To feel like my body is letting me down.............

[BeanandGone]

I've nc for this as i don't want to be identified by anyone i might know.....

40 + 10 days pregnant today, I have had Braxton Hicks for about 4 weeks, lost mucus plug on Thursday following a sweep and lots and lots of twinges and on off feelings as if i'm starting labour.

Then nothing. Having spent about 20 years being a victim of my bastard hormones appear to be in some kind of hormonal fucking wasteland and can't seem to muster what i need to give birth.

DH suggested yesterday that because i have spent so much time on MN I have possibly slightly fried our baby with laptop rays.....

I had a tiny bit of watery discharge in underwear last night, I'm shitting myself about getting induced, I'm convinced it won't work and i'll need a c-section.

I've been couped up in this house for weeks

We had a lovely home birth planned. I really don't want to go to hospital and as lovely as the midwives are, don't want to have smiling ladies saying 'bless you' or have to deal with bounty women or give birth lying down with a fucking drip in my arm.

Bastards....................

[ItsAllOverTheFrontPage]

Brilliant. It will be tonight. Wine then sleep.

[scoobydooagain]

Don't stress about an induction - I had one at 40 +13, baby born 2 hrs later, no drips, stiches, practically no midwife, being induced doesn't have to mean no control.

[jeanmiguelfangio]

I had an Induction and was so worried about being strapped to a bed, drips and stuff. Well one of my waters broke, I had the pessary and 3hrs later the water broke and baby by the next morning. On a birthing stool. No drips and not attached to a bed- I do remember bawling when they told me I had to be attached to a monitor-altho to be honest I never n

[jeanmiguelfangio]

Noticed- blasted phone

You will be fine, so looking forward to your update on your healthy baby. Sounds like you are in early labour to me.

[BeanandGone]

Thank you. I really hope so. Is good to hear some positive induction stories. Doesn't matter though, whatever way baby's got to come out. Sometime before it hits puberty hopefully.

I'm excited. Making dinner. Vino at the ready.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

I think you can ask for intermittent monitoring as long as everything else is ok with an induction. So you can still move around

The midwives can get a bit peeved as its easier to have you strapped to a bed being continuously monitored but worth asking

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

I don't think it will come to that though

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

Yes - just checked the NICE guidelines. One induction has started, there should be a period of continuous monitoring to check all ok then intermittent is recommended as fine as long as no probs arise

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

I had a homebirth booked, bloody DS2 thought otherwise, I refused induction at 14dod, then gave up waiting at 15dod and had a pessary. Pessary fell out aftr about 4 hours (I have a prolapse from DS1) but they couldnt give me another til 24 hours after first one, so sat around in hospital waiting...

Then he decided he fancied coming out anyway, proper contractions started about 2am, had ARM at 3am, he was born at 5.30am, 16 days over. And the labour was fine, midwife sat outside door with a cuppa and a magazine and said to call her if I needed her

So induction really can be fine. Not that it will come to that, you'll have a snuggly newborn by the end of the day

[mineofuselessinformation]

Beanandgone, I laughed out loud at the pillow over the bump thing! At least he did his duty.......

[Almostfifty]

My mucous plug came out two days before my contractions started. I bet you're in labour very soon.

Good luck.

[Clobbered]

It sounds as though labour is very imminent for you. If you do end up being induced, it probably won't take very much to tip you in to proper labour. I was induced at 40+9 with DC3 - pessary at 4.30pm, baby out less than 8 hours later..

[maddening]

hope tonights the night op!

[BeanandGone]

I was having Strong Braxton Hicks every five to ten mins last night and lots of shooting stabby pains and waves of hormones and things. I had my wine which was very nice then woke up this morning with nothing.

I think i'm going to mow the lawn, i guess it'll be induction tomorrow. I'm going to only go with the pessary. beyond I hope i have an experience like you.

I am old and hormonally badly equipped. Lovely glass of wine though :)

Bastard body.

[WandaDoff]

This is the latent phase of labour, I've had this 2 out of 3 times.

I have niggly pains & am a hormonal monster for a few days, then when my labour actually starts, it is very quick, (3 & a bit hrs & an hour & a half). My waters only broke naturally once.

I hope you've had it by now.

But if not here's some more & I reckon 5.22am tomorrow & a girl.

[bababababoom]

You don't have to be induced. Do the reaearch for yourself and make your decision. You can opt to be monitored to make sure baby's happy in there and that the placenta's still working.

I had a Home Birth at 40+14. They do advise hospital after 40+10, but look at the risks for yourself and see how they apply to your situation.

[ThenAgain]

I went to 43 weeks with xpectant management, I had an elective (ha, not very) CS as I couldn't stand the pressure anymore from the consultants. DS was healthy and my placenta was in good shape. So, you can wait longer, your body might just not be quite ready yet. Hugs, it's hard.

[ThenAgain]

Oh, and CS as didn't want induction after prior CS. If there's a next time I'll be aiming for a home birth again, even if it's at 43 weeks + 1 day :)

[maddening]

Hope op is snuggling her baby!

[BangOn]

I think you've hit on something - sounds like there's a huge part of you which is worrying about how you're going to cope as a new mum & you suspect your body has 'shut down' as a result. I know the last thing you want is another person telling you to relax. I'm a fan of Ina May Gaskin (i know she's not universally loved on Mnet) & i wonder if you've read any of the things she has to say about the mind-body connection in.childbirth & acknowledging your fears & sharing them (with someone in RL, i.e dp) in order to get to a point where you feel those things are acknowledged & you can let go, & give yourself up to the physiological process which takes over? Just a thought.

[Seaweedy]

Bean, good luck to you. I know what you mean about feeling your body is letting you down. I was almost 40 and had a great pregnancy, but then he just wouldn't come out, despite me doing everything right. I refused induction, but as my Bishop score was still pitiful at 40+14, I ended up having an ELCS, on the advice that it looked very likely an induction would fail, despite all plans for a lovely water birth in an MLU. It was a lovely experience though, and he was perfect. My body did an excellent job.

More than likely, you will give birth through the usual channels, but don't beat yourself up. Your body has already done something astonishing, a d when you meet your baby you will feel like a goddess!

[needasilverlining]

I have two fabulous boys. Have never managed to go into labour and now never will. Six years ago I posted this exact thread, and then updated it with the story of my lovely, relaxed, pain free induction. Honestly.

It will be ok, I promise. And once they're here, how they get here doesn't matter a damn. This isn't Mother Nature subtly indicating y that you're not cut out for parenting.

GOOD LUCK. And take reading material. Literally only complaint about induction is it's bloody boring (and take any drug offered. If nowt else it passes the time...).