Failed Induction

Yes!! I had the same thing happen, but because I had high blood pressre they tried again right away. They ended up having to use a folley bulb to get my baby to drop down. You do not want that. Very painful. It does work, it just is incredibly uncomfortable. Good luck with the second go.

You poor thing--so much work, and no baby yet.
Please be cheered by the fact that your body is smarter than an IV full of Pitocin. Those contractions are preparing your baby's lungs for healthy breathing and are getting her into proper "launch" position.
Your medical team must be progressive enough to practice what is called "evidence-based medicine," as opposed to arbitrary protocol-based medicine. This is a real blessing. For most obstetricians, a failed induction is an automatic cesarean when mom and baby show signs of distress. Then everyone thanks the doctor for saving the baby, even though it was the long, hard induction that caused the distress.
A cesarean would make it hard for you to hold and enjoy your little girl right away. Hang in there--you won't be pregnant and uncomfortable forever, but you don't have to be post-op, either.
Consider looking at the info at www.ican-online.com for articles about how to avoid a cesarean. You might also like www.spinningbabies.com (I think, or maybe .org) for info about getting baby off your back and into a good birth position so you can be as comfortable as possible.
Best wishes and congratulations on your growing family!

OMG! I am so sorry cause i totally know where your coming from! i was miserable in my third pregnancy, mainly because it came literally right after the second! and demanded that I be induced for my emotional well being. it didn't work and i went home still pregnant, and ticked off! a week later they induced me again and my little girl arrived with a vengence, literally less than two hours after my water broke. bottom line, i know you must be miserable and ready to be able to put your own shoes on, but the babies are not on our schedule, we are on theirs! good luck and congrats in advance!
A.

It's possible...I had two failed inductions, both almost 24 hours each (never stopped contracting the entire time I was home either) and had 5 ripinings (where they just put the gels in, watch you for a few hours and then send you home) in between the 2 inductions over a 19 day period starting at 36 weeks (I had PIH and was having lots of Braxton-Hicks, so they thought he was ready to come out...guess not). Finally they checked my amniotic flluid level and his size and fluid was low and he was big, so they gave me the option of a 3rd induction or a C-section at 39 weeks. I had not changed from the 1 cm dialated and was no more effaced since the start, so I opted for the C-section- I am pretty sure my son was hung up on my hip as I had a huge lump there when I sat down- to the point that they checked me by ultrasound to see if he was transverse- so he was not in my pelvis to push me open. My son had HORRIBLE jaundice which I am convinced was from all the inductions! Anyway, he is a healthy, happy 2-year-old now...and if you do end up needing a C-section this time around, you can always opt for a VBAC for the next one (I just had a successful VBAC and now have a perfect 2-month-old son and everything went perfect!)! Anyway, give your body a chance to work...my second kiddo was 3 days late...remember, due dates are just estimates! I would not try another induction or have a C-section unless it is absolutely necessary...at least give yoruself another week if possible...I know, easier said than done!!! I've experienced both and they are both not the most pleasant things in the world!

I work on L&D at our hospital and we see this from time to time. Inductions sometimes fail. Your doctor may try again in a few days.

On another note, please don't be afraid of c-sections. Others post here that they weren't able to hold their babies right away- this may not be true! I've had 2 c-sections (the first when my TEN POUND son didn't come after 26 or so hours- I only dilated to 6cm, direct OP position.... the second was an elective repeat c-section with my daughter) I held and breastfed both of them very soon following their deliveries. I feel I bonded wonderfully with both children.

Remember, the miracle of childbirth is ALWAYS a miracle, regardless of the method in which the child enters this world- vaginally or via a "vaginal bypass surgery"! :)

Congratulations on your upcoming birth, and good luck!!!

