September 2021 Babies - Thread 9 The final countdown....

[Mamabearwhere]

Hi ladies. Starting our final thread! How exciting.

@bubbles1st do you have your latest list of due dates to add to here?

@FTEngineerM a bit sh** to be honest! Had another attempted sweep today however the midwife said there's no point as she can feel that he's not engaged fully into my pelvis. Induction is booked on Friday morning via dilapan. I'm trying to remain in a good head space but I can't help but feel very anxious. How are you feeling? Do you know how you'll be induced?

@taybz Oh no, sorry today wasn’t more positive for you. How successful will induction be if he’s not in your pelvis? Or is that something that can change quickly? It’s the unknown isn’t it, and covid has stopped visitors ☹️. I have everything crossed that we both go into spontaneous labour before Friday🤞🏼🤞🏼

She said today that mine will start with a disk attached to a cord (think this is a pessary?) then moves onto a rod after 24 hours if no progress so I’ll be on the rod Saturday if nothing changes. I’m really anxious too, overwhelmingly so 😬. I’ve cried twice since the appointment.

Sorry to hear how everyone is struggling. Hitting my due date on Friday and not had much in the way of movements so am just waiting to go onto a monitor just to check on the little one. Feel a bit silly as I'm sure he's fine but just wanted to check as it's the quietest he's been.

Everyone finds it hard at the start and I know I felt rubbish but it does honestly get better.

@Taybz @FTEngineerM how far along are you both?

My due date is Friday and wondering at what point they will decide to induce.

@FTEngineerM I'm not sure really but apparently the Dilapan will get things going by opening up my cervix as it is very soft at the moment but just not dilated. Were they able to do both your sweeps? If so, that in itself is a head start! It seems different trusts start with different induction process, I think the rods they mentioned to you is the Dilapan or is it something else? I haven't heard of the disk and cord but the pessary speeds things up - just make sure to get painkillers beforehand.

I really do hate the not knowing as well but just try to keep an open mind. I know this is easier said than done and believe me I've been so emotional too but what can we do? Baby will come in its own time. Got my fingers crossed for both of us 🤞Have you planned anything for tomorrow to get your mind off the induction?

@Jary6 you've done the right thing! Reduced movement is so worrying so it's better to get things checked out even if it's nothing. So I was due on the 14th, our trust does full term+10 days so 10 days after 40weeks. They don't let you go beyond 41 weeks and offer a sweep at 40 week. Have you had any labour signs?

Sorry to hear those that are struggling ❤️ I'm certain you're all doing a much better job than you're giving yourselves credit for.

It's my due date today, nearly over and no signs baby is looking to make an appearance anytime soon! Next midwife app at 40+6 when hopefully I'll be able to have my first sweep, think they'd look to put a date in for induction then too. Have a friend who is 41 weeks today, she had her 1st sweep this morning and they've booked her an induction for Monday if needed.

@Taybz just got off the monitor and they said he's fine and seems to be in a new reduced routine which is likely a reaction to my hormones getting ready for labour, apparently that's a thing?

They can see 'tightenings' on the monitor however and said if theY get intense and more regular it might be labour coming on. If not it's braxton hicks which I seem to get most evenings.

Haven't been offered any sweeps as they say I have to be 40 weeks which isn't until Friday but apparently I'm waiting for the doctor to let me go home as they want to offer me an induction which I plan to politely decline as doesn't seem necessary right now but they said they like to offer in my situation?

@Jary6 glad that it turned out to be nothing to worry about, you defo did the right thing. Even in labour they tell you to check movements, they’re so important. I’m 4011 today and IOL is booked for tomorrow… dont think I’ll need it though ahhhhh

@Taybz been having contractions since 3am every 7 minutes, I just woke DP up excited as hell I think it’s happening🥳. Second sweep did the job I hope. Yeah I just asked her to talk through the mechanics of what will happen to my vag with me so I didn’t get any proper names🙊. I’ve googled though and it’s pessary then rod so you’re right. How’re you feeling?

