Giving birth when you're poorly - what happens?

[RooneyMara]

I'm really worried at the moment. 38+4 and I've had a horrible cold and cough for two weeks, it doesn't seem to be going away.

I feel awful, very tired, I could barely get out of bed today let alone out of the house and we're running out of things to eat. (luckily my parents will visit tomorrow and I'll ask them to bring some bits and pieces if they can)

I've now got a really sore breast and it seems to be a blocked duct, which seems a bit soon considering the baby isn't here yet! Temp is up a little bit but could be a lot worse I know. And I can't feed to clear it.

I'm just concerned that I won't be able to do labour in this state. Everything is aching, baby is engaged, (third so doesn't mean it's imminent, but it's making walking hard) and I've twisted my neck and back somehow as well...basically I'm a right blooming mess.

I don't know what to do. What if my temperature goes up, if it develops into mastitis - what then? I don't think I can face antibiotics on top of feeling so crap already, I don't react that well to them.

I'm a bit scared tbh. Has anyone gone into labour feeling like 7 kinds of rubbish? And was it possible? I feel at the moment like I want them to put me under, take the baby out and let me sleep.

I did this with dd - stonking cold, fever, all manner of pains. I gave up all attempts at hypnobirthing this time as couldn't breathe, got an epidural as soon as got into hospital, and felt loads better as soon as baby was out. Cold seemed to vanish somewhere in the process.
Hope yours is similarly smooth.

Oh golly that is what I like to hear. I too feel like as soon as the baby is out I'll have a fighting chance of getting well again.

I can't believe I've felt so rough for so long. I wish it would just go away.

Thankyou so much for posting.

Rooney have you seen your gp or midwife?
It sounds like you should see someone, hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for asking this Rooney - I'm 38 + 5 and have a terrible sinus infection, cold/cough and am totally knackered and run down.

Have had a couple of false starts to labour and feel terrible at the idea of giving birth now as I can't even be bothered to get dressed.
Not overly keen on the idea of an epidural but like the idea the cold disappearing in labour - I'm sure I've had it for about 3 months!

Good luck with everything and hope you feel better soon :)

Bizarrely, despite feeling like rubbish I've managed to sort the house out top to bottom today though so must be getting near!

Can I join the club, due today and have caught a horrid cold/cough off DD. Feel really hot and washed out and every time I cough it sets off my Braxton hicks

Speak to midwife in advance, request epidural due to being ill. Would a section be possible, although recovery from that can be hard he already feeling unwell. Take care and look after yourself

I felt utterly grim when I was induced with DD - I had preeclampsia so they wouldn't leave it, but looking back I either had a severe chest infection or whooping cough - if been coughing for weeks, couldn't catch my breath, had pulled muscles in my stomach, the lot.

I had an epidural for the birth, and I felt a lot better when she was out - like my body could concentrate on getting me well then! I honestly don't remember feeling unwell during the birth.

Good luck!

Thankyou guys and sorry there are so many of us feeling rubbish.!

Wasn't online yesterday as I had a really high temp Friday night, ended up going to OOH yesterday morning as I felt so rough - he couldn't work out if it was this fluey thing or the boob, but temp wasn't coming down at all really so he gave me antibiotics presuming it was mastitis.
Spent day in bed, parents came over to help with dcs (thank God for them)

Temp finally went down last night, am up and about but still coughing constantly.
Epidural sounds like a nice idea, but then I had one of those with ds1 and it made me very sick afterwards. So I'm a bit hesitant to have that again. But maybe they can do it with some antiemetics or something.

torn between wanting baby out asap so he can start sucking and clear my poorly boob, and waiting till I'm feeling better...Oh the decisions! lucky I can't really choose!

Good luck Poche and Pogo xx

Before I had ds I caught an awful cold. I think it was due to being in the hospital having steroids for four days prior to labour. Apart from having to blow my nose loads in the early stages I didn't even notice the cold and actually had a really positive experience just gas and air. The cold hung around for three weeks though