To wake up disappointed I haven't gone into labour

[alicelake]

I'll be 39 weeks on Tuesday. I was a previous section with DD who wouldn't come even when induced. So I would LOVE a natural birth this time round. However if I don't labour natural I'll end up having a section again at 41 weeks. I just don't feel like it's going to happen and have been told by midwives it may not as DD didn't come of her own accord last time. So needless to say I keep waking up disappointed I haven't gone into labour and feeling very down about the fact I may never naturally labour

Have you had a sweep?

Nope, consultant said he wouldn't sweep me until my next appointment and I'll be 40+3

I am with you, 39 weeks today with my 3rd, I have had few contractions for the last 2/3 days which gave me hope at first, but now I feel like I will be pregnant forever!
My 1st was emcs at 40+5
2nd was spontaneous and normal delivery at 39+4
Hopefully the end is near for both of us

That's ridiculous! I had a sweep early, before my due date & it worked. The midwife can often tell when she does it if you seem ready (if your cervix is 'favourable') I'd ask again! I don't see why they won't they normally to anything to avoid EMCS. That's why I was allowed because if I wanted to I'd be eligible for section.

If you are not even 39 weeks yet you could go into natural labour any time in the next fortnight so good chance you will be fine

You have 2 weeks yet, anything could happen. Go for a good walk everyday, it will make you feel better and will help move things along.

Oh I didn't even read it properly you're not over yet. Don't panic then! But still no harm in asking for a sweep. In the mean time, short power walks and lots of rest.

I'm feeling same at the minute. I'm 39+2 and booked in to be induced on Tuesday morning as she has dropped a centile in 3 weeks. It's dc7 and my longest pregnancy has been 39+5, I've never been induced before so would rather her come on her own accord before then but I'm beginning to think she's welded herself shut in there.

I know the feeling well I was 9 days over with dd1 and dd2 was born on her due date. I'm 39+2 with ds1 but feel like I never going to go into labour, my youngest dd has surgery scheduled for two weeks time aswell so ideally need to have had him by then and am trying everything I can think of to get him out but nothing so far except a few twinges

Why can't you have a section at 42 weeks? I've never had a natural birth the advice I've had is to be as active as you can be so if your sitting down sit on a yoga ball and rock slowly and get walking!

It's pretty disheartening! Especially being told by midwives that I probably won't labour myself as I didn't last time. Also feel like I will miss out on a natural labour.

a lot can happen in 2 weeks. Take the advice above and walk every day or bounce on a birthing/pregnancy ball. The last thing you should be doing is stressing about it at 38 weeks. Plenty of time and your body will do whats it's going to do. Both my pregnancies have been 40+6, at 40+5 days I though it was never going to happen and 24 hours later, one squishy baby! Try and have some rescue remedy in a cuppa too, try and not stress (easier said than done I know)

I went over 2 weeks over with ds1 before I was induced. Spontaneous precipitate labour just after my due date with ds2. First birth doesn't necessarily set a precedent!

I was induced with DS 1 after 10 days overdue - ended up with a c section.

DS2 arrived 2 days before his due date and I had a natural birth.

Walk, walk, walk. Anything can happen in the next 2 weeks.

What are the old wives tales....sex, curry, pineapple? Never tried them so don't know.

I remember feeling like this with DS. I was desperate for a home birth and every day that I woke up not in labour was so hard! I second what PickAChew says though. I was 42+1 when induced with DS, but I went into labour with DD after a sweep on my due date.

Any news yet OP? any wiggles?.......... have you eaten the world's hottest curry yet?

None of the ignorant old wives tales work. It is natural labour or induction.

Hopefully all goes well.

OP, I wouldn't be sad about not waking up in labour. For my dd I'd had "twinges" in the afternoon and suspected she was on her way but they went. I settled in for a nice sleep (albeit I went to bed quite late) and woke up two hours later with awful labour pains. That was about 3am and I didn't get to sleep until about 1pm, most uncomfortable way to wake up, ever, especially after not getting a good night of sleep!

You've got time, just try to relax and not stress over it. I know it's a cliche but it will happen however it's meant to happen. I do hope you get the birth you would love though. Fingers crossed for you, and congrats on your (almost here) baby

I'm with you op. 39wks for me tomorrow too. I've had the show, but nothing seems to be happening. I'm spending my evenings on the preggo ball eating pineapples.

I hope you get the birth you desire, but please do not assume that giving birth by CS is the lesser. It's not. I've had two overdue babies (16 and 10 days).

and every best wish to you. x

Can you ring your midwife and ask for a sweep? My consultant wouldn't do one but I rang my midwife and explained how I felt and she did one, I went into labour 24 hours later

I shall think cervix ripening thoughts for you OP! Get on your ball and start bouncing! Remember that the large majority of women start labour before 41 weeks, so there is every reason to suppose you will too.

That said, not everyone who has a vaginal birth feels like it was something they'd not want to miss out on. I've done both and couldn't give less of a fuck about the fact that I've laboured naturally.

Which is not to say you are or would be wrong for feeling differently. Just that birth and labour are such unique things, so even if you have a section again this time, you may not actually have 'missed out' iyswim. The you in a parallel universe that has a VB this time could be wondering what all the fuss was about.

Nothing yet. Not even a show! A lot of BH. Had sex, curry, pineapple, birthing ball, raspberry leaf tea. I'm convinced she won't budge! But still, got another week til d-day. So fingers crossed! Deffo gonna ask my midwife for a sweep, but don't see her til 40+3

Worth ringing and asking to be slotted in?

I have no idea what works or doesn't, as I've started off naturally with mine in a timely manner, but I do recall my midwife telling me that in her experience, it was all rubbish apart from sex. Because of the prostaglandin in sperm. Personally at that point I'd rather have had the pineapple. Maybe Tesco should start doing prostaglandin laced citrus fruits. I'd have bought them!

Maybe try and organise something you'd reeeeeeally like to do, like I don't know, shopping and yummy lunch or getting a takeaway and bingewatching a boxset. Baby's almost guaranteed to arrive at the most inconvenient time, so make one? If she doesn't make an appearance you've done something lovely beforehand so win/win.