@FTEngineerM that's great news about your contractions.

So last night at 11pm I was still at the hospital and the doctor whilst said it was my choice basically gave me an ultimatum to either have a sweep or get induced there and then. So I ended up agreeing to a sweep and when I got home contractions started at every 45 mins or so, now I'm at every 10 mins so I'm hoping this is it although they are very intermittent.

Good luck @FTEngineerM if it is for you too.

Hi Ladies, I'm sorry to read some of you are having a hard time. Having a newborn is an enormous, monumental life transition, I can only imagine how overwhelming it must be. Please try to give yourselves a break, take one step at a time and I hope you feel better about things soon ❤💜

@FTEngineerM Good luck! Sounds promising

How is everyone feeling who is still waiting for their baby's arrival?
I was "due" on the 21st so now 40+2 and feeling very surreal about the reality I will be giving birth within the next couple of weeks!
I've been sleeping a bit better, feeling super hungry, had loads of Braxton Hicks last week but hardly anything in the last few days, digestion constantly feels a bit dodgy, hips feel like they are falling apart, and no signs of show / plug yet.
I don't want an induction/ sweep so just blindly waiting for things to happen and just trying not to dwell on every single little twinge or weird feeling I'm having (easier said than done!).

I know "due dates" aren't necessarily accurate and everyone's pregnancies differ BUT I still felt weirdly disappointed that the day came and went with no signs. I suppose throughout the whole pregnancy it's the date you talk about, refer to, tell people when they ask - so a lot of importance sits on it. And even though you know most women DON'T give birth on their due date, it's still an odd feeling.

P.S I read a really fantastic book about induction which has helped me relax about going past my due date and would 100% recommend to anyone looking to find out more about induction processes, and the actual facts and risks around everything to help make informed decisions right for you. There is a lot of scary, inaccurate information lurking on the Internet which is far too easy for women to find and read - especially regarding going over 41 / 42 weeks pregnancy - but actually in many of the studies the evidence is really patchy and / or outdated. If anyone is interested it's called "Inducing Labour" by Dr Sara Wickham (midwife, researcher and educator).

Hey @Suma2021 I was also due on 21st. I'm quite enjoying my time at the moment. But I think that's because we've had tradesmen in doing work up until the start of this week, so feel like I can finally relax in my own home! I'm also going to refuse sweeps and an induction, learnt a fair bit about it on my hypnobirthing course. I may book in pregnancy reflexology though. DH is a bit more impatient than me and dragging me out for longs walks every evening! I've possibly started having some very random BH's, very few and far between though, not really sure!

Hi hope everyone is doing OK.. Is anyone exclusively expressing? I had wanted to breastfeed however I've been having trouble with it and think it was made worse with a free days in hospital on my own. She has only latched properly a couple of times and id just been getting too frustrated with it not working.

I had planned to express aswell so my husband could do a few feeds but now I'm thinking I'm going to just have to express exclusively and not sure if it's going to be too much for me.
My supply has been good and I've got 2-3 ozs from my 1st pump.

Has anyone any advice on whether it's going to be too much work?

@Hopefulmummie I’m pretty much exclusively expressing. Baby can’t cope with my ferocious let down so it’s much easier on both of us. Tbh I’ve not noticed it been massively hard work as pumping is quite easy at the moment. Sterilising bottles is the major pain but even that is working better than the constant cluster feeding that we were in.

Good luck ladies who are having signs of baby arriving. 🥰

Thought I was getting somewhere however I've gone from one contraction every 10 minutes this morning to one every 15 at the moment. Is this normal?

@FTEngineerM that's so exciting! I hope everything goes well for you. I'm so glad you didn't need the induction after all 🤗

@Jary6 it's looking positive for you too! I know you said the contractions are slowing down but at least things have started to get going right? Are they monitoring you at the hospital?

@Suma2021 I've read a few excerpts from that book and other articles by the author, I can't quite gauge whether she's anti-induction or just really pro informative decision-making before inductions. I'm having my induction tomorrow unless something miraculously starts before then and I guess I'm feeling better about it now.

