How to have a positive induction - a midwife’s perspective

Birth

Mar 6

We are strong believers that any birth can be a positive birth, even if it doesn’t go directly according to plan (which is often the case!). We are regularly contacted by expectant parents who are particularly nervous about having a positive birth after accepting an induction and that is absolutely possible. Here are some steps you can take to ensure you prepare yourself for the best possible birth after induction.

Positive birth stories
Read about the positive experiences of other women and people. There are women out there having positive inductions all the time. Hearing about negative experiences before your induction can leave you upset and anxious, which is a sure way to impact your natural birth hormones and make the process longer. Try to focus on the positive - you will be meeting your baby soon! Read positive induction birth stories here.
Positive affirmations
For the same reason, use positive affirmation cards or write down mantras that suit your own situation. Let this be your inner narrative and remember your body is amazing and designed to birth your baby.
Entertainment
If you are having an induction, you can be waiting around for some time. Prepare for this by accepting the wait, viewing it positively as time to relax, bring snacks to hospital, watch a boxset, do some knitting, paint your nails, have a picnic in the hospital grounds, whatever it is that will keep you entertained and not staring at the clock! If your labour does progress quickly, then it’s a bonus!
Environment
While inductions need to take place in a hospital setting, you can still make changes to the environment to promote your own comfort and relaxation. Take your own pillows and bedding. Once you are ready to transfer into the labour ward, ask for low lighting. Take in LED candles and fairy lights. Many units now have stargazer projector lamps. A beautiful room makes a calm space. Put calm music or affirmations from the Freya app on a bluetooth speaker. Ask the midwives to keep chat to a minimum and people to knock and wait before coming in. If this is on your birth preference sheet it helps to remind staff to keep your room a sanctuary of peace and calm. Rub essential oils on your wrists and wear comfortable clothes. All these things are going to help you get into the right mental state and physical position to relax and let your body do what it was built to do.
Create a clear space and use UFO positions
Ask for any unnecessary equipment and monitors to be removed from the room (or put behind a curtain). If it is recommended that you are on a CTG monitor, ask if there is a wireless monitor available. Keep a birthing ball in the room to use if you want to sit. Continue to move around the room with the bed possibly moved to the side and high up for you to lean on. Avoid getting on the bed unless that’s what your body wants to do. Remember that the intensity of the surges make you dive into various positions which all help the baby navigate through the birth canal. If there is a birth mat available, ask for it to be put on the floor so you can move around comfortably. Listen to your body, it will tell you what to do. If you do go onto the bed to relax, ask if a ‘peanut ball’ is available, these can help when side-lying and encourage the baby to deeply engage into the pelvis.
Make friends!
Lifelong friendships are made on maternity wards - just think, you are going through similar experiences at the same time. You might live nearby and be on maternity leave at the same time - get networking!
Snuggle up
Remember kissing and cuddling all help increase your oxytocin, as well as nipple stimulation! So it’s worth bearing this in mind, especially if you are going home for an ‘outpatient induction’, where you have the first pessary and can go home for a few hours.
Use a birth pool
You might assume that having an induction means you can’t use a birth pool, but ask your midwife. Is there a pool available and if you need to be monitored, does the hospital have a wireless monitor that can go in the pool? If you don’t have access to a pool, you can try standing in the shower. Sometimes the warm water on your back can get you through that last hurdle!
Keep an open mind
Keep all conversations open and ask for more time (if you need it) to make any decisions. It’s your birth, your choice, your baby and your special day. The doctors and midwives are here to support you and your midwife should be your advocate to help speak up for you and your birth choices.
Don’t make assumptions about pain relief
One element of the induction process is an oxytocin pessary or drip. It is impossible to know how this will impact each individual. Some people have a strong reaction and surges are felt intensely, especially if natural levels of oxytocin were already elevated. Others have less of a reaction. But regardless, there is no way to predict how you will cope and only you can decide when you would like to embrace or decline pain relief. Avoid conversations in which your caregivers make any assumptions about how you will cope.Take your labour as it comes and use your pain relief options as and when it suits you.