Overdue

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Any other mums out there who are overdue?

Im 40+4 with my 2nd. Only went 2 days over with my DD. Had loads of twinges and braxton hicks last week which have now settled. Feeling like I just need a moan! lol

40+5 today and had a cry this morning too, it really is so hard and emotional going over due date and just feeling like NOTHING is happening. Been having some period type pains low down for a few days, but no blood, no show, no contractions, nothing.

Had a good long walk yesterday and doing housework and all bouncing today, so hopefully that will help!

Also put on clean white sheets last night in the hope of waters breaking but nothing, and decided to make croissant dough as it needs to rest overnight so Sod's law would suggest I'd go into labour and never finish the croissants, but no...the dough is in the fridge resting before the last turn so still a few possible hours to ruin it in!!

Hugs to everyone out there feeling retched, tired, massive and forever pregnant!

Ha, coffee! In a similar vein I have put a load of chickpeas into soak, they will need to wait until tomorrow before I can cook them, but if they get left much longer, eg because one is in labour and otherwise occupied, they ferment and stink ...

40+6 now, still nothing, definitely in for induction in the morning. I had a funny turn in town earlier, got to the health centre and saw my midwife, everything fine, she's put it down to my anxiety about going in tomorrow . I broke down on her, I'm terrified. Not sure why, I've been induced twice before. Think because this baby is measuring bigger than my others and they were over 10lbs. I'm terrified he is going to get stuck or something.

Hi everyone. 40+4 here. I was feeling fine, went for a sweep yesterday, but cervix still very far back and hard. Feeling very down now. I know I still have bags of time, but am planning to deliver at the MLU and terrified of induction 😞.

Good luck SJ, see you on the other side. He's definitely not going to get stuck but I hear you on the terror and the funny turns. Been a weird 48 hours at Wonderflonium Towers too. Hope you're feeling a bit more ready!

Hi MrsH! Hopefully I can come back on here later and be all like "Don't be terrified! It's all cool!" but yeah, you've got bags of time.

I love all these Sod's Law tactics! How were the croissants and chickpeas, ladies? (I hope you didn't get to find out.)

Just checking in to wish wonder and sj bags of luck and super-efficient uteruses today. May your pain tolerance be high and your labour short!

I think I have started. Definite contractions every 5-7 minutes since about 4.30am. Painful but not yet unbearable. Currently flapping like a mad woman round the house and hoping I can get DD to school before going to the MLU.

Yay but arghhhhh! Bricking it.

Ooh, could it be a hatrick of babies today?? I hope you can get DD off to school asap man and fingers crossed it all keeps going and you have a little baby by about lunchtime Good luck!

And lots of luck to wonder and sj I really hope it's smooth and speedy and uncomplicated.

40+2 today and no signs. Bored.

Good luck ladies, fingers crossed these babies are speedy! I've just had the propess pessary put in, I'm really hoping it works and I'm not stuck here for days! The girl next to me sounds like she has been here for a couple of days, she's no pains and is waiting to get her waters broken, please keep your fingers crossed that my experience is much shorter!!!

Lots of love manhowdy and wonder xx

Wow exciting morning!! Good luck to everyone.

40+6 and nothing so far...never have I been so disappointed to see a tray of home made croissants ha ha!

but had a sweep this morning and off for a loooong walk, coffee and cake, so fingers crossed for some movement sometime?

Hello ladies I see no birth announcements yet. I'm 41+1 . No baby yet. No signs of labour. Every day I feel the same. I wake up in the morning and I can't believe I'm still pregnant!

How was the sweep coffee? Just a bit nervous because I will be hopefully having one tomorrow and I don't know what to expect! Is it quick?

Sending labour vibes esp to wonder, sj and manhowdy.

I can't say it's helping my birth anxiety to have this extra time to consider all the things that could happen

Yay Manhowdy, GOOD WORK
Hope things are going ok Sj!

The midwife's first question was "so how do you feel about waiting a bit longer?" and I was like "I REALLY WANT A HOMEBIRTH IS THAT OK?!?" so we're giving it until Friday. My contractions have been getting stronger and much more frequent so hopefully that's all I need?

Butterfly I had another sweep attempt today. Have you had the cervix pain when the baby headbutts you in the crotch yet? It's like that but from the other side. (But then maybe I don't know what I'm talking about because I've never been dilated enough for the bit where they massage the cervix.)

Butterfly the swee was honestly totally fine, not painful at all, and much less bad than a smear, honestly more embarrassing ha ha.

I'm desperately hoping for a homebirth too after having one last time, reallly don't want A hospital birth and definitely not a medicalised one. They are being very sensible/respectful and are on call for me until a week today when I'll be 41+6, with no discussion of induction until then, so still got a bit of time!

Thanks for the sweep reassurance. I hope it does something for you both! Sounds great that you are contracting wonder, are they still happening?

I am so bad tempered today. I bumped into a friend for the first time in a while and was even pissed off with her after a 5 min conversation, to say nothing of how irritating I have found my own child this afternoon. IABVU! For the good & comfort of everyone else I need to have this baby!

No, they stopped but I still have cramps and lower back pain. RARRR. COME BACK STUPID CONTRACTIONS COME BACK.

Nothing here, I could cry, two ladies came in since me and both have gone into labour and gone! One only had the pessary two hours ago!!!

