Any ideas? I've been having off and on contractions since last Thursday, twice I seriously thought I was starting and then the ctx stopped after being regular for about 2-3 hours. 2 s&s, yesterday the MW said I was 3 cm, cervix ripe and baby fully descended as far as it could. All I need now is to get some proper contractions and get stuck in, all I've got are some small ctx in my belly. I really would like this to be a homebirth but I've only got til tomorrow and I'm not going to put off the induction cos I'm 41+5 and everything hurts...
I know there's no magic fix but I just need my waters to break or some proper ctx...grrr!!

you don;t have to have your induction, you can hold off until 42 weeks and a bit longer if you choose, and have expectant management, sounds like things are going to kick off soon anyway.

try some sex and nipple stim and then relax, have a bath, light some candles and ask your baby to come.

let go all the negative feelings and and just think happy thoughts for a while

easier said than done, but your body is getting there , in its own sweet time

be patient!

PBO - I had this for about 2 days..... Go for a long walk then go swimming (as long as your waters haven't broken)

I agree with lulu - DO NOT have an induction if you dont want it and its not medically necisary.

Another "you don't have to have your induction"

Oh and my last baby arrived at 40+17 with spontaneous labour

To quote Grange Hill and Zammo, "just say no"

you should be able to wait until 42 weeks & still have a homebirth, you certainly can where I am.

I've had one induced labour and two spontaneous and if at all possible I would say hang on a bit longer. Go for a brisk walk with dh, have a lovely dinner and make love and just say to induction - at least till Friday?

I would love a spontaneous but I've got massive pain in my pelvis (ligaments too loose) and have done for the last week - I'm not exaggerating when I say I haven't slept since Tuesday last week. There is no position where my lower back doesn't seize up so I can only sit down for short periods and forget lying down all together...I'm going to struggle getting through yet another night of wandering the house in pain wishing I could sleep so I don't want to spin it out til Friday. My body is almost there but it just won't take the last step it needs to...just had long bath and going to bounce on the ball for a bit. Just tired of the pain I suppose!!

in all fairness, an induced labour is going to mean more time confined to a bed, more monitoring and more intervention.

am really sorry you are in so much pain.

can you get any help to manage it these last few days to get there without the induction?

I agree with lulu - being induced means being in bed and I dont know the odds but I'm almost positive it increases the risk of a C-sec.

sorry to say it but in my exp induction was the worst thing with the sort of loose ligament problems you describe! i was stuck on a bed and tied to a monitor (all pretty much unnecessary!) and even them DD still took her time!

sex, curry, ball bouncing, more sex?, climbing stairs if you can bear it ... or make plans to go somewhere really fancy for dinner tomorrow - baby will almost certainly decide you aren't going out!!!

huge hugs and lots of labour vibes to you

xxx

I'd hang on if I were you. Active labour will probably be a piece of p*ss when it gets going!

at 3cm for a first time you are really far on. Have you got a tens machine, have you tried it for pain relief.

It does sound likely that if you get induced it will only take you one pessary to get going. It is advisable to be monitored for an hour after they have inserted the pessary but after that refuse to have the thing on, make sure you've got a birthing ball to sit on, keep upright etc etc

I had chronic spd didn't really sleep for 3 months with dd3, I share your pain!

hello and good luck! sorry to hear you are in so much pain. i went in for an induction at 42wks and like you was v ripe and 2cm dilated. i was hoping to use the birth centre and that they would try the pessaries before the drip induction. instead what they did (because of being dilated) was theu broke my waters and said if i started contracting and dilating enough i could go to the MW led unit, otherwise it was the birth centre and drip for me.

i know this all sounds hugely unhelpful ...so i'll hurry along to the helpful bit now and tell you what i wish i had been told.

***** i was give two hours and kept in a holding room after waters broken. so much pressure and no sense of relaxing in place i thought i would give birth. if it happened again i would kick up an almighty fuss to be allowed as long as poss and to be moved into a MWLU ****

*** secondly if they do induce and you cant get comfortable lying down remember this the hospital labour beds can all be adapted into a semi-seated position and most have rest that can be brought up at the sides to hold on to. knowing this and insisting the bed was adapted made huge difference to me***

good luck. touch wood you are in spontaneous labour right now!

i know you really dont want to hear this but Orgasm! brought both of mine on the next day! i know its the last thing u feel like but apparently you release some sort of chemical that kicks starts it all off! your body and bubba have to be ready for it too but at 41w you must be more than ready. go do what u need to do!!!!

I agree with CarGirl. I went to 40+15(refused induction at 40+14). Agreed to have my waters broken at 40+15, which was all it needed. They wanted to monitor me constantly but there was just no way - I would have gone mad with restricted movement and wires attached.

So I simply told them I wasn't having it, and that I wanted all the equipment off. They weren't entirely happy about it, but agreed as long as they could manually check the heartbeat every 15 mins. All went very smoothly.

Ultimately it is all your choice about what happens (it goes without saying that you don't want to do anything to put your baby at risk, but if anything like that looks to be happening at all it will be made clear very quickly), and they have to agree to whatever you decide. If you decide to hold on and still have a home birth, they have to attend. If you decide to go into hospital, all choices are yours, however much pressure you are put under. It can be difficult when you are in the middle of it, but it is important to remember that.

Good luck!!

Another "you don't have to be induced".

Your body is doing all the right things!

Go for a walk, do the curry/sex/pineapple/rosehip tea thing and reeeellaaaaaax

(I don't know about the hip pain, warm baths/paracetamol?)

Can I just also say that being induced doesn't mean you'll be strapped to the bed. I have been induced twice and whilst being monitored have been able to move around, stay very mobile and upright on a ball, kneeling, etc. etc.

I'm going to walk the stairs all night long I think, until my legs drop off or the baby gets itself in gear. I don't want to be induced but I do have to sleep, I was actually hallucinating last night at about 2am from lack of sleep - not a pleasant experience
Relaxing sounds fab but I can only sit down for about 15 mins at a time so it's tricky. The best place is in the bath so maybe I'll get dh to drag the tv in there and watch films all night
argh!! seriously, if sleep was on the agenda I'd have no worries waiting another couple of days!!
If I do get something started tonight I'll let you all know (or maybe I'll get them to burst my waters tomorrow and then leg it back home)

Personally I wouldn't let them break my waters, I would go for the pessaries first as once your waters break it can get much more intense very quickly. I remember when they wanted me to lay back to hear baby whilst in a long drawn out labout and I refused because it was too excrutiating so I just refused! Also I recommend giving birth on all fours to protect your ligaments, do not do the on your back thing even if they ask.

I've got osteoarthritis in my back so that is the one thing they are NOT going to make me do unless it's an emergency. I really want a water birth but I suppose if I'm induced that's out of the question...?

Should have mentioned that this was my third, so they didn't want to give me a pessary as they were worried it would be too quick.
I agreed to my waters being broken because of alleged decelerations in the heartbeat whilst being monitored (in hindsight I think it was just the baby moving, but still...). Otherwise I would have gone a few more days before agreeing to anything.

They can monitor the heartbeat whatever position you are in so no need to be on your back (what a horrible thought)!

pbo - baths can slow things down (not necessarily but water always did with me). Sorry...

Once they have started with anything though, they won't let you go easily (don't know what would happen if you just got up and walked out, I don't think they could physically stop you )

pbo Once they have broken your waters you're in a countdown to a c/section. You might not get one, but the pressure to 'perform' to a clock can be self-fulfilling.

Once you get going, I'd expect it to be very quick, and I second the orgasm comment!

Be wary of using water in the early stages. It can slow things.

Going upstairs sideways is best!