Gut feelings on impending birth

[3rdtimemama3]

Has anyone had a gut feeling about their birth and it was right?

Right from the moment I got a positive test I had a gut feeling this birth (will be my third) something will go wrong. I’ve never had this feeling before and I’ve had 2 previously fine natural/vaginal births.

This baby is measuring large (off the centile large).

I’ve been offered an induction and a c section. I just cannot shake this gut feeling of something going wrong.

Anyone else had this out of the blue and it was right?

Yes! I had my 4th on Saturday. I knew she was big from the start and always questioned natural delivery.

She measured big, I had high bp and the at 38 weeks she had too much fluid. I managed to get a c section agreed but still decided to try induction. I had one propess last Thursday night at 39 weeks, back to back bad contractions at 3pm Friday but until stopped when in got up! By midnight Friday I was no further dilated and was offered another propess. I refused and requested a c section.

I stood my ground and very luckily went down at 11.30am with the most amazing team. It was amazing. They had to tug her to get her out as she was so wedged in. 36.5cm head 😩

They all said I made the right choice and it would have ended in shoulder distocia which is my biggest fear!

Not going to lie the recovery has been hard but I’m getting there. She was only 8lb 6 so smaller then my others!

Do what you feel own right. Let me know how you get on xx

Thank you my love. Congratulations on the birth of your little one!

Only midwife has been working with me building up to an induction but I just feel like something is going to go wrong, at first she said trust your instincts and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, but is now saying she really wants me to try for an induction. Obviously I’d like to have a natural birth but my other two were 7lbers (same mum/dad) so I don’t understand why this one is measuring so big (been tested 3 times for GD and nothing).

I just can’t shake this feeling that something is going to go wrong yet everyone keeps telling me “you’ll be fine!”

Do you wish you’d just gone for the csection to begin with? @Bennetgirl

I’m not sure. I was really worried about a c section so In the end I was glad to have it!

I do feel like I wasted 2 days in hospital though.

So actually yes, i do wish I’d just gone for it. The propess wasn’t comfortable and I had to stay. I hated leaving my others at home.

Don’t let them bully you. You can have whatever birth you want. Just be ready for a harder recovery so have everything ready before.

Peppermint tablets for trapped wind
Fybogel sachet’s to help you go to the loo
Loads of ibrofen and paracetamol
Everything at hand level
Lots of nice snacks
Huge knickers
Loose clothes, in wore a maxi dress home

Xx

Brill thank you!

I’ve been told my induction will be.. I go in, epidural, waters broke, drip in after an hour if no progress naturally, then after the drip and no progress (been told this is unlikely) I’ll go in for an emergency csection so I’m not just being left to labour for days, it’ll all be done within the day for me.

I’m just worried because baby is measuring so large that he’ll get stuck and worse will happen. Been having loads of irregular contractions and heavy braxton hicks so all positive for encouraging a natural labour like I say, I’m just a bag of nerves for him getting stuck and dying

I’m all packed for a csection just incase though, but mentally not welcoming it because I recover so well from a natural labour normally

That was my plan. I wanted my waters broken and the drip. I wasn’t dilated and they couldn’t reach my waters.

I wish I’d declined the propess now and gone for a c section at that point. When are you going in? Xx

Ah I see. I have an appointment the day before the induction to check I’m ‘favourable’ first. If I am then I’ll be doing it, if not I’ll be going for the section.

I said I’ll only agree to the induction of my bodies ready and my midwife and consultant said they’d only send me in for it if I’m favourable anyway.

I had an induction with my first and it was a long drawn out process because my body just wasn’t ready (probably like yours). I’m so sorry you still had to go through it all and still end up with a section!

@3rdtimemama3 I had horrendous panic attacks in the weeks before my third was born. Several a day, i just had a gut feeling despite previous straight forward births.

Genuinely, I was so distressed my partner missed several days of work as I was just beside myself (I knlw that sounds ridiculous!)

