Anyone else on maternity leave and waiting for their baby to make an appearance?

[ShirleyPhallus]

I’ve batch cooked, nursery is sorted, I feel fairly relaxed. Just waiting for this little one to make an appearance

Anyone else waiting now?

@Letsallscreamatthesistene - I’m jealous you’ve got your induction on Tuesday! My due date is tomorrow but they won’t get me in until next Saturday/a full week past due.
How did you feel after your sweep? Any signs?

@ELW85 First sweep was last thursday, had some slight cramping about 2 days afterwards and some bloody discharge, but no labour. Im hoping that will have nudged things on a bit though. 2nd sweep tomorrow so we'll see if any progress has been actually made!

My baby is on the 95th centile, which is why im booked in for an induction so soon after my due date. The consultant didnt want him getting too big!

@Letsallscreamatthesistene - good luck for tomorrow and hopefully you won’t need the induction 😊
Totally fair enough on being booked in early - I’m just getting so impatient!!

Good luck ladies having sweeps over the coming days!
I’m feeling exceptionally anxious today; keep having huge anxiety attacks and really struggling. I was already very anxious about giving birth as it was and now with the CV madness I’m convinced something will happen to keep my husband from being with me. Our tryst policy is that I can still have a birth partner but only one (fine by me, only wanted him anyway!) but I feel totally unable to relax and yet know this will be likely delaying labour all by itself, giving more time to allow things to change for the worse in reality!
I absolutely don’t want to make this a CV thread (Christ knows I’m avoiding those like mad) but suggestions on how to relax / a virtual shoulder shake would be appreciated.

I’ve tried a nice relaxing bath and keeping busy with batch cooking but no luck so ideas all very welcome!

@WingingIt101 - anxiety is a really tough thing to deal with, but try this:

• remember that you can only base your thoughts on what you know. What you know is that DH is allowed with you, based on your trust’s policy. That’s great news!
• when your head takes you to different places or you start thinking “what if” look around you, take some deep breaths and start naming items in the room. I know it sounds weird, but you need to bring yourself back to a place where you’re in control.

I know it’s not much, but focus on the information you have right now, which is all positive and in line with your birth plan (DH will be with you!)

You’ve got this.

@WingingIt101 I am feeling quite anxious myself, it’s definitely a combo of the unknown and the “what ifs”. Really hard when you know you have to relax in order for the baby to make an appearance!

Echo what ELW says, I also think turning off your phone to avoid all the news / unnecessary MN threads and getting outside is hugely helpful. There are some great relaxation / birthing podcasts on YouTube which I’ve also found helpful

Hope everyone is well and congratulations to those who have had their babies!

My due date is this week coming, waiting for baby to make their arrival. For the ones who have had their babies already, other than changes to visitors, was there anything else different due to corona etc that you noticed? This is first baby for me so all unknown anyway but I'm slightly anxious the care may not be the same although I've been assured it is by the hospital, consultant etc.

Thanks so much @ELW85 and @ShirleyPhallus - I’m normally quite rational and normal - I have an extremely stressful job where I’m required to make important decisions and yet the thought of DH being banned from labour has turned me into a jelly!! Really needed your words so they are appreciated!

I’ve got raspberry leaf tea on the go tonight with clary sage in the diffuser and a Chinese takeaway on its way. I will bloody relax!!

@WingingIt101 - totally welcome and glad it helped!
There’s the people we are at work and our usual coping mechanisms but pregnancy plus COVID-19 is just a huge unknown and will understandably generate lots of uncertainty.
We’re all in it together though!!

I hope you enjoy your food and relaxing. I’m 40 weeks today and feel crampy but nothing else is really happening. I just want little one to get here safe and sound (and tonight/tomorrow, haha!)

I've been having little niggles for the past few days now. (38 wks 2 days) but it passes quickly. I've just put the next toe bed up and sorted the milk prep machine out, steamed all the bottles etc and I thought.. How can I get this moving a long? Really don't want to end up having an induction. Then I read threads where people were saying they had sex and went into labour more or less the next day...

Problem is, getting my partner to have sex is a mission. He just isn't interested in the slightest. I think my baby bump must repulse him or something but I just wanna have some fun and see if it works. Every day I'm like, 'right. Tonight's the night. Im gunna get him in the mood' and ill have a shower just before bed and feel all up for it, and then come the fart pains and burping like an animal... (that's probably why he's not interested haha) but the nights I'm fine he just zonks out. Anyone else having this issue?

