The rate of induction in Australia (and many other countries) is increasing. I won’t address the reasons for this increase here but instead aim to provide tips to those who choose to go ahead with one so that they can have the best experience possible.
Having an induction may mean having a very different labour to the one you’ve been preparing for but you can still have a positive birth. Below are my 9 tips for a positive induction:
Get Educated
Whether you are being induced or not I always recommend attending a comprehensive, hypo-based childbirth education course. A good course will cover the mechanics of birth, how to utilise your mindset and equip you with practical tools to create a positive birth, no matter how it unfolds. There are many courses that you can take and the ‘right’ one will be one that resonates with you, I love and teach the Hypnobirthing Australia™ course and you can see more about it HERE.
Understand and Choose This Path
In my experience, it is important that the woman or couple choose an induction rather than feeling that it is something that they ‘have to do’ or are unsure of.
Be informed - understand why is an induction being recommended to you, make sure you are happy with the course of action and are clear on the process, how long it can take and your options at every stage.
As a doula and educator I teach using the BRAIN acronym to assess your options for anything related to pregnancy and birth - and induction is no exception. BRAIN means to ask:
BENEFITS - what are the benefits of what you’re suggesting. I reality they will usually have already told you why they are recommending a course of action
RISKS - what are the risks involved
ALTERNATIVES - are there any alternatives available to us
INTUITION - how do I feel about what is being proposed
NOTHING - what if we do nothing, or nothing right now
You can use this framework not only to assess whether you want to proceed with an induction at all but also to assess any recommendation made to you during your induction.
Be Well Supported
Support makes a huge difference in any birth. Have a doula or someone who can be with you that understands the process and can help optimise whatever path your birth takes. You might also have to make decisions that you hadn’t prepared for and a doula can help facilitate discussions with your medical team, make sure that you understand any recommendations and support you in your decisions.
Stay Distracted and Rest
Inductions are usually a long process and it’s common for not much to happen in the early stages. To help keep your spirits up and help make it not feel like such a long process I recommend setting your expectations and bringing some distractions along. Things to read, things to watch, games to play and check what walks you can take (a change of scene can really help!).
Alongside distractions, it is important to rest while you can. Inductions can be an escalating and rigorous process and being rested when you get to the active part of your labour will make it more manageable.
Breathe and Stay Relaxed
The more you can relax, the more efficiently your body will work. Practice breathing, mindfulness and relaxation techniques such as body scans during your pregnancy so that they are second nature on the day. Allow your body to open and send breath down to your baby - your breath is your baby’s breath, your relaxation is your baby’s relaxation.
Work With Your Hormones
Often an induction involves a synthetic hormone drip to stimulate and maintain effective contractions. But you can create an environment and use techniques to build your own oxytocin levels on the day - the more natural oxytocin you have in your system, the less the medical team will need to use the drip. The synthetic hormone is not metabolised as well by your system so the less that is needed the better.
Don’t watch the monitor! I often refer to oxytocin as a shy hormone, it doesn’t like light, noise, eye contact, higher brain activity (planning and analysing) and stress. If you are being continuously monitored then keep the noise on the monitor turned off and maybe even cover the display. Thinking about progress, contractions and trying to interpret the display are all things that may interfere with your oxytocin production.
Maximise your endorphins. Endorphins are not produced as effectively in an induced labour versus a physiological labour. But you can stimulate their production in other ways. Using a TENS machine, partner touch (massage and acupressure), some essential oils, listening to music etc can all help your body stimulate it’s own pain relief.
Comfort Measures
Start practicing comfort measures in pregnancy so that you’re not figuring things out on the day. How do you effectively use a birthing ball, what positions feel good to your body, how can your partner coach you, choose a visualisation and give it lots of detail, know your breathing exercises, how to apply your TENS machine - there’s plenty to get started with. On the day start using these techniques before you really ‘need them’. An induction only builds in intensity so work out what is working for you early on and do more of it.
Know What You Want
In Hypnobirthing Australia™ we recommend always keeping your goal in mind. Remember what your goal is and why you’re having this induction, but remain flexible and make the most of whatever situation you’re in during the process. Keeping these in mind will help when making your decisions and will keep you moving towards your goal.
Seek Out Positive Induction Stories and Videos
As humans we learn through stories and seeking out the experiences of others who have had positive inductions will serve to inspire you and give you the confidence to know that the things you want are possible.
I hope you’ve found this blog useful, if you are planning to have an induction then I wish you all the best for a beautiful birth, and if you’d like more information about my hypnobirthing classes or doula support then I’d love to hear from you (contact me HERE)