Overdue, multiple sweeps, fed up

[mammmmmma]

Coming here to vent - anyone else in the same boat? I can't sleep, I'm in pain, I've had 2 sweeps that didn't do much, and my body has been pretending to go into labour a few times over the last couple of weeks. Every time I see a midwife they tell me I'm "just about" in labour but nothing is progressing. I really don't want to be induced but if nothing happens soon I'll have to be.

Anyone else? Or any positive stories to keep me going?

Go for a walk

Go up and down the steps making sure you do it one leg at time. Uncomfortable but it helps

Eat a curry

Have sex

Soon you’ll be in labour

I've been there! It won't be long now either way. And don't beat yourself up about all these things that "worked" for someone else - I tried so many things and then felt like a failure because they didn't work. On the plus side my induction was a much easier labour than my spontaneous labour. I was much more relaxed because I didn't have the worry about deciding when was the right time to get to hospital and I had a midwife with me all the way through because I was being induced, which I liked.

Thanks for the advice but there is literally nothing I haven't tried many, many times.

Yep. 3 days overdue, exhausted, beyond uncomfortable, massive bump, soooo want baby to come!

Want to avoid induction and trying to stay as calm as poss to encourage the good hormones to flow (as stress hormones act as an inhibitor to spontaneous labour).

Would be fantastic for baby to come this weekend, hope, hope!

@Jellyfishnchips keeping my fingers crossed for spontaneous labour over the weekend too! The waiting is so hard, isn't it?!

The waiting is the hardest! I've got a sweep booked for over the weekend, after saying the whole way through I wouldn't accept one I'm now desperate to start labour off and get this baby out. Also in pain, not sleeping and generally fed up of the waiting game!!

Yes, totally the waiting is so hard! The advice is to keep mobile, but finding it difficult going for walks with a heavy massive bump and back pains. Bump belts just not cutting it anymore, in desperation used a wrap sling and tied it around and under bump to try and give me some bracing to go for a walk for goodness sake!! (10 mins into said walk had to come back for a wee anyway and untie it all anyway)

I found reading a bit of this encouraging this morning: www.homebirth.org.uk/overdue.htm. Info and others mums experiences of birthing overdue and their choices re: declining induction.

What’s everyone’s plan for the day? Just downed a cup of raspberry leaf tea (spicy curry for dinner), then off for a walk. Will try to go a bit further today (bladder depending!)

Can I wait too?

Not overdue yet but in for a CTG cos babies movements have been so up and down over the last week that I couldn't for the life of me tell you what was normal.

They've offered me induction as although she looks fine on CTG they are worried about the various quiet and then frantic days. I've asked for a middle ground and for an early sweep so I have some hope of avoiding the induction. So I am waiting for someone to come and do one now.

This is baby number 3, I had a sweep on my due date with baby number 2 and although it started the loss of my plug it took 3 days to 'kick in'.

Fingers crossed for everyone here... the waiting sucks!!! (Even though if I put on my sensible head I know baby would be better in for another week while the windows are fitted for our extension etc).

Sorry Mustopeating, how did the CTG and sweep go? Hope it gets things going for you and if not like you said, gets a chance for the windows to be fitted!

Anyone else planning a home birth? x

@mammmmmma has gone quiet... does this mean success??

@Jellyfishnchips it was, um, rigorous. Fingers crossed it gets things moving this week. Have to go back in for a scan tomorrow and then if I don't go for induction then it looks like it'll be checks every 48 hours. (Which is fun when the hospital is a 2 hour round trip away). I'm not brave enough for a home birth (given distance to hospital and my first labour) but desperate for a water birth as my second baby was a dream.

How long will they 'let' you go before they 'insist' on induction? Have you got a plan for when you would accept one? When was your sweep?

Try sex and lie with your bottom wedged on a pillow for a bit, basically to let the prostaglandins in the semen do it’s thing! I was overdue with my second and he wasn’t budging but this method got contractions going the next day

Hi everyone, evening check in…

Mammmmmma Hoping the quiet means you’re ‘preoccupied’, hopefully! Let us know if you have happy news 🙂

Sorry FirstTimeMummy21 meant to acknowledge your message earlier, sorry you’re in pain too and not sleeping, how did your sweep go?

Muststopeating, well done for getting through it and fingers crossed it gets things moving for you. How many days are you over? Sorry the hospital is such a long way for u. So basically they can’t insist you take induction at all, only offer & advise, it is totally up to us to accept or decline. Regular monitoring is the other option once past 42 weeks, to check baby is doing ok. Plenty of ladies go to and beyond 42 weeks and have safe births & healthy babies ( see link I posted earlier) , although am really hoping not to go this long, as is too uncomfortable! Also due date calculation from dating scans is not a 100% accurate science either, according to my own conception calculation my due date is 1 week later than the dating scan ( this also happened for my friend who according to scan date was 9 days over but according to her own date calculation had baby 2 days after est. due date).

