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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

39 weeks & no sign of imminent birth... anyone else?

19 replies

FlirtyThirty · 16/04/2009 14:29

I'm 39 weeks with my first baby and don't seem to have any sign that birth is imminent.

For various reasons I'm quite keen to have baby as close to due date as possible (realise no-one has told baby this fact though!) but have been wondering if this is really unlikely given that I have no obvious symptoms to speak of - ie. no braxton hicks, no show, no increase/decrease in energy or movement.

Just wondered if anyone had simply gone into labour without any advance warning in the previous weeks/days...?

I know the whole "first babies are always llate" story...but would be intersted to hear from real people, not just 'old wives'!

Thanks!

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Original poster

FlirtyThirty · 16/04/2009 14:30

Oh, should have said, last week I was 2/5 engaged or 3/5 palpable, depending on which way you look at it!

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AramintaMoondial · 16/04/2009 14:49

I've never really had much of an idea when it was going to happen... with my 1st DC I went into hospital to be monitored because I thought she wasn't moving. When I arrived I mentioned that I'd started having odd pains and felt like I needed the toilet all the time... the midwife examined me to find I was 7cm dilated and DD1 was born a few hours later!! (5 days before her due date).

I did have lots of braxton hicks contractions in the weeks leading up to it though.

audreyraines · 16/04/2009 15:09

I didn't have much warning, I just felt quite uncomfortable the day that i went into labour, and was inexplicably rushing around the shops trying to buy maternity essentials, and then it all happened that night.
easy to say, but try to relax about when it comes. good luck!

Original poster

FlirtyThirty · 16/04/2009 15:17

Thanks ladies...very cheered Audrey that you didn't have much warning...I'm kind of hoping that'll happen to me too!

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StarlightMcEggzie · 16/04/2009 15:24

I was sobbing all night declaring that I was never ever going back to that hosptital that I'd just got back from at 10pm for SROM. 4 hours later I was in painful labour, by 9am I was begging to go back for some drugs.

audreyraines · 16/04/2009 15:31

yeah, actually i was also sobbing in the morning about all the shopping i had to do - until my mum offered to go with me.

a friend of mine seems to have needed to scrub the kitchen floor before both her labours .. maybe something about getting down on all fours or something.

i believe my waters broke while watching law and order or somesuch rubbish. i had no warning of that at all, and a few hours later was in proper labour.

StarlightMcEggzie · 16/04/2009 16:02

One thing I will say is that I went into labour both times about 24 hours after tending my ladygarden.

It was my brains way of telling my body I was mentally ready and it was 'allowed' to get going.

CatIsSleepy · 16/04/2009 16:15

i didn't have any warning...if I had me and dh probably wouldn't have gone to spend the night at my sister's when I was 39 weeks...with the result that my waters broke in her bed (though i did leap out pretty fast). on the plus side it was 5.30 am so the south circular was nice and quiet to get home. on the minus side it took dd1 another 2 days to actually get born!

audreyraines · 16/04/2009 16:32

so FT you need to have a good sob, do all your baby/maternity shopping, tend your ladygarden, scrub your floor and declare you'll never go back to hospital. that should do it.

forgot to mention that sex the night before may or may not have played some part in getting things going

Asana · 16/04/2009 17:10

I'm in the same boat as FT. I'll be 39 weeks on Saturday and ideally would like the baby to make a headstart this weekend (sounds like I'm talking about a racing car!). I didn't sleep most of last night and have been having lots of BH contractions today, but I think it's my body giving me false hopes. I have my MW 38 week appointment tomorrow (seeing as I couldn't have one last week due to the Easter hols) so we'll see what she says.

@FT - Keeping fingers crossed for the both of us!

audreyraines · 16/04/2009 17:16

oooh, asana, hoping for good news!

ZabM · 16/04/2009 18:03

Its a shame no-one tells our babies all these things about going into labour isn't it? I was 40 weeks yesterday, I've had BHs for weeks and they're getting more frequent, and last night I was up with some contractions that really hurt and I thought they may be the real thing but still no baby.

I've been cleaning floors and cupboards for England so I really can't clean any more. Have just walked into town and bought equivalent of about 4 (ready chopped) pineapples and some clary sage oil - thought I'd try a different tack!

Chilli for tea - surely it can't be long now. Here's hoping.

countrylover · 16/04/2009 18:17

First time I had some warning signs - painful BH, a show, hind waters going - they all happened around two/three days before I went into proper labour. DS1 was born one day late.

This time I'm due in three days and nothing, zilch, not even a twinge. So I don't hold out much hope for it being on time.

Sooooo bored of waiting now and dreaming of a LARGE chilled glass of rose and sleeping on my front ... oh and the baby of course!

audreyraines · 16/04/2009 18:45

he he, i'm dreaming of some brie de meaux, and i've still got 20 weeks to go!!

i was 2 weeks early last time, and i'll be sooo devastated if i go overdue this time.

MoshiMoshi · 16/04/2009 19:29

Currently 39-2 and wondering if this DC (no 4) will be here at 39+4 like each of my previous DCs. Trying to enjoy these days mind as it is probably my last pregnancy so trying to nonchalantly not look for signs or assume labour is imminent. Of course am failing miserably. Each time I have had a morning show followed by established labour in the early hours of the following day, with plenty of cramping to confirm it was the Real McCoy in between, before baby arrived at a nice GF style startoftheday time of 7 or 8 am!

cakefaced · 16/04/2009 19:33

I am now 41 weeks with dd2. Sigh. Done everything, sex, raspberry leaf tea (4 cups daily), bouncing on gym ball every evening, swimming every other day, hot curry (Oh the reflux was merciless), not so hot curry, prunes and figs, hot baths, nipple stimulation, pineapple (juice and fruit), attempted sweeps x3 (last successful today) and now booked for Caesarian on Tuesday. Any other suggestions? I'm not trying castor oil because its a VBAC and apparently castor oil can make labour very swift, increasing risk of uterine rupture.

Travellerintime · 16/04/2009 20:52

Flirtythirty,
I went into labour with both my dc with no particular warning: no shows, no braxton hicks, nothing unusual at all. Just started to have contractions... and 24 hours later for dd and 21 hours later for ds, they arrived.
Had reflexology to try to induce labour with ds. Went into labour less than 12 hours later, and he was born at 39 weeks.
hope it happens soon for you.

audreyraines · 17/04/2009 09:30

yes, was going to mention, i'd be trying reflexology and acupuncture to bring things along if you're so inclined. i think i had acupuncture the day before i went into labour. and reflexology is just plain lovely, even if it does nothing!

Original poster

FlirtyThirty · 17/04/2009 10:02

Ladies - thanks for the stories and tips!
Will be stocking up on curry and pineapple for the weekend...and had not even considered reflexology, but may well give that a whirl too!

Good luck to all others hoping for an imminent delivery!

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