I had DS2 on Monday morning. The pessary worked after 6 or so hours, with full on contractions starting after 9 hours. Baby born 8 hours later. The pessary prompted a 'natural labour' so all worked out really well. Was able to give birth in midwife led delivery suite, with pool etc. Was all fine, and I needn't have worried as much as I did. The midwives were all so lovely. He was 2 full weeks overdue and 9lbs 2oz. Walked to pub for lovely lunch next day, so can't have been that bad! Baby is gorgeous.

Baby was born just before 5pm ladies! Despite being 9 days over according to scan, she weighs 7lb 15ozs and was covered in vernix. Placenta was in great shape

I went to the hospital about 12.30pm and got told baby was back-to-back. About 2.30pm I was sent home only 1-2cm dilated. I was gutted at that dilation as I was in so much pain.

Walked through the front door of my house and my waters burst! Within 30 mins I started needing to push. My neighbours must have thought I was being murdered ~ not that any of them came to check.

Rushed back to hospital (worst car journey ever known), got in the pool about 3.30pm by which time she was in optimum position for birthing. Heart rate nice and stable.

THANK GOD for my tens machine which kept me sane before the pool. I didn't use gas and air in the pool and instead decided to imagine I was birthing in the Caribbean Sea. I'll be honest this visualisation did not work at all. Shouting FUCK!!!!! a lot was far more effective.

Lost quite a bit of blood but no tears or grazes. We're still at the MLU but leaving shortly.

Oh she's super gorgeous!

Much love to the rest of you waiting. Can't wait to read your announcements.

xxx

Ahh congratulations sounds like a nice birth experience xxx

I'll be honest I feel like nothing is going to work now 😔 feeling very disheartened x

Massive congrats JackandBump and wonder & sj, I hope things are now moving for you both. So bloody frustrating.

Crikey the contractions / after pains with this one are worse than I remember with my previous two. Just dosing myself up now and heading to the bath. Ugh

I am 41+3 today and don't feel at all like labour is close. Have had two sweeps and nothing but the mucus plug passing. Both midwives who did my sweeps said my cervix is very posterior. Starting to wonder if I got the dates wrong!

I'm posting here because frankly... I feel like shit. I feel like a failure as a parent before I've even started. I'm booked to be induced on Saturday, which is the last say I'm eligible for the midwife led birth centre - if she doesn't come on Saturday, I'll have to go to the delivery suite, which I was desperate to avoid. My sister had both her two at home, totally naturally, and it sounds so beautiful and relaxing. I knew I couldn't have mine at home as I live in a block of flats and it would drive the neighbours nuts - but the birth centre seemed like the next best thing, private room, birth pool, partner able to stay with me throughout, non need to go onto bays for antenatal or postnatal care. I'm scared of the induction, and I'm scared of the labour ward, as I know it is going to make it more painful and unnatural and could lead to the 'cascade of interventions' that is more likely in the clinical consultant-led setting. If I end up having to have her instrumentally, or via c section, I really don't think I'll feel like I've given birth at all. I'm scared of getting Pnd as a result of a miserable, out of control labour that is nothing like what I'd hoped and prepared for.

Phew, that's good to have out. I am aware how incredibly unreasonable I am - my baby is well and healthy and as long as she's born safely, that's all that matters, right? While in my head I know this, my heart is breaking at the thought I can't bring her into this world myself, I feel like I've let her down before she's even born. And I'm just so scared of having to go through early labour on a ward with loads of other women, of having to force my body into labour, of having no access to natural pain relief e.g. Water, of being put on my back and pulled around and cut and having monitors strapped to me and instruments inserted into me. I'm scared. And everyone keeps trying to cheer me up with 'as long as baby is born healthy', and I feel like a monster because that doesn't make me feel any better.

Sigh. I just want to lock myself in the bathroom and not come out until baby is ready to be born on her own. I hate the way my options are disappearing with every day that passes.

Congratulations and welcome to the new babies!! SJ - hope things have picked up for you!

lelapaletute - you've articulated exactly how I feel. I'm starting to feel like my body isn't doing what it's meant to and I'm worried about how I'd cope mentally with induction and everything that could follow. I'm also booked into a lovely MLU and desperate for a water birth. I've not had so much as a niggle or twinge. I know whatever happens will happen because it's best for the baby, and her healthy arrival is absolutely the main thing. I really hope your baby arrives soon, but please don't think you'll have let her down. Everything crossed for you! x

Aw thanks MrsH - sorry to hear you're in the same boat, but glad to know I'm not alone in how I feel! Hope very much your baby gets going soon. Is it your first? It is mine, and I don't think that's helping - I have no idea what a proper contraction should feel like, so every time baby turns over and it goes into my back, or I get period type pain, I'm all "RED ALERT, SOMETHING IS HAPPENING AT LAST!!!", get overexcited - then the disappointment when nothing follows is CRUSHING. And then I'm aware the more stressed/tense I get, the less likely labour is to start.

People talk about Braxton Hicks, and I have no idea if I've been having them or not because I don't know what they'd feel like!

Seriously, I can't think of any biological process less straightforward and predictable than labour. All these 'stages' which can actually happen in any order over any length of time or not at all!

Yes. My first too. I know exactly what you mean - at least if there was an order in which things were meant to happen I'd know what to be watching out for. I don't think I've had BH, but again I don't know. I've had tightenings in my tummy, but the baby likes to stick her bum out so I never know if it's BH or just the baby's massive bum!

If it helps my friend recently had her baby and ended up in the delivery suite rather than MLU, not induced, but other complications which meant she didn't have her 'planned' delivery and she still had a really positive experience and felt very much in control and listened to.