Baby not dropped at 40 weeks...

[Lolabelle]

My bump has become higher in the last few days and I am 40 weeks gone and worried that I may never have this baby naturally and may have to be induced - its my first and I have been getting stitch like pains in my lower right side but amd putting them down to nothing due to my bump being so high - help!!!!

Any advice would be really great..

I got stitch like pains of increasing intensity about week before I went into actual labour so maybe it's a sign. I was told by my m/w that it's quite usual to go over your due date with first baby. hth

Thanks for the feedback fuzzywuzzy but did your bump 'drop' way before your first birth?? Mine is higher than it has ever been in the last few days and every mag says with the first it ususally drops a few weeks before - i know i could ring my midwife but its great to get actual feedback from someone who has been there...

My dd didn't engage until she was 41 weeks and I def. couldn't tell if my bump had dropped. Anyway don't panic until they are threatning to induce you. On the day of my induction dd started to arrive all by herself. Just keep having sex and tweaking your nipples. Good luck.

I was carrying low to begin with, to be honest bump didn't feel any different when I actually went into labour. I was incredibly annoyed by the stitch like pains though, I'd get them a lot when I was trying to sleep. What do your notes say has the baby engaged or not???? Midwife generally writes in how much she can feel of the baby's head...

Hhhmm well my midwife is far from the best of midwives and says she thinks its 'upside down' and therefore in the right position but not dropped but that was last week and i am off to the hospital next week for an antenatal appt but these stitch like pains are quite annoying and as its my first it keeps making me think its happeneing but then they aren't at all like period pains and they are without any regularity - Thansk for the advice Cazzybabs but if I tweak them milk comes out so trying not to stain even more nighties!

Maybe its the waiting that bothers me - I really would hate to be really late and i am scared of being induced I guess and am praying thes epains signify something , fingers and toes crossed....

where are you feeling kicks lola?

I went into labour the night before I was scheduled to be induced so there is hope. At least baby is in the correct position, don't put too much emphasis on what the mags say, we're all different. Stitch like pains though was definitely the start with me, they'd last quite a while near the end, I'm getting them again now occasionally, and this bump is high up (am due second baby in the begining of October).

Stitch pains low right hand side - sooo familiar. I'm due any day and I'm getting terrible pain in that area like a really bad stitch. It comes and goes, not like a contraction but is often there when I get up from lying down.

Don't worry about the 'engagement' - lots of babies don't come down until labour starts. Yes, what do your notes say? E.g. 3/5, 4/5??

Sex really can work - if you can face it .

Lolabelle, my bump was as high as high can be at 40 weeks - 5 days later I went into labour and DS came along about 4/5 hours later. I had no pain, no hicks and he actually went from being 3/4 engaged to not engaged at all in the week before - he came along in his own time!

I spent considerable time trying to gently coax my bump downwards! he wasn't having it! I fear he is going to be a monkey ...

I will watch out for your announcement very soon! (weird isn't it?)

The kicks are quite high to be honest in fact I haven't had a low kick for a while, and I am so glad to hear some of you also have these stitch like pains as i was begininning to worry what they are and mine too sometimes hurt when i get up from lying down or something, they don't have me bent over in pain or anything but they are enough to notice and stupidly when i got my first i was a tad worried! No show or anything yet but i know thats not always noticed etc.

My notes say 3/5 under the engaged section - what does this mean?? Three fifths engaged so heading in the right direction??!!

God Libb it is wierd and exciting all rolled into one although trying to keep active and away from thinking about it all as I keep getting butterflies/panic attacks!!

Hhhmmmm sex would help I know - Godd DH will be pleased!!

Hi Lolabelle. On due date by little chap was as high as could be which is why I felt sure he was going to be late. Had no pains or braxton hicks what so ever. I was still getting terrible indigestion and had trouble breathing as he was so high. Settled infront of the telly on the evening of his due date and bingo, 3 hours later he was born. Never had regular contractions in the beginning either, just mild period type pains. Water was only broken by doc seconds before he was born. Each little babe has a personality of his own and starts to exercise this right from -9 months. He/she might just be backing up for a good take off - in which case, have your bag packed already!! Good luck XX

Oh my God Kwiwcath that is so inspiring to know as although it may be late the fact that your bump was high and you had no braxton hicks either means there is a possibility this one could still be born relatively soon! I think i am going to finalise the packing on my hospital bag and get a few last minute baby things sorted as at least if i try and think positive then i won't be sitting on my arse waiting! Fingers and toes crossed still...

Good girl! I was so sure that he was going to be late that I didn't even have a bag packed. When I started getting the mild pains I thought I'd jump in the taxi (rush hour in Cairo) and go see what the Doc thought - more for something to do than anything. When I arrived and he examined me - 3CM!!!! I jumped back in the taxi, got home, packed, back in the taxi and examined again - 6CM. Got upstairs, put my jarmies on and examined - 8CM. Jarmies off, hospital gown thingy on, delivery room, examined 9.99999CM!!!! It really can happen that fast for a few of us lucky ones. Very very best of luck and keep us informed.

lolabelle, neither of my bumps dropped like they were 'supposed' to, like the books say! Then again, my waters broke just before delivery both times too, I never had the stereotypical waters breaking moment like on TV (which is what I was expecting). No Braxton Hicks that time either (had them second time though).

I had dd after 41 1/2 weeks. I can honestly say that those 1 1/2 weeks felt like 1 1/2 years. You have my sympathy.

3/5 means that the head is down in the pelvis such that the midwife can now only feel 3/5 of the head. This is normal. Mine was 3/5 for quite a few weeks and didn't drop any further until labour.

The calm before the storm feeling is very odd - as you know something major is going to change your life at any minute and there is nothing you can do about it. Then other times you are sitting on the sofa, minding your own busines and almost believing it might not happen at all and feeling very normal . . .

Until someone phones to ask "well, has it happened yet?" Grr!

Sympathies for the lack of engaged baby. My baby didn't engage until my waters broke and I was in labour. My midwife and I reckon it was because I was so tall (6'1) and he had plenty of room in there and didn't need to sink in to my pelvis until he was ready to arrive. They were starting to threaten me with induction, but my baby eventually arrived under his own steam 3 days late. Although to be honest I was so sick of being pregnant that I was seriously contemplating taking a medical student friends offer of an unofficial sweep! Just try and enjoy your last days of freedom.

70% of first babes are late, my bump did not drop down either time until I was in labour. Best thing you can do is try to be relaxed, you will probably not go in to labour until you are!!! I know how anxious you feel and remember it so well but it is best for babe and you if you can avoid stress and thinking anything negative, try to imagine and visualise your labour being quick and enjoyable!!! best of luck

Thanks for the support ladies as it can definitely take over your life in the way that any slight twinge or feeling i read into and i get all excited/anxious - i know deep down that if i relax and forget about it its bound to just happen but as you mentioned when people are ringing you 24/7 its quite hard to forget about it!

I'm off to my midwife tomorrow so maybe she can look into the babies position more clearly then and advise of what to do next apart from the sex/tweaking nipples thing!!!

Dinosaur that must have been a bit surreal!!

Lolabelle - take the phone off the hook and enjoy your last few days of peace and complete freedom!!!! Your birth will be easier and more enjoyable if you go into labour of your own accord, much less need for intervention. I will look out for that birth announcement. xxx

Thanks and the phone has been off the hook all day and I have put my feet up and watched trashy tv and indulged in plenty of tea and biscuits, I've even refused to answer the door!!

Fingers crossed birth announcement will be soon as there is only so much phone avoiding I can do!!

Thanks for all your feedback - much more helpful than any books!

Fingers crossed for you . . .