ZenMuma founder Jackie Heffer-Cooke, senior hypnobirthing teacher & trainer and experienced birth coach, has helped hundreds of women prepare for inductions. Here she shares wisdom and advice for you to.

How can I prepare for an induction?

The reason you are asking this question is probably because you have been advised to have an induction and you are certainly not alone. Induction rates have risen fairly dramatically in the last ten years with my personal local area rate being around 30-35% every month. That’s a lot of women.

If you ask an obstetrician why the induction rates are so high they will say they are minimising risk of stillborn. Now of course we all want and need that, but 35% of women? That does seem a little unnecessary.

Of course you should always listen to medical advice and hopefully that advice is being presented in a way that has a calm use of language and is backed up by real evidence. But so often women are being induced because they are ‘too old’, or their baby is ‘too big’ or ‘too small’ or they are ‘overdue’. The most alarming is when women are being told their babies are unsafe because they are ‘overdue’ when actually they are not past the 42 week mark, or their baby is ‘too big’ or ‘too small’, when we all know the accuracy of scannning is in reality very questionable.

It is difficult when presented with the fear of losing a baby, I am not saying it is not, but 35% of people are not, in reality, at risk. So it does all seem to have got a little ‘out of hand’.

Most women, when presented with the situation, will plump for the induction, after all now the words are ‘out in the room’ it is very difficult to take them away. So how are women next prepared for this necessary induction? Is there an induction ward for all these women? Special attention? Help? Support?

The findings seem to reveal not. And this is what makes us at ZenMuma sad. 

This morning I had a consultation with a lovely HypnoBirthing client. She had been told by an obstetrician that her baby was too big at 38 weeks (7lb 10oz - doesn’t really seem that big?) and had been told to “prepare for her induction on friday”, but she doesn’t know what that means. So she booked an appointment with me.

So, how to prepare for an induction

First of all when you get home dim the lights, put some relaxation music on and use some natural induction methods to help. Oxytocin is the birth hormone, and it is also the love, or nurture hormone, so the more someone can look after you, and you can look after yourself, the better. We know that stress hormones chemically block out the birth and pain relief hormones of oxytocin, endorphins, so take a deep breath, accept, and do all you can to tune into meeting your baby.

There is some truth in hot curries, walking for gravities assistance, and a lot of truth in massage, deep relaxation, calming music, dimmed lights, aromatherapy and positive expectancy as these all promote oxytocin. If your body is ready to birth you are gently encouraging it. If you would like to listen to some positive meditations specifically for labour you can find some we recommend here MP3's for positive birth .

If nothing happens don’t despair, it will mean your body isn’t really ready yet, perhaps it will be soon. Stay open, focused and ready.

Arrival at the hospital

When you arrive at the hospital you will probably go to a ward. This is not usually a labour ward but often a gynecology ward, so be prepared for long waits inbetween visits as often those being induced can be a little ‘overlooked’ when the labour ward gets busy.

So, take a bag of things to do, treat it as a mini break! Take beautiful playlists, books you’ve been meaning to read, even box sets, but make sure they are positive and uplifting, remember we do not need stress hormones right now, they will only combat the oxytocin and we don’t want that.

Usually the procedure starts with a pessary containing the active ingredient dinoprostone, which is also known as prostaglandin. Once inserted into the vagina the pessary will stay there for 24 hours slowly releasing the dinoprostone to hopefully ‘ripen’ your cervix. Sometimes this works. If your body is naturally ‘ready to go’ then this can provide just the nudge it needs. So, again, stay open and ready. Practise some positive visualisations, some self-massage, your birthing breathwork, stay calm, open and patient. If you would like some help with these techniques then go to our ZenMuma Birth Centre and download either a hypnobirthing audio book, some positive birth MP3’s, the Birthing Tool Kit antenatal education video, the ebook or the full SIMPLE Hypnobirthing course.

The pessary may work and you can go on to have a normal birth. If your body isn’t ready to birth it is likely they will try another pessary, and if this still fails then they may use the oxytocin drip. By now it’s possible you may have been at the hospital for a day or two.

The oxytocin drip is manmade oxytocin, not of course natural, so the issue here is that unlike your ‘natural body’ they are guessing as to how much your individual body needs, so they may give too much, or not enough. If they don’t give enough labour may be lengthy, if they give too much it may be painful. Again, sink into your birth breath, move your body in active birth, tune into your positive mantras, use relaxation music, massage, do all you can to stay focused and in tune, to increase your own natural levels of oxytocin and your natural painkiller endorphin as much as you can. Of course hypnobirthing is great as pain-relief so if you have been practising hypnobirthing now is the time to really sink into your practise and use it. If you would like to learn more about our SIMPLE hypnobirthing courses you can learn more here for personal zoom sessions or online classes, and you can download videos here.

Sometimes the body will totally take over, the drip will be reduced, and you will go on to have a normal, natural, empowered birth. Sometimes it won’t and the labour will become longer and more painful as the drip levels are increased. In this situation do feel free to take medical pain killing interventions of choice - an induction is not a normal birth, they can be tough, challenging, and sometimes just all too much. You are NOT a failure if you choose medical pain relief under an induction. You ARE a hero for doing your best fullstop.

Preparation is always the best idea

So, the moral of the story. Please don’t choose an induction because you think it’s an easy option, it’s not. Don’t just walk into an induction because it’s an option you have been given, research it, process it and when it comes to it prepare for it.

Preparation for birth is ALWAYS the best option, the more you know what to expect and the more you know how to use the incredibleness of your body, your breath, your natural painkilling hormones the better.

Know that whatever your birth story you have millions of women around you, within the history of you, alongside you, holding your hand every step of the way. And of course us team of ZenMumas to share wisdom and advice should you like it.

Of course our team of experts are very happy to see you for an induction preparation on a zoom consultation if you need it, just email here - hello@zenmuma.co.uk - but more, we ZenMumas hope that one day medicine recognises the importance of leading women towards kinder births, and makes preparation a priority for all. 

One day.