Moral support

[OdaBear]

So this is just a whingey, moany thread while I sit here as my husband watches re-runs of This Old House, and my mum has taken 19-month-old son out for a walk.

I'm just about to be 39 weeks pregnant, and am having a shocker. Feels like I've been brewing labour for a couple of weeks - relentless contractions upon most exertion and pelvic girdle pain. My son has been climbing the walls, while all I can do is sit on the floor and read books with him or play Duplo.

Been having so many 'signs' that labour is imminent (pieces of plug everyday, frequent BMs after months of constipation, numerous (NUMEROUS!!) BHs/contractions..... Sigh... Just properly fed up with being pregnant and not being a proper mum to my lovely little man.

Anywho, anyone else in a similar negative frame of mind feel free to offload! Or just tell me to shut up and get on with it (that's what I keep telling myself!).

umm....Odabear, you are being a proper mum to your DS. You are caring for him, playing with him, providing him with appropriate care (your Mum) for things you can't do. Knowing your limits is being a proper mum and right now you need to rest up, enjoy the duplo side of parenting and let someone else take the strain. Nest, in short, and stop beating yourself up!!!

(and this is what I have to tell myself too as I'm 38 weeks and not handling the tiredness and bulk particularly well as far as my DD is concerned)

Thanks ladies. Quertas, I feel you - 38 weeks huh?

And yes, I'm certain he will be delighted with his brother. He's already delighted with my bump (kissing it goodnight is part of his bedtime routine). Then again, kissing his teddy bear is also part of his bedtime routine - lol.

Well, it is certain to not go on forever... Xx

Hi there I am so with you - been having contractions since 36 weeks and now nearly a week overdue! So tired and feeling physically sick a lot of the time now. I do feel like a crap mum to my DS but i remind myself i won't be like this forever - he can cope for a few weeks. I have also leant heavily on mum, DH, neighbours - anyone who has offered to help!!! You can't do everything but I do understand and you're not the only one... I just wish this baby would come already!

Oh dear Slugs - fingers crossed it will happen very soon for you. I think the worst part about it all is the guilt of not being able to be hyper and fun with my son. I can tell he gets frustrated with me. My mum is great, and my husband has been really good recently with taking him to the park/out. So looking forward to getting my energy levels back. I welcome sleepless night with a newborn, as at least I'll be able to turn over in bed and walk without difficulty (all being well!).

All the best with the birth Slugs - keeping my fingers crossed for you x

Yes yes and very yes!

This pregnancy has been horrible from start to almost finish! Ive had everything, severe morning sickness still on anti sickness meds, heartburn, piles, recurrent thrush, spd you name it I've had it. Ive put on 4 stone due to constant grazing with sickness and immobility

I'm 37 weeks, been getting niggles since 33 weeks which are increasing. Baby is measuring 4+ weeks bigger. I am so uncomfortable. This week i have developed spasms down the back and inside of my legs and my back today is hurting a lot. Spd has me basically crippled me. I simply cannot move or sit and live in constant pain and the more baby pushes down or gets bigger the worse the pain is. I'm on crutches, paracetamol, codeine (the constipation isn't fun) and its still getting worse. I'm under consultant care, his next suggestion is pethadine and bed rest.

I can't go for walks with ds in fact just making tea is enough! The school run just hurts like nothing else and I'm lucky enough to have a car.

I have two very good friends who each have had baby's 8 weeks and 2 weeks ago so they are very busy. My mum is occupied with my step dad who's in the final stages of cancer. My dad goes into hospital next week for a major op. My dh works 12 hrs a day so I don't have many people about to help.

I've had tears most days now because I'm that fed up and now driving is becoming very difficult but I refuse to give it up.

I have 2 weeks and 6 days till my due date and I'd give anything to go into labour now!

Oh cupcake - I feel tearful for you. What an awful, awful situation (apart from the imminent joy of having another baby). You just cannot predict what a pregnancy is gonna bring you. I took it for granted that all would be great after a fantastic first pregnancy. My woes are not a patch on yours, and I feel for you. Hang in there, you're nearly at the end xxx

Poor you cupcake! Sounds awful! I would be in teaes if i was you too. Hopefully the spd will disappear when you give birth and you will have a gorgeous new baby... I do hope they don't let you go too overdue. Have some and a from me.

I feel a lot better just for a good old moan. On the plus side I have great toe nails courtesy of some nail art. My hair has been cut and I like it a lot. I'm getting a good tan from sitting outside in the sun.

I have begged the midwives for a sweep next week and they have refused as consultant has said he will start to interfere with me on my due date.

Baby is pushing down hard tonight and I'm getting period pain and back ache. It seems very wrong to actually want more pain but I seriously think I'd take anything if I knew it was the beginning of the end.

I love my bump so much and can't wait to see its face, get to know its personality and find out if its a girl or boy. So much to look forward to!