@Taybz no not at hospital just at home. They wanted to induce me last night and I managed to escape with just a sweep.

It's almost like I've gone backwards as my last contraction was 30 mins ago so I'm a bit confused now. I don't really want to call the midwife unit as they are bound to say I need to go in for an induction as that's all they can suggest and I really didn't want that.

Not sure what to do.

@Jary6 do you know why they're so keen to induce despite you being under 41 weeks? I'd wait to see how the contractions develop over the next couple of hours and maybe still give them a ring just for peace of mind. Thinking of you x

@Taybz well I went in last night after phoning because he's become a little less active.

I was there for 4 hours in the end, 2 hours was after monitoring and just waiting for them to let me go. But the monitoring was fine and little one ended up with hiccups etc which livened him up.

The midwife said they can get quieter and develop a new pattern when close to labour and he was fine. But then the doctor had to see me before I left and just said because I'm past 39 weeks and had concerns about movement there was no reason not to get him out. Almost like a why not?

And I said well the monitoring suggests he's fine so don't see why especially given I'm 39 + 6 only.

I presume that if I am feeling him move around which I am especially with the contractions that I just wait until the contractions get close together.

If I ring the antenatal ward I just know they will push me for induction as what else can they suggest but if just rather wait!

Hey @bluemagicalsky , pregnancy reflexology sounds interesting but I know nothing about it, could you please share your experience if you do book it in? I think I'd love it if it's anything remotely like visiting a chiropractor / pregnancy massage. And definitely for enjoying your time! I'm in a similar boat as we've finally finished decorating and renovating our house that we moved into back in August and feels like we can now breathe a bit.

@Taybz Haha yes, completely agree about that author. I couldn't really figure her out either but I did like to understand the context around the studies etc. All the best of luck with your induction tomorrow, hope you meet your little one soon! 💙

@Jary6 I think it can be normal for contractions to come and go/slow down in early labour. Just take things an hour at a time.

My little man is a week old today and I started with contractions Weds into Thurs night last week and had my show after a sweep Weds, Thursday morning my contractions had stopped completely I was gutted and thought it was a false alarm! Then about 4pm I started to feel something again but only slight, by 6 I was in quite a bit of pain so rang triage who suggested a hot bath and paracetamol by 8 they were intense, rang again they were a bit loathed for my to go in but I said I needed pain relief.. arrived at hospital about 8:40, waters went at 10:30 and they found I was 7cm then it all went super fast and baby was born at 11:33 pm

Basically you just don't know how it's going to go, could be hours or days but do not worry it will suddenly happen and there is nothing wrong with things slowing down things can change so quickly they can ramp us as fast as they slow down! Thinking of you x

Hi everyone. Just to say you aren't alone and I'm still waiting too. Due date 25/09 I'll try not to put too much pressure on this date. Sweep booked 29/09 if I don't go into labour by then. No one has mentioned induction to me yet. Back pain is ramping up. Been bouncing on my exercise ball lots too. Sending love and support to everyone especially ones still waiting like me haha 💕

[quote Jary6]@Taybz well I went in last night after phoning because he's become a little less active.

I was there for 4 hours in the end, 2 hours was after monitoring and just waiting for them to let me go. But the monitoring was fine and little one ended up with hiccups etc which livened him up.

The midwife said they can get quieter and develop a new pattern when close to labour and he was fine. But then the doctor had to see me before I left and just said because I'm past 39 weeks and had concerns about movement there was no reason not to get him out. Almost like a why not?

And I said well the monitoring suggests he's fine so don't see why especially given I'm 39 + 6 only. [/quote]
I had a very similar experience. I went in for reduced movement at 37 weeks but all was well in the end. However I had a chat with the doctor as he was around and it was my second time coming for reduced movement (anxious mama here). Although all looked good with the baby, he said if I was 38 weeks he'd offer an induction, I was a bit shocked. Why would they induce me if the baby was fine and I still had two weeks until my due date??