Due June 08: S**t, it IS June, and I still haven't packed my hospital bag...

[LauraT]

well it will be June on Sunday anyway! thought I should go ahead and start this as there were several votes for this name...

ps rolf you made me laff hope ur dh good at his job if he needs to get you off for chopping his bosses into little bits!!!!!!!

Oh, Josey, don't blame you being angry. Scream away. I would.

UDC - Tooting Bec! There's a gang of us Sarf Londoners here on the June thread. Something in the water?

Oh Josey, I'm sorry you had a crap day, although it's great to hear that Olivia has had no more fits. Is your DS OK after his trips to a&e? Physical discomfort as well as the emotional rollercoaster are a hell of a lot for you to deal with. I wish we could all come up to Scotland and take it in turns to look after you.

Spongebrain - with DC1 I was induced at 40 + 10 as my bp started going up and a had protein in my urine. The protein was a 1-off and I wasn't diagnosed with pre-eclampsia but given that I was late anyway induction seemed like the way to go. I think it took maybe 3 pessaries to get me going.

With DC3 I was induced at 38 weeks becuase there were concerns about foetal abnormality - there was a possibility that DD would need neurosurgery soon after delivery, and I wasn't coping very well with the whole pregnancy (which had been a nightmare - this one's been great). Again I'd had no signs that a natural labour was imminent but it took just 1 or 2 pessaries to get me started. Although bear in mind that was my 4th delivery and 3rd induction so my body was pretty used to it by then!

It's so hard to predict how an induction will work out. A friend of mine was induced with her 1st child at 36 weeks (for pre-eclampsia) and it took a few pessaries but after that she had an incredibly quick labour. Her second baby arrived at term after a similar quick, sponteneous labour - so her induced labour was identical to her spontaneous one, which is very reassuring. But there's no denying that it can lead to a "cascade of intervention".

I've already posted in tedious detail about how I wish I'd resisted having my membranes broken when I had DD - without that it really would have been just like any normal labour.

Don't know if that's any help. Sorry you and your DH are worried about it. I was ridiculously upset that I had to be induced with DS1 and being overdue now is reminding me of the state I got into. It's small comfort, but there is something reassuring about not worrying about how you'll get to the hospital in labour. And you can make the delivery room your own, with nice music and smells etc.
x

UpsideDown - I'm South Wimbledon, ie: not the nice village end! Not sure I'll be at the fair tho cos I can't walk for more than 5mins at the mo...and frankly if Cliff's not opening it then what's the point?

Josey - Olivia sounds like a fantastic little fighter. She's trying to open her eyes to see her Mummy! As there haven't been any more fits hope the drugs can be reduced soon so that two two of you can look at one another.

Josey - come on here and rant all you like. Sounds like Olivia is making progress. Hope you get the MRI results tomorrow.

hey ho, quiet on here today, only taken 2 pages of reading to catch up!

Josey sounds as though Olivia is making progress, sorry that you are feeling rubbish physically, I'm sure it can't be helping with the emotional stress you're under. I hope you are managing to look after yourself a bit too. scream away if you need to. I know what you mean about the smokers at the entrance to maternity units, they enrage me too - I often wonder whether they are avoiding soft cheese and peanuts....

wonder if Emotionalwreck has produced her LO yet...

Amber and Sponge I was induced last time at 40+8. My experience was probably one of the more positive experiences of induction. I was 2 cms dilated when I went in (had been for 6 weeks - don't know how). They broke my waters (at 11am) and contractions started immediately. They put me on the drip (pitocin?) and the contractions were coming thick and fast within one hour. I was fully dilated by 6pm and DD was born at 7.23 (with forceps - DD got distressed towards the end and they wanted her out quickly).

I didn't find the contractions too bad although there was no gradual build up as you would have with a natural labour. The worst bit for me was actually having the epidural (I didn't ask for this but was advised to have one) as my contractions were so close together it was quite uncomfortable while they were putting the needle in. I did have an episiotomy and stitches by DD had a very big head and was born with forceps.

Given the choice this time I would rather go into labour naturally but I may be begging to be induced in a couple of weeks time.

I hope this is some help to you. Everyone is different and I think it really depends on your "readiness".

Sorry - I think I missed a few posts there.

Josey You are doing so well and so is little Olivia. Scream away if it helps. Still thinking of you.

Re. the swollen feet - I didn't think mine could get any bigger either but they have been absolutely huge today. Even flip flops have been a challenge to get on.

Jodry

Sorry that you have had such a shitty day and that you are feeling so uncomfortable. Why would they move you in the middle of the night?! B**tards. Thinking about you and Olivia a lot. Hope you get the MRI results tomorrow and that it's good news. x

Hope you all sleep well tonight despite the heat. Night night.

Rolf and bun thanks for the info on inductions. I still don't quite understand why my MW is so freaked by the size of my feet cos everyone seems to be suffering, but when you've got nothing to compare them with it's hard to know how bad they are . My mum (who was also a MW) is v concerned too, so maybe I should be - I don't know.

We'll see what the consultant says on Friday. I think they are being extra careful cos of my age and history too.

josey, I'm so sorry to hear you had such a bad night last night and that you have worries with your DS now too. I hope you are getting lots of support from RL friends and family cos you have so much to deal with right now.

Re: Induction

I was induced at 38 weeks for SPD- had a total of five doses of prostin over three days without luck then my waters broke of their own accord at 7.30pm. Was transferred to delivery after two hours (no contractions) and hooked up to syntocin drip and epidural. Slept a bit through the night, was 4cm at 7am and fully dilated at 11am. Started pushing at 12 as epidural started to slow down and CJ was born at 12.55. Although it sounds tedious, I felt in total control and really came away feeling I had a positive birth experience.

