cervix to dilate. I told her I did not want Pit. She insisted I needed it - so I got it for 6 hours - finally I was 10cm and time to push - I received 4 urges to push, but then the urges stopped because they stopped the Pit. Severe postpartum hemorrhage nearly required transfusion. Iron stores depleted.

—Guest CaughtUp

worst and best day of my life

Induced with pit @ 40 wks. After 2 hrs was in excruciating pain. Midwife gave me pethidine. Pain came back after an hour. 9 hrs later she broke my water. Pain unbearable tried all pain relief including the epidural, which wore off quickly. Was not contracting properly, was left on a drip for 18 hrs. Caught a fever so given liquid paracetamol. After 25 hours of pain and fever time to push. I was so exhausted I had nothing left. After an hr the midwife called quickly for a doctor. Mine and babies hr dropped baby was back to back with me wouldn't turn, got stuck. Doctor rushed through vacuum to turn her gave me an episiotomy and forceps in quick succession without telling me. She had cord round her neck and blue. Was stitched badly and still in pain 4 months later. Suffered posttraumatic shock. Lost a lot of blood and almost given trans without consent. midwife told my husband he had to go home after 1h post del then was left on my own with baby in my arms numb from epidural with no bell for 1h. I still have flashbacks. Scared to have more kids…

—Guest char23

already in labour after being induced

At 42 weeks I was induced. I was induced at 4am on a Thursday morning. After inserting the tablet the nurse called the Doc, and they established I was already in labour before the induction took place. After being induced, it took 4 hours before I started getting contractions, and it was absolute hell! My fiance forced me to walk around the hospital to help bring the labour on faster, which did not work because I was in labour for 16 and a half hours! My cervix had only dilated to 4cm by 7:30pm and then all of a sudden I had dilated to 9cm. At 8pm I started getting what they call push pains, but the doc said I couldn't start pushing because I wasn't fully dilated. Well, I told the doc I could feel my baby coming, and I started pushing. The baby did get stuck, so they had to cut me open, and a nurse had to push on my stomach with my final push, which let the baby come out. Overall, I had a terrible experience, and I would advise any woman not to get induced unless its in the best interest for baby and you. Rather wait until the baby decides he's ready to come into the world...

—Guest