I haven’t booked in for a a sweep but may consider it at 41 + 3 or 4 if labour not started before then. I am going to try and hold my nerve and decline induction as really want to have a home birth this time for 2nd baby (and induction precludes this)

Thank you Narwalsh, will give this a go! (although not the comfiest prospect after a hot curry!!)

Happy news indeed! The second sweep worked after all - or maybe the walking, sex, clary sage etc etc etc. Or maybe nature was just ready to take its course.

So happy I didn't have the induction and had a wonderful birth. Hoping you all meet your babies soon! Let me know how you get on x

@mammmmmma congratulations! And delighted for you that you managed to avoid induction! How long between the sweep and labour starting?

@Jellyfishnchips I'm actually not overdue yet. I had my sweep at 39 weeks exactly. They were threatening induction after a week of reduced and then frantic movements. Had a CTG yesterdsy and a scan today though and everything looks perfect so we're avoiding induction for now (I've been on the syntocin drip before, not something I'm keen to repeat).

I am calling my local unit to try and get another sweep on Tuesday (as advised by Doctor). I'd much rather that and be able to give birth in the midwife unit than the alternative. I had tried @Narwhalsh suggestion though minus the pillow (thought that might push hubby over the edge ). But tonight he's been told the pillow will be out!

I absolutely don't do the curry thing though. Having experienced the full body exacavation that happens in labour, i am keeping spicy food out of it!

I have to say the 2 doctors I've seen this weekend have been completely fab and totally supportive of my preferences.

Less than 24 hours after the second sweep, but I was already overdue so I'm not sure whether it would have started anyway. I think sweeps can help tip you over the edge if your body is ready to go, and it seemed that the second time, mine was!

Hoping your sweep works and you manage to avoid induction! But if you do end up being induced, don't be too disheartened. I've had an induction before and it was absolutely fine. They might be able to break your waters and not do the drip if you have started dilating slightly x

Congratulations Mammmmmma! Am so glad for you! Is it boy or girl? Keep thinking happy thoughts for us!

So glad your scan & CTG were good Muststop and hope the 2nd sweep on Tues helps things get going. I’m doing raspberry leaf tea and medjool dates too as supposed to beneficial for uterus when it comes to action time. I couldn’t quite manage Narwalsh’s suggestion last night after the hot curry, lol! But tonight’s the night! Not sure could do the pillow thing during but afterwards, yes! 😁

FirstTimeMummy21 gone quiet too, did the weekend sweep do the trick hun?

Haha. I bottled it on last nights planned activity as I'd felt really rubbish all evening and then had a bit of a show (experience tells me there will be more to come). I only had one or two contractions but baby girl was beating me up all evening, literally bouncing on my cervix. As painful as it was it was very welcome after the worry about movements.

I am now stuck of the loo (sorry) with a very very dicky tummy. Wondering if this is the start of the pre-labour evac.

Ah, also wondered about @FirstTimeMummy2021. Fingers crossed!!!

If only! Sorry to disappoint but no real progress here. I'm struggling a bit with being overdue and that I want baby to be here now to be honest.

Ooh I've heard that could be a sign of labour about to start @Muststopeating Fingers crossed for you!

Well it turns out that the gravity required for @Narwhalsh's suggestion is not compatible with my horrendous acid reflux and cough (on week 9, not COVID)! Couldn't cop more than 5 minutes lying propped up before there were tears rolling down my face!

No sign yet. With my first they broke my waters, I was immediately sick, contractions started and had to rush to the toilet. (Syntocin drip came as soon as there was a bed for me on the labour ward but I still think was entirely unnecessary given how hard and fast the contractions were).

With my second, I just started contractions and wasn't sick til we were en route to the hospital (thankfully husband had brought a bucket).

This time, I was randomly and violently sick 2 weeks ago and thought that was it. Nothing. Had my toilet episode this morning and thought that was it. Nothing.

Booked in for 2nd sweep tomorrow!!!

Feel exactly the same FirstTimeMummy21, struggling and want baby to come more than anything. I didn’t manage the pillow prop thing either Muststop, the reflux is awful isn’t it? I guess everything is just so thoroughly squished inside at this point.

I thought the same re: loose tum a few weeks ago and was hopeful that might be it, but sadly no.

Anyone else getting sore hips from side lying at night?

@Muststopeating fingers crossed the 5 mins were enough!!! Acid reflux is dire. I’ve had it with all my pregnancies, started nice and early with this one (my third too). Does help with the evening snacking though, gulping down Gaviscon rather than chocolate

I really appreciate being able to chat with other mums/ mums to be at this stage in pregnancy, the level of discomfort and waiting game is so hard. It’s funny to think of gagging for labour to start but it will be so much better than feeling like this(!)

Am doing both Narwalsh! Gaviscon then choc! (Prob not the best but feeling so rubbish am needing a choc lift)

And my waters have just gone... Wasn't expecting it to feel quite like that

Ward have said I can stay at home if I'm confident it was my waters and baby is happy. Contractions only started after my waters went. Hopefully I'm not in early labour for too long!