Things to get through the hard slog of being 'overdue'

[squiggleywiggler]

Ok, I'll 'fess up. I'm posting to cheer up another MN-er.

So top tips to cheer yourself up when over your due date. Bearing in mind that you might have a toddler in tow and horrid Braxtons/cramps that are stopping you sleeping.

Am particularly interested in anything that involves sheer self-indulgence and a two-fingers to people asking you 'haven't you had that baby yet'. The funnier the better

I'm going to determinedly bump this until you all join in...

I can't think of anything funny due to brain mush of two week old baby. But have recently been in the same position complete with toddler and being unable to sleep properly at night - oddly enough I am sometimes actually getting more sleep since DD was born.

Forget any ideas of 'healthy-ish pregnancy eating' and fully give in to icecream and chocolate as soon as toddler is in bed/in the other room watching tv/briefly turned away from mummy and the kitchen cupboard.

Engage in idle fantasies of punching people in the face when they point out how huge you are, or tell you to "enjoy the peace and quiet while you can" - not likely with a toddler and feeling awful!

Look at youtube videos of newborn babies to remind yourself that pregnancy will not last forever and soon your lovely baby will be born.

Good on you squiggley.
Got nothing funny, but as people kept on asking me 'are you still pregnant??!' even when I had two weeks to go until my due date, I totally feel for your poor friend. My own sister phoned me up at about 39weeks and asked 'are you still pregnant?' I replied 'yes'. She said 'oh ok then' and hung up!! I was sooo as she didnt even ask how I am or make any other small talk.

Eventually I just started doing the school run with an evil glaring scowl at anyone who came near me, so I think in the end I scared people off from asking me.

It's bloody obvious I'm still pregnant you eejit. What is this - a cushion?!

DS1 finally arrived at 42 +5 (after being induced)

I ate lots during the last 2 weeks - not a lot was particularly healthy but it passed a bit of time (the trips out to get it and the eating!)

Idle fantasies and eating - excellent. Keep 'em coming...

My favorite retort to 'are you still pregnant?' was used by a friend of mine (I have never been brave enough and am utterly unable to keep the required straight face ) from about 38 weeks onwards (and she went to T+17 ): "Oh fuck, is that what that is??" jumping back in horrified shock and staring at her bump which she claims was so large it 'had its own gravitaional field - chocolate gravited towards it' . Yes - I like her a lot!

My top tip to get going is to push a small child learning to ride their bike without stabilisers: half-bent at the middle, running and stopping and starting. Worked for me at T+10 with DS3.

And yy to chocolate and phantasies - whether you're overdue or not !!

Good luck your friend.

Making some future plans about exciting things for later in the year or next year. I'm waiting to go into labour too, and spent most of last week researching and booking a family holiday for October half term. Imagining our family with a 4 month old baby and thinking about what holiday will suit us then has been lovely.

I'm also visiting a local bookstore and the library, and reading positive birth stories on the home birth website.

Sorry, short of a magic wand there is nothing that will massively help, but these things have helped me a bit.

no funnies from me either just sympathy! If you have never gone overdue you will never understand the sheer frustration of going overdue. You've done your 40 weeks you just want the baby out
sleep was virtually impossible and most food gave me horrific heartburn....
I would try reflexology though if I was in that position again.

I'm just trying to think that every day is a day closer to having my baby... it's so frustrating and I'm so tired of pineapple/curry/sex/rhubarb tips!

Liking the holiday planning.

I'm 29 weeks pregnant with my first baby so haven't experienced going overdue, but a friend recently had a pedicure in very late pregnancy. Having someone massage your feet and calves and paint your toe nails for you already sounds like bliss to me, as I am just at the point where putting on my socks is a struggle...

Or, how about a stand up comedy DVD? Better than a film etc as it requires less attention span. Years ago when off work I watched an Eddie Izzard video and it made me laugh so much I was doubled up with tears rolling down my face while trying to do the ironing.

Am 41+2 today and sooooo bored of the texts asking if baby is here yet - do people think its arrived and we just forgot to mention it?! Ditto the useless tips about curry / pineapple. I swear if I eat any more curry this baby is going to come out a nice shade of orange.
I second learningfast - I had a pedicure couple days ago and it was lovely. Apparently it can sometimes bring on labour too, something to do with massaging the feet. Didn't work for me but I still have lovely toes!
Sleep is impossible - so uncomfortable. Trying to keep active during the day which mainly involves a lot of wandering round shops spending lots money on unneccesary items. Really silly but is making me feel better.
Also recommend booking things to do - baby is bound to arrive then! Have ordered an online food shop to stock up, have arranged to meet friends for coffee and made plans for the weekend too...
good luck everyone, hope we are not waiting too long now.

This thread was for me! Now that I've finally had the baby (9 days over in the end) and the dust settled I wanted to say thanks to Squiggley and everyone who posted. I was a bit frayed at the edges (mainly due to weeks of Braxton Hicks and poor sleep due to a combination of late pregnancy insomnia and hip pain) and the posts did help. In the end, DD2 arrived without having to be induced and I got the home water birth I had wanted, so I'm over the moon.

I believe pottering around the shops and buying nice foodie treats with the added additions of stopping for coffee and cake, stopping for lunch and then afternoon tea is an ideal way to spend a day when you are overdue.
Buying some good books, or getting out library books eating kettle Chips and having a small glass of vino could also help.

Nice baths with indulgent smellies in followed by watching crap on tv whilst waiting for a takeaway?

A nice morning swim? Followed by an afternoon nap and a bag of donuts and a big

How I wasn't as big as a house I will never know!

Hope these help. I know nothing will make it better but anything to make you more comfortable must be good.

Ooh make a template text message clearly stating that no you have not given birth yet and birth announcements will be made as of when it actually happens but thank you for your interest.
Then just send that to anyone to foolishly asks you if you are still pregnant without offering to drop any yummy food over

I've got 2 weeks to go until my due date but already getting antsy as fed up with not sleeping and getting loads of braxon hicks and what feel like really strong period pains. I'm getting out as much as possible and eating cake or ice cream each day - yesterday bought myself a load of chocolate milk... yum.

I also started watching the Sex and the City boxset.. (again).. and it's a brilliant way to pass the time so far! Glad to see I'm not the only one indulging in cakes and chocolate etc!

I am 6 days overdue now and finding people very annoying! Do people not realise how annoying they are asking stupid questions?!?!?! My friend who lives abroad contacted me saying - not hi how are you - but I hear you might have to be induced! Just what I wanted to hear before she had even said hello!

My coping strategy is half distraction (mostly cake, cleaning and reading) and half looking through baby things to remind me it WILL happen!

Oh and Congratulations for you secondtimelucky :) x

Thanks. Hope things get moving for you soon!

I'm also overdue and everyone on the school run asking, "you're still here?" - as if I'm about to snuff it!! What a stupid god damn question - if I had had labour I wouldn't be waddling like an emperor penguin and I'd have a baby with me!!

V frustrating. Though 1 mum has said she won't ask me again because she was overdue with her 2nd son and got really p-ed off with being asked every day.

Re-nesting is kicking in though, as if I could possibly make the kitchen / bathroom / floors any cleaner. And so sick of healthy eating - I'm now eating just because firstly, I might as well eat what the hell I want now, and secondly, there's not much else I can do easily and food makes me feel better - especially Haagen Daz Caramel with Caramel sauce!! Yum yum.

And just found out my friend has had her baby 9 days early! So jealous.

Think I need a chocolate biscuit.

Good luck overduers!