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...

[PollyIndia]

Mikyahrose I could have written your post! I do have waves of excitement but mainly it just feels surreal and scary and I don't feel ready for it.

Orenishii which birth pool did you get? £99 is fine! I thought it would be more...

[PollyIndia]

And I am still enjoying being pregnant.
Whenhenshaveteeth, I am sure with all that, the baby won't be too late. You have some time before they talk induction don't you?
I am just 2 days in front of you :)

[JessTT]

Ah, am slightly jealous of all you ladies who are on your first as you have it all ahead of you and there is something just soooo special about those first moments of becoming a Mum! :-) I remember those mixed feelings before it happening very well....it all seeming very surreal and to be honest it seems pretty much the same second time (don't think you can ever imagine it happening until it does!) - got to be said though as soon as I felt my first contraction the body/mind just took over - its amazing. I had a pool at home for my first birth and although I did end up getting transferred to hospital after she turned back to back and wasn't arriving after 2 hours of pushing (was fine by the way - definitely a time and a place for being in hospital and managed to discharge myself very quickly after!) I used my pool LOADS in my loooooong labour and found it amazingly relaxing - PollyIndia...didn't find it stressful to fill, keep warm etc.....gives whoever is with you something to do and I didn't think it took too long to sort out (although I was pretty pre-occupied at the time!) - do you know anyone else that has one? I borrowed one and just bought a new liner (£25) x

[FjordMor]

Joining in from the 'weird thread' since I just received my induction date today for 1st October. I'm 36+3 today and baby is 'weighing' 8lbs 6oz and I'll be 38+1 on my induction date. Oh, and I have (well) diet-controlled gestational diabetes.

I'm not worried at all about induction (I don't want to try to push out a baby much bigger than this!); I live in Norway and they are very non-interventionist here...you have to both be in danger to get a CS of any kind (apparently they frequently deliver breeches naturally). I'll get to have a mobile labour with water etc. with just some extra monitoring and I won't be pressured quickly to a syntocin drip. Baby has very well developed lungs and has been declared as 'ready' and very healthy. Will be doing everything I can from around a week's time to encourage natural labour however :). (lots of sex? did someone mention crawling around on all fours?). I feel very much the same way squid does about labour ( :)) so I won't re-articulate what she put so well, although I'm older and have had a lot less of an active pregnancy, and this obvious complication. However, I'm hoping an epidural won't be necessary, and am more focused on getting to know my little girl and learning to be a mum. I think the shock of having her in my life all the time is greater than any thoughts about how she might be getting here! This however, could well change... .

Interesting to hear how many of you are going over and having home births. 2 things I guess I've more or less known from the beginning wouldn't happen to me. My bump has been heavily 'dropped' for a couple of weeks now and I'm finding walking any distance painful and uncomfortable. Pee on the 1.5hour all night every night and getting used to the sleeplessness...looking forward to imminent news from some of you! :)

[PollyIndia]

JessTT not sure I do... But it does sound good. I am seeing my doula later so will chat to her about it. This last bit is quite surreal, it's true!

Fjordmor, not long for you. Nice to have a date!

Have any of the due babies arrived? Am now 39+1 but I feel less close to giving birth than I did a week ago if anything. Baby's head def not engaged now and I've got my energy levels back again. Weird! I have always expected this baby to be late though, and pretty sure that is what will happen. I have put loads in to keep busy, so seeing friends most days and evenings and will go to gym and yoga. So even if that doesn't encourage him/her to make an appearance, at least I won't be bored!

Hope you are all feeling good :)

[JessTT]

No due date baby here! After feeling fine all week I did wake up in a slight due-date grump.....I've decided I don't like due dates and if I ever have another I won't tell people the exact date as there is a weird feeling of expectation when you get there even though babies very rarely arrive on that date! Feel back to normal today though....still happy pottering on although will be happy if it comes before the induction chat starts happening (although I plan to decline, would prefer not to have to even go there!)
How is everyone else feeling? Hope you are all ok xxx

[funchum8am]

Also having a bit of a post-due date grump here as it was yesterday. I was always sure baby would be late but I wanted to be wrong! Though now I can grump without having to say "even though I am not actually due til 20th..." which is something!

I drove to see friends two hours away for lunch on weds and had a lovely time, and kept busy meeting people yesterday so I can still enjoy myself if I don't sit about at home alone - off to ring everyone I know who isn't at work and suggest lunch....

[PollyIndia]

JessTT even though a doula told me when I was about 15 weeks pregnant and it was said again in the hypnobrthing class to lie about due dates, I've still told everyone the truth so people are already saying isn't the baby here yet?!

It's not bothering me yet but I bet it will be in a week, despite having said to myself and everyone for the whole pregnancy that I think the baby will be late.

I am on a countdown to next thursday too despite the above, so I think like both of you, I'll have some kind of latent expectation that something will happen although I keep saying it could be 3 more weeks.

Defo about keeping busy if you can I think. Though I am revising my earlier post about being full of energy. I was - last few days had work meetings and squeezed in lunches and coffees with friends as was in central London and felt fine, but having got up and walked to the dentist today, I am feeling exhausted. So I spoke too soon!

