40+2, 2 failed sweeps, hand hold / advice.

[shiny888]

Hand hold / advice / stories 😅

So had a sweep Thursday - no luck my cervix was too posterior but I lost a lot of mucus plug after my failed sweep and was having pains.

Had another sweep today also unsuccessful but not as unsuccessful as the midwife just reached my cervix and did some stimulation.
And could only just get a finger in so not even really 1cm dilated.

FTM. Feeling at a lose and very peed off that nothing is happening I'm sure it's to do with the fact that baby is back to back.

How many days over due did you guys go?
Did you go into labour even though your MW said your cervix wasn't ready yet?
I'm so deflated and burst into tears in the middle of next today at the thought of possibly being pregnant for another 2 weeks or having to be induced 😩.

Hey, I know how rubbish you must feel but try and we patient and relax. Every woman in my family goes at least 2 weeks over, so I felt surprise when I went in at 41wks.
My second baby was back to back and actually came earlier, so I wouldn’t think it’s that.
If you are concerned when you go into labour ask for a positional scan to check- I birthed a b2b baby and it wasn’t much fun so ask them to check!
Hang on, keep yourself distracted and try to walk lots. Watch your favourite films and get rest- you’ll need it!
My sister was really fed up at 41+1, so they offered her the peasant to induce. She said she’d give it 48 hours, then the next morning her waters went and she had a brillant 6 hour labour.
I remember saying to my dh ‘the baby is never coming’ but of. Purse if did, very soon after, and looking back I wished I’d enjoyed those last few days instead of fretting!!

Sorry meant to add I’ve got from closed high cervix to 5cm in 24hours before so things can change very quickly!!!

I had two failed sweeps at 40+2. The midwife at the second sweep told me she was going to Majorca for the week and she would see me, still pregnant, on her return.

I was so fed up I cried as I walked through the waiting room and probably scared the life out of everyone waiting.

That night tried to go to the cinema with DM and DSis only to find the film had sold out.
We sat in Spoons and agreed we had a Halloween babying our hands. This would have taken me to 42 weeks.

11 hours later DD was here! Spontaneous labour! Don’t resign yourself to an induction yet OP.

Wouldn't say your sweep from today is unsuccessful just yet!! I had a sweep at 40+1. MW said my cervix was barely 1cm and not effaced etc. Essentially nothing was going on. First cramps were felt 24h later and had DS at 40+3. I genuinely think the sweep did the trick!

What I also think helped though was that I was booked in for induction at 40+10. That, and the fact they weren't confident I'd go into labour soon, made me less anxious about looking out for labour and I think once my body relaxed (though I was certainly peeved off about the whole thing) it helped things along. Your baby isn't going to come if you are stressing, he/she will stay safely where they are!

Thanks for the replies guys! Made me feel Abit more relaxed knowing that you guys had progression after a failed sweep! I know getting het up about it isn't going to help, going to have a warm bath this eve and relax.
Just want baby out 😅

If baby is back to back see this time as time to encourage them into a better position. If you are quite mobile- and with some supervision- kneel on the sofa and then lean forward until you are touching the go round with your hands so your bum is high in the air. That’s a fab one for turning a back to back baby. If you have a wee project each day it also helps... nice things that might not be so easy with a baby. Hot baths while reading a book, coffee with friends, eyebrows done, head neck and shoulder massage, french nails, pedicure, cinema trip etc etc. The more you have to look forward to, the more likely Sod’s law will ensure your baby arrives to disrupt that plan. Your baby WILL be here this time next month and you WILL look back at this time and wonder why you got so uptight about it all.
Good luck and enjoy your last few days of baby free life.

Have you been on the spinning babies website? My midwife recommended it when my baby was breech, all about optimum foetal positioning, it’s all random exercises but I felt it helped. Also sex. Got me going in both pregnancies and second time was after a failed sweep (I was 40+13 by then and about to be induced)

@isadora2007 agreed.
I had my DD b2b, never knew she was until labour, had I known sooner I would of tried getting her to turn as it's not the nicest. I also had a sweep, another thing I wouldn't of done if I'd of known she was b2b beforehand due to causing more complications. Try focusing on turning baby instead of trying to bring on labour, it's frustrating but it won't be forever, honest!

I have been trying to turn the little minx for the last 3 weeks. On hands and knees, on my ball, lots and lots of walking. Iv looked at spinning babies and it helped a lot!

@MissPollyHadADolly19 I didn't realise having a sweep when baby is back to back can cause complications? What are they? Or is it the fact that labouring a back to back baby is harder which can cause complications?

Sweeps in general not just when baby is b2b, it increases the risk of assisted delivery (I ended up with forceps) and prolonged last stage of labour, amongst other complications. They should really stop carrying them out as early as they do, 40+2 you are barely over due and theyve already done 2 sweeps, it's shocking!
B2b labour is harder in general, you are at higher risk of the same complications so it's almost double the risk. IMHO they should be stopped altogether or not done until 42 weeks atleast. Hopefully OP baby will turn before labour just keep trying the turning exercises.

