Waddling slowly towards the finish line. A late pregnancy moaning thread.

[OuchBollocks]

I will start by saying I know I am extremely lucky be expecting a healthy (so far as can be told) baby and I wouldn't swap it for the world. That said - bloody hell. I'm 39 weeks today, I have an arse under my ribcage so I can't breathe, a head trying to drill out of my pelvis, shocking heartburn, and with a leg still in a boot from being broken there is no comfortable position in the world. I'm shattered and weepy and want this baby out now please! Anyone else?

It's the constant asking for something so I never sit down for more than about a minute (and getting up is not easy!) and my 2 year old suddenly wants me to carry him all the time.

This!! It's getting to the point where I'm saying I'll get them a drink in a few minutes 🙈 I had to have a chat with my four year old today because I can see he's getting so despondent with my grumpiness. So we had a snuggle and I told him how much I love him and how awesome he is, and how I'm grumpy because growing a baby is very tiring, nothing he's done. God it makes my heart hurt.

I know. I keep finding myself saying 'in a minute' but then am annoyed when my boys don't do what i want immediately! It's mainly the afternoons when I'm bone tired and still have half a day to get through. I've been trying to keep active and keep on top of the house but maybe it's time to just go for afternoons snuggled on the sofa watching a film!

Once baby comes and energy returns they won't remember the months of grumpiness I'm sure.... we cab make it up to them them. For now it's just survival!

Exactly what it's like. My eldest goes to pre school and I just hang out with DD at home. Then we pick him up at lunchtime and have at least three hours in the park - at exactly the time when I'm most exhausted. Just hoping all this activity and walking around makes for an easier labour. You're so right about them not remembering once the grumpiness goes but man, I'm such a rubbish mummy right now!

How are you all feeling? I'm rooting for you all, hoping for waters breaking and contractions! 🙂

BHs but nothing more. Looks like I'm headed for an induction this week
How are you getting on Lottie?

Oh bless you 😞 I've been hoping for active labour for you all!

We are settled in at home and happy, thank you. Recovering after the ECS, glad it's all over. She is an incredibly calm and happy baby, we are very lucky.

What date will the induction be planned for?

Wednesday Lottie!

Just catching up, massive congratulations Lottie!!!! Emcs not so good, how are you doing? I forgot to take painkillers this afternoon and suffering for it now.. I do feel an improvement each day though.

Baby is content and generally happy, struggling with feeding as he has tongue tie I think.. going to get assessed tomorrow. I'm expressing every 2-3 hours and topping up with formula. It's quite draining so I'm hoping we can get latch sorted and feeding directly from the boob.

I avoided an induction!! Contractions started in early hours and baby boy born by 1pm! Over the moon x

Congratulations MrPoppers! How are you both?

We are good thanks. Tired but good!

I'm ready to join you all!

37+2 and bent nearly double with PGP...

39+5 and fed up. Still on crutches, still can't walk, still on painkillers, still can't get dressed by myself!

Argh just want this done with now!

Hi. 40+4 and absolutely nothing going on here. So fed up
Trying for a vba2c. Doc won't let me go past 40+11. I just want it out. So desperate to do it vaginally though. Not had a single braxton hicks or anything. Lost my plug last week, that's about it.

Have a 1 and 2 year old that I feel I'm neglecting. Can't walk more than a few yards without being in pain. Can't sleep. Urgh, so frickin miserable. Why doesn't he want to come out?!?

Congratulations MrPoppers! I'm so ready for my elective on Monday, I don't think I would survive if I was 14 days over like last time. I can't sleep, can't walk more than a few minutes due to the PGP, I've got crutches but they're more hassle than they're worth! Nausea has returned and I'm constantly congested. I've had zero signs of anything starting up so I think I would be overdue if I was having a natural delivery. 38+3 today, it's such a magical time isn't it?!

Oh my goodness Poppers!! You absolute star, and right in the nick of time! I am so pleased for you, congratulations!! how are you both? How was the labour? So chuffed for you!

Purple, so glad you are doing well. I tried to breastfeed but was unable continue well. After the EMCS I was left on the ward all night without much assistance and because of the epidural little miss didn't latch properly at times, and I couldn't feel it, and she caused me some absolutely horrific blood blisters beneath the skin. By day two my nipples were cracked and bleeding, and I was in such pain that my husband and I decided that it would be best to go to formula. He was happy for me to continue if I wanted but it was causing me a lot of pain and stress, and everything else was so wonderful it was a bit of a dampener on things. Since then feeding has been a total joy and I'm glad I made the decision. How are you managing now? Have things improved?

