How To Prepare For Induction in 7 Easy Steps
For the mama who knows she needs an induction or who likes to be prepared for the “what-ifs” this one’s for you. 😘
Pregnancy and birth are an interesting time of life. You can prepare for the fact that labor will happen and a baby will be born, but you can’t plan for the many different paths labor can take.
But knowledge is power and when you have information you can confidently make decisions and lead your care. Whether you choose to hire an obstetrician or midwife or choose to free birth, taking an active role in your pregnancy is essential to a pregnancy and birth that are empowering and life-changing.
Rather than falling victim to circumstances, take responsibility and understand that you are in charge and whomever you hire, is there as a guide and support. So, if you need an induction and you fully understand the risks vs. benefits of induction, let’s gather the supplies you need to have a peaceful and powerful induction of labor.
Alrighty, grab your notepad, and let’s dive in!
Labor Induction Review
Labor induction is a process of starting labor in a mother who is due to have her baby. Research agrees that induction of labor should only be used when medically necessary though, many women are being induced for many different reasons.
Mothers who have uncontrolled diabetes, preeclampsia, or infection in pregnancy, just to name a few, might be safer delivering their baby before natural labor kicks in. However, the chance of a big baby or a missed due date is not an evidence-based reason for induction.
Therefore, before you agree to an induction, understand that risks are involved to both mother and baby. Induction should always be seen as a major intervention and should be used when absolutely necessary for the health and safety of the mother and baby.
If you’d like to learn more about induction you can check out my other articles, Medical Induction of Labor 101 and 7 Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before Saying Yes to a Labor Induction. These two are a great place to start to educate yourself about induction and ensure that you fully understand the possible risks of induction.
7 Steps to Keep In Mind When Preparing for a Labor Induction
Even though you can’t plan a perfect induction, there are steps you can take to have a smooth process. You don’t know how your body or baby will respond to the process but if you educate yourself and bring some things to help you stay calm, you will be able to control what you can and let go of what you can’t.
Ask Questions
I’d argue that this is the most important step. I wrote a whole blog about it 😅. But really, the best chance you have for a positive experience is asking the who, what, when, how, and why of induction.
Who will be part of my team? What is your plan and what are the risks with each intervention? When does the induction have to start and can it wait? How will you induce? Why do I need to be induced and what is the evidence that supports that reason?
You are not a burden to your doctor for asking questions. He is there as a guide and expert and went into the profession to educate you. So ask questions until you fully understand and aren’t just given a “grumble grumble medical jargon” response.
2. Pack Your Comfort Measure
Feeling safe and comfortable is essential to encouraging your hormones to work efficiently. We don’t know exactly what starts labor but the hormones oxytocin and dopamine play a key role and only flow in a calm and peaceful environment.
So, bring what makes you feel safe!
Icons – Don’t be afraid to bring along Our Holy Mother or the icon of St. Olga the midwife. They will intercede for you when you don’t know how to ask the Lord for mercy.
Aromatherapy – Unfortunately you can’t burn incense in a hospital but perhaps you can bring essential oils that smell similar to church. Rose, frankincense, or lavender can all calm your senses and ground you.
*Pro Tip* Dab the oils on a cotton ball and keep it close to your nose. That way when the smell is no longer comforting, you can throw it away. As opposed to a diffuser that might not be allowed in the hospital or leaves too much of a scent for you.
Music – With your icons present and essential oils, the music of the church might bring you comfort. Or any music that calms you, can do so much to encourage an efficient labor.
Prayer books – While you might not be able to read the prayers, it might be a great task to give to your husband since he ultimately can’t help you give birth but can support you with prayer.
Eye mask & ear plugs –These are great tools for helping you tune out the medical setup of your room and while the nurses or doctor need to be in and out, you can have a dark and quiet spot. Don’t be afraid to ask your nurse to turn off the beeping of any monitors in your room. The more you can tune out distractions the better your body and brain can focus on what’s important
Hospital set-up – Before you go in for your induction ask for a tour of where you’ll be. Do they have a tub, a shower, or a birth ball? Do they have cordless monitoring and portable IV towers? Can you move the bed around and make the space look more like home than a sterile space?
All of these comfort measures matter. The more you can relax the better your body will work. So don’t be afraid to pack these essentials. If you don’t end up needing them, that's fine! But you don’t want to wish you had them when they're out of reach.
3. Bring Entertainment
You might not think you’ll need entertainment in labor but inductions can be a long process. They can also be quick but that’s not usually the case, so plan for long and be pleasantly surprised if you don’t need them.
Savor the quiet time before the contractions take focus and enjoy a book or show you’ve been wanting to catch up on. My husband and I played 5 Crowns during the early parts of my induction and it was fun! And if you’re a crafty person, bring along your crocheting or knitting. I knit a sweater through my son's early labor at home and it was a great distraction.
4. Pack Snacks
Speaking of sustenance, bring the snacks. It’s barbaric that some hospitals limit moms to ice chips while in labor. Would you ask a marathoner to not stop for water and snacks?! No.
Trust me, I understand the possibility of surgery in induction but in early labor when you need energy eat the darn Lara bar. I’m not saying eat a cheeseburger, chances are that won’t sound good, but you need nutrition for your muscles to keep working and push a baby out.
Snacks like:
Dried fruit
Lemon & honey water
Nuts
Homemade lara bars
These snacks are light but nutritious and can pack a punch of energy when you need it.
5. Create a Pain Management Plan
Full transparency — induction labor pains are much more painful and intense than natural labor pains. This is because pitocin, which is used in induction, cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and trigger the natural hormones that help you handle natural contraction pain.
Are you strong enough to make it through? 1000%. Does it take a strong mental game and pain management plan? Yes, you would be wise to have one.
It’s going to depend on your hospital setup for what you have access to but generally, you have these options available:
Water – Either a shower or tub can help you relax and greatly reduce the intensity of contractions.
Heat – A heating pad or warm compress can help you with back labor or be applied to your perineum.
Position changes – There are many different ways to encourage your baby to descend. Ideally, you will be able to make these changes as your natural inclination tells you to. But if you need help or ideas ask your nurse. A peanut ball is beneficial for supporting position changes with an epidural.
Pharmaceutical – Of course, there is always IV medication or an epidural if you choose them. Just be aware that these both invite more interventions into your birth and come with risks to both you and your baby.
Your best bet is to ask your hospital what pain management tools they have available so you can create a birth map that has a few different possibilities.
6. Eat A Nutritious Meal
Before you show up for your induction, eat something delicious! You probably should steer clear of anything that might cause an upset stomach, no one wants to be queasy in labor, but eat something hardy. Even if the hospital protocol tells you to eat something light, I’d encourage you to eat protein, whole fat, and a bit of carbs to sustain you. Maybe an eggs Benedict or loaded oatmeal topped with full-fat yogurt, nuts, and maple syrup — I’m a sucker for breakfast foods at all times of day. 🙃
7. Embrace The Process
As much as you can, you want to embrace the process. I’m not advocating for you to entirely hand over the reins of your care, but what I’m encouraging is that you don’t fight what’s in front of you. If you agree to induction, you know why and understand that it is necessary for your specific situation.
Final Thoughts on Preparing For Induction
Keep your thoughts present, and focus on your prayers and breath. The Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me”, is an incredible meditation of the heart that can calm any storm. Hold fast to the mercy of God and trust that He is ever present and fills all things, even labor induction.
Do you have an induction scheduled? How do you plan to keep your peace through it? Let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to share with your other friends!
