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...

Ok, pretty sure this is it...

No real progress yesterday after my post but I woke up at 2.30am with some pains and I've been having contractions since. I'd like to sleep so as not to be knackered but went to bed uber early yesterday as I was shattered so I don't feel that tired now.

Plus I kind if need to breathe through the contractions even though it's nit that bad for the moment. So I took so co-codamol, stuck a hot water bottle to my back and I'm reading my book. Hope to get a couple of hours sleep though...

Will update when I can x

Great news whenhenshaveteeth! Good luck.

And thanks orenishii. Got acupuncture today and will be doing a lot of walking as need to go to the applestore to try and fix my phone. I might copy you tonight and get on the breast pump!

I'm back

William Andrew was born on Thursday 4th October, at 02:01am weighing 7lb 8oz :) born 40+2

I had to be induced on Wednesday 3rd October, due to having symptoms of pre-eclampsia.

I am so happy my family is now complete :) and I can use my BJCS

:o

Hooray! you can use the buggy he's here :o

Congratulations Milk! Welcome to the world, William

Whenhens and ST82 hope everything is going well :)

Polly....suspiciously quiet from you today. Well, I guess not really but maybe I am turning into one of those annoying "has anything happened yet??"

Today I had a nose bleed, fell over, went for a swim and bought a casserole dish. By far and away the best thing in the last 24 hours has been the expressing

Congrats on all the babies ! And Pollyindia I hope your silence is productive!

My story is here, posted a minute or two ago. All very, very unexpected in lots and lots of ways.

It gives hope to those waiting in that I never really even had a show other than post-sweep mucus. So it CAN happen all of a sudden, but best if not quite so sudden!

WOW blooblies!

blooblies You are so brave!!! I would have freaked out if I was without a midwife and had to push!

Congratulations btw :)

Congratulations Milk!

And WOW Blooblies! What an amazing story. Congratulations! That is a brilliant birth story.

Unfortunately my silence is nothing exciting. I have had a RUBBISH day. Went to applestore in westfield stratford and they wouldn't fit me in to sort my phone, despite me actually crying on them. I have cried about 6 times today. It's very unlike me!

Then went for acupuncture and the acupuncturist had a doppler and said she was worried about the baby's heartrate as it was only 70 bpm and I should go to triage. After the treatment she tried again and it was 140 but she still said i should go. So I spoke to the homebirth midwife who said she really shouldn't be using a doppler as she wasn't a midwife but as she had mentioned this, I would have to pop in. So I did and all fine of course. But not contracting at all. And I am 40+12 tomorrow! I wonder if the acupuncturist was listening to my heartbeat.... anyway.

I have a meeting with the consultant and a sweep with the mw tomorrow. I know they will put me under pressure to book in for induction and having been really positive about the whole going into labour spontaneously thing, I am now feeling really wobbly and like maybe it's just not something my body can do....

The acupuncturist also said that to be this far along indicated a problem. Then the triage midwife said the placenta fails post 42 weeks. I've done my research and I know that isn't always the case. But it's amazing how much you start to doubt yourself as time goes on. Especially when you are doing this on your own actually.

Anyway, sorry for the moan on what should be a happy congratulating post!

Congratulations to milk and bloobies!!

ST82: any news??

Polly: sounds like you need a hug... Must be hard to make all the decisions on your own. It's rare that the placenta fails after 42wks but it can happen so it's valid from the consultants to want to avoid that. On the other hand, it's not
Fun being induced but you may only need the pessary to kick start things...

So, I'd left you at 4am breathing through the contractions... DS2 was born a few hours later in a similar way to bloobie.

6am: bath, played tetris on my phone (!) and paused every so often to breathe through the contractions.

7am: texted MW to say I probably didn't need a sweep as I reckon I was in the first stage of labour.

Then I sorted DS's breakfast and pack the rest of the stuff for my bag.

8am: breakfast, contractions are getting stronger but manageable.

8.30am: I pop a couple of co-codamol to see me through the next few hours.

9am: MW rings and say I can still come for the sweep to help things along, I decline as
I reckon baby will be here today. I tell her the contractions are close together (every 3/4min) but short (25sec or so). She says that's fine and that we want them to be 1min or so. I also mention I really want to pee during contractions and she says it's a good sign that baby is low down.

9.20am: DS gets picked up by friend.

9.30am: contractions intensify, I find it harder to focus but manage.

Suddenly really want to pee, sit on the loo bur it won't come out. Feel like I'm losing it and feel a bit ashamed to be coping so badly when I thought I could do it with the help of hypnobirthing! Hippy fool!

Feel the need to take my tights off and lie down on bed with legs open. Then plop my waters go.

DH: ok, we're going to hospital
Me: not going anywhere can't move. Call 999
DH: what??? You can't give birth here!
Me: call the birth unit - who told him to call 999...

In the meantime I had gone onto all fours and within one push the head came out, another one and so did the rest.

9.45am: paramedics arrived, just missed DH catching baby

MW arrived shortly after to deliver placenta and check all was well. Amazingly, I didn't tear although I feel pretty sore and swollen down there.

No room for me in hospital so Ive at home since...

Can't quite believe it!

Now I need to get some sleep as I've been up for a loooooong time now.

Labour vibes and good luck to everyone still waiting xx

Milk! Blooblies! Hens! Huge congratulations to all of you! Two unattended births....wow. complete and utter respect to you and your DHs, ladies. Here's to swift recoveries.

Milk - babyfunch was born just before William. Hope you're recovering well, I am starting.to feel more normal, physically, as of today.

Polly - thinking of you - whatever you decide will be right for you and your baby. Let us know how it goes with the consultant.

