To ask you to help GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME!

[PoorReg]

3cm dilated now for over a week, had 3 sweeps, midwife said she could have broken my waters there and then if allowed, baby in perfect position, having contractions but not regular, had show, lost plug ages ago, can't bloody sleep, my hips feel like jelly inside me, and just plain miserable.

I'm now waiting on a call to be induced and have my waters manually broken, I won't need pessaries apparently. Call to come within the next few days I've been told.

So help me.... What did you do to shift a stubborn baby along? I've been told to exercise, walk etc... But weather is shit here so I'm hoping there's some other things I can do at home.

Did anything work for you? I am so miserable!

I will do anything. If you tell me sticking out your tongue and rubbing your head worked, I will try it. Anything.

(Ps I know a lot of it is old wives tales and nothing is guaranteed but if you did try something and felt it made a difference just tell me so I can do it... Please... I beg).

Good luck.

My top tip is to assemble some flat pack furniture, both times I went into labour a few hours later. Probably not much help given that it’s 11pm in lockdown and Ikea is shut. You could crawl about and do some light lifting I suppose.

You need to relax. After each of my 4 babies the day I properly relaxed my waters broke.and babies all born 7 hours later. I was lucky though.i knew when I would go into labour as I would feel unusually calm and relaxed that day. Could be just me being weird though.

You've also not told anyone if you're actually overdue?

Oh gosh I remember feeling like you are now! Currently lying here with a 6 month old snoring next to me

Neither worked for me..but apparently did for others.

Relaxation and laughter, put a funny box set/ stand up comedy on...apparently gets your hormones flowing

Acupuncture

I definitely think baby comes when babies ready but they’re worth a shot. Good luck and enjoy 😊

I know it has been mentioned before but castor oil. My mother used this to bring on labour for my sister. Worked very quickly for her.

I had had 2 sweeps and was v uncomfortable. Had acupuncture at +12 days and my waters broke the next day. No idea if it made any difference but ut was the first good night's sleep I'd had in months.

@Perfect28

You've also not told anyone if you're actually overdue?

OP's having such painful contractions she can't lie down. I'm not sure whether she's overdue or not is relevant.

Please don't use castor oil. It 'works' by agitating your bowels. It will make you ill when you least need to feel unwell. Midwives will indulge most random efforts to go into labour (while advising you to relax/go for a walk/twiddle your nipples) but they will always advise against castor oil.

@Steamedhams

I know it has been mentioned before but castor oil. My mother used this to bring on labour for my sister. Worked very quickly for her.

probably best to not advise a very old fashioned dangerous method like castor oil

Bloody hell, who comes into a thread like this to pick an argument with a desperate woman in pre-labour?

No helpful suggestions from experience, OP (C section for medical reasons) but my friend swore by vast amounts of pineapple

plan something important to do before baby comes, and make sure youhave no back up child care or work meetings or plant sitters... ds arrived on the one day where we had patchwork care for dd.

I literally tried everything with my 1st.
Nothing worked (she was born at almost 42 weeks via emergency c section as she was never coming out even after being induced)

With my 2nd stairs, walking and squats worked, the stretch and sweeps didn’t do anything but give me cramps.

My labours were triggered (at 36 and 37 weeks) by long, exhausting walks - thanks bus driver who wouldn't let me on as my oyster card wasn't loaded

But there was only a few hours from water breaking to baby arriving.. I'm sorry you're having such a hard time.

Orgasm and being upright should help

Long labours are a nuisance but the best, I had two like yours that felt like forever!! But my 1st was 1 hour active 2nd was 40 minutes active labour, they tend to come quickly once the decide to.

Call the hospital tomorrow and ask when you are going to be induced, that way at least you will have something to work towards. I think it sounds like you have been in slow labour for a while and maybe you will be nearly there by the time you get into hospital. Good luck OP.

I was induced and still didn't have DD for 4 days, was so frustrating but alls i did was bounce on a ball, was too uncomfortable to walk anywhere! Also just to add that Ive heard doing gentle squats and certain yoga poses can help bring on labour! Good luck

Oh bless you op! I so hope SOMETHING has happened by now!

A friend was house hunting and viewed a house with a newborn, which was really crying in that way that makes you think "oh please will someone pick up that poor baby!" Her contractions started very soon afterwards and she is sure it was her body's reaction to the sound - it made her uterus contract.

Worth looking for "crying baby" on youtube?

I wasn’t overdue, but remember watching a hysterically funny film and laughing so much, my DM said, ‘You’ll set your baby off,’ and sure enough, in the middle of the night....
Can’t remember what film though, sorry!

Update!

I'm at hospital, he's on his way! Had my epidural recently so only just feeling slightly human again after mega contractions since about 12am!

Signing off for now, thank you all!

Eep! Congratulations!

Good luck Reg!!

Good luck. Hope it all goes smoothly from here!

Congrats OP!

@oldyellerbeller really?! I am surprised by this as she had the baby in 2002 so assumed all was legit. Will have to look that one up.

Little bit concerning all of the advice about boozing... 😂

Yay @PoorReg!

Fingers crossed for a nice smooth delivery!