Anyway, I was totally wrong. He was bigger, but not as big as predicted. All very straight forward with no complications I totally understand how you feel, but the midwife told me they actually see a lot of women panicking when it's their 3rd, sometimes having the other children to survive/ recover for adds to the anxiety.

Good luck!

I knew from very early in pregnancy that I wouldn't go full term. No reason to think that but I had a gut feeling. I was right.

Always, always follow your gut feeling OP. Good luck

Hi OP,

I had a lot of anxiety surrounding my birth and had convinced myself that something would go wrong. Sort of had the gut feeling you describe.

I did end up with a episiotomy, so I didn’t have the water birth I wanted BUT DS was perfectly healthy and happy! So it didn’t go as wrong as I was anticipating.

Wishing you a healthy birth

Yes! I had the usual bad nervous feelings about my first birth but did all the usual prep. I noticed in the latter days of the pregnancy that the positioning felt strange, and was different to what other pregnant friends mentioned. My midwife referred me for a scan which showed baby would be back to back but they were convinced when I went into labour he was in the right position. He wasn't and I had a pretty horrendous forceps delivery after failure to progress when he got stuck.
You could opt for a c-section if you feel really bad about it? It's in your favour that it's your third, I would have asserted myself much better if it wasn't my first. Got really fobbed off.
Hope it all goes smoothly!

Wishing you all the very best OP.

This is just my view, but I don't believe in premonitions. If you feel something is going to go wrong it is probably natural anxiety that you have 'pushed your luck' after two healthy children. The likely scenario based on stats and today's maternity services is indeed that you'll be fine.

If it helps at all, my friend had an 11lb baby with an off the scale head size who was delivered vaginally with no problems!

Yes I also felt nervous with my third, I think perhaps I just felt that after two relatively straightforward births that I wouldn't be so fortunate third time around , baby also felt much bigger this time, but I went ahead with waiting to go naturally ended up induced almost 2 weeks overdue and had a very quick labour with a 10 pound baby (first two were 6lb 6oz and 7lb 8oz ) .

This is filling me with hope. Thank you everyone really appreciate you taking the time.

The dreams/nightmares have been so vivid, from the start the feeling ha been overwhelming and I’ve been diagnosed with tokophobia. I think there might be something in that I can’t believe I’ve been lucky enough to have two beautiful and healthy children with technically straightforward births (albeit incredibly overwhelmingly painful I’m not sure how we don’t die during birth) maybe I’m just catastrophising, also the thought of me leaving them (dying in childbirth) is unbearable. I’m hoping it’s that anyway because the other outcome isn’t worth thinking about.

Hey OP
I feel the same as you and came on here tonight looking for positive stories and found your thread! I’m nearly 28 weeks with baby no 2. My first birth was “normal” from a medical point of view, gas and air to 10cms, episiotomy but delivered naturally. After i got an infection and stitches came undone so abit of trauma there and long recovery but think the actual birth was normal if you ask the midwifes etc.
This time around from day 1 i’ve had a bad feeling. Everything is normal pregnancy wise and heathly, only problem is i’m overweight and my bmi is 48. I don’t know how i’ve got this way but hey ho. So obviously keep getting risks mentioned which i know they have to do. I’m so scared I won’t Make it home after the birth and something will go wrong. More with me than the baby. My little boy has autism and needs a decent amount of support so i think this plays on my mind too. I’ve started crying on my husband part way through dinner tonight as i’ve had a bad day anxiety wise about something going wrong. I don’t have any words of wisdom to offer you, only to say that i understand and you’re not alone x

@Bunny2607 have you told your midwife now you're feeling? They might be able to offer you some support with your anxiety. Honestly I was convinced something was going to happen to me and I'd die or be very ill, absolutely convinced and I was totally fine. Please do get the support you deserve

Hey
I’m seeing my midwife tomorrow so going to mention it then. I’m hoping its just a combination of hormones and nerves etc, i’m supposed to be having a debrief for my first baby so hopefully that will help 🤞🤞. I was blissfully unaware with my first baby of what it would be like whereas with the next one you know whats coming 🤣🤣 xx