Overdue, ill and now a toothache. Should I ask to be induced?

[stalebananabread]

I am utterly miserable. Slightly overdue (40+3) with baby #2, the last month of this pregnancy has been an absolute slog and I can barely walk.

Last week I picked up a cold with a painful, hacking cough, I still haven't shaken it. I've also now developed a toothache. Could be sinuses (my ear feels like it's full of water) but I needed a root canal shortly after my first pregnancy, so I've got form here and I'm pretty sure I know which tooth is causing trouble. I'm not sleeping, I'm tearful. I'm a mess.

Can I/should I ask to be induced? Despite feeling like a physical wreck, I just want this baby here. Partly so my husband can finish work and in the hope that some nearby family might offer some help!

What would others do?

I would ask the midwife to examine you & do a sweep if possible. Discuss induction & whether they think it would be sensible/ have a good chance of working.
If it’s unlikely to speed things up you don’t want to be in hospital for a long time? (Disclosure - fully coloured by my own experience of a shit failed induction)
I hope you feel better soon.

Thank you @Fireweeds, that's good advice. I've got an appointment with my midwife tomorrow but I might try and see her today. Torn between midwife or dentist - both feel equally urgent at this point!

Emergency dentist today midwife tomorrow? Steam your head off if you think it's sinus related

Can you use clove oil in pregnancy?

With my second I went to 40+2 and felt like shit!!! I'd been early with my first so felt even more over it once I'd passed his birthday (they had the same due date)

I got a horrible cold and the day before she was born I was so so over it. I had terrible pregnancy insomnia, I had heartburn like nothing on earth, I was ill, I was done.

I wrote a post just like yours at 2:30 in the morning when I was awake and so so over it. Went into labour 30 mins later and she was born 2.5 hours after that.

Fingers crossed this will happen for you too.

I would prioritise dentist for now as toothache with a newborn would be awful!! I sympathise hugely OP as I had a root canal when heavily pregnant and it’s awful. They can do a sort of patching up before the full procedure which sorts the pain for a few weeks so I would aim for that. I’d also be wary of being induced if you feel rotton- it could be your body protecting you from the trauma of labour when you’re not feeling great and once you’re better baby will come flying out. Sorry you’re feeling so crap.

Thanks everyone - I'm going to call the dentist first thing to try and get an emergency appointment. I was going to cancel my private dental plan last month but didn't get round to it - a silver lining, I suppose!

I can't believe how rotten I feel, I wouldn't wish this on anyone!

Poor you - I can't give much advice as it's been decades since I was last pregnant but I agree on the toothache. Get that sorted now so you're not trying to juggle a newborn and a sore tooth! Hope you feel better soon!

Yes agree go for dentist today and hope baby gives you enough time to get the tooth sorted!

I wouldn't want to put a newborn into the mix OP! Get better first and then hopefully baby will come on it's own. Induction isn't what it's cracked up to be (speaking from experience).

No I wouldn’t get induced. You need to try to rest as much as possible and get seen by the dentist.
I’ve had this awful virus and it went from a cold to sore throat to sore chest with cough and then sinusitis so I’m hoping for your sake it might be similar and not dental.
But no- awful though you feel, adding a newborn and giving birth into the mix is not going to improve things sadly. And may well make them far worse.