40 + 9 weeks pregnant. Looking for positive stories!

[Kfairy20]

I'm now 40 + 9 weeks pregnant with not a sign baby is coming and feeling really down now. I've had two sweeps with another tomorrow. At my second sweep I was told I was 1cm dilated and cervix was still posterior. I've got an induction booked Monday when I'm 14 days overdue and I'm a little apprehensive about it. Looking for some positive birth stories to keep me going! Whether you had a positive induction or you went into labour before induction!

My first born was born spontaneously 4 hours before her scheduled induction. I had a massive meltdown at my then DH before we went to bed, who firmly told me that although I didn't want to be induced it was happening and I should just relax as I can't stop it. Woke up a couple of hours later to my waters breaking I'd had 2 sweeps, buckets of raspberry leaf tea, endless walks.
My fourth child was born via induction and although the process is a lot longer, the end result was the same for me with regard to pain level, birth, standard of care etc.
As hard as it is to relax, try. Have a lovely long shower, slather yourself in nice moisturiser, pop a pad in in case of waters going and go on a long walk.
Good luck and hope it goes well.

Oh and I was also dilated 1-2 cm for two weeks It's disheartening the first time you hear it as I thought labour started at dilation. You may be further along tomorrow at your sweep.

I gave birth spontaneously at 40+10 you have to remember the dates are not exact and your time might yet come. Relax if you can the wait can be torture, bounce on your ball if you have one, try a few deep squats they got me going.

I felt exactly the same 12 weeks ago. I was booked in for induction at 40+12 and was convinced that was going to be the only way to get baby out as I had no symptoms whatsoever. I ended up having my DD at 40+11. It was all very quick! Good luck

My first was 10 days late, though I went into labour at 9 days. He really didn't want to come out! Dates aren't 100%. Best of luck.

Dc2 I had one sweep at 6 days over and was like you 1cm dilated had a second sweep at 10 days over and was 2cm dilated I had dc2 at 1:46 in the morning at 11 days overdue by far my easiest and fastest labour only taking 12 hours as opposed to dc1 taking 23 1/2 and dc3 taking 43hours.

I was booked to be induced at 40+12 with DC2. I had a sweep at 40+8 which was all bad news - cervix 1cm, posterior cervix, baby barely engaged etc. Told to bounce on gym ball and climb sideways up the stairs, basically every waking hour, to help get baby ready. I had another sweep at 40+10 and everything had changed - I was basically ready to go, so much so that the midwife said I would skip the induction pessaries and go straight to waters being broken (I planned a epidural from the get go so this was a good thing for me).

After this sweep I power-walked to town and had a really spicy nandos but unfortunately nothing happened - until the next afternoon when my waters broke with a painless contraction. I went to hospital and was eventually epiduraled and hooked up to the drip (at my request, I could have waited).

I was in exactly the same position, including with sweeps and 1cm dilation! I had been having mild contractions for a few days, I went in at around 10am when I was 40+10 for induction, it took so long to get all the readings they needed/busy ward that by the time I was actually examined at about 3pm I was told that I didn’t need an induction and baby was coming.

It was weird because I’d had my heart set on the midwife led unit (which is where I eventually had my little boy with just gas and air) but because being induced would have meant me staying on the delivery ward I had decided on an epidural so I was relieved at the thought of having that as pain relief - and then obviously that didn’t happen!

With my first I was due an induction at 40 + 3 wks (big baby) I was checked at 39 (wks) and was 1 cm dilated, was told by my consultant that I probably wouldn’t reach my due date. Got to my due date still no sign of labour so I had a pedicure. Spontaneously went into labour a couple of hrs later, and DS was born 9hrs after that!! Afterwards someone told me there are pressure points in our feet that can stimulate labour - don’t know how true that is but something happened with me so go and have a pedicure.
Good luck 🍀🍀

Induced with first at 40+12, Pessary only. Once labour got started it was only about 6 hours and i was able to manage with a tens machine and some gas when pushing.
My body just needed the kick start.

I was induced with my second at 40 +12. My first baby was born very quickly (just under 5 hours) with no time for pain relief. I tried everything to get things going myself, but ended up being induced and it was fine. My waters were broken first, found I was already 3cm, I then walked around for a bit and my contractions started a bit, I was then told that I was 4-5cm, this was about 2 hours after having my waters broke. I was put on a drip and given an epidural at the same time. All fine, this was about 1pm in the afternoon and my DS2 was born at 3.45 in the afternoon. contractions weren't that regular (one every 5 mins) but I still diaated quite quickly. His heart rate went slightly funny, so they decided to do a ventouse, but I was fully dilated. One midwife told me that she thought I had subconsciously made my body hold off labour until I could get an epidural, cause it had been so fast and furious first time round and I was scared.. Despite being induced and having a ventouse delivery, I remember my second (last) labour far more positively. Good luck.

I was induced with the drip and breaking my waters at 40+16 after the pessaries did naff all.

Induced at 9am and gave birth at 1am. Ended up with forceps and an episiotomy which I begged them to try as I didn’t want a C section.

Doesn’t sound like a positive story but honestly it was grand. I was looked after very well, everyone was so calm even though I learned afterwards they’d pressed the emergency button and hoicked me down to theatre pretty quick.

It really can come on from nowhere. I've only had one spontaneous labour at 40+9. At 40+8 I was moaning to my mum because I didn't want to go in for observations the next day but I didn't feel like anything would happen in the meantime. About 12 hours later at 4am I awoke to contractions and baby was in my arms by 11am!

I've also had two inductions which in themselves weren't bad but my babies were in bad positions which made labour more difficult. Both were done and dusted within 12 hours though (one at 39 weeks and one at 42 weeks).

Good luck. Positive vibes!

Thank you everyone! It's really great to hear everyone's positive stories! Certainly giving me a lift to keep going!! Hopefully baby will decide to come by herself before Monday but if not I'll just go with the induction and be as positive as I can about it!!

With DS1 I got to 40+13. I was due to go for induction at 9am on the Friday morning but went into labour naturally on the Thursday evening, and DS was born at 5.25am on Friday. All easy and straight forwards, and we were home just after lunch.

Good luck