40+1 no progress!!

[Tlsjhcx]

Hey! So I had a sweep last Thursday when I was 39+3 and on Saturday morning I lost my mucus plug, and started having very mild on and off contractions all day. They stopped by bed time and this pattern continued Sunday and Monday too.. I'm now 40+1 and today has been little to no niggles at all. I'm just wondering if this happened for anybody else? What should I do now? Am I in slow labour, or am I just getting Braxton Hicks? Im getting so impatient and fed up 😩

Try to relax, everything is just getting ready, it's still such early days. Sleep, keep busy, eat well. It'll happen when it's ready.

Why did you have such an early sweep? Is it your Trust's policy? Sweeps have a ropey evidence base and only "work" if your body and baby are ready anyway. Agree with PP, lie on the sofa, sleep and chill as much as you can, it'll happen when it happens :)

I remember that fed up feeling so well but... you are only just term and babies come when they are ready. Take the time to relax and do things you like as you are more likely to go into labour if you are relaxed.
Is this your first baby? They are notorious for going past their due dates. However, due dates are estimates not set in stone so try and think of the next week or so as a due window.

Try some antenatal expressing if you want to help labour get going!

Thanks for your replies 😊 Rainbow, I don't know if it's their policy but she said I could have one from 39 weeks so I went to my appointment at 39+3 and asked to have one!

Jellybe this is my second baby! I was induced with my first at 39+3 and had a very long and stressful labour so wanted to avoid induction this time round and try to go naturally, but I've provisionally booked in an induction for 41 weeks. Just wanted to give my body a chance to go on its own for a change!

It's so hard just sitting around waiting each day! Especially with my partner started his paternity leave already so it feels like a waste of leave that isn't going to be spent with baby!

Will definitely try some more expressing tonight, feel like I've tried everything else but like you all say he will come when he's ready I guess, as impatient as I am! 😩

Try to relax. I had the same feelings and ended up being induced at 42 weeks after two failed sweeps!

Congratulations, hope you're holding baby soon

I would recommend a long walk if you can manage it. I was walking a few miles a day in the days leading up to birth (lockdown walks), day before I went in to labour I couldn't make it back to the house and felt different. Went in to labour that night, was 40+2 and I'm sure it was the walk that started it x

Thank you both!
Spent two hours walking around Tesco yesterday and felt so much pressure afterwards but still nothing 🤣 will get myself out again this afternoon 🤞🏻 and hope for the best!
Just confused by still having on/off tightenings and pain, is it safe/normal for those to still be going on this long? (5th day now)

"Especially with my partner started his paternity leave already so it feels like a waste of leave that isn't going to be spent with baby!"

What on earth did he do that for?! You'll just need to wait, and hope he's not back at work straight afterwards!

Honestly, I think we were naive in thinking that something was getting going on Saturday! He was due back in Monday and with me having on/off contractions for two days we agreed for him not to go back as it could happen at any point.. then it's just sort of fizzled since then but he can't go back now that he has started it!