January 2015 Thread #9 - Crossing legs and fingers for the final stretch!

[KateTheHuman]

Welcome to the third trimester ladies!

Stats here

I haven't been able to make a fist for nearly 2 weeks
Aching joints on fingers and sausage like fingers!
Mentioned it to midwife and she said 'normal, all normal' ... I don't know. How swollen is swollen ?!!!!
Baby is moving around so i keep thinking it must be ok... Just fat fingers and the joys of pregnancy...

dec a walk looking at the lights sounds lovely but I understand the knackered feeling afterwards! I can see my belly has dropped... But ... Nothing else is stirring...

pelvis front and back aches, period pains on and off but not regular, swollen feet and ankles and a snoring husband!
Definitely over being pregnant now!

I've been offered a sweep when I go to clinic on Wednesday and I genuinely don't know whether to have it.
plus side - might get things moving, might make induction on 1st quicker/more successful
down side - don't fancy being in hospital for Christmas Day if things do start!
I might ask for an examination to see if cervix is softening and if it is refuse the sweep but if it's not accept it to try and soften it a bit for the following week?

pesto that's rediculous! They tell you to be cautious, you are, then they fob it off.
Cheshire I totally know what you mean about the on/off symptoms. Driving me mad too. I wouldn't know what to advise about the sweep. I had one with Ds for the same reasons you are at 39+3. When she examined me though I was already dilating (had similar stop start things happen with him) and then more regular contractions started straight away. I had a 27 hr labor though so had him the following day. Personally I wouldn't want one this time as I would rather nature take it's course, but that's only because Ds was the wrong position etc etc and my labor ended up being one I would rather not repeat. That's not meant to scare you, mine was very circumstantial and had a lot to do with bad care. I have heard of people who have had sweeps and it's worked brilliantly, others who it makes no difference. I think you asking to be examined first is a brilliant idea. good luck whatever you choose

My understanding is if the cervix isn't softened already and slightly dilated (like its posterior, high, closed and not soft) then your body isn't ready so a sweep wouldn't work. I had a sweep with dd and was dilated to 1 cm. I don't know if it was soft or what position as she didn't tell me but it didn't work anyway. It must have been favourable because she did the sweep. If it's unfavourable they can't get a finger in to stretch and sweep it. I think they only work if your body is all set to go, the sweep just gives it that extra push to start off. If it's not ready it won't work. But I'm not a mw so I might be wrong. This is just from my reading. From my experience it's not the nicest 2 mins of your life, it's quite uncomfortable but so is everything related to pregnancy!

Good morning all!

Im in limbo like many of you, on and off twinges and aches but nothing more. Himself's bringing me a hot curry for dinner tonight so we shall see what happens.

I am really hoping to be offered a sweep by the m/w on the 30th when I next go in. It didn't work for me with DD cheshire despite me being 2cm at that point, but I would still opt for another one this time. Same story as mad I would rather avoid the drip.
The slippers I took to hospital when I had DD were a mans size 11

Been waiting for a delivery all morning. No timings given just today's date.
Done the cooking.
Avoiding cleaning the window sills.

Want them to hurry up so that I can have a long bath and then go out!

Thanks ladies! Think I'll speak to my mw about it on Wednesday and am swaying to side of "go for it" if things look good. Bump has definitely moved down again - sticky out bum is much lower than it was! Come on baby... Out you come!

Oh no madrigals
One thing after another!

Sending you hugs. That would be cause to get take away for me!!!
Hopefully tmrw will be better!

Oh no madrigals I know what it's like waiting in for midwife when they don't show. Very annoying.

I have a midwife appt tomorrow. Luckily at her clinic so no waiting in. Will be taking both my girls with me and DD1 is looking forward to it as she's usually at school.

Oh dear mad. Sounds like a day from hell. One thing after another.

Eliza I have mw tomorrow too. Maybe the same clinic- see you there lol!

Taking dh and dd with me. Dh not been to any mw apts so it's quite nice to have him come along. Dd loves it. She's such a good girl when we're there. She has a chat with the mw and watches my bp being taken and marvels at the stethoscope and loves to hear babys heartbeat and see the numbers on the Doppler.

In other news I've been so irritable today. Was particularly annoyed to visit a friend and her 3 kids who were all rotten with dripping colds and coughs. If she'd have warned me beforehand I wouldn't have gone as I do not want a stinking cold whilst in labour or dd to be ill when I'm not there. Could have done with her thinking hmmm 38 wk pregnant woman about to give birth perhaps she might not want to catch our coughs and colds. I've just got over a nasty hacking cough too! I'm still waiting to see if she's incubating chicken pox from another friend! Grrr sorry just a rant!

Hope everyone else is bearing up and getting some rest.

I have a bargain for you all! The Motorola mpb26 monitor with baby sense monitor is 55 in asda, every where else is over 100 x

An eventful 24hrs...
Yesterday had a nice morning out with DH and then in the afternoon I started getting BH BUT they were every 7 mins, strong and starting yo get painful. They even carried on during a bath! Managed to get them to every 5 mins apart (start thinking I need to call labour ward) and getting pretty intense and then suddenly stopped!
Got a decent nights sleep and feeling very crampy this morning with occasional BH so wondering if this is early labour starting?
If it is I want my baby NOW! If not, then no idea what's going on...!

Wow wow wow cheshire

I would've called the hospital by 7 mins apart ( and probably sent home)
Still going strong in the bath too!

Wonder if they'll start up again this evening - ready to be the real thing!
Xmas baby?
When's your due date again ?

38+3- this baby is gna go all the way to 40 and beyond! Grr

Mad I'm going to go for a walk today with DH (he doesn't know this yet) to see if I can get things moving again.
Pesto baby is due 1/1/15 so not too early to arrive...! Baby is under orders though that s/he is coming today or tomorrow morning but then has to wait until after 26th!
My cats are acting very strangely as well - the feisty ginger one keeps going crazy. I don't know if this is to do with my hormones or it's just a phase?

Cheshire Dds labour started with contractions every 5-7 mins then stopped 6 hrs later then nothing until the next morning then had my bloody show and it started back up again every 5 mins so sounds hopeful you might have a show imminently closely followed by the real thing. Good luck!

Hello, ladies! Just had to poke my head round the door to see if there were any BAYBEEZ on this side yet. Sounding promising, Cheshire! At least your body's gearing up to get on with it very efficiently when baby's fully set to go.

Nowt exciting occurring here. Yoga, baths, reading, almost forgetting about Christmas ... Not expecting anything to happen for weeks yet, mind! Better get on with a sewing/knitting project or two...

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas Eve eve!

36+3