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i wasn't even dilated or effaced at all when i was induced at 41 weeks. the first day, they had to use cervadil to even get me to the point where they could start me on pitocin the next day. i dilated to almost 3 by the next morning and had my baby girl within 7 hours of being on pitocin. i was terrified of a c-section, but i really talked to my doctors about it. i wouldn't let them break my water unitl i was clear that they would not try and make me have a section if my labor went past 24 hours(they said they'd just give me antibiotics) i basically told them i was going as long as it took unless mine or the baby's life was in iminent danger. this was with my second baby. i was also induced with my son at 41 weeks 1 day , but i was already like 4 cm 80% effaced., so the conditons were quite favorable. just talk to your doctor and make it clear to him/her how you want it all to play out (ideally, of course). get them on your side..trust your body. is there a medical reason why you're being induced? because you don't HAVE to be induced if you don't want to be...think about that, too.

Hi - mommy-to-be - I had my second child at 36 weeks - I had to be induced cos of pre-e...I wasn't in any way dilated or 'ripe' for it...But they gave me gel to try and start it of ( I was facing an c-section within hours if I didn't go myself, and that so wasn't happening!!) I was given one at about 2pm..and at 3pm I requested they break my waters to see if that would help - I'd had a previous fairly quick delivery after having them broken - So at 4pm I was taken through to the labour suite and they did that and that really got things going for me and my daughter was born shortly after...It is possible that the induction will work for you - but you're right to stick to your guns about not having a c-section unless its absolutely neccessary...I've read a lot on here about people not liking the idea of having their waters broken for them but its worked 3 times for me in speeding the labour up . And certainly in my daughters case stopped me from having a c-section..I think I disappointed my consultant - he sat outside my room all kitted up waiting to wheel me away!! lol...Good luck..

Oh - it doesn't even have to work 1st time - the gel - With my 1st child I was induced with high bps and I had 3 gels in one day and had actually gone to bed in disgust cos nothing was happening...woke at 3am and it all took of then...I take it you've gone over your due date? Or is there another reason for your being induced..With my 3rd I went over my dates and was induced for that - (I wonder what its actually like to go into labour naturally!!!) That took 2 gels and my request to break my waters...

My water broke with my first and I did not go into real labor on my own. I believe I was 1cm dilated. They started the pitocin without useing the gel and 6 hours later my son was born. Don't worry about a thing and just go with your body.

Yes, there is a medical reason I am getting induced, several actually (1) My systolic BP is high, (2) My liver enzymes are elevated and still rising, and (3) My amniotic fluid is barely meeting the lowest end of the acceptable range. Trust me, I would not be getting induced if I didn't have to. I am worried because I know they can dilate and efface me with the gel and by causing contractions via pitocin...but they can't give me anything to engage my baby's head.

well, when i had the gel, it started contractions for me...they were consistent but mild...i believe this helped bring my baby down...it's basically just another way of stimulating your body into labor, you know? defintiely , the waters breaking usually brings them down a bit..but a lot of doctors won't do this unless the baby is in a pretty good position so you don't risk cord prolapse. my doctor said my dd had dropped A LOT during the night, so we went ahead with it in the morning and started the pit drip. i started laboring right away. one thing my nurse told me my first day in the hospital is even if you get the gel and are barely feeling or not feeling contractions at all doesn't mean your body is not doing what it is supposed to. she said the peaks and valleys on the monitor don't actually measure the strength of contractions--you can have what looks like a huge contraction but it be very mild, or it might look like nothing much is registering but the contractions could be really productive , or even painful. i was so pleased w/how my labor went this time. i was so scared of a c-section, but all the medicnes that the hospital gave me actually did their job. i wanted nothing more than to go into labor on my own, but i had a placental complication and was lucky they even let me go as long as they did (i even did it w/out an epidural!) just have faith in your body. like i said before, talk to your caretakers--make them clear on what you want and don't want. i mean, i trust that you wouldn't fight the c-section if it were medically neccesary fotr either you or your baby's lives, but don't let anyone "bully" you into just going ahead with one if your baby is not in any distress an you are handling everything ok. it is your body, your baby...other people can give birth how they want to, but this is your experience. and as you can see from the responses you've gotten, even the unripest of cervixes can still have a successful induction!! good luck to you!! :D

Lindsey -- no epidural...you're a hero! Thank you for your responses...it's making me feel a little better!

My induction was determined as failed about 30 mins before my waters broke in true gushing fashion. I was 1cm dilated and my cervix wasn't ripe or effaced when my waters broke. I gave birth 3 hours later!! You really can't tell how quickly or slowly things will go. Everyone if different. The nice thing about a quick labour is that even if I had wanted an epidural there wasn't time and I didn't need it becasue it was quick. Incidentally, the pushing phase I found the easiest (20 mins) because I was completely in control. Transition was tough on me because I didn't know I was in transition. The nurses kept telling me it was going to be hours yet as it was my first baby and an induction. If I had known what stage I was at I wouldn't have worried as it only lasted about 30 mins then the pushing was easier. I even fell asleep between contractions while I was pushing!!

I had my dd 2 months ago via c-section. they used cervadil all night then they started the pitocin then they stimulated my cervix with their hand (OUCH) then they broke my waters and I still only dilated to 2!!!! The contractions after they broke my water was insane but they said an epi could cause me not to dilate so i laid there another 20+ hours and still only got to 2 so i had a c-section happily and thankfully. and I'd do it again the c-section not the labor part. I was up the next day feelin' fine. well I had some pain but nothing terrible. anyway all I'm saying that c-sections are scary and probably shouldn't be unless necessary but it's really not that bad....Good luck...hope all goes well for you!!!