Overdue and fed up

[bleachblondemom]

I’m 4 days overdue which I known isn’t a lot but I’m desperate to go into labour naturally as I really really don’t want to be induced. I’ve tried everything- walks, birthing ball, sex, curry, raspberry tea, clary sage oil in the bath! I’ve got no signs at all- no mucus plug loss, no loose stools, no regular cramps at all. I do feel some mild cramps in my lower abdomen but maybe one or twice a day, and that’s it. Don’t know what else to do! Due at the midwife tomorrow so will accept a sweep if offered but part of me thinks that won’t bloody work either.
I’ve also been trying to collect colostrum all week as I won’t be breastfeeding, and nothings happening there either. My body has just decided to be completely uncooperative and it’s getting me down.

After spending the day in hospital for reduced movements this morning I've now found out I've got pre eclampsia even though I have no signs at all apart from protein in my urine. I feel completely fine.

So having some more monitoring now before going home and back tomorrow morning for a c section. Not the dream homebirth I had planned

@addler oh hun I’m sorry 🙁 hope you’re not feeling too disheartened. Just think about how you’ll be holding your baby in your arms tomorrow xx

@bleachblondemom you're absolutely within your rights to turn down induction. I would definitely at least discuss it with your MW, I'm sure she's more than used to women getting upset and emotional. It's a horrid feeling thinking that our bodies aren't doing the right thing at the right time. At least if you talk to her now and you decide it isn't for you, you will have all the information come Monday... and you may well go naturally before then!

@addler that sounds like such a stressful day 😟 sorry it's out of your hands, but how exciting that this time tomorrow you will have your baby here safely

I had a wee breakdown today, I'm just fed up of being pregnant but trying to tell myself babies are born when they need to be. I'm 41 weeks tomorrow with a sweep scheduled so hopefully mw will examine me and i'll have made some sort of progress.
Already decided to refuse even to book in for an induction until post 42 weeks, I don't want the date hanging over me.

Ohh, *@addler*so sorry to hear that's holding!

Definitely talk to them @bleachblondemom, you feeling like you couldn't say no isn't informed consent anyway. There was this quote in the guardian from a midwife the other day 'should be supporting women’s informed choices, but too often we are trying to get a woman’s informed compliance...Clinicians often seem to feel it would be their responsibility if a woman were to make a choice they didn’t approve of. It’s not our role to approve a woman’s informed choice, but to facilitate it. Women labour best when they feel comfortable and safe. They know things can go wrong – there is rarely zero risk. But one woman’s high risk is another woman’s low risk, and we must respect that' and honestly its right. Its your and your child's healthcare and you get to chose what that looks like and not it passively be done to you.

Sending flowers and cake in support of all of us overdue tired emotional mama's to be! And for after

Ha this is weird. I was literally just reading a few of my older posts and I was overdue and fed up. I ended up having my son at 40+12 and via emcs. I think the more aggravated i got by being overdue the more my cervix tensed up.

I literally ate a whole pineapple! >
(www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/2482427-ive-just-eaten-a-whole-pineapple)

As i learned the only way to potentially start labour is sex but even then its hit and miss (lol).

I know its easier said than done but try and relax, watch a movie, eat cake and go with the flow

@Cookalia thank you for your support, sending it back your way as well. I did exactly the same thing today and had a bit of a cry. I’m 41 weeks tomorrow too. I feel like i could really do with another sweep, as my last (failed) one was 40+5 and so much can change in a week! I think I will definitely ring MW tomorrow and talk to her.

@Scotabroad24 thank you lovely x

@Doublebubblebubble a whole pineapple 😂😂 that’s quite an achievement!
Yeah I agree it can’t help things by feeling anxious and annoyed about it, like the more you try to force something to happen the more it resists 😕

@bleachblondemom you could always use your desire for a second sweep when you speak to the mw tomorrow, if your worried about her reaction that may help, plus it means your coming into it with a suggestion

I know exactly how you're feeling! My DD was due on 4th August, that day came and went. I had a sweep at 2 days overdue and midwife booked my induction in for the 12th day overdue. Still no baby and no signs at all. I was trying everything as you described. Got quite a few funny looks at a country park but I was desperate and fed up being inside! Then I had another sweep at 9 days over. Still nothing. My induction was booked for three days after. Completely given up hope. And gutted as at that time no partners were allowed in hospital, plus wanted a home birth. On the 10th day over I weeded the drive and washed the cars, still nothing. Then at 8:30 that evening I was on the exercise ball and I got my first contraction! She arrived 11 days over.
I just wanted to let you know that I understand exactly how your feeling and there still is a possibility you don't have to be induced. Take care x

@nocturnalke thank you that’s a very positive story :) trying to stay hopeful 🤞

@addler Wishing you the best of luck with your c-section this morning ! I suppose things don’t always go the way we envisioned however I think we need to take comfort in the fact that recommendations are made for the safety of us mums to be and our babies ! Hoping all goes well and it really won’t be long until you meet your beautiful bubba 💕

Also reiterating @Scotabroad24 comment above - sending lots positive thoughts and love to all the other ‘overdue and fed up’ mumma’s to be here ! Every day that passes (however uncomfortable and mentally hard) is a day closer to meeting our little bundles - oh how I can’t wait 🥰

We’ve got this !!!!

Sending everyone positive vibes today to get these babies out!

