Hi everyone!
I've been on the raspberry leaf tea capsules since 34 weeks. Checked with midwife first and she said it 'wouldn't hurt' - she'd drunk the tea herself from pretty early on. Basically the advice was that nothing is going to make you go into labour if your body and baby aren't ready. If raspberry leaf tea had the power to do that, there would be no such thing as induction. Still, I understand why some recommend caution. I did one tablet a day for a week, then two, now I'm on 3 a day at 36+2. No probs so far, only the occasional braxton hicks, which I was getting anyway. Started with the dates at 36 weeks. 6 a day! I chop them up and chuck them in muesli. Started perineal massage yesterday, too. It stung a bit but was fine.
All this womb conditioning and stretching may be for nothing though as baby is currently breech. 🙄Having an ECV on Friday, so will let you all know what that's like in case anyone else is in the same boat and wondering, but I'm pessimistic it'll work, or that she'll flip back immediately, for some reason. I think I'm headed for an ECLS... The obstetrician did give me the choice between ECV and ECLS there and then, but I felt I needed to try to turn her first. My biggest concern with a c-section is the wait to try for a second child. My obstetrician recommended a year yesterday, and that's if all goes well, but for me that means being 41 and a half before we can even start again. It took a year of multiple losses before this one stuck, so I'm expecting a rough road again if we decide to try. Of course risks and stats get worse over 40.😔
I felt pretty disappointed tbh, as I've had my suspicions she wasn't actually head down for a while, despite what midwife was telling me. Last scan was also confusing with sonographer saying 'head up' multiple times, yet writing cephalic in my notes. The lump at the top of my bump just didn't feel like a bloody foot to me or my partner, which was what the midwife told me a few times! I've since found out we've been sporadically poking her poor head. 😬 I wish I'd had more time with the knowledge she was breech because I think she has been for a while.
Last Wednesday was my final day at work, and technically I'm now on annual leave (mat leave starts on due date, 3rd July), so that's a relief. Apparently there's a 1 in 200 chance that the ECV on Friday will lead to an emergency c-section, so I have to be packed and ready just in case. I don't feel prepared at all for that eventuality, and will be scared to have the baby a little bit pre-term, but she's estimated at a good weight (6lb 3oz) already, and we do have 90% of what we wanted to get before baby comes. Next couple of days will be a dash to get the hospital bag sorted!