Overdue and miserable, Bishops score is ZERO, feel like my body has no clue how to give birth and it will never happen . . .

[Honeybee79]

Hi there
MW tried to do a sweep yesterday at 40+3 and couldn't because my cervix was so unfavourable. I am showing no signs at all of imminent labour.

Does anyone have any idea how quickly things can change at this stage? Can you go from being totally unready to about to go into labour within the space of only a few days or does it take much longer for the cervix to ripen?

I am trying to stay active and keep moving but all I want to do is lie on my sofa, eat chocolate and watch DVDs which is probably the least helpful course of action!

The hospital are offering to induce me at 41 +1 as they are concerned that the baby is very large. I know that induction is not without its problems and complications but I am rapidly approaching the point where I will just do whatever it takes to get the baby out.

Not coping at all well with going overdue and being told that I'm not even close. Feel really stressed, restless and emotional and sick of people texting/ringing me for updates. Beginning to think that my body just doesn't know what to do (irrational, I know) and even with induction I'll never get the baby out!In an odd way, I feel like a failure for not even being close to producing this baby .

Any advice/thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

I think that you can go from unfavourable to labour very quickly, so don't despair!

I too felt a failure when I had not gone into labour by my due date, I remember crying and crying about it. It is just down to your hormones and how uncomfortable you feel.

Tell people to stop texting. just get shirty if necessary - people will stop doing it! I snarled at my poor mum .

If you want to lie on your sofa and eat chocolate then do so with no guilt. You could of course go for a walk and THEN lie on your sofa .

Best of luck. Hope you feel more relaxed soon.

Thanks for the encouraging words Humphrey. I have indeed just gone for a walk round the park and will not have some sofa time!

Definitely know how you feel, imagine a few days over progressing to 16 days over and still no sign of labour! At the end of the day induction isn't the worst thing in the world, your body might respond really well to a little prompt!

Go for decent walks up a bit of a hill, my aunt swears by it. She went into labour a day or so after with 2 overdue babies.

Kiwidreamer I cannot imagine 16 days - are you 16 days over now?

To be honest, I knew that going overdue is pretty normal, especially with a first baby. It was more the MW telling me that I was in no way even close to going into labour that I found a bit disheartening.

I agree induction isn't always the end of the end of the world so if that's what's necessary then so be it.

honeybee i could have wrote this myself!!!

im the same as you even down to my non sweep (which has left me with a very sore fanjo)

i am watching this thread with interest

loveydovey yes, I am also a bit sore. I am supposed to be having another sweep on Monday and am hoping that it will be a bit more successful.

DH is trying his best to cheer me up and is taking me out for a curry tonight . Guess we just have to be patient!

There was a thread recently about when we all went into labour- sorry cant find it for you. Very informal poll showed approx only 20% went into labour on week 40.

Speaking as someone who has always gone hugely overdue, there is nothing you can do except take your mind off it, keep getting out and having fun with DH! ( And get him to field calls).

You can opt for expectant management rather than induction - it is not usually recommended before 42 weeks. You can go from no signs whatsoever to baby in arms within hours- I know. Your body will get going when its ready and know what to do.

I went to 42 weeks with my second baby, when my first was born on her due date!

It's not uncommon to go overdue, so your body has by no means 'failed'.

Hi honeybee,

I think every day drags after you pass the DD. My 1st was 15 days over when I was induced, but she then arrived in 3 hours (from 1st contraction)! Great surprise that it was over so quickly!

My 2nd was induced on 40+2 because of concerns she was large (my concerns not theirs!) - she came in 6 hours, which was better than 3, I felt more in control.

So don't worry too much about induction.

I amused myself in the last week going out and listening to strangers say, "Ooh, you're big, when are you due?", answering, "ten days ago, actually" and watching their faces! Don't know if they thought I might give birth there and then, but the women at the NT property looked rather worried...

honey
i have tried everything and i have decided to give up, this baby is happy where it is for now today is the magical date i want though

hope your feeling ok xx

I hate saying it because I remember how it feels. You just think oh piss off non-pregnant woman with your useless platitudes. And you're right. But...

A normal pregnancy is 37-42 weeks. If you try and think of it that way, it might help. Because you're not technically overdue.

And I went from unfavourable, no signs of labour, nada to waters popping with a bang 3 hours later and immediate, regular contractions. So have hope.

Just do whatever you want. Chocolate, dvds, snoozing etc. There's little that will bring on labour and marching about trying to force it will only make you tired and cross.

Bear in mind that your due date is only a guess at when your baby will be ready to be born- there are all sorts of variables involved, not least of all being that no one knows exactly how many months/ weeks/ days/ hours it will take for your individual baby to reach maturity and send the signal to commence labour.

You aren't a failure, please don't think that...I've had it in my head this whole pregnancy to expect DS2 to arrive sometime in the couple of weeks either side of my due date. I'm due on Tuesday and it is hard waiting but I know he'll come when he's ready. Or he may even need a bit of a shove, but either way he'll be here in the next couple of weeks.

You can go from unfavourable to ready to rock overnight. And your body will know exactly what to do when the time comes. Hope you're not kept waiting too much longer :)

Honey, it can change VERY fast.

With DD1 I had a check somewhere around term and my cervix was closed etc. At 41 weeks they couldn't get a finger in to do a sweep. And at 10 days over (i.e. 3 days later) I went into labour spontaneously.

For what it's worth, my MWs claimed that there is little evidence that a sweep before 41 weeks can help things along anyway. So you've not missed out! I've never really understood the obsession with rootling about in there.

If you want to lie down and watch tv, then do it. You may as well be well rested!

Nice article:

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/01/pregnant-for-10-months

It basically argues that, as 70% of women give birth past their due date, perhaps we should change our idea of due dates! The author argues that women should be left to just do it in their own time.

An encouraging read :)

Thanks very much everyone for talking sense! I know all of this but sometimes the irrationality just takes over. And I guess I am worried that the baby is so big and just getting bigger by the day.

Going to try and have a nice relaxing day. It's very sunny in London, so a gentle stroll and then some trashy TV is called for perhaps . . .

If I ever have another I'm going to ask that they don't give me a due date but a season instead. I'd like to be due in 'winter'. Winter goes on forever.

Some good news! Just had my second sweep and things have moved on - cervix has softened and shortened and is about 1cm dilated. Now have a bit of show! MW has booked induction for saturday but thinks that things will happen before then. I am feeling more hopeful!

Good luck! Please let us know what happens!