[ballroomblitz]

I'll join jess and funchum on the 40+1 and now overdue club. I meant to spend the day active and up-and-at-em yesterday, instead ds and I munched our way through some dvds cuddled up on the sofa with the duvet over us. Was lovely to spend some chill out time with him alone before the lo makes an appearance.

Not feeling too bad about being overdue, except the texts and facebook messages started yesterday. Am getting a few more twinges, feeling heavier down below the last couple of days so hopefully the midwife will report things are moving on in the right direction today.

I'm also finding the amount of homebirths interesting. From reading my hospital booklet there was only one they dealt with last year! Obviously not the done thing where I am.

[Mikyahrose]

No sign of baby here yet, now 3 days over. Been trying to keep active, bouncing as i type, went swimming yeterday, did 10 lengths then spent the next 30 mins just lying in the pool on my tummy. Hoping that the baby will turn round to the right place and then engage. Gonna go swimming again later too. Got a busy day planned tomorrow, off to DP's work for a family day. DP has also said he really doesnt want him to arrive on Sunday as there is lots of football on and we've planned to go out for a curry that evening too. You know, it'd be typical for him to come then now.

What's everyones thoughts on inductions and why are some people planning on declining them? I havent had this discussion with my mw yet. Not seeing her again till nex wedsnesday, so thinking it'll be discussed and booked in then.

[paperclips]

40+2 here now.

Last night had lots more of period-type acheyness and tightenings, quite regular but not painful, they are getting stronger every day. Nothing bad enough to keep me awake though and slept really well. This morning the same kind of crampy feelings and low bachache. Not even bad enough to bother taking paracetamol although I might have a warm bath now.

Pooing a lot and hoping that it might be my body having a clear-out (or maybe just that I ate a lot yesterday). Was getting hopeful but its probably nothing, been like this the last few days. A week even! Might still feel like this in another 10 days! Baby doesn't feel any lower.

As for inductions, I'm hoping it won't come to that. Midwife will do a sweep on Tuesday (will be 40+6), if that doesn't work, then they'll offer induction for about a week later. And yes I probably will have the induction. I'm not keen on ending up with loads of intervention, but it doesn't always lead to that, and when it comes to it, I don't really want to go over 42 weeks either. Right now I don't feel like I will last that long, or maybe that's just me being optimistic.

I want to go out somewhere and keep active but the weather is crap, I'm trying not to spend money and so I dunno where to go! Nothing I need to buy. Got a few nice things planned for tomorrow with DH, a local farmers market- might look out for some nice pate for afterwards (if baby ever comes out).

Mmmm... some good bread and pate and a cold glass of bubbly.

[whenhenshaveteeth]

That sounds quite promising paperclip!

I'll be 39wks tomorrow and I feel a bit off today. Did 60 lengths at the swimming pool then spent 3h cleaning, not to mention walking 3yr old to and back from nursery... Had a bit of pain on my right side in the pelvic area when I was swimming, which came back in the evening but much stronger and then gravitated to my lower back, so I spent the night clutching a water bottle and I slept well.

This morning the pain is still here and walking is quite difficult. I feel queasy and grumpy and my bump is rock hard. I can't decide if it's the start of something or if I've just pulled a muscle. It's doesn't feel like contractions, just pain and I'm pretty much all baby so my belly is always on the hard side... I popped some paracetamol though as the pain was getting a bit much, I feel better now.

[Mikyahrose]

Mmm, bread, pate and bubbly - sounds lovely. i think i might do the same. :D

Same here on the sweep and induction front. Seeing mw again at 41+1, will have a sweep then. Although i think she'll only do one if she thinks it'll make a difference. ie. if he still hasnt dropped and got engaged i dont think there's much point - or that was my understanding of it. I'm happy for an induction, but as you said paper i'd like as little intervention as possible.

My poo seems to have been less solid than normal the last few days, although i'm not going anymore than normal. No other signs showing, no aches, period type pains or cramps. A few tightenings, but nothing more than normal.

I just went for a walk up and down my road the other day, put the ipod on and got into the music. Maybe you could do that too paper?

[JessTT]

Mmmmm.......pate, bread and bubbly sounds amazing! Followed by rare steak, cheese platter, and some sushi! What a feast :-)

Re. Induction....just would like to give my body a proper chance of starting things naturally and seeing that the amount they let you go overdue differs SO much from place to place (and country and country) I just personally don't feel like the baby would necessarily be ready to come out if I go over the '10 days over' mark - but obviously the safety of bubba is paramount and would would only be happy to go on declining with the relevant checks taking place (think they get to be monitored daily to check placenta is still healthy etc). I haven't had the chat with midwives yet either (apart from my sis who is a midwife which helps alot in the few times I have gone against advice as I have felt fully informed and supported which is important!)

whenhenshaveteeth - wow, sounds like you had a REALLY active day yesterday! I keep doing lots in the day (easier to be out and about with a toddler than in at the mo!) and feeling fine until the evening when I suddenly feel worn out and a bit 'ouchy'. I have had a 'sore' tummy on and off the last few evenings - not obvious contractions and easy enough to ignore and sleep through....I just keep telling myself that the more niggles I have now maybe the shorter the labour will be (I had such a long latent phase last time but no niggles before!) as its just the body getting itself ready!