Hope this helps.

Josey am thinking of you and your beautiful Olivia.

Hello all! Living in a colicky bubble at the moment but couldn't be happier!

My labour was started by induction and it was good, very long but good. I had pessary first which didnt work and then syntocin or oxtocycin

It did take 18hours for me to become fully dilated but then apparently my cervix was really closed shut!!! I managed as you know from my birth story 9 hours with no pain relief but the last 10 were tough. Contractions are apparently stronger and somebody said earlier that they are felt lower down I felt mine in my back and lower abdomen.

I had an epidural in the end and i was fine. In fact i hated the wednesday more with the pessary as it gave me bad period pains !! The induction on Thurs was relatively easy and quite natural in a way

I'm awake again - anyone else? Haven't been to sleep yet, getting BH but not v regular. Wishing they would develop into the real thing!!

I'm awake too. Getting very cross with myself for being so disappointed at still being here, but finding it hard to do anything about it. I am being so silly about it.

My in-laws just don't "do" navel-gazing introspection and whinging so I'm trying to be matter-of-fact about it when they are around, so please forgive me for letting off steam here!

I'm actually getting fewer BH than I was a week ago - no signs at all of anything happening. I'm seeing the mw on Thursday so will ask her to do a sweep then, I think. I don't really think I'm going to have a baby at all.

My midnight visits to the loo now have an added frisson since I broke the loo seat . I could do with DH replacing it for me, as my heartburn makes leaning over v uncomfortable indeed, but he hasn't got round to it so it's a very delicate operation and much as I want to go into labour I don't want it to happen as a result of falling off the loo

Josey- gentle hug to you. Sorry you're aching all over. DId you say that your DS was in A&E? What happened? I hope that you get the MRI results today and that you can hold Olivia more.

Nothing to report here- still a big old whale...

Oh Rolf - I share your pain!!

I am completely fed up too, I just missed you last night, I finally went to bed at 3.00. Was having a few BH in the night, but like you I was having more last week - it is soooo frustrating.

Got my next hospital antenatal today, wonder if I can persuade them to do a sweep, but they don't seem to do things like that here - it's just a scan and then heart monitoring - no other tests, no internals etc... Weird.

Oh well, I'll try to remain positive and will have my bags in the car just in case.

Strange dream last night about bfeeding this baby - I was feeding on my side in bed and it was squirting out everywhere it was all over baby's face and the other boob was squirting out all over the floor, I was shouting for dh to get towels to mop it up!!!!!

Josey fingers crossed for positive MRI results for Olivia today

Josey rant away, that is what we are here for.

Another beautiful day, woke up 3 times in night and now have stinking headache and feel sick.

I had a failed induction with DD they were monitoring her heartbeat and made the decision that to kepp inducing will cause distress so I had a section.

Josey - hope your DS is OK after his trips to A&E, what happened? Hope you get Olivias MRI results soon.

Debs - hope the dream isn't a premonition, maybe you should take some extra towels to hospital!

Josey Thinking of you today, hope Olivia and DS are doing okay.

Baby was screaming in the night and wouldn't feed properly. About 5am I discovered the had a temperature. Called out of hiurs drs who suggested I giv him calpol. I did and he is more settled now. I feel so sorry for him.

rolf and debs must be something about our due date because i'm also feeling so fed up it's really getting me down. i feel on the verge of tears on and off all the time. ds was 5 days late and i remember being annoyed but didn't feel desperate like this. my BH have slowed down too and i seem to be naseous a lot. ds was up about 5 times last night, probably because he was so hot, and i couldn't wake dh so got up with him each time. i wasn't really sleeping anyway!

josey i always feel shocked when you see women walking down the street pushing babies and toddlers with a fag in hand. i can see why you would find it infuriating. really hope Olivia has positive mri results, and that it's nothing serious with your ds. xx

Morning everyone

Is this heat getting anyone else down?

I am only 38 weeks (due date buddies with Sponge and DQ), but I am fed up of being hot! Freaked myself out by reading up all about birth so didn't sleep very well last night. DH has hidden my copy of Birth and Beyond so I can't obsess any more. (There's always the internet, right?!)

Hi all,

I am sleeping really badly in this heat too. I live in a flat on the river Thames with floor to ceiling glass windows so it's like a greenhouse once the sun comes up and just stores all the heat from the day when it's dark. Got my fan on but it doesn't help loads.

Woke up in the night with hideous pains in my abdomen and lower back - AGAIN! Then they subsided and I waited for them to come back again but they didn't. What is that about - twice in a row! If that's a contraction then mine are coming once ever 24 hours!

Josey I hope your MRI scans are positive - even my DP was asking about you yesterday and wants to be kept up to date

Any news from EW?

makecakes and paro thank you for your stories - make me feel more positive about induction.

I've had a very bad night - lots of pain from pelvis, hips, feet and left knee and lots of tears cos just feeling v stressed and frightened. Also had a bad headache and felt sick and convinced myself I had pre-eclampsia. All very unpleasant. Dh was brilliant, he's moved back into our bedroom (he's been sleeping in the spare room for weeks now ) so he's right there if I need him.

Managed to get some sleep and then mum phoned this morning and said she's coming up to look after me so feel much more secure now.

Really sorry about all those who've gone overdue now - you have my every sympathy cos I still technically have nearly two weeks to go and I'm not coping at all .

josey, thinking of you for Olivia's MRI scan today.

I'm not minding the weather during the day, but finding it very hot at night time. had to get up and change into different Pjs last night as was so uncomfortable.

I really can't be bothered doing anything today, not got dressed or showered yet, although have managed to have breakfast and then a snack!