Overdue again and feel miserable. Any advice?

[Tessa2014]

Just looking for some advice really.
First baby, ended up being born 15 days late after a 36 hour induction with hormone drip (horrendous) epidural (that only worked on one side so pushing was a nightmare), failed ventouse and forceps. By the end I just felt like a lump of meat they were trying to get a baby out of. Zero help with breastfeeding, terrible recurrent mastitis, developed into suicidal thoughts and PND that, with the help of antidepressants and counselling, I eventually recovered from. I feel so guilty to admit that the first two weeks of my child’s life were the worst of my life and I got as far as planning my suicide.
Anyway, a few years on I am now overdue by 2 days with no2 and no sign of labour at all. I’ve had a few sweeps but cervix still quite long and hard. I can’t believe I’m here again. I just feel like my body doesn’t know how to go into labour. I know that’s silly but that’s how I feel. I need to try and get through the next 10 days, I can already feel dark thoughts pushing to get into my head. I’m trying to stay positive. I have been offered an ELCS but I really would rather a vaginal birth again, but just not one that made me feel like an abject failure.
Any advice? I did all the hypnobirthing stuff last time and to be honest it set me up for unrealistic expectations. I fully expect this second birth to be horribly painful but I just really want it to start naturally. I don’t want to have to go on the drip but I just know that’s what’s going to happen.

I feel for you.. I have had a natural birth and an induced birth and the induced birth was by far 100 times worse and quite frankly I'm glad I'm done with children as I personally would have to opt for a cesarean if I were to have another as there's no way I could endure an induced birth again. Unfortunately, it's completely out of our hands. There's no way to guarantee the way a birth will go. Just try all the natural stuff like pineapple and raspberry tea, meditation to keep you relaxed etc etc and hope for the best!. Good luck

Incorrect ^^ My first birth was relatively easy, my second was horrendous in comparison and completely put me off more children, 6 years on I still feel that way

I think that’s it @MissMaple82 it is just out of my hands and I’m not somebody who deal well with uncertainty at the best of times. However I think I will just try to enjoy this last week of mat leave with dc1 in nursery, so a bit of time at home to chill, as I won’t have that again any time soon.
Have another sweep tomorrow fingers crossed.

Good luck for your vbac @mrssunshinexxx!

How did you get on @GSD20 ?

Yes how did you get on @GSD20?
Update from me: baby born in 45 minutes at 40+9 - didn’t make it to hospital! such a totally different experience to last time. Very glad to have avoided induction but it was a bit scary.
So to anyone who had a difficult first birth, when people say second births are often quicker and easier, they are right!

Hi @8dpwoah and @Tessa2014.
Thanks for asking- DD finally made an appearance 2 days before induction in the middle of the night after sweep 3. Labour was much longer (and more painful at the end!) than my first despite reaching 0-8cms in 2 hours, the last 2 and pushing took forever
She is almost 2lb heavier than DC1!

Tessa that’s amazing! Not sure how you coped

Congratulations @GSD20!! Hope you’re ok after a long pushing stage. My baby was about the same size at my first, so maybe that’s why the pushing didn’t take too long for me.

To be honest I don’t know how I coped either - I just didn’t have much choice! It was really scary to be honest but all well now.

Congrats @Tessa2014 and @GSD20 ! Although I didn't manage to avoid induction entirely I had a quick one in the end too, they had to take the pessary out and give me the reverse injection but I still ended up having an hour long labour from waters to baby, but I was 6cm when they broke partly because the staff didn't believe me about the pain level I was at (was still 'discussing' something better than paracetamol or a shower while I was hanging off the end of the bed when my waters went...).

So not a great experience again but we were home by lunchtime no postnatal ward hell 😂

Hope everyone getting on okay with new babies 🙂

Your first birth sounds almost identical to mine. I was 12 days over, had a sweep, 36 hour labout, failed epidural done in the last hour before he was born. Needed loads of stitched (mine not as bad as yours though).
My second was completely different. Spontaneous labour during the night only lasted 5 hours from first contraction to birth, didn't even have time for any drugs. A few stitches. Was a pretty good experience, bit he was still 10 days over.

Should have read the whole thread 🤣 congratulations!!!

Can I join? I'm going crazy. Nearly a week overdue now with my second pregnancy. First baby was a week early and an easy labour compared to some others. I am in such a mood now, I can't pick myself up at the moment. I hate this waiting game and really don't want to be induced. I feel I'm not in the right frame of mind for anything right now