Feels exciting now that everyone is SOOO close....am sure we'll start getting the birth stories any minute :-) can't wait - Good luck everyone x x x

[blondiep14]

Sooooo, have been trying to be more observant and keep an eye on the period type cramps I've been having as they seem to be more frequent today.

I think they're about every half an hour lasting 5mins-ish.
I wouldn't go so far as to say they're contractions really and they're in no way agonising - but it's a good sign, isn't it??

Baby still moving.

Please tell me it means something is going on?!

Feel daft as this is #3 so I should know but just woke up to waters going with other two. Nothing about this pregnancy has been the same!

[dickiedoodah]

Am jealous of your cramps blondiep14! This week has gone soooo slowly for me while I wait for due date of 25th to arrive. Stupidly thought I might get lucky with an early arrival but have accepted that I'll go over. As due date gets closer I'm driving myself nutty thinking about names for baby. Does anyone else feel overwhelmed by the responsibility to get the name spot on or is it just me?! My main worry is whatever we have it might be the only one of that sex so would hate not to get it just right!

[blondiep14]

Well, have been having them for a good week or so doodah so not hopeful they're going to lead to anything today either. But it would be nice!

I didnt really worry with names for DS1 and DS2 as they were named after family members so were always going to be that IYSWIM?
When I brought DS1 home I did keep wondering if it was right tho!

This time is our first time of really 'choosing' and we're still not 100% on a boys name!
We have a list we'll dig out after we've met him (if it's a him) and decide.
We stopped discussing names as were driving ourselves mad!

[funchum8am]

Well no news here at 40+1 though various period pain type episodes, though they are not regular or strong so I am ignoring them for now!

Trying to keep busy but my only friends who don't work all week are from nct and keep having their babies so keep dropping off the list of people free to meet up!

Re induction, I gather from antenatal classes that it leads to higher rates of intervention and can, for some, be a lot more painful. There is apparently no evidence that going over dates is high risk IF you are properly monitored. However I am now so keen to get on with being a mum that I am likely to grab it with both hands when I get to the date I am booked in for!

[PollyIndia]

Dickiedoodah yes! I have gone off all my names. Hoping all becomes clear when I see the baby

[whenhenshaveteeth]

Any news? Blondie, it all sounded promising, any more contractions?

I can sleep, been awake since 3.30am now and can't go back to sleep for no apparent reason.

My stomach is still quite painful now and again but I'm not convinced it's labour related. My bump itself feels sore around my belly button and when I stand it feels like I need to literally hold and support my bump to ease the pain - it's almost as if my skin couldnt support the weight of the baby anymore

Right, will try to close my eyes again...

[PollyIndia]

I am awake too whenhenshaveteeth. I've slept brilliantly all pregnancy until the last week - now I wake up by 4 every day. Nervous excitement I think, also baby moving and weird aches and pains.

My tummy is painful too but not labour related. None of us have long to go - you less than me. Good luck with getting back to sleep.

[YompingJo]

Hi,

Hopping onto this bandwagon, 38+1 today and feel like this is never going to end!

Orenishii I remember you too, I was also gaped at back in that thread for wanting to continue running and for missing my adrenaline sports and feeling trapped because of that, lol. Seems like a long time ago.

Have loads booked over next 2 weeks, going with the theory that if I book up loads of social things it's bound to get labour started at an inconvenient moment! The week of my due date is looking very empty though, guess I need to arrange more stuff for then too!

[whenhenshaveteeth]

Morning polly, hope you managed to go back to sleep. I did but then woke up at 7.3am convinced my phone had just beeped and that it was my friend who was in labour and needed me to look after her daughter...

I'm the same as you, slept like a log so far but now wake up around 3.30am every two nights. Must have a nap today, going to be shattered later and really don't fancy going into labour in that state!

Pain still here but no contractions
Feels like my belly button is going to rip and I feel like he's suddenly dropped.

[milk]

hello whenhenshaveteeth :)

Last night I woke up almost every hour to pee :( Totally sucks!!!

I am 38+4 today and want this baby to come out now!!!

Hope everyone else is well today :)

[ballroomblitz]

I've been like that the last couple of weeks whenhens . Have to hold my belly at the bottom when I stand up out of bed as the weight of the baby moves down and really hurts. Can feel the shift in weight moving from side to side in bed at night too.

Still nothing here despite getting my hopes up yesterday when I started to lose a bit of my plug and getting a lot of tightenings and period pains. Totally fed up now being overdue as two of my friends have had their babies over the last couple of days - and their due dates were behind mine and they didn't even hit them. Grrrr. Have the day to myself so gonna head out and walk this baby out. Midwife commented yesterday baby is still very high.

Have a good day everyone and sending labour vibes to all those who need them!