38.5 weeks and showing no signs of popping out!!!!!

[kiwicath]

Hi guys. This little fella is my first. I've come up to Cairo to have him but left my husband behind in the Sinai until things start happening. I've had a brilliant, hassle free pregnancy and he seems very happy where he is with no intention of popping out. Apart from the normal things to consider, I have Xmas in Cairo, Embassy's closed, husband on another continent etc. Any tips as to what could be some positive signs that he's on his way and how many of you actually delivered on or near you due dates. He's 7.5 pounds already and well cooked. Very very bored and missing my man very much. Drinking raspberry leaf tea and walking lots (or as much as Cairo traffic will allow). Any tips to get things moving???

With Ds1,2 and 3 I didn't gat any indication that things were going to happen until they actually did.........there was nothing I could do to bring it on and they were all late!

Sorry you probably didn't want to here that did you

I'm afraid I agree, you just gotta wait it out. If you were in your own house you would be tidying out drawers and scrubbing the floor to pass the time - that nesting instinct is not a myth, most of us do it.
Poor you having to be on your own, but soon you will have a constant companion who loves you more that anything else in the world, and vice versa.

Good luck

If it's a big one, you need to starting eating now cos your are going to need lots of energy and fat deposits for feeding.

kiwicath, can only echo what the others have said - try to be patient and expect baby to arrive well after the due date (I think most first babies are late). With my first pregnancy the baby's head was engaged at 32 weeks and everybody kept saying she'd be early - I just about drove myself insane once my due date had passed (and foolishly opted for a horrid, lenghthy induction after castor oil & co had failed to do the trick). With subsequent pregnancies expecting baby later rather than earlier was much better for peace of mind!
It must be really hard waiting in your situation - try to plan good things to do over the next couple of weeks, getting your hair cut (it worked for me, I went into labour at the hairdresser's ), going to the cinema etc.

hiya kiwicath - how's it going? waht are your xmas plans? where are you staying? and hwy is your embassy closing when you need them most??? inconsiderate lot - get onto them anyway and get them to sort you out with some kind of social life to take your mind off the waiting (which is the only advice I can offer)
Here's hoping it's sooner not later

Actually, I keep taking big surveys... of something like 150 women I've surveyed, at least 50% of first babies really do arrive by 40 weeks... but that means that nearly 50% are later. And something like 25% of women (who don't deliver prematurely) will get to 41 weeks, and something like 13% of the non-premature births will be after 42 weeks in their first pregnancies, if no other interventions happen!

Has anyone heard of blue and black cohosh as herbal means of inducing labour and easing childbirth pain? it seems to be an American thing as the Indians used it.

I've heard of it
I did apreparing for labour and birth workshop with janet Balaskas at the Active Birth Centre.

She talked of it with hushed tones of awe and reverence. I believe it very potent and not to trifled with unless you know what you are doing