What amazing stories. Massive congrats ladies!

Hi

May I join? I am 38 weeks today. Third baby. Planned homebirth. (had my first 2 at home too)

Best of luck to you all!

Hiya I'm 39 + 6 today woken up by cramps last nite that seemed to get stronger no more than period pains tho and then just died off! Losing the will big time lol x

Hi weezl74 and emzypoo!

I think a few of these ladies have had homebirths - more power to us :) I'm planning a HB for my first due in...oh, a week!

39 weeks today and very angry I say this with a big grin because I realise it is very unreasonable of me. I'm just fed up - swollen, achey, painful hands, constant heartburn, fucked off with people asking me how I am and if I've had the baby yet. I'm not even due yet!! I feel like screaming "Just fuck the fuck off and leave me alone!!" MiL - who I normally love - has called me, DH and messaged me on FB several times today and I just want to be left alone. I don't want to chat. Our grandparents emailing to ask if we've had the baby yet. My dad constantly talking about his granddaughter is annoying me - we don't even know what the baby is so just bugger off!

Aaarrgggh, so angry. Orenishii SMASH!!

But as DH says, I'd be upset if no one was interested...

I'm finding my mum highly annoying right now shouting at my bump constantly Come out itys nanny speaking ! Grrr Also when at the checkout in morrisons yesterday she introduced me to the operator she had never met before as her daughter and I was pregnant! Like its obvious lol! X

poor you Orenishii, that sounds hugely frustrating. Have you got any easy retorts planned to gently but firmly get them to stop?

as there are fellow homebirth ladies, can i ask if you are using a pool, and when you plan to do the filling and inflating. also has anyone got any thoughts on aromatherapy in labour?

ta ! :)

Hahaha angry pregnant ladies!

I feel like being really sarky and saying - oh yeah, we had the baby couple of weeks ago, just didn't get around to telling you.

But I fear that is beyond mean and am instead just resorting to ignoring until I'm able to muster a semi-reasonable response. Something like - not yet but we'll be sure to let you know!

Take the hint, mofo's!

emzypoo that would seriously irritate me and I would be forced to walk away, muttering to myself like a crazy lady.

weezl74 yes, we have a pool! We've had a dry run, so to speak. It takes about five minutes to inflate, and about 20 minutes or so to fill. I'm hoping to hold off getting in until about 5cm or even later, so I guess the basic plan is to get it inflated once we've worked out things have started, ready to fill when I want to get in. DH is completely in control of it and we've had it folded up in the living room (our bathroom is on the same floor as the living room) for a week or so now.

I've been using clary sage oil in the bath for a week or so, and made up a mixture of clary sage and coconut oil for massages during the birth. Who knows - maybe it's all placebo but it makes me feel good so that's something in itself! How about you?

emzypoo eeep at shouting at your bump!

Orenishii thanks for pool timings, they sound slightly quicker than ours so we've left it inflated as one less job in early labour. i am not sure if labour 3 is meant to be a bit quicker so i thought maybe good to keep things simple!

i will look into the clary sage, thanks! i haven't got an oil burner but have been improvising by warming dried lavender in there in my slo-cooker! lol. i am a bit of a cheapskate :)

Wow what amazing birth stories! Polly's gonne quiet again, hope she's OK and perhaps in labour as I type.

I'm now 40+3, had a horrible day yesterday sitting around, feeling so fed up. Also went to see MW as had headache, felt sick and was getting rib pain (bit worried about PE but all OK)

Have decided to be more proactive today - which has benefited the house

Have cleaned the bathroom and dowstairs toilet, cleared out the (disgusting) fridge, swept and polished everywhere, made soup and am going to change the bedding when I've eaten it!

Really hope it gets things started - have sweep booked in for Thurs and am not keen......

No, no Spice17 - I am still here!

Whenhenshaveteeth, amazing! Congratulations lovely - what fantastic news.

And thanks Funchum8am.

Sorry to hear you are feeling fed up Orenishii. Hang on in there - could be a little while yet and the questions will only become more annoying. You've got a great plan and no reason it won't happen at this stage. Keeping everything crossed for you.

I feel like the thread elder now at 40+12! Welcome emzypoo and weez1234.

Also hoping for a homebirth, though lady luck will be smiling on me if it happens now I tend to think. I've kind of made peace with that. after a SHIT day yesterday when I kept bursting into tears (sounds like your day spice 17 - glad you feel better today too). I had consultant appointment this am with the matron and midwife and you know, they talk about the risks of going over and it does make you question yourself. I haven't decided what I will do yet. They said they are fine with me going to thursday for now, when I will be 42 weeks then we will decide whether I wait a few more days or go for induction. Baby is moving well and I have agreed to go in for daily monitoring. So let's see what happens. He gave me a very vigorous sweep (my first) and stretched me to 3cms dilated and seemed pretty confident that I would go into labour before thursday. But despite some contractions immediately afterwards, I am feeling fine again now.

Anyway, fingers crossed! As I say, I am feeling positive about it all again. Been for a few walks, eating a whole pineapple from the market and just made yummy coconut flapjacks while dancing round the kitchen to Absolute80's which is cheese-a-rama but brilliant nonetheless.

Sending labour vibes to all of us xx

It might be time to bust out the medela.... they do say that can help tip you into labour don't they???

Wow Polly I had no idea they could stretch things that far!! I am so impressed that you are patient enough to be going for monitoring. Even If you go don't into labour before Thursday you know you gave nature her best shot. Fingers crossed!

Yes, that's what I figured Funchum. It's up to the baby now! I am hopeful, but if it doesn't happen, well maybe there is a good reason to go for induction and get on with things. Thanks!