38 weeks preg - is this normal?

[stardustmom]

Hi, I am 38 weeks pregnant. This is my first pregnancy - never had a braxton hicks contraction and the baby hasn't moved down from under my ribs yet. The baby may have moved a little because it no longer hurts when I cough or sneeze, but it doesn't feel like the baby has 'dropped'. Anyone know if this is normal? I just feel like the birth will never come at this rate!

totally normal my dear, Inever had a braxton at all!

but, my dd ended up being 11 days late.....

do all of the things you can, Ie lots of sex, hot curries etc etc etc
and best of luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am assuming you are going to see your MW regularly, and she is happy with the positioning, yes?

the baby will be on its way down..... and might be partly engaged or starting to engage.....you could potentially have 4 weeks left...(!) so don;t worry yet..

the body doesn't suddenly go into labour...little things happen for the last few weeks...the baby drops down and starts to engage, the cervix moves forward, thins, starts to dilate...you might have a show....all these things take time...and patience..which is in short dupply when you are heavily pregnant

raspberry leaf tea is good to help tone the uterus...sitting an a gym ball to open the pelvis and encourage the baby to drop down....

visualise the baby coming down & the cervix opening

sex & nipple stimulation can help get the cervix ripened and ready to go !

and you won;t be pregnant for ever !!

I never really had any definite BH either - the odd twinge but nothing I would identify as a 'pretend' contraction. The baby will come when it is ready and, I know it is harder said than done, but really enjoy your last few days/weeks - put your feet up and eat chocolate (that is what I did!)

Good luck and best wishes.
X

yes get lots and lots and lots of rest and enjoy yourself doing amazing things like reading books and magazines as now that seems like such a luxury to me...

I guess I do have the odd twinge - just feel a slight cramp occassionally without any belly hardness. I have been drinking the raspberry leaf tea for about 2 weeks now. I am having lots of dreams about the baby dropping - so I expected it to have happened already. I was born at 39 weeks and dh at 43!! I am just afraid the baby will be like its father!

I'll have to try the curries, visualisation and sex I think...don't really crave either tbh!

Voodoo - do you feel guilty for reading a magazine/book now? I do, even if DS is asleep/happily playing on his own etc. - I feel I should be playing with him or something if he is awake, even if he is happy by himself, rather than sitting there reading

(Sorry stardust - a bit of a hijack there!)

how guilty do I feel typing this very sentance altho I can hear her downstairs happily chuckling and bashing her bouncey chair!!!!

I read a few pages per breast feed, but yes, I am of the mind that I should be taking her out to experience life all of the time!!!!!

I think a lot of motherhood is about guilt, actually,

In effect, I had 42 weeks of joyous pregnancy.
In France, this is the accepted length of preganacy...40wks would be early.

I was the same as you and both mine born at 42 weeks!