The wait is killing me! Tips please.

[JuniperandI]

Hello

I'm 38+6 and my plan is a spontaneous labour. My body has been teasing me a bit, I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions for weeks and baby is nice and low in my pelvis. So we wait.

I know we're told to rest, relax, bake a cake, basically keep our bodies ready but our minds off of the start of labour. I'm just so excited to go into labour and meet this baby, it's all I can think about.

How did you get through this difficult waiting period? Practical tips, podcasts, any recommendations welcome.

No one told me to rest 🤣 there is no resting if you want to go into spontaneous labour! I now have a 5 week old and have 3 other kids and not one of them was I resting for! All of my labours happened because all I done was walked. My contractions actually stopped the less I walked 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm doing a few things to help my body steer towards labour but I also know that it won't happen until baby is ready, hence the waiting! Rest is very helpful for my body to relax 🤷‍♀️

Nothing you can do but wait. I always set myself the goal of 42 weeks and anything before that was a bonus. I was 10 days overdue with both of mine but weirdly I always feel happiest in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy because I know the end is near.

Is this your first? No real tips but honestly if you’re comfortable and not in pain I would do as you say. I was very similar to you whth my first just so excited to meet him but I was also so grateful of the time to do me. So I would go and treat yourself to nice things, do the baking, do the nesting, re-watch the series, read a book. I looked at this time as a really special time just for me before I had a baby with me.

Thank you both. Today has tested me (I'm 39 weeks today) so it's nice to hear some tips.

I'm going to work on reframing my mindset. It is my first and I had no idea how trying these weeks would be. We've gone through years of infertility, IVF has given us the baby we dreamed of and now I just want to meet that baby and start our new life together 😊

Yes this OP. Sorry, but… walk. And walk. And walk.

First, congratulations! I remember how trying those last few weeks were before labour. I was told to do things that make you feel 'warm and fuzzy' because that releases the hormone that's also responsible for the beginning of labour. I don't know how true that actually is, but I spent an entire day going through all of the baby clothes we had been gifted; washing them, sorting them into age groups, hanging the smallest size up in the wardrobe etc It definitely made me feel all fuzzy because they were so cute! I went into labour that evening and had my baby the next day 😅

Baby is already engaged and low, I'm not worried about that.

Thanks! Aww I love that, that's such a good idea. Babies clothes are already washed and away but no reason I can't go through them again 😏