41 weeks today and so bored of waiting......

[FrenchLimeBlossom]

Sorry but just need to whine [petulant child emoticon].

I know I am incredibly lucky to be pregnant, and that everything is fine with baby so far. We didn't get pregnant straight away so this is a much much wanted first baby - but good lord when is it coming?

I am 41 weeks today, no show, no cramps, no contractions. Head is fully engaged (apparently has been for about 2 weeks), I've had acupuncture, going for a sweep and reflexology tomorrow, then booked in for induction next Tuesday BUT i really don't want to be induced. Although i do really want to meet our baby asap.

Everything aches, it hurts just rolling over in bed at night. I cannot go more than about 10 mins without needing the loo, i am knackered from not sleeping properly (and I appreciate the irony of a pregnant woman complaining about lack of sleep when it is more likely to be the new baby that keeps us up from next week on....) and to top it all off i managed to sprain my ankle really badly yesterday afternoon whilst walking, so am now hobbling around like a little old lady. It is so not funny.

I just feel like we're ready to meet baby, i have psyched myself up for the birth, drunk raspberry leaf tea until it is coming out of my ears, our doula is on call, the nursery is done, DH is off work, so where is my baby??????

DH is being fantastic, as usual, but MIL (otherwise an angel) rings every day just to check how i am doing (my mum is being marvellously restrained and just waiting for me to call her when i need to), friends keep texting to ask if the baby is here yet (yes actually it is and we just forgot to tell anyone, whoops), i am getting more and more grumpy and balloon-like and the frustration of not even being able to pop out shopping now that my inelegant clumsiness has done for my ankle is getting me down.

Does anyone have any suggestions or wise words? Or is anyone else also overdue and impatient?

On the plus side i guess the pain from my ankle might act as a sort of natural TENS machine.......

Oh, no! Thats the most annoying thing - when people text to ask if the baby's here?! What are they thinking?!

My first DS was 12 days late - I was induced. Being induced was not the horror story I expected it to be. Not at all. In fact, there was no suggestion that he was ever going to come out on his own otherwise... He was 8lb 12oz, so any longer and I'd have struggled a lot more! I found the membrane sweep a lot worse than being induced, but there are mixed reports about the membrane sweep too. TBH, I wouldnt do it. My midwife said only something like 10% of women go into labour within 24 hrs. And if they DO go into labour, they probably would have done in any case, a day or two later (something about it only working when the cervix is "ready" for it to work)

Keep your chin up (easy to say, I know). I cried a lot once I had passed my due date. But actually, once the baby is here, it's amazing how quickly you forget any of what happened previously.

I'm 35 weeks, and am having a C section 5 days before my due date. I'm already struggling emotionally and physically with this ridiculously huge bump, so what I'll be like in a few weeks, I have no idea.

Lots of love and luck. It really wont be long now. Then you'll never look back :)

Thanks so much vmcd. That's really helpful.

In fact just had a chat with DH and decided we'll go see the midwives tomorrow but maybe not have the sweep after all: did a bit more reading and after thinking about it you're right, if it only works if you're pretty ready anyway so what's the point going through the discomfort and risking ARM if there's no need?

I think the reflexology is a better bet!

I think i also need to chill out a bit (am a bit of a control freak) and let the baby do its thing I suppose. You're right, once baby is here this week will be just a memory.

French SNAP! I'm also 41 weeks today with first much wanted child and looking at being induced next Tuesday (although that's 5 days away and anything can happen... ). Getting a little fed up with the texts/calls/emails etc too!

I had a sweep yesterday and although it was uncomfortable it wasn't painful and I figured it was worth a shot - doesn't seem to have worked though

I've had a model pregnancy so far, and still loving being pregnant, but begining to feel like a bit of a failure. I was really looking forward to phoning DH at work and asking him to come home and time my contractions etc, and between us trying to decide when it's time to head to hospital.... instead I just have to turn up at 6pm next Tuesday. Not quite how I planned imagined it!

vmcd How long after induction did your LO arrive? My fear is that being induced won't work and I'll end up in hospital for days without having a baby!!
Hope your ankle gets better soon.

Thanks Jenko - i guess misery loves company as it does actually help to know I'm not the only one in this boat!

It's not how imagined it either - for some reason I just did not anticipate going overdue (naive emoticon)! All my NCT class have already popped and I'm desperate to show off my baby too.

I'm sure induction will work, that's the point after all, and if nothing else we'll both have lovely babies by this time next week. Mine is booked for 8am on Tuesday (yuck!). However with any luck we'll both have had our babies by then anyway so not need induction!

SNAP Jenko & French!
OMG Get this baby out!!!!

I'm 41+1 with DS no.1
Third sweep booked in for tomorrow and my 42 week appointment is booked for next Wednesday and that's tests not induction, WTF!
All my NCT class had their babies too, the last was two weeks ago, soooo unfair.
I could go on.....x

Hello there
Am 40+3 had sweep yesterday but cervix too high and booked in for induction on 29th. So hope it doenst come to that. This is an ivf baby and although i have had a perfect pregnancy and done a fab job incubating by the looks of things was just hopeful that the birth might be as natural as possible but looks like i'll have as much help getting her out as i needed to get her in their in the first place!
Just had a hot curry and feeling some cramps so who knows...

I had a warm bath with clary sage oil in it when i was 40+3. Just a few drops and within 24hrs labour had started,took another 3 days for the little bugger to come out but thats another story!!Have recommended to several friends and all of them went into labour within 24-36 hrs, so who knows!!! Its worth a try maybe.

Jenko77, I was taken into the hospital on the Sunday evening, then sat around in a waiting room for 2 hrs, but thats another story! I got another membrane sweep that evening. I THINK they also inserted pessaries that evening too, but I really cant remember now.
Anyway, my contractions did start during the night, so I barely slept a wink, cos I was so anxious and timing the contractions too.
At around 0830am my waters broke (which I LOVED!).
However, the midwife made the decision to still insert the drip to induce full-on labour. I'm not really sure why, but I guess it's cos they had staff rota'd on to do it, if that makes sense?
I delivered my DS at 2030, so it was exactly 12 hrs after my waters broke.

SO, what I'm saying in a roundabout way is that it took 12 hrs. If they insert the drip, then AFAIK there's no danger of it not working. In my experience, the drip started string contractions within a couple of hours. I MAY have taken a bit longer in labour if mild contractions hadnt already started during the night, but I really dont know.
Hope that helps a little, sorry for being vague.

Rosie, I know what youre saying about being hopeful of a natural birth etc, but tbh, once youve been through it all and the baby is in your arms, it just doesnt matter how it came out. Every single plan I had went out the window durng labour, and it really doesnt matter in the scheme of things. :)

Thanks VM, when i said 'natural' i'll be taking all the drugs on offer lol!, i just meant in some weird kind of way in my mind i thought it would be great if my body managed to push her out of its own accord if you know what i mean! Totally irrational, and as you say as long as baby is ok it really doenst matter how she comes out - CS etc if that how it ends up too i'll just be glad to finally meet her!
i've just actually written my birth plan it will be interesting to see how it compares afterwards!