Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Overdue and going insane - positive stories needed!

17 replies

Skylucy · 05/11/2018 18:59

As today draws to a close I'm feeling utterly miserable...I'll be 41+1 tomorrow with a very big baby!! I've refused any intervention (sweep/induction) but my hopes for a spontaneous labour are fading! Today feels especially difficult because my daughter was born at 41 weeks, so I fully (naively) expected to have baby #2 by now!

My biggest cause for pessimism is that I have NO signs that baby's shifting. I'm just very uncomfortable!

So - I'm looking for positive stories! Were you overdue but managed to avoid induction? Or did you have a great induction experience? Was the delivery of your "huge" baby manageable?! Did you go into labour without any warning signs at all? TIA!

OP posts:
Chester1980 · 05/11/2018 19:03

Following!

Skylucy · 05/11/2018 19:59

Oh @Chester1980 are you in the same boat? Solidarity!

OP posts:
Skylucy · 05/11/2018 20:43

Any positive stories out there?!

OP posts:
Guineapiggiesmalls · 05/11/2018 20:58

I had a great induction! I truly look back on it with great fondness - went into hospital on Thursday afternoon, first pessary at 4:30, waters broke at 10:30, on the delivery ward for 1am and, with the help of an epidural, had a very chilled out night before my little girl was born on Friday morning. I would happily take another induction. It meant I was able to change my bedsheets and fill my fridge before going into hospital, didn’t have the fear of my waters breaking in Sainsbury’s etc!

My only advice would be to be open minded about pain relief - contractions can be a bit more intense more quickly with an induction. I had hoped for a water birth with no pain relief (haha), but ended up very happy with my epidural.

Skylucy · 05/11/2018 22:17

Ah thanks for sharing @Guineapiggiesmalls. Sounds like good advice - I think a lot of my reluctance about induction is that I had a great, spontaneous birth without pain relief last year, and didn't realise how much I was hoping for the same again. Glad you had such a good experience!

OP posts:
Mumtobe193 · 05/11/2018 22:37

If you have to be induced it really isn't the end of the world.

I was induced with DD at 41+3 and it was honestly fine. Only needed one pessary, admitted to antenatal ward and had pessary on the Saturday night. Nothing all night, nothing for most of Sunday, but I wasn't in any pain, was able to have a wander about the hospital, eat, relax, have my partner with me, I was comfortable and it was fine, by the Sunday evening contractions started, DD born 3 hours later. Only one pessary, just gas and air, no assistance and only 20 mins pushing, healthy and happy Mum and baby. Induction isn't always a long drawn out process (although for some women it can be, but not necessarily for every woman), and it doesn't have to be a negative experience. I've nothing to compare it too, as I've only ever had an induced labour so I can't say whether or not it was more painful than natural labour, what I would say is because things happened so quickly it did feel as though there was no break between my contractions, just one after the other. But because I was progressing so quickly I felt like I could do it, I knew my DD would arrive quickly, and I had a lovely encouraging midwife.

Im no expert but, I would think with this being your second, you've a good chance that your body will respond well to the pessary, you might not necessarily need anything more invasive.

Also some hospitals give you the option of going home after one pessary for up to 24 hours so it might be worth looking into whether your hospital allows this. I'm 14 weeks pregnant now and the hospital I've chosen this time around offers this option, plus you are still able to use the birthing pool and give birth in the MLU if you've had a maximum of two pessarys. Might be worth looking into whether or not your hospital offers this also.

Good luck! You might still go into natural labour yet, but if not try not to worry, easier said than done I know.

Skylucy · 06/11/2018 07:33

Thanks @Mumtobe193. It's refreshing to hear positive induction stories - I'm sick of "Oh it's awful but you get the baby out in the end"!

My hospital won't send me home once they start the induction process, and to be honest it's miles away so probably wouldn't be wise! I'd definitely fight to be in the MLU though.

40+8 this morning and still not as much as a twinge, sigh Sad

OP posts:
SloeBerri · 06/11/2018 07:37

I’ve had three inductions, all started in the evening and born the next day. Gas and air, unremarkable

Queenofhearts3 · 06/11/2018 08:01

Following with interest, im 39 weeks so not overdue yet however i have a very strong feeling I’m going to go over. She wasn’t engaged at my 38 week midwife appt just on the ‘brim’ and I don’t feel like it’s anywhere near imminent.

Skylucy · 06/11/2018 13:26

Best of luck @Queenofhearts3. I think engagement can be a bit of a red herring (especially if it's not your first baby, when I believe it can happen much later). At 41+1 I'm jealous of your 39 week status! Wink Fingers crossed it happens spontaneously for you.

OP posts:
TheCag · 06/11/2018 13:36

I gave in and had a sweep at 41+2, labour started an hour later. Did the same with dc2 at 41+1 and a sweep worked again.

SlowTango · 06/11/2018 13:36

I’m 39 weeks too and also think that I’m going to go over....Baby was not engaged at my midwife appointment last week and I don’t feel any different. Is that normal? Anyone have any experiences of going into labour without any “warning signs”?

OP hope that baby comes along soon, I can totally imagine your frustration!!!

snapped1234 · 06/11/2018 13:37

I had a sweep and contractions started within an hour!

Pumpkin2018 · 06/11/2018 15:18

I’m also 41+1 and utterly fed up now. Have been booked in twice for sweeps but unable to be done due to babies position. Got induction booked for Thursday, and also looking for positive stories. My dd came naturally at 39 weeks but took almost 21 hours, I was hoping for a quicker labour this time.

Skylucy · 06/11/2018 16:35

Snap @Pumpkin2018! We obviously had the same due date, and I had a 21-hour labour with my daughter. I've refused sweeps but it must be frustrating for you, having wanted one but being unable to have one! There are some really positive induction stories here - I hope yours goes brilliantly.

OP posts:
harrietm87 · 06/11/2018 16:39

I was induced at 41+5, one dose of gel (alternative to pessary), contractions started 4 hours later, baby born 3 hours after that. Lovely water birth with just gas and air for the last 30mins (hospital didn’t take me seriously as first baby so only just got into delivery room in time!). I hope my next labour is exactly the same!

harrietm87 · 06/11/2018 16:41

Meant to say that baby wasn’t even engaged before I had the gel and id has no signs at all. Never had a show and Waters didn’t break until I was 8cm.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page