Last week or two of pregnancy

[squidkid]

Just a place for advice/suggestions or a place to chat for those of us in the last couple weeks of pregnancy. I am on a brilliant antenatal thread but my due date is the first there and I don't want to bore them all with nonsense about braxton hicks and how to fill my days when lots of them are still at work... and I think they would prefer their babies to stay inside for now! I'm not quite at the "get it out of me" stage yet... but I'm definitely at the "if you came now you'd be very welcome" stage.... :)

I am 38+5 today and this is first baby. I know most first babies come late, so I've been trying to tell myself I'll be late throughout the pregnancy, but now I'm term it's hard not to be excited. In the last three or four days I've had long periods of continuous mild period-like pain, and some painful tightenings (sometimes very close together, but then they stop). Are these imminent signs, do these mean nothing... I don't really know. I haven't had a show.

Baby has been engaged since 34 weeks (uncomfortable!) I'm pretty sure his/her back is on the left side at the front (all the kicks are upper right hand side) which I think is ideal. I'm a little obsessive about keeping baby in a good position - I spend time on all fours, make sure I get plenty of walking/standing, sit on a gym ball when I'm on the computer, sleep on my side, I don't lie back on the sofa. I'm probably overthinking this.

I am doing pretty ok for late pregnancy - still walking at least a few miles a day, or swimming, or walking into town every day. I actually did a charity night hike last night! (Boyfriend carried maternity notes in his backpack through the woods - it was a bit stupid really!) I am slow, but I thought I'd be a lot heavier and more immobile by this stage to be honest. I stopped work a while back - a very busy, stressful, physically and emotionally demanding job - so I've had a lot of time to relax, nest, exercise, see almost all my friends, sort my flat out. Everything is neat and sorted and stocked and ready.

I'm grateful that I've had a troublefree pregnancy and hoping the birth will go fine too. Feeling positive and relaxed about it, just impatient!

How are other people doing? Staying busy, getting anxious, waiting, over-analysing every tiny sign!? Any suggestions for good things to do in the last week or two? Please no one tell me to 'get lots of sleep' as this is the one thing I am completely incapable of at the moment - up every 30-60 mins through the night...

Morning everyone and congratulations Miky and Poppy it gives hope to us all that feel we're competing with elephant when it comes to gestation...

Turns out my symptoms were "nothing". I haven't given birth and happily slept through the pain with paracetamol and a hot water bottle. This morning I don't feel queasy anymore (maybe that was my dodgy cooking!) but I still have back pain (again could be because I slept in a weird position). So I don't know...

I'm bouncing out on my ball (gently so as not to bring up my breakfast...) and DH and DS have been told we're going for a brisk walk this morning and possibly this afternoon too if it doesn't piss it down with rain.

This baby WILL come out this weekend, otherwise I put him on the naughty step straightaway after he's born!

i think i am finally starting to make some real progress ladies! started this morning really, with the usual cramps but that have been getting stronger, more frequent ie every 15 mins at the moment and regular. i had a little bit of a show at around 4pm! back pain has been particularly bad but i just had a nice long bath my partner ran for me and they have eased off.

very excited right now, please pray for me that this is it! we have been through the hospital bag to make sure we have everything, partner has gone out and got loads of snacks, drinks and fruits, and i am planning on getting some (hopefully good) sleep. in the mean time, will enjoy a movie and bounce on my ball for as long as i can....

I will keep you all posted....

much love!

Ooo 'citing ST82. Hope this is it for you. All sounds quite promising.

I've just woken from the longest block of sleep in 6 days. A full 4 hours! Well done little man. :)

ST how exciting! I'm so jealous as I'm convinced I will NEVER give birth... Wondering how you're getting on, please give us an update when you can.

Miky, your post reminded me of the reality of having a newborn... Sleep deprivation is the worst thing ever.

Walked and walked again yesterday but still nothing. I thought I was starting to lose the plug yesterday as I had some discharge that was darker than usual but it wasn't that much and has stopped since

Can't sleep. Got some back pain but I reckon it's to do with the fact that I'm enormous and lying in bed is pretty awkward now.

Got another sweep booked for Monday.

Ooo fingers crossed for the sweep whenhens. I think they helped me along. I had 2, the first I was showing no signs if being close, and the second I was all ready to go. All started the next day after the 2nd, not properly till the evening though.
I haven't been to bad sleep wise. As much as I'm not getting a lot, I don't feel too bad for it yet and am still managing to function ok. And I think tonight's 4 hours (so far) has set me up for few more days.

