induction timeline--DH stay in evening or go home?

[Anonymous]

So I'm 38 weeks now and doctor said that we'll induce at 39w4d (next Thurs eve) if I don't deliver before then. I may go into labor on my own (had weak cervix/delivered at 35 weeks for #1/cerclage removed at 37 weeks) but who knows?

It seems like most inductions are you go in the night before, they stick in the stuff that makes your cervix open, then in the morning they assess you, possibly do pitocin or whatever. We're delivering at INOVA Fairfax.

My question is, is it pretty likely that DH could drop me off Thurs and come back in the morning (so he can stay with DC1), or should I have him stay with me (and sleep on the couch) in case things go quicker on Thurs evening? (I don't know what would happen, but it seems like sometimes things happen)

[Anonymous]

I would try to get someone come stay with DC1 for two reasons - first if it starts moving very quickly at 2am and you have to call DH to come back to the hospital, who will take over? and different hospitals have different COVID protocols, so he may have to be tested and wait a certain period of time before he's allowed in L&D with you.

[Anonymous]

It's pretty likely that nothing will happen until the next morning. You have to evaluate how much you want his support in the early stage, plus the small risk that he could miss something important, versus the benefit of him getting a good night's sleep at home. If it were me I might choose to have him come back in the morning.

[Anonymous]

I'd say it depends on how your cervix looks. If it's thin or dilated 3cms or so already, he should at least be ready to be "on call". If it's closed up tight and hard, I'd send him home for sure.

Also, I think having your DH best as rested as possible benefits you quite a bit in the days after birth. So I sent my DH home to get a full night's sleep while I had my cervadil placed. My cervix was hard and closed though, and I promised to call him if labor started. It did not and I was glad he came back the next morning well rested.

[Anonymous]

To offer an alternative point- I had some complications with the cervical ripening agent over night so it was good that my husband was there. In the end, we had a beautiful baby girl vaginally but it was a scary ride.

[Anonymous]

I am in a similar boat, OP. I was induced with my first, and have one scheduled next Monday with my second. According to my OB office, I am to check in to the hospital on Sunday for the cervical ripener that evening, and they will start pitocin at 7 am on Monday morning. However, my OB said for second (or more) time pregnancies, they often don't need to use the cervical ripener at all. I asked if that meant they would start the pitocin on Sunday night instead, and was told no, that will start Monday morning no matter what. So, DH is staying home Sunday night and will be there for the start of the pitocin on Monday morning.

[Anonymous]

Mine was 5 hours from start of induction to birth!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine was 5 hours from start of induction to birth![/quote


Same here, and I ended up with a scary emergency c-section.

[Anonymous]

I was induced twice and both times it was 4-5 hours from the beginning of the procedure until birth. Personally, I’d have him stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine was 5 hours from start of induction to birth!

It depends what you are counting as the "start" of induction. Placing cervadil is different from breaking your water or starting pitocin. I'd say cervadil alone is not something I'd keep my DH on the couch for. Pitocin or breaking your water, yes.

I had one baby born 19 hours after labor started, but I don't count that labor as starting the 12 hours earlier when I got the cervadil placed. 2nd induction was about 8 hours from start to finish because I didn't need cervadil because I was already 4 cms dilated.

[Anonymous]

My friends husband left her to go change the oil in his car, and went home thinking it would be a while, and he missed the birth of his kid. How far away from the hospital do you live? I think time/distance would be a huge determining factor, how quick can he get there safely?

[Anonymous]

I had some complications and was glad dh was there. A lot of friends delivered in the middle of the night after their inductions started.

Terrible story- a cousin's husband went home to "check on the dogs" after he dropped her off for her induction. And he fell asleep on the couch and missed the entire birth. She was a good sport about it (I would have murdered DH), but there are a lot of jokes about that.