Overdue and stressing!

[CalE]

Hi! Can anyone out there offer some reassurance to a stressed-out first timer? I'm four days overdue according to my scan date, though my LMP-based date isn't until the 28th.

I've been psyching myself up for the birth for ages and now that the 'medical' due date has come and gone I'm getting quite agitated about the whole thing. I'm particularly keen to know if anyone out there had two dates a week or so apart and which one turned out to be accurate. I've been booked in for an induction on 2nd August but am terrified of that as have read so many negative things about induction.

The midwife visited a couple if days ago and attempted a membrane sweep, but my cervix was too posterior to perform it. I found that experience pretty unconcomfortable and is caused a bit of brown discharge - I assume that's normal?

Help!

[Thankyouandgoodnight]

Oh it's all awful not knowing isn't it?

This time I had 2 due dates - my 'medical one' (yesterday!) being 6 days after my LMP one. I am possibly in early stages of labour now.

For first baby, my LMP said the 12th and the medical one said the 9th and baby arrived on the 21st (12 days overdue by my medical one).

Don't worry about your cervix - that can change in a matter of hours anyway. Is there a head midwife that you can chat to about whether or not induction is really necessary and to come up with a plan specific to your case?

[mamadiva]

Oh the joys of waiting! As if 9 months isn't long anough LOL.

Don't worry it'll happen when you least expect it TRUST ME! I was 6 days overdue and shopping for some last minute baby grows and toys in Mackays when waters borke! Thought I'd peed myself

I had a membrane sweep the day before and I think I had discharge too, was very uncomfortable.

OOh TYAGN- Congrats on the labour how fun that must be for you. LOL

[CalE]

Thank you! It's really nice to be able to get some feedback from people who've had similar experiences. Up until this week I had been meeting up with friends quite regularly, but everyone keeps saying 'it'll be fine' and it's quite frankly doing my head in as they can't possibly know that! And I think I'll scream if one more person texts me to ask if there's any news - I mean, do they think I've had it and am just keeping it all very hush hush?!!

I might have a chat with the midwife as TYAGN suggests, I'm supposed to be seeing her (or rather, one of the many midwives I've seen as there appears to be no continuity) next Tuesday.

[Eddas]

many many sympathies from me. I've been where you are with both my dc. ANd it doesn't help having been thorugh it before, mind you with my 2nd I had my entire mn postnatal group winding me up because I hadn't yet had the baby

DD was born at 40 + 14
DS was born at 40 + 11

Some people just cook them for a bit longer!

The endless 'have you had it yet' is so so annoying.

FWIW I refused a sweep with dd, didn't like the sound of it. But had one with ds and it did nothing. Many people on here say that a sweep has no effect if you aren't ready to go into labour.

I really really started to believe that maybe I just didn't go into labour by myself once i'd reached my enduction date with ds. Luckily for me the hospital was too busy for me that day so I got sent away. Then went into labour by myself and was very very happy.

You can refuse to be induced. If I ever have another child, very doubtful, but I would refuse. I was with dd and that was the only thing I didn't want 2nd time round. Many people are induced and it's fine though.

My fingers are well and treuly crossed that labour happensfor you asap. Good luck

[Sunflower100]

Hi - its horrible waiting isn't it. I was 15 days overdue before I was induced. I also had a membrane sweep which didn't work and was very painful. Also had 2 dates and to this day don't know which was right. I really didn't want to be induced as I had heard so many negative stories about it.
But the induction went well and I had a truly positive birth experience, fairly short, needing no pain relief and no stitches and dd was relaxed and fine throughout.
Since having dd I have met others who have had good birth experiences even though they were induced.

[EEC]

That's so nice to hear sunflower. I am booked in for induction on Saturday - still hoping to go naturally, but losing faith rapidly. Like you, CalE, have read so much negative stuff about induction and am pretty scared.

I had a membrane sweep yesterday - I didn't think it was too bad - a bit uncomfy but bearable. It did set off several hours of contractions, but they fizzled out and nothing for the last 24 hours, so I guess it didn't work. I have had brownish discharge. It is perfectly normal. Doesn't mean anything.

[CalE]

Thanks sunflower, I was beginning to think I wouldn't read anything decent about induction either!! Good luck to you EEC, hope it does happen for you soon, but if not will keep fingers crossed that you have a sunflower experience!

[takingitasitcomes]

Hang in there CalE - no-one stays pregnant forever. I was 42 weeks and went into labour naturally and everything was fine. The whole '40 weeks' thing is only ever an estimate of the average length of pregnancy, and as Eddas said earlier, some people do just cook them for longer.

I got horridly worried while waiting because all sorts of unhelpful older women kept raising their eyebrows and telling me that the placenta would be degrading/the baby getting too big etc. But, like you, I really don't like the thought of induction, so I hung on in there. I got my midwife to agree to let me go to 43 weeks before inducing unless she or a doctor could explain why it was medically necessary to induce in my case. Oddly enough, they couldn't come up with any good reasons, and I am glad because my son came naturally and was not 'overcooked' or in any way damaged by being a wee bit late.

Good luck - I really hope you don't have too long to wait now.

[cityangel]

Hi CalE, I only have one EDD but am also an overdue first timer worrying about the innevitable induction conversations. I hope things work out for you I'll be thinking of you