Well at least you've got the right attitude Miky and are positive regarding your lack of sleep, that's probably half the battle. I think I'm just one of those people that turn evil when they don't get enough...

Never managed to go back to sleep and had to get up. Still have back pain but it's not in my lower back so I suspect it's to do with my sleeping. Having said that, I've just been to the loo and at lots of discharge that was slightly tinged with browny pink... Giving birth on a sunday during the day would be ideal really. Should maybe try and get some sleep but I can hear DS is awake in his room.

it's definitely the plug! I've had a lot more discharge and it was clearly streaked with blood. Quite excited! I know you can lose the plug weeks before you give birth but surely at 41 +1 that must mean things are imminent?!

Sounds like it must be whenhenshaveteeth! Oooooh so exciting - today would be a good day! Starting early in the morning, done by evening in time for Sunday roast

Many fingers and toes crossed for you. Get some breakfast down you, and plenty of water!

Good luck ST82. And exciting you have lost the plug whenhenshaveteeth!

Mikyahrose, you must still be going on adrenaline and joy!

40+ 10 here and feeling like it will never happen on its own. No twinges even really. I am going to go to the gym and stop feeling sorry for myself. I have an appointment with the consultant Tuesday and imagine they will want to induce me by the end of the week. I suppose that is still 4 more days for the baby to come on its own? I am just not sure I see it happening though!

Polly you're my hero. I want to last to 42 weeks without being scared into an induction - husband can be militant and although I am with him on the decision, I lose confidence in my decisions easily. 40+10 is bloody going and you have trusted your body and your baby this far - good for you!

It's just kind of happened that suddenly I am at 40+10 I think! Being on the homebirth team really helps as we've only had 1 easy conversation about induction and I am not seeing the consultant for The Chat until Tuesday when I will be 40+12. I trust the homebirth midwives though, and I know they will advise me on what is right for me and my baby. That is the beauty of being with them rather than just generally in the system. There are only 2 of them and they know all their patients well having been doing all appointments since 36 weeks.

I'll have a scan on Tuesday to check fluid levels and blood flow through the placenta. Baby is still moving well and heartbeat was strong at appointment on Friday. I guess I will have to go in for monitoring if I want to delay post Thursday.

I don't know what I will do - instinct says this baby has to come on its own eventually assuming everything is working ok. But that is the question isn't it.... being sure everything is working.

I am single which maybe helps too as I only have to consider my opinion. My ex, who isn't involved at the moment, would never want to go down this route, I know. We are very different people! He would never have wanted me to have a homebirth even!!

Anyway, I am sure you will make the right decisions too should you get to that point. And you probably will give birth before you get to this point!

It's just a bit frustrating to have not even had any signs yet!

However I did drop my iphone down the loo and it is working this am after having been in a bowl of rice overnight. And it's sunny. So they are good omens surely?!

Best of luck with whatever route you decide is right for you polly. I would day that if you get to ask the consultant questions, do find out what would happen if induction caused you labour levels of pain before labour actually began, iyswim. If pain relief would be available to you (beyond a few tablets, that is) and you can be somewhere private it means you know you won't be left exhibiting yourself in pain in public like many women are (bit of a sore point with me after last week!) And ask whether the induction method is reversible (is it via a tampon like Propess, or a gel/pessary where once it's in, there's no going back.)

I am keeping everything crossed for everyone on here to have lovely smooth sneeze births!

Not sure I quite understand funchum, but that sounds like a very good question... do you mean that they give you the pessary or whatever and then you start to get pains but aren't actually in labour?

iPhone NOT now working so am feeling quite depressed about ever going into labour naturally!

They give you the gel/pessary or propess and your waters go and/or you start contracting, but they didn't, at my hospital, consider you to be in labour until your cervix started to dilate. I had painful contractions which an internal showed were doing nothing at all to change my cervix. So technically I wasn't in labour, but it bloody well felt like I was! And at my hospital, or with that particular Mw, no labour meant no private room and no pain relief. I made her remove the propess in the end since it hurt so much. Luckily as it had made my waters go, nature took over and I jumped to 6cm dilated within a few hours of it being removed.

Sorry if I am worrying you, it is not all that likely this will happen, or your hospital may have better policies for this situation, but if you can ask the consultant about this scenario you may be able to get a clearer picture of all the possibilities.