I think I've accepted my induction on Monday so I'm just going to try and chill out and enjoy these last baby free days...who knows, it might just help get baby out if I'm more relaxed! 🤞🏻

Morning everyone.

Hope everyone got some sleep, especially @addler.. best of luck for today, you can officially count down the hours until you meet your baby 

@bleachblondemom hope your feeling a little better today, sending positive thoughts your way. Have you decided if you'll speak to your MW about another sweep/induction?

@Cookalia hope your sweep goes well, sometimes a wee breakdown and cry is exactly what we need to do at this stage, I think it sometimes goes unrecognised how hard it is being overdue and feeling like you're being slightly pushed into a corner for induction dates.

@SEP880 do you have any plans for today? Am I right in thinking you're booked for another sweep tomorrow?

I'm going for a sweep today, my uncles lovely girlfriend has her midwife kit packed and is on her way to me just now  so I'm trying to keep positive and imagine labour starting naturally before Sunday! We are in the middle of a house renovation which has been delayed badly, so we are staying with my parents for a couple weeks til it's finished.. been putting off going there as we have a Ddog who will be going to stay with my friend until we can move into our own house. Going to get him sorted today too and take him to friends house, then get some of our clothes to my parents house. In hindsight should have sorted it earlier but at least it will keep me moving today! Thankfully all of baby's things are already set up in 'our' room there.

@Stargazer87 that's exciting! Are you feeling ok about being induced?

@Scotabroad24 I really wanted to avoid induction but I think I'm accepting of it now after a good chat to my midwife yesterday. In a way I weirdly feel more relaxed now that it's booked in and I've got an end date in sight. I'm going to spend these last few days relaxing and doing little jobs around the house and then hopefully she might even come naturally!

Morning @Scotabroad24 ... it sounds like a busy day for you ! If it doesn’t get things going atleast you will be distracted ! I hope the sweep goes well too and indicates things are moving in the right direction - how fortunate to have a midwife in the family !

Yes, I have a sweep tomorrow lunchtime and a scan today, followed by a meeting with a doctor in the maternity unit. I believe they just want to look over the scan results to check all is ok for me to continue to aim for the birthing centre/MLU.

Feeling pleased to have things on over the next couple of days to pass the time. I’ve definitely struggled the most with having ‘nothing to do’ as such, I mean don’t get me wrong I’ve kept busy but I’ve never really had an extended period off work and love my job so having no routine/purpose etc has been challenging ! Does anyone else feel the same ?

@Stargazer87 fingers crossed the booked induction with have a ‘reverse psychology’ effect and our babies will decide to come of their own accord instead ! It’s so hard knowing what to do isn’t it

@SEP880 I know, it's hard to know what to do for the best but I suppose these babies can't stay inside forever...I'm more than ready to meet mine now so I've got to accept that it might not be the birth centre water birth I'd imagined. My midwife has said that there's still lots of things they can do on the main delivery suite to change the environment to make it more how you want it, I just need to make my preferences clear so that's made me feel better!

@Stargazer87 are you not able to have a water birth if you are induced at your hospital ? I believe at ours if they just use the peasant/gel and it’s successful we can still be transferred to the birth centre for a water birth however if it is the drip we’d have to stay on delivery suite

@SEP880 It all depends how it goes, I'm being induced at 41+6, once you're over 42 weeks you can't go to the birth centre as your risk level goes up. But if I just have the gel and it works quickly then it could still be a possibility. I'm trying to be as open minded as possible so I'm not too upset if things don't go to plan...

@Stargazer87 I think that’s the best way to be and we can all just keep our fingers crossed for you that baby comes of it’s own accord in the mean time !

I know what you mean about being open minded. We didn’t really make a birth plan as such as I don’t like change at the last minute. We wrote a few ‘in an idea situation’ preferences however have nothing set it stone - which is seemingly lucky as we are getting to further from what we would have ‘ideally’ wanted by the day - a bit like you 😞

I hope you're okay @bleachblondemom. Not currently over due. But I went 9 days over with my last pregnancy. No signs whatsoever. 2 sweeps. First at 40 weeks, then 41 weeks. Small amount of bleeding then nothing! No cramps etc.

No signs at all day before. Woke up 9 days over having contractions every 5-6 mins. There's definitely still time! I know exactly how you feel. But try keeping busy and stay positive! Not long till you get to meet your baby now!

I don’t know what to do, I feel awful, I just want to cry. I have tried absolutely everything. Sex, curry, birth ball, raspberry leaf tea, walking, clary sage oil in the bath, clary sage oil on my bump, nipple stimulation. I did all of those things except curry just yesterday. The last couple of nights I’ve gone to bed with cramps thinking it would be the start of something, then in the morning... nothing. I can’t even say that I’ve lost my mucus plug, which some other women do days if not weeks before labour. I feel like a failure. Like my body can’t do the thing it was designed to do. Im scared I’m going to get depressed and it’s going to ruin the whole experience for me.
I wanted a water birth in the midwife unit too and I don’t even know if I can have a birth pool in the hospital that after being induced, I’ve hardly been given any information.
I don’t know what to do or who to talk to.

@bleachblondemom sorry you're feeling fed up OP! The last stretch of pregnancy feels forever!

If it's any consolation, I had my daughter 12 weeks ago and I had 0 signs whatsoever and was woken by a contraction one morning. I didn't lose my plug until 9 hours into contractions either , so lack of plug doesn't mean baby isn't preparing.