39 + 3 days - lots of B-H etc - sit tight or try to encourage labour?

[MirandaG]

I am 39+3 days and have been having B-H contractions, back pain, pain inside (feels like babies head sitting on cervix) for over a week now. This is my second baby but the first was induced at 38 1/2 weeks so I haven't got this far before. All above symptoms start to happen late afternoon and go on all evening, but then I go to bed, it all stops and nothing happens. I am getting really fed up and so tired - I just want to have this baby so badly!
On the other hand everyone is telling me to cross my legs (as if I could) until 1 Sept because the baby will then be old for her class rather than very young - does this really make a difference in anyone's experience?
So should I try to make it happen, or just sit tight?!

Sorry 'baby's head'

I always find myself stomping around up hills and walking a lot at this stage. I find it really helps get things movnig and it can help the baby with positioning before birth too.

Or you could do loads of cooking. You'll appreciate it after the birth and it'll give you something to take your mind off labour pains.

How excitiong. Good luck with it.

Hi Miranda not sure really but just wanted to sympathise. I am 38 + 6 and EDD is 1st September - and it is getting tedious now isn't it - I just can't sleep as it is so uncomfortable. Having said that I am going to wait til my due date before trying anything as I would rather my baby be old than young for his class. i'm sure it doesn't make a huge difference but I think it is likely to be a disadvantage for some children to be too young wheras there is no disadvantage in being the oldest as far as I can tell. Apparently the research shows this is most marked for boys and mine is a boy so not in any rush. Was 8 days od last time so kind of expecting to go over again. Hope you feel better soon - well you will won't you!

Spidermama - thanks for your suggestions and good wishes. Am about to take dd1 to park and there's a big hill on the way back (at least it's big now - didn't used to be! . Have done some cooking and freezing, but running out of freezer space now!
Barbamama - tedious beyond belief - I stopped work four weeks ago because I had a lot of holiday to take, then dd1 got chicken pox, so we couldn't go anywhere for a week and now I'm too tired to do anything much with her, so am feeling constantly guilty at the amount of time she is spending watching cbeebies
Strangely enough I am sleeping better now than about a week ago - I think it's because her head has dropped further - hopefully this might happen you too. Also (and I know all non-pregnant people will hate me for this), but the cool weather is such a relief...
I know the baby is a girl, so probably wouldn't matter so much if she is before 1 Sept, although I was an Aug baby myself and always felt that I had to make school subject/career decisions etc too young.
Think I have answered my own question - will sit tight!

Good point. The timings aspect hadn't occured to me. Sit tight.

Miranda, we didn't make it to the park today either and have had a cbeebies day! It's only a couple of weeks at the end - they'll survive - in fact my son thinks it's great as all my rules about Tv viewing have gone out the window! I know what you mean about the weather too - could have been so much worse for us.