Anyone else very fed up of being pregnant now?

[RoseberryTopping]

I'm 35 weeks and driving myself crazy! I'm so uncomfortable and this heat isn't helping. I'm constantly expanding, my jeans are getting too tight but it seems silly to buy anymore now.

I just want him out, he must be just about big enough by now!

Anyone else feeling the same?

Sorry my lovely ladies that I've been quiet, been getting the finishing touches to the nursery, got some new trainers and a fleece throw that i can wrap up in when feeding or to cover feeding chair. Nothing more on the baby front 2 days till induction other half has me with my feet up (ankles very swollen, high bp and protein in urine but hospital have gone meh). So all I'm doing is chilling out reading and getting sleep between eating more, on the plus side my GD has settled down. Love the photo Iwill, hopefully this baby will be out soon.

strawberryjam I know how you feel, it's getting real now!
gemini glad things are relatively ok with you and you are taking it easy. Hurry up babies we want to meet you!

Know what you mean strawberry, it seems like such an abstract thought for months, like it's not actually real. Then Bam, you look at the calendar and realise in a few short weeks you'll have a real life baby!

Ooh gemini I'm jealous of you laying in bed all day! You might as well rest up until baby comes anyway, make the most of it :)

Do you reckon it's possible to strengthen your uterus so much with raspberry leaf tea that you won't ever go in to labour cos it's that strong?
Random musing of the day...

not resting up took ml out, made a load of turnover inculding choc spread with choc dropping

So I have officially been swept. Head well engaged but cervix thick and only 1cm dilated. Very painless compared to my memories of last time. Induction booked for Thursday at 41+5= but still not sure if I want to do it or not. So want to be able to use pool which is "allowed" if gel induction is effective and before 42 weeks.

But worried my body won't be ready enough for it and so will be more unpleasant because of working against nature. That's what my previous induction was like and ended up feeling very out of control and with a forceps delivery.

so unsure of what the right decision to make is. Induction with gel is as an outpatient which is possibly the only reason I agreed to it at all. So confused.

Good luck to everyone else. Everton are you also being swept today?

Ch1a - there's been a thread in the last few days called something like "40+2 and worried about induction" you should look at (can't link as on phone app and not worked out how to get the link!) I responded on there with my story (and I wasn't effaced and only 1cm dilated on first attempt with gel), but there are basically several positive stories of second baby inductions.

I did indeed have my sweep today. Cervix is about 50% effaced and I'm 2cm dilated but it's number 3 so that's not surprising. Baby back to half engaged having popped out last week so at least moving back in the right direction.

Had a persistent lower backache since the sweep this morning but it's not got any worse. Small show but again, nothing major. Getting DCs to bed and then will be ball-bouncing, nipple-twiddling, chilli-eating etc! This could go either way I think. I have had one successful (DS) and two failed (DD) sweeps in my time so I deserve to even those stats up, but not overly hopeful yet!

Here it is (copied from the email to a friend option so hope it works!)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/2107310-Im-40-plus-2-days-overdue-with-DS2-and-terrified-of-the-prospect-of-being-induced

ch1a and everton hope these sweeps get things moving for you both.
I had a sweep with DS1 as he was 2 weeks overdue, had sweep at 2pm on the Friday and DS was born the following morning so they do work sometimes!
Hoping I won't get to that stage this time, it's bloody frustrating isn't it!

Thanks Everton And always for positive words. I'm reading that thread now Everton...

It's so good to be able to talk about all this here as I'm not enjoying speaking to anyone in real life. My mum just called and I said I wasn't sure and didn't have induction booked as I can't face being "on the clock" in anyone's mind. I'm doubting my ability to make the best decision so much...

Ooh hope those sweeps get things moving ladies, fingers crossed not long til babies here. It is just such an agonising wait the last bit of pregnancy but totally totally worth it, you'll be cuddling your new born soon.
Well nipples seem to have calmed down today & mw pleased with latch. However milk now come in & I have swollen sore boobs instead! Gonna get some cabbage leaves tomorrow!

With induction get an epidural as soon as possible! My mw sister advised me of this, I went straight to the drip so not sure what happens when on the gel though. Bt he hospital wanted to start the drip without the gel and I refused, waited over an hour for the anaesthetist to give it to me. My sister says the pain is very intense without. Feel free to quote her as your own sister should you find yourself in this situation.

I understand a lot more about how it feels to have induction hanging over you. It's all a little terrifying ( well maybe this was just me).

Seasalt glad your nipples doing ok, hope mine get there. Tried to relieve it yesterday with a bottle but she would not take it (Wah).

That reads wrong the hospital wanted to start the syntocin drip without the epidural, my sister said they would and I refused to let them until the epidural was in place. If you plan an epidural make sure you don't let them start the drop before you have it!

How are you going after your sweeps Ch1a & Everton ?
Also were they uncomfortable? I have mine today (am first timer!)
Had show this morn so feeling much more encouraged; maybe my body does know what to do after all! Am 40+8/41+1 today (don't know which way you're meant to put it)
Thanks for the link on the induction thread; also reassuring

I agree about the epidural if that's what you're wanting. I got induced last time and went from period pains to full on intense contractions in 10 minutes after they broke my waters. It was terrifying. I'm sure if you've been through labour before it might be easier as you know what to expect, but I would definitely recommend asking for epidural as early as possible if you know that's what you want.
It's so hard to make any sort of decision really though as you just don't know what will happen or how you'll feel.

Have you spoken to your DH about it so he can help motivate you?

Sweeps aren't painful IME, just uncomfortable.

Seasalt - glad the nipples are improving.