No, not worrying me, it's good to understand the process. That's really helpful, thanks!

I made it to the gym (literally for about half an hour!) but made me feel much better. Willing this baby to come on its own with positive thoughts! And roast pork, crackling and lemon meringue cheesecake :)

PollyIndia, I am full of admiration for your attitude and hope I will show the same strength of character in a couple of weeks. 39+2 here as I got my midwife to agree that my given due date from my first scan was ridiculous, and I have no current intention of accepting any offers of induction if babay doesn't show in next couple of weeks - fully prepared to have scan and monitoring every couple of days, with the expectation that the baby will come when it is ready - but I also know how hard that is going to be to stick to when I am already totally fed up with the discomforts of being heavily pregnant, and I also know they will try to scare me with stories of deteriorating placentas and reduced amniotic fluid .

Think it is so sad that the people who should know best (the midwives) are the ones who are will try to make me feel bad for trying to keep this natural when it is such a natural process. Bah. Enough politics!

ST82 and whenhenshavveteeth, hope this is it for both of you!

And PollyIndia, is there room for another at dinner? Your meal sounds lush!

Quick update ladies! Lost all my plug around 7am an there was quite a lot of it! Contractions were getting stronger and regular during the night so we decided to pop in the hospital around 5am. Following examination, the MW confirmed my waters are intact and i have not dilated at all! I hope hoping for at least 1-2 cms...

Anyway, cane back home around 7am which is when i lost the plug. Managed to get some sleep but woke up because of the contractions, right now they last arouns 40-45 seconds every 4-5 mins. Went for a longish walk with my partner and hoping things will gradually progress ie my waters break or my contractions get a lot stronger, otherwise it means no progress.

Going to take a bath now. Will keep u posted!!!

Ps you will know when labor is about to start, i knew straightaway, i felt different, its difficult to explain how but diferent! You will know what i mean when it happens to u!

Good luck st82!

Ooo good luck ST82.

You are right about labour, when its it, You know.
You're doing we'll getting out and walking when your contractions are that often and long.

Hang in there overdue ladies. I was due to be induced at 40+13 9am. But got to the hospital at 40+12 11pm. With no real signs till about 7pm that night. I'd had 2 sweeps one at +8 and the second at +11. And I do think they helped me on my way.

My due date was also brought forward by 5 days at the dating scan, so possibly wasn't even as overdue as they said.

YompingJo, thanks but I don't feel very strong! It's definitely getting to me a bit. Had a nice day - went to gym, walked around in the autumn sunshine and had a yummy lunch - but still, nothing!

I have a consultant appointment to talk induction on Tuesday... Will see how I feel re accepting it or going for monitoring after that. I am taking my doula and hope she will be a good soundboard. Mikyahrose, did you end up having a last minute spontaneous labour? That gives me hope!!

ST82 so pleased things are happening for you! Can't wait to see your birth announcement. And looking forward to seeing news from whenhenshaveteeth.

polly. Yes. That's what happened. I had a sweep sat 9am. And was told I was fully effaced and she thought I'd labour before the weekend was over. Felt no different Saturday. A bit periody achey on Sunday. But went to a carboot and then food shopping. Got to about 7ish and a realised the aches were stronger and a bit regular. Held out till 10.30 then went to hospital. And my little man was born 14.10 on Monday. I was due to be at the hospital at 8.45 that morning for induction.

Odd to think this time last week it was all going on and he wasn't even here yet!

What a week! It is amazing how things can change in a week.
Hopefully by this time next week I will be saying the same thing.

Glad to hear your story - it has given me hope! I am only 10 days over. Lots of people get this far. It just feels like everyone I know who was due around me, or even after me, has already given birth. But it will happen this week I am sure :)

st82 sounds like IT! Good luck with it all - so exciting!

So yes, that whenhens and st82 potential birth announcements happening very soon

Polly it will SO be you soon!

In other news, I got my brave on and got the electric pump out to express because a) I wanted to try the nipple stimulation thing, b) I am a tiny bit weirded out by breastfeeding and I don't want to be and c) I was curious.

I expressed! A tiny amount of colostrum! I feel weirdly proud of myself. The machine pinched a little, my heart pounded ever so slightly, but when I saw it I just congratulated my breasts on a job well done and have a lot of faith baby/BFing hormones will kick in now :)