Coping with being overdue

[FHNick]

I am 40+3 today. Just been to midwife for a sweep but it turns out the baby isn't engaged at all and my cervix was too high. Looks like it's not going to happen anytime soon. I could moan all day about how rubbish I feel (but I won't!). The only really unbearable thing is lack of sleep. As soon as I lie down my hips hurt so much I could actually cry. Anyone have any tips?

On the upside I'm doing loads of cooking - keeps me on my feet and occupied! Spent all last night with cramps, backache and tightenings but nothing doing this morning. Sigh.

Raspberry leaf extract at the highest dose asap. It's very good.

@urgentexitrequired thats exactly I have said to myself today.

This time next week I either be in labour or have a baby in my arms. I feel that has taken a weight of my shoulders saying that out loud.

Anyone had any progress today ladies? I am 40+5 today and if anything feel better than I have for weeks. How strange when you actually feel upset about feeling well. Have managed 2 quite good nights sleep which has done me the world of good. The most annoying thing is that the house was so clean and lovely and now it's starting to get dirty again again I don't think I can be arsed to clean everything again 😂! My husband finished work on Wednesday next week whatever happens so looking forward to having some help with our 3 year old son. Have pretty much accepted it's not going to be till next week now. Will probably be an angry wreck again by tonight! Let us know of any progress xx

Can I join this gang? I lost my plug 4 days ago, contractions intermittently alllll day then boom, 5pm every night they totally stop. It is doing my head in. I second the feeling bored/useless...I don't want to start any jobs because a)I'm exhausted and b) I don't want to be interrupted halfway and then not have a chance to finish it! My other dcs were early so I mentally adjusted my due date backwards. Big mistake!

Apparently in a lot of other countries (France according to my French family is one) you don’t get a due date, because it’s too much pressure psychologically, and notoriously inaccurate. You get a due month.

So say your due date here is 1 May, your due month would be 15 April - 14 May.

I’m trying really hard to think in those terms, so as to avoid feeling ‘overdue’. I can’t say it’s entirely successful but might be worth a try!

TERM pregnancy is 37-42 weeks.

I hate the overdue word too.

Have stuck these up in the house

Yeah I don't like the term overdue either as up til 42 weeks it's still perfectly term! Puts so much pressure on with all the texts/calls re: baby's 'lateness'

Also @willowy I've had 3 long sessions of what appears to be pretend labour that then stops, very frustrating!

Can I join in as well? Due date tomorrow, mild contractions on and off for 3 days. Seems every time I go to bed, things stop! Had to finish work at 36 weeks because of holiday tones- I have rearranged every drawer/ cupboard/ wardrobe in the house!

DS1 was early as well so expected to be early again. Midwife can't fit me in for a sweep until 40+11! So bored!

Hope things kick off for you soon OP and others!

@olicat and @pointeshoesandtutus defo. I think it's because we are given a due date right from the off, so it's something to look forward to, but when that date comes and goes it is just so depressing. Due month is a much better way of looking at things...although at this rate it looks like i will be having a May baby and not April. hahaha

@Loosemoose28 love those pics! Patience is definitely one thing I am gaining from all of this.

I have another (third) sweep tomorrow, in all honesty I think it'll be a waste of time. This morning I thought I had mild twinges down below, but they were so mild I wasn't sure whether I was making it all up or not!

Think it does us all good to have a lovely moan with people who are in the same boat and without being told 'just relax, it will happen soon' we all know that!! We just want to moan about it

hahahahaha exactly @FHNick

I'm still here 40+2 today!
Managed to venture out of the house to an NCT sale for a nosey around except we never made it in. A man walked straight into my bump in the queue , I got such a fright that I burst into tears and ran out of there

I also HATE the term overdue, he's just not ready to come yet and will in his own time! Also getting very sick of raspberry leaf tea....

@Smurfybubbles I have given up on that tea. In fact I have given up on trying anything now!

@UrgentExitRequired I think the tea is bin bound!

Hello! 40+4 here. Getting induced next Friday. I was 10 days 'overdue' with my first two - consultant said its my predisposition and no point in inducing me earlier apparently unless I want a 30 hour labour - erm no thanks.

Have had two sweeps but mw couldn't really do them properly.

I swear I've put on a stone in the last two weeks out of sheer boredom and frustration. I look tired and humongous and the maternity dresses I've been wearing these past few months are thoroughly done. I'm not venturing far because I'm so uncomfortable and I look like a whale.

Snacks I bought when i packed my hospital bag have been eaten and replaced about 3 times now. I've given up.

Days are spent having a shower, getting ready, hoovering and keeping place clean. Keep thinking "right that's the big clean done which will tide me over til baby comes - bathrooms etc" but then another week goes past and another big clean is needed.

Off to have a clary sage bath (for the good it will do me)

Ps I am being light hearted I'm just tired!

LooseMoose I cried at your wizard story.

Op It takes me 42 weeks to grow a baby. All three of them.

But by 42 weeks they know what they are doing. 1st pushed his way out in 18 hours, 2nd pushed his way out in 2 hours and my 3rd pushed his way out in 13 minutes. Yes minutes.

And 54 weeks later i pushed their pig of a father right out of the door!

Enjoy the peace. Your baby will definitely be born on his or her birthday.xxxxxc

Just to say that I was "overdue" last week. At 40+12 I eventually consented to induction, even though I'd been so against it, because the hospital wore me down. I had 2 failed sweeps with bishop scores of 0 at 40+3 and 40+10. I was completely miserable and felt like my body had failed me and my baby.

On the morning of my induction my score was 4, so still "unfavourable". But I had 1 dose of the gel, contractions started a few hours later and I had a blissful water birth 3 hours later. He just waited until he was ready and needed a little reminder I think. Anyway, it can happen. And now he's a week old I can hardly remember all the angst I had when waiting for him to arrive. You will get through it!

@harrietm87 and @ferriswheel thanks for your encouragement

3 more sleeps to go for me! :)

@Smurfybubbles and @UrgentExitRequired I actually work for a tea company and raspberry leaf tea has absolutely no effect on starting labour, what it does do is help to strengthen your uterine wall muscles and help with labour so I have been taking it but not with the hope of starting labour. I keep saying I have given up on stuff but have had something spicy every night this week 🙈

@fia101 welcome! Feel free to moan here!!

Dds 1 and 2 were overdue. At 40+8 I went to the hospital for a sweep (attempted a cpuple with community mw already). Mw could not reach my cervix at sll and said that labour was not close. Booked in for an induction at 42 weeks and went home feeling utterly misserable. 12 hours later I woke up with a contraction, then another. Three hours later dd2 was born.

Dd1 was born at 40+ 11 (or maybe 12, can't remember). Also no obvious signs, just nothing then boom: labour!

Being overdue is so boring though!

A due month is such a good idea. It would stop all the comments. "No baby yet then?". Dd2 is one year old and it still makes me angry!