Yes I went in and the started me. I went home after about 6 hours, and I am so glad that it did not take that day I went in the next week and had a beautiful boy (1998) I am happy because my husband ended up having emergency surgery on his knee for staff infection, had we had are son the first time my, he would not have went into the doctor the day after. he would have died. be ready for when it does happen you will be ready. Good luck

E.,

My induction failed. My doctor called it “failure to progress.” I ended up having a C-section after 26 hours. I never dialted to more than 1.5, and everytime they would crank the pitosin his heart rate would drop and I would go on oxygen. I was a week overdue however and my water did break by its self and was miconium stained, so they were forced to take the baby (and I was quite ready to let them!). He is happy and healthy 16 month old now. Since you were not 40 weeks and your water not broke, I assume (and I am only assuming, I am not a doctor) that the baby was not ready and there was no risk just letting her bake a bit longer. I am sorry you had to go through all of that…that would be hard to wait 36 hours to be told that you were just going to have to stay pregnant.

Hi E., I haven't experienced or heard of that but just wanted to let you know that I don't think they will let you go that far overdue. Here in Australia at the hospital I went to the limit is 12 days overdue. I would be asking for a c-section. Your body is trying to tell you something.

I don't know if this counts, but I had a similar experience. I had been induced twice before, and know exactly what it feels like. The minute ptocin hits me, I start having contractions and my baby comes an hour later. Well, my third induction, I was on "ptocin" for five and a half hours and not a thing was happening. They had it as fast as it would go, and nothing. Finally, they changed to a new bag of ptocin and BAM!--baby. They did a little investigation afterwards and found that there was no ptocin in my ptocin! That doesn't help that you have to sit at home today, but perhaps the problem wasn't your body...

Hi E.! My mom had THREE failed inductions and went more than one month overdue. She said it was terrible! I hope you have your little one soon!

I know you don't want to hear this, but just try to be glad that they sent you home instead of forcing you into a c-section. Your body wasn't quite ready, and sometimes it just isn't possible to force mother nature. Try to be patient, you baby will come when it is time! (in the meantime have lots of sex, that will help move you towards labor)

It happened to me too! I went in 2 days past my due date. The first night, they gave me citotec, although, if I knew then what I know now I never would have let them use that! Then the next morning they gave me pitocin, then stopped because it wasn't doing anything. Repeated the same process that night and the next morning, only to send me home STILL HUGE. I went back 2 days later, and they gave me citotec again, and I finally went into labor without the help of more pitocin. After 12.5 hours of hard contractions every 2 minutes, they ended up doing a c-section due to fetal distress and my blood pressure skyrocketed. Turned out the cord was super short and also wrapped around his neck and he was unable to decend into the birth canal! Everything turned out great, though: At 1:15 on Mother's Day morning, our beautiful baby boy came into the world! That was 8 1/2 years ago, and he's now a very healthy 3rd grader!

My induction failed as well, fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it) they broke my water when they induced me. I waited 14 hours and then had to have a c- section. I was only a week early and had been progressing for a couple of weeks before that.

Due dates are a very rough calculation which vary from woman to woman based on the length of her cycle and when exactly during that cycle she got pregnant. The date can be off by 2-3 weeks in each direction! It is so hard to be patient.... especially when you thought you were gonna have a baby, but be thankful they sent you home without forcing you to have a c-section. Having a VBAC may not be a possibility for you as it is getting harder and harder to find a Dr. or hospital willing. Science still does not know what exactly causes labor to begin. They do know that it is most likely triggered by a hormone produced by the baby that peaks and triggers mom's hormones (oxytocin) to begin labor. I would take the advice of another poster here and do what you can to ensure the best positioning and then catch up on your rest, eat good food and stay hydrated! You won't be pregnant forever... and it's worth waiting another week to have a healthy, happy baby with lungs ready to breathe.

I was induced on my due date, and after about 14 hours was only dilated to 1cm. My doctor recommended a c-section since we knew my baby was measuring large; I went straight to surgery and delivered a 10 lb, 14oz boy! I am a fairly petite woman, so I am happy that we went ahead and delivered via c-section rather than waiting longer and trying again with such a large baby.