Iwill - try biological nurturing position? Sounds fancy but basically you lie back, skin to skin, put baby on your chest and they find their own way to latch on. It's amazing to watch them snuffling around and doing it, and it has the advantage of being a very deep latch so should help sore nipples. And it's comfy provided you support yourself with pillows! A quick google will find lots of images and links.

I feel proper weird today, just not with it and tired and dizzy. Don't think it helps knowing I've got to go see my mum later, really dreading it :(

Eliza - a few things happening but on and off and not sure this sweep has done the job yet. Backache most of yesterday has dissipated, some light contractions yesterday evening have gone, but I've definitely had a show this morning although no other twinges.

It was a bit uncomfortable but I've had several in my time and lots of internals for other medical things so I'm used to them having a rummage! Just breathe deeply through any uncomfortable bits and you'll be fine.

Re epidurals and inductions, you won't need (and probably won't be given one) with the pessary as this is designed to try and kick start things naturally rather than send you racing into labour, but everyone I know who has gone on to the drip either asked for one at the same time or wishes they did!

Good luck everton and Ch1a, sorry to hear about your nipples Iwill.
Roseberry you have GD by any chance cos I was like that all sunday turned out o be low blood sugar
Hopefully this time tommorow I'll be induced and be holding my little one by the end of the day, OH is scared as hell, me: your not pushing a grapefruit through a mousehole.

Thanks everyone for the positive thoughts and advice.

Last time I was induced at 39 weeks for pre eclampsia . Judging by the duration of this pregnancy it was clearly well before it would have happened on its own. I had two gels and got to 4cm before waters broke. Constant monitoring and crappy conditions made me think what the hell and when they suggested the drip and epidural I jumped at it. Epidural felt amazing initially but was either not sited properly or for some reason didn't work well with my body's physiology as after about an hour I was in agony and no amount of top ups took away the pain. I remember the midwife spraying the cold spray every 10 minutes and it made me wince every time. For me the period of relief that it initially worked made me lose the focus I had previously on gas and air and I completely panicked. I freaked that I could hardly move but was in agony and suffice to say it all went downhill from there.

So I really was hoping to be in a pool this time for ease of movement and try to keep my focus as that is what led to the disaster last time. So I don't know if I think an epidural will be different to last time given my experience.

I haven't really concluded anything....But I'm so confused :-(

Everton I shall give that a go. You sound very good at what you do, I would love to have someone like you help in real life.

MW visited they looked at my latch and said it all looked good.

Gemini waiting for induction in such an odd feeling. I do hope it all goes well for you. Treat yourself well today.

Ch1a I was warned about this happening with the epidural thank goodness it did not. I can very well understand your apprehension. Make sure your midwife knows what happened before tell her you are worried about it

Raspberry another suggestion is low blood pressure as this can do what you described.

Oh ch1a that is so like my first labour that it's scary! Sweep at 40 wkd exactly due to PE worries. Started labour but tried to speed with ARM then drip (already had epidural in by this point). My epidural would wear off within 10 mins but then my BP would crash each time they topped up so I was completely spaced out or in agony on my back on a bed which was the most uncomfortable position. It was why I was adamant about no epidural and no bed second time round and terrified of induction but fortunately the gel worked and it was great (and, no, I never got on the bed once as my fab mw would get on hands and knees to monitor me!). Fingers crossed for you this time.

Thanks Iwill :) I'm sure there must be some peer supporters or helpful breastfeeding counsellors near you who you can see. If you PM me your postcode I could try and find details for you of drop-ins and people who could come to see you. Also the helplines can be very useful. I've got to dash to get DD but will post all the helpline numbers later for everyone.

I was really shy about accessing help with DS and had a hard time properly establishing bf. Much better experience with DD as she just got it without help needed. Having helped some mums now, I've realised how much better my experience would have been if I'd accessed help early on. Sadly it's completely hit and miss as to whether you get good midwives or HVs, or if you do they are often so busy they don't have time to help, which is where the voluntary groups/helplines can help.

I'm taking comfort from the fact that gel did progress my labour to an extent and broke my waters spontaneously, so if that happens again I should still be able to use a pool and let it develop more naturally. That's what I'm hoping for. I think I might not have needed the drip last time if they weren't so worried about me delivering asap for the pre eclampsia. I'm hoping this time I'm less on the clock.

Everton I'm reassured that your second induction was like I am hoping for this time. That's my best case scenario I think!

Gemini I hope this doesn't scare you...most people I know had much more positive inductions and I think its things quite specific to my physiology and mental state that gave me my previous outcome. I wish you a wonderful induction tomorrow.

Iwillorder good luck with trying the new latch techniques from everton and yes I will tell the midwife for sure and make it clear the things I think will help me keep focused and calm. It's all about being calm for me I think.

Deep breaths!

Hmmm I have no words of wisdom on inductions sorry but I do hope they go well & that you get to use the pool ch1a-I really wanted that too & glad I could this time as wasn't able to first time either-it did make for lovely birth at the end.

Iwill-baby is beautiful, I've worked out how to see!! Hope feeding going ok- first few days are hard work aren't they!
Today my boobs have gone bonkers. & it's very uncomfortable. Baby really struggled to latch this morning but last feed was better- mainly cos I leaked massively in front of everyone first hope they settle down soon.

Everton-how important is it to feed in different positions? I just use one I like & did this last time but don't want to clog milk ducts & worsen my nipples. I just prefer this one way though.

It's warm here today so hope you're coping with the big bumps if it's nice with you. Here's to flabby tummies soon

Hi Seasalt try expressing a bit either by hand or with a pump. I am kind of looking forward and dreading milk coming in all at once. Hopefully my nipples will survive.

Have to get the baby check that should have happened before discharge yesterday tomorrow.

I can confirm I am happy with my flabby tummy right now. Here's to everyone having one soon! Then to it all going back to how it was before!