No advice OP just sympathy, I’m 41+2, fed up and haven’t even been able to have a sweep because baby’s head is not even engaged. I’m booked in for induction on Monday and keeping my fingers crossed something happens before then - I’ve seen lots of things about labour starting quickly so don’t give up hope. Good luck 😊.

I know you're feeling fed up by now but full term is classed as 37 to 42 weeks so there's plenty of time yet. Only 5% of babies arrive on their due date and of the remainder, 70% arrive after the due date.

It's easier said than done but try to keep active and chill out a bit.

If you’re back to back and you can’t move the baby beforehand, you need to think about pain control. It’s a far more painful labour than if not back to back. I don’t want to worry you, but that’s how it is. Get an anaesthetist on board the minute you go into hospital.

My eldest was back to back and arrived at 40 +2. It was exhausting and eventually had ventuose to get her out. As pp have said, may be worth considering what pain relief you may need - don't be a martyr! That said no2 was born super quick 😁 Best of luck with your little one.

It's rubbish but don't lose heart, things can change so quickly and you've got many days left to go spontaneously. Try not to get too worried about the b2b thing - my first was and turned no bother during labour and was out 4 hours after first twinge. I wish I hadn't got myself so worked up about her being b2b. The contractions hurt like a bitch but I got by with only G&A at the end. Obviously everyone has different experiences but just to let you know it can be straightforward!

Just realised my typo - 42 weeks 41 weeks another way is when you're just at home relaxing, try not to slouch and keep check on your posture in general.
Do you know if baby is engaged or not? If not you've got a much higher chance of them turning but still not impossible once engaged.

I had 2 failed sweeps and then a failed induction so ended up with an emergency section....... not what you want to hear but baby arrived safely in the end, I had quick recovery and baby was absolutely perfect so my point is it may not go to plan but as long as you get the end result then it doesn’t matter! You’ve made it 40 weeks you are on the home run in a few short days baby will be in your arms and you won’t care how he/she got there!

Acupuncture was successful in getting labour started for me and my SIL. Both were born at 41 weeks and I was prepared to go to 42 weeks before induction so just relax and monitor things. Did have 2 sweeps with my second but just had pain.

Aw man. I feel your pain. I'm currently 41 + 1 and had two sweeps. My last was on Thursday and I was 2cm with my cervix somewhat lowered. After that I was crampy and peeing a lot so got my hopes up. I then got my hopes up on Friday night when I had false labour. Here I am on Sunday and still no baby and my induction is booked for Wednesday. I've been feeling pretty nauseous since Friday which is doing my head in. I feel like I've had all the tell tale signs that labour may be imminent and he's still not here. He's also B2B and I was wondering if that was a factor too. Have spent some time during the day leaning on my birthing ball or the couch. Kind of given up as I've tried every tip to try and induce labour without success. I'm proper fed up.

This is probably not what you want to hear. However, this experience seems to be more common than I realised and I have friends who have had to wait this long and longer to meet their baby.

It's frustrating as I finished up work 4 weeks before my due date with the knowledge that my mum was 6 weeks early with my sister and I. Can't believe he'll end up born almost two months later than when I entered the world.

I had a failed sweep at 11am one day and had given birth by the next afternoon.

When things are ready to change they can change quickly!

Oh gosh sounds like there are lots of you in the same waiting position as me! Which definitely makes me feel better as I know I'm not alone 😅. Not helpful for your guys though!

I'm not worried about the baby being back to back as I have no experience of Labor and the pain so nothing to compare too!
I am terrified though of the thought of having a needle in my back and have asked if I have a c section to be put asleep. But I'm sure if the pain is unbearable il just have an epidural haha.

Gosh for those of you who have posted that you booked in for a c section I really hope you go spontaneously before then! And have the delivery you hope for.

It's nice to hear other people's experiences too so thanks for all the messages! Hopefully some of you will be posting in a couple of days that the baby has arrived!

@renza I can't help but wonder if baby being back to back is a factor also. It surely has to be as they aren't in the right position so aren't pushing down on the cervix as they should be!
I know Iv tried everything. Even crawling around the living room floor for an hour. All that did was give me bloody carpet burn on my knees haha!

I barley felt the spinal for both my sections and the nurses and anethitists talked to me through the whole process which took my mind off of it, you would definitely be better to be awake for delivery if it came to that, it’s such a special moment!!

The only thing that makes me think it's not because he's back to back is because I was back to back and I was six weeks early. My mum ended up in labour with me for 3 days and had to have her waters broken for her as I got quite distressed.

However, doesn't stop me wondering. Haven't quite done the crawling on all fours thing but I do miss putting my feet up. I'm scared of elevating my feet above my pelvis now.

@MissPollyHadADolly19 baby's head is 3/5 in so not fully engaged. But she's been like that since around 35 weeks. Stubborn little thing!

@renza it's so frustrating isn't it! I catch myself with my legs crossed and knees up and get so cross at myself for doing it. Or il wake up on my back and just be really bloody annoyed then! I don't think she will turn for me but I'm alright about it I think!
Got a sweep today, more than likely will be another failed one but I'm just curious to see if there's any progression more than the sweep working