@Rhcat1 - I wouldn’t worry about induction yet, you’ve got a good 3 weeks before they’ll do that?
I think sex is out of the window for a lot of people to be fair. I don’t think it’s a repulsion thing, it’s more just that there’s very much a little person there now and it’s hard to switch off to that - that’s how I feel anyway 😊
Try to relax and use the birthing ball if you have one? Mine has really helped get him into place.

Any signs of any babies?
I wanted to get past yesterday due to a significant date so now that's done with I'm happy for baby to arrive any time.... now!
But think they are well snuggled up, hope everyone has been able to enjoy Mothering Sunday in some way or another... just the sunny day has been a lift today

No signs! Despite midwife saying cervix is 75% effaced and 2cm dilated during the sweep yesterday. I predict im on for the induction on tuesday...

No sign of baby here! People are driving me bananas texting to ask for updates. I’ve now muted groups and told people (quite politely) not to ask.

@Letsallscreamatthesistene that’s really promising! A long walk, bounce on your ball and something spicy tonight to entice babe out?

@Rhcat1 - sex? What is that again?!

@Rojelio - I thought we were on before, I lost the rest of my show and had lots of cramping but it’s just gone quiet again.
Hopefully things kick off in the middle of the night!

I’m getting nothing in the way of a sign this baby is coming out soon! Feel a bit like I do I’m the run up to my period but nothing major and it’s been going on for around 10 days now so I’m bloody sick of it! Never Before in my life have I wanted to
Wake up wondering if I’ve wet the bed (obviously waters going and not actual bed wetting, that would be awful!)
mw appt tomorrow morning though so looking forward to hearing its heartbeat and getting some updated info!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and are feeling well xx

Hi all,

Quick update to say our DD arrived safely on Saturday afternoon 💗 She is an absolute dream.

Hope those still waiting aren't getting too frustrated and agitated xx

Congrats!

Yay congrats!!

Congratulations @mumma2b2020!!

Ahhh congratulations @mumma2b2020, really delighted for you

@WingingIt101 @elw85 when are your due dates again? Mine was last Thursday and nothing! I too am keeping fingers crossed for my waters to go in the middle of the night. I wonder if the stress / anxiety about CV is keeping these babies in though

@ShirleyPhallus - due date was Saturday. Had my sweep Friday and lost the rest of my show yesterday. Felt quite crampy but absolutely nothing since. Booked in for an induction on Saturday that I really want to avoid!!
How are you feeling?
Re:CV, I think you’d have to be displaying physiological symptoms of stress like raised heart rate, temperature etc for it to actually impact your oxytocin to the degree of it stalling labour?
I really want him to get here now to avoid hospitals in the next week or so!!

@ELW85 that all sounds so positive! How come you’re booked in for an induction only a week after your due date?

I think you might be right re the stress / anxiety, but a lot of the hypnobirthing stuff says to encourage labour your body needs to be relaxed and I’m wondering if I’m not quite as relaxed as I should be!

My labour ward was very quiet over the last week, it’s a separate part of the hospital so I actually feel ok about being there

@ShirleyPhallus - I think it’s just the trust I’m in, their policy is you can’t go more than 41 weeks.
To be honest, I’m having to hold myself back from ringing them to get them to do it now; no patience whatsoever!
After feeling like it was showtime yesterday, I’m getting nothing today. It so frustrating.
The maternity part of the hospital we’re going to is at the very end of the building so I’m hoping far enough away for it to not matter!
I’m just feeling like maybe if I give up on the thought of going into labour spontaneously, it might happen. A watched pot and all that 😂

Due date is Friday! Before all the madness dh and I had a little bet on actual date though - he’s lost currently as he said it would be Friday just gone and I reckon 3rd April. Loser buys the chocolate!

Had my MW appointment this morning. My god those women and other front line workers deserve all our respect - I sat down and promptly burst into tears from the worry and she just hugged me. No idea how careful or not I may have been being (for the record I’ve been distancing like there’s no tomorrow) and took time to reassure me. Even offered to do my shopping for me. When I said I’d spent four hours yesterday looking for nappies she went and got me a pack as apparently people have been donating them!

Just reassured me that so long as dh isn’t symptomatic then he can be my birth partner and to do whatever it took to relax. To ask for help and to know that this too shall pass.

I recorded the heartbeat monitoring too so I can play that whenever I need it!

I’m going back Tuesday next week for a sweep assuming baby doesn’t make an appearance and then she said we can talk induction then if I want it.

So I’m getting on the raspberry leaf tea and clary sage tonight 😂😂