Ooh send some of those vibes my way... Nearly 1 week late already and really hoping for a second home birth but as you said Odabear every pregnancy does seem to be different and this little one is not playing so far, despite giving me a major false alarms at 36 weeks!!

A good old moan can make you feel a bit better. I think it is tough dealing with relentless contractions and pregnancy aches/pains when you know they aren't getting you anywhere. Labour is a positive thing, as it is the road heading directly to baby. But all this stuff in the weeks before is so incredibly draining - leaving you second-guessing, hoping...

Glad to hear you've had hair and nails done and are getting your vitamin D from the sun! Good work!

Slugs, I'm sure you'll get your homebirth if you had one the first time! I tried for one the first time, but had meconium in waters, so had to head to labour ward. All went very well despite this! Just think, you can't be more than a week away from meeting bubba!

Yeah and my sister was induced twice - both fine, so I know it's not the end of the world but seven more days of insomnia, exhaustion, cramps and not being able to sit down (ouch!!) sometimes feels unbearable. I just try to take it one day at a time and each morning I am quite positive... Get more grumpy as the day goes on though. My birth pool is sitting in the corner mocking me as I type!!

You could always get in for a cheeky dip, no?

That's a great way to go - take each day as it comes. I'm contemplating taking some paracetamol before bed. Am so anti painkillers as I feel that they won't work as well when I need them. (There is no logic in this, and I'm a nurse, so I should know better!).

Just had a nice portion of fresh pineapple whilst watching a documentary on the Moore tornado. So I will inevitably be up on the loo overnight after all that fruit, and/or will have nightmares about twisters.

Oh yes the crazy dreams! Don't talk to me about pineapple... Am sick of the sight of it. I find hot baths help with pain - my bump is so huge it doesn't even get close to the water - and my mum swears they bring on labour. Tried paracetamol when I put my back out last week and I was desperate in the middle of the night - bloody useless!! But worth giving it a go?? Good luck, hope you do get some good sleep... Tomorrow is one day closer to your baby ;)

I tend to be pretty sensitive to drugs, so thankfully the paracetamol does give me some good pain relief. Hot baths are amazing - I like mine to feel like I'm par-boiled, which isn't a good plan whilst pregnant, so I make do with warm/tepid.

The pineapple is a bit uninspiring, especially when it has a distinct lack of flavour (like the one I ate part of this evening!).

I sympathise with your huge bump Slugs. Mine was measuring 40cm at 38 weeks, so I dread to think how big it is now. I'm only 5'0, my son was just over 8lb, and I'm sure this little boy will be bigger. (That's my punishment for breeding with a 6'4 man - it's like a great dane and a chihuahua having pups!).

Sleep well too - one night and one more day closer for all of us xx

Still no baby sigh

Me neither... big sigh. Although, I seem to have had a spurt of energy today which has allowed me to do some further spring cleaning, and even a walk out with my son - in the buggy - something which I haven't done in weeks. Although, no other activity, less Braxton Hicks and just slightly more comfortable than usual. Very strange.

Good for you - yes I found things calmed down about then... But hope this means things will get going for you sooner than for me!

I hope so. Little one feels like there is no room in there for him to move! I did start to get slightly nervous about how the heck I'm gonna look after a newborn and my toddler. I guess you have no choice, so you just do. Eeeeeeek!!! Are you over 1 week late now? I'm due in a week today, booked for sweep on the 17th, which is the due date I calculated based on conception and my cycle dates. So my gut feeling is he will arrive then.

One week late exactly, had sweep yesterday which was fine - 1 cm and stretchy, partially effaced and not painful but me said from the look of me she felt it would be another few days... Maybe Monday or Tuesday. Having more twinges all the time and even 3-4 contractions last night while watching the girl who played with fire - I think it's cos I'm such a wimp with scary films! Have the last film in the trilogy to watch to ought so fingers crossed it sets me off properly!!

I had a major panic about newborn/toddler thing the other day but then, I know lots of people who have done it so it must be possible right???!

No 'me' MW!! Stupid autocorrect!

Fingers and toes crossed that it happens for you in the next few days. It is one thing waiting to 40 weeks, and another thing going over!! As for the newborn/toddler thing, yes, other people do it, so it must be possible! I'm thinking it will be worth it in the long-run, having two boys so close in age. I get the baby thing over and done with in a short space of time. If I had waited till he was a lot older, I would be mourning the loss of my independence all over again, right?? (I don't think hubby is convinced. He didn't even believe I was pregnant again after that one time!).

Another sympathetic ear here! 38+6 today, and sooooo fed up. Unfortunately, no bh, no show, no anything that may suggest little one is on the way. I suspect I have a while to wait yet...
Sobbed into my cats fur for absolutely no reason today. Want my baby!!!

Oh dear Mawgatron! Is this your first baby? I sympathise muchly. I'm one day ahead of you!