The EMCS was a welcome relief in the end. I went into labour at 4:30am, by 12pm was 2cm dilated, and then by 3:30pm was 6cm dilated, no pain relief as hospital didn't believe I was progressing as much as I thought I was. By evening fully dilated, told to start pushing. Pushed for two hours, midwife assured she was coming, one more push but I knew she wasn't. Kept begging my husband to help me as I could feel something wasn't right and she wasn't coming. She started to get distressed, consultant came in and confirmed after checking that she hadn't moved in the two hours and they couldn't use forceps or anything as she was still too high, so was rushed for the CS. By that point I was totally and utterly exhausted and just wanted them to get her out as soon as possible as her little heart rate kept dropping. Husband was amazing and kept me calm (and to a certain extent unaware of just how bad it was getting) but he confirmed later that he had really started to panic. The midwife we had just didn't listen to me, and that terrified me. I know they do an amazing job and all others were fabulous, just the one delivering seemed not to really believe me.

Good luck ladies - I have fingers crossed for you all 🙂

And! Little miss turned back to back which complicated matters! Oh the fun! 😂

Lottie
I'm sorry your midwife was so rubbish, she sounds borderline negligent tbh. You and your husband did very well to cope with what sounds like a stressful situation. Well done. And when the dust has settled please do see if your hospital offers a "birth debrief" (mine does) and/or contact PALS to give them your feedback about the birth and lack of care after your EMCS. I think it's appalling and they should be told! Anyway glad you and baby are doing well now. And it sounds like you and your husband made the right decision to switch to formula. The best thing about it is that you can share the feeding with him (and also don't have to worry about mastitis and nipple trauma - I have both to contend with atm! One for each boob! )

NameChange - that sounds so rough, and you can't even rely on the second boob for relief 😓 I hope it improves quickly for you!

I think in terms of complaining / debrief I will look into it. I am just glad it is all done, we are recovered now (don't feel so unwell anymore really!) and home 🙂 It's easy not to feel angry when you have such a beautiful baby to stare lovingly at instead!!

Yes you're so right about that Lottie!

I went to a breastfeeding drop-in this morning which was really helpful. There was an NHS lactation consultant and she gave more more help with latch (which I hadn't had since first few days). She suggested a few different positions to try to improve the latch and make it less painful but she also said if it continues to be painful I could express from that boob for a bit to give the nipple a break. The most important thing is that I keep feeding from the boob with mastitis (which does seem to be getting better thankfully!)

I'm booked in for my 2nd c section for Friday, really wanted a vbac but I've got gestational diabetes so they won't let me go past 40+6 - Friday- and my cervix is too high and too hard to do a sweep so an induction is a Nono ☹️ Anyone else had 2 c sections?

Hi lozza yes Ive had two and having a third in a few weeks. Also tried for a vbac but after 80 hours of early labour ended up with section anyway. Recovery absolutely fine other than I was tired from the previous sleepless nights! I'm trying to think of the positives this time, so known date for childcare, should be much calmer experience than the last two. Good luck!

Can I join too? 36+5 but dd1 arrived at 35+2, so this is all new to me- this ones breech too, and ELSC booked for 39+1. SOOOO fed up- being rubbish mummy to 2year old, rubbish wife, rubbish human being, want to kill everyone or cry or both all the time. Pgp, little girl trampling bladder constantly, just moved house last week (sleeping on floor currently as bed didnt make it) dd1 particularly clingy right now, DH either working away or frantically running about trying to sort stuff out or stop me crying. MIL is a cowbag, DM is hundreds of miles away, can't sleep, peeing amillion times an hour, restless legs, carpal tunnel, head under ribs so cant breathe, bonkers dog to walk, no idea where baby things/crib etc are, no cooker, new central heating/radiators and bathroom being done from tomorrow, oh and did I mention still vomiting intermittently, reflux, blocked nose, and SOOO tired!!!!!! Phew thats better.

Wow, you've all been through so much! My little man was also a sneaky back to back which we didn't know til I was pushing! I dilated quickly. Mild contractions from 2am which I bounced through on my ball. Then from 7am they ramped up to every 2.5 minutes so we rushed to hospital in rush hour traffic. Aghhhhh. They were waiting for me when I got there wondering where I was! Pushing for over an hour and they kept threatening to take me to delivery suite (possibly forceps etc) but once they got me in stirrups I managed to push him out with "just" an episiotomy. Cannot believe I did it!!

Breastfeeding going well, fed my first for quite a while though so it feels easier this time. Fingers crossed all continues. Big hugs to you all.... what we go through eh?! X

Well I'm booked in for my section today but been in labour suite since 4am as I'm contracting every 5-8 minutes, however I'm only 1-2 cm so not in established labour ☹️ Now they are giving me til 930am to progress more and then re examine me to decide the next step, anyone got any tips to bring babies head down and dilate - quickly! I wanted a VBAC but my cervix was too high and not favourable to be induced & im now 40+6