As I near 38 weeks, I'm struggling to understand how women can manage beyond 40 weeks

[flawless29]

As a first-time mom, the pain and pressure in my pelvic region during the final weeks of pregnancy were excruciating and sharp. I tried to stay active by going to the pool and doing those antenatal ex, but even simple tasks like cooking and shopping became difficult.

Sleep, sitting, and standing were all uncomfortable, and my stomach felt tight and painful. Sometimes I experienced dizziness and blurred vision, and I couldn't help feeling envious of moms who had already given birth.

I'm finding it really tough to cope with the discomforts of pregnancy, especially as I approach 38 weeks. I'm amazed at how some women can endure this for up to 42 weeks without a hitch. May be it’s tough for me as it my first time ☹️😢

Yep, pretty sure my body gave up before I even got to 20 weeks with #3. The highlight was getting d+v at full term though. Really appreciate not being pregnant now!

42 weeker here… that was it for me, one and done. I’m the most impatient person I know, so much so that I couldn’t bear to go through it again.

42 weeks with my first, 37 with second. Would take the uncomfortableness and pain of 42 weeker as he was a good weight, 37 one had iugr. Just some perspective though I sympathise I was 41 weeks during the heatwave 🤣

I didn't find it too bad. Days at home with 2.5y DS after Dd went past 41 weeks were tough.

In my experience you don’t get a choice.

Dc1 was born at 37 weeks. Lovely. I expected the same for DC2 and was ready and waiting from 36 weeks. DC2 had other ideas. I literally felt overdue for 5 weeks.

I begged for an induction, cried to a consultant and a midwife multiple times, tried every old wives tale and had 4 sweeps.

In the end baby turned up the day before induction at 41+6 at the point I was ready to give up on life.

Pregnant again and praying for an earlier one!!!

Please go to the assessment unit of you maternity hospital and be clear that they need to see you for the dizziness and blurred vision. They should want to see you ASAP.
Good luck.

My first babe came three weeks early, I was 37+1 when she was born and I wasn't too uncomfy.

I'm currently 20 weeks with my second and by reading these comments praying this one wants to come early too.

Hope it isn't too much longer op ❤️

I went to 42 weeks with both pregnancies. I think it's partly because I'm tall and fairly roomy in the pelvis! It wasn't that uncomfortable but time did slow to a crawl.

It's so hard isn't it. The pressure, the weight, pains, uncomfortable and any attempt to turn in bed oh god. I hate to say it but it does only get worse. I found from 38weeks to 40 was tough but I went to 41 weeks and that last week was horrendous. I was a tiny frame size 6-8 and baby was 8lb. I also had horrendous heart burn that wld keep me up as well as being uncomfortable.

My second was born at 37+5 and I never felt I got to that stage with her at all.

Thank you all for being there for me and for all of your kind comments. It's been tough lately. I took the advice onboard and rang my maternity unit and they scheduled a face-to-face checkup for me. I'm feeling hopeful that everything will be okay. Leaving now . Good luck to me and all who are expecting 🤞🤞

I had my first at 40 weeks +1, my second at 42 weeks exactly (after 40 hours of labour). With my first, 2 of my friends were pregnant at the same time, one was induced at 35 weeks and the other had the baby naturally at 37 weeks, I was slightly jealous as by week 38 you really start feeling uncomfortable...

I went to 42+3 and started to feel like it was all some kind of elaborate practical joke.
I also had SPD. She was worth it but never again!

Every pregnancy is different. Didnt have that pain. I couldn't walk more than 200 metres though, I was like a massive egg on legs! Turning over in the night was ridiculous!

I went to 42 weeks with my first, I went to the supermarket the day before going in to be induced to stock up on food for afterwards. The checkout assistant asked when I was due and looked horrified when I said two weeks ago, I think she thought the baby was going to just drop out there and then. I'd only gone out of necessity, apart from the occasional trip to the shops I spent the last 4 weeks of my pregnancy sat on the sofa in a vest and pants with a fan pointed at me (August baby)

It felt like an eternity and I wanted to murder anyone who text have you had the baby yet? By the end I was 5'3 round I'm only 5'2 tall.

I dont think many of us get a choice. Im currently 39+5 and im just tired and fed up now but this baby appears very comfortable where she is.

I found last trimester pretty easy actually.
weeks 6-14 with head down toilet, horrible.

i did 42 and half weeks
went 14 days over and 4 days labour.
baby was 11lb11oz and 29 inches as well,i also found out i was PG at 2 and half weeks(fertility treatment baby)it was a long pregnancy as i went bloody massive from 16 weeks onwards.
all natural birth, no Caesarean.
wasn't a good delivery but that's another story

i don't think they allow you to go that much over now but when i gave birth this wasn't a rule

I only made it to my due date both times but didn't suffer any of the pains others are describing. I described it as feeling old and obese as it was so more more slower and effortful doing anything. I'm saying this to reassure anyone frightened.

At 38 weeks I painted the living room in some sort of crazy nesting urge first time round and was putting together the flat pack furniture for the nursery hours before going into labour.

2nd time round I had to retrieve my 2yo from the 4th floor of a soft play at 38 weeks as she would come down crawling through a tunnel I thought I was going to stuck like daddy pig!

I feel worse for a while after giving birth. I could walk to the local shops right up until the end ( up a steep hill). Due to blood loss I had to stop as I was out of breath and dizzy post baby.

I was so ready to give birth and not be pregnancy by the end though, I agree with pp, it switches from fearing the birth to desparatlry want to start labour.

I should add to the above post in quite tall and I think that makes a difference. I haves friend who went to 42 who is 5 footish and she was all bump by the end.

42 weeks both times and that last month was absolutely horrendous.

I had a friend who was pregnant with her babies at the same times. Both times she was due a month before me, and both times we ended up having babies 2 months apart as hers were 2 weeks early and mine were 2 weeks late.

I know you shouldn't compare but during that second pregnancy I was so cross that she got her lovely babies with 2 whole months less pregnancy to endure than me!

My obstetrician told me she saw a noticeable increase in emergency C-sections during the pandemic. Her theory is that women were lying on the sofa a lot more so their babies were badly positioned.

Yep, pregnancy lasts 40 weeks to your due date and then every day beyond feels like an extra month. 😩

I got so grumpy from 37w onwards with my first because everyone was guessing when baby would arrive and most said 37 or 38w, the latest guess was at 39+2. I stopped responding to message after that.

Some people genuinely don’t feel that level of discomfort. I went to 40 weeks and wasn’t in any pain. I’m small in height and had a 9lb baby (over the 95 centile for my height according to the hospital) and I didn’t have any serious pain. After back to back Labour my back was in pieces for months though.

The difference between my first and second pregnancies was a few hellish weeks!

I was 42 weeks and a few days when I had DC1. Weeks 39-42 were HARD. I suddenly went from bouncy and energetic to barely able to walk, tearful and absolutely exhausted.

DC2 was born at 37 weeks and so I never had those dreadful few weeks at the end and felt a hell of a lot fitter, more energetic and mentally less exhausted.