Dh suggested going to the hospital b/c maybe my body doesnt know what to do

[punkrawkmama27]

This will be my 4th birth, 1st homebirth. I was due on the 28th of November, making me 41+2 wks past due. Last night I think I felt the baby descend lower into my pelvis. It was very uncomfortable, but I liked the feeling b/c I thought for sure I would be in labor by now. It wasnt very comfortable sleeping last night. I kept dreaming my water was breaking...Nothing though. This morning I woke up and felt the pressure again, every time the baby moved I could feel it grinding in my pelvis.

Dh said I should go to the hospital, b/c with being induced at 39 wks my last 2 births, maybe my body just doesnt know what to do anymore. Before anyone gets angry at him, he just really doesnt know if this is true or not, and he is not being insensitive. I told him I had concerns about this and talked it over with the mw. She said that isnt true, but now I am worrying a bit about it today.

[Emmeline II]

Just tell your dh "that's not how a woman's body works", that 40 weeks is just an average and in order for there to be an average there must be women that birth earlier and later; you're just going to be later. Labor is the biological mechanism by which you body expels the baby; it's in your genes so your body can't "forget". Also, review with him the risks of induction and the slippery slope of interventions.

I would do some walking if you can; if it's cold you could try the mall or Walmart. If you have a large tub or birth tub try floating in there.

[paphia]

I went into labor about 36 hours after my baby dropped w/ ds. Give yourself a little more time. You can always go to the hospital for a nst if you have concerns about the baby's welfare because you're past 40 weeks. You shouldn't assume there is a problem, but instead use the tools available to get more information before anyone decides you"need" to be induced.

Hope you're holding your baby soon!

[alegna]

Total bs.

My babies were 41 weeks 2 days and 43 weeks 5 days. You WILL go into labor.

-Angela

[peainthepod]

No woman is pregnant forever. Your body knows what it's doing and your husband needs to shut his yapper and give you a foot rub.

[DreamsInDigital]

I was induced for both of my hospital births, at 41+4 and 41+3 respectively. I went into labor on my own for my third baby, first homebirth, at 42+1 and it was the perfect birth.

[mom2sol]

There's some great stats about "late" births that made me feel better when I went to 42 weeks with my daughter... I'll see if I can find them... only 3% of pregnancies go past 42 weeks and if I remember correctly (can't find it) it drops way lower after 43 weeks and only 10% of those babies born after 43 weeks get into any trouble.

Your body will give birth!!!!

[AnnR33]

Hang in there! It will happen when the baby is ready. I honestly believe that your mind is a powerful thing though and can delay birth. Try not to fall into the trap of thinking you can't do it-you can! Try to do some relaxation and visualization exercises-I know it might seem silly but I truly believe it can help some moms that need to "let go" at the end.

Sending you positive labor vibes!
Good luck

[kangaroomum25]

Not suggesting you actually do this, just kind of using an analogy.

Next time you're getting intimate, before he gets time to get fully aroused (if ykwim) tell him maybe he should get some of those little blue pills because maybe his body just doesn't know what to do anymore. (Of course this may not work for you, he could be one of those guys who is ready to go before you can say "are you in the mood'' try and catch him when he's really tired )

[Phoebe]

Oh sweetie. I'm amazed that any man makes it through a pregnancy really without a breakdown! I don't know how a man can be that centered on something he is powerless to control...or better word, fix.
You are just fine!! Listen to your midwife. She has the REAL info here. Your DH should be told to listen to your midwife as well. Without my midwife to center me, I'd have been riding the crazy train and freaking out long before I hit this 42 week mark myself.

I'm SO not the one to tell you this (as I have been telling myself the same thing to no avail yet), you are sooooooooo close. Think, you're looking at days here....not weeks.


I feel ya!!

[jengacnm]

This is based in no science whatsoever, just my observations, but if a client is induced twice I generally (internally) expect her to go a bit beyond the point of where she was induced in the past. My theory is that her body has come to expect that labor will be initiated from an outside source, and will continue to wait until her body finally heaves a gusty sigh and says, "Ok, fine. If Pitocin isn't coming, I guess I'll just do it myself," and begins what it always knew how to do anyway.

Eventually, though, she DOES go into labor on her own.

Best birth wishes, mama!

Jennifer

[barefootpoetry]

Ummm....I'm not seeing your DH's logic here. If you were induced at 39 weeks the last two times...why is it safe to assume your body won't give birth? That's not making sense to me. You didn't even get to 40 weeks. If you were a marathon runner and you tripped over a rock ten feet before the finish line, I wouldn't be telling you, "I guess your body just can't run those last ten feet."

I'm really not trying to be snarky here. I just geniunely don't understand this reasoning. Maybe you are just oen of those women that needs longer to cook her babies. You WILL go into labor! No one is pregnant forever (well, except that lady in India with the stone baby). Tell your DH to trust your MW, and to trust your body, too. It knows what it's doing!

[rockportmidwife]

Originally Posted by jengacnm

This is based in no science whatsoever, just my observations, but if a client is induced twice I generally (internally) expect her to go a bit beyond the point of where she was induced in the past. My theory is that her body has come to expect that labor will be initiated from an outside source, and will continue to wait until her body finally heaves a gusty sigh and says, "Ok, fine. If Pitocin isn't coming, I guess I'll just do it myself," and begins what it always knew how to do anyway.

Eventually, though, she DOES go into labor on her own.

We have generally noticed this to be true with our clients as well.

[birthjunkie27]

Hey girlie. (((hugs))) Hang in there. I know he's anxious and worried so I'm not going to bad mouth him at all. He's concerned about you and about the baby, but sweetie, you know in your heart of hearts that your body knows what to do. Your baby doesn't have a calender in there. Just a bit longer.. hang in there! I KNOW you can do it if you just be patient a little while longer. Give me a call tomorrow if you want to talk.

[Full Heart]

I must be really broken then to go all the way to 42 weeks 7 times.

How do you know you wouldn't have gone to 42 weeks the last 2 times? Or even longer! Thats true for anyone who has been induced. Even if you had children born without induction earlier than an induction date, for that pg a woman was induced who knows how long she might have gestated for.

Your body knows what to do. Trust me. You are not broken, your body works fine. A due date is not an expiration date. You will go into labor.

[srlpenny]

I can understand where DH's fears come from. My 5th baby was my first homebirth and the first time I had gone into labor 100% on my own. Before I went into labor I assured my midwives that I would certainly have to take castor oil or something because my body just didn't know to kick babies out.
They just smiled and shook their heads, and said we'll talk about taht when it's time.
We never talked about it. DS came all on his own.
Try not to worry and talk to you midwife about any concerns you have.
My midwife used to say... "They all come out somehow"

[jrabbit]

My first came at 37 weeks, much to my surprise - my water broke and labor started about 20 hours later. Second was hb, and I was just positive she'd come early, too .... she was born *finally* at 42w5d. It never even occurred to us that my body wouldn't know what to do! No disrespect intended, but that idea just makes me laugh!

I'm at 38+ weeks now - no clue what my body will do, but I'm crossing my fingers that I get to Christmas, which will be 41 weeks.

--janis

[RachaelsMommy]

Maybe you are just one of those people who normally go 42 weeks, but you never got the chance to find out.

[starlein26]

At 41+2weeks *I* would definitely go to the hospital. It's never worth that risk of losing a baby *for me*.

[jrabbit]

I don't think that anyone is suggesting that she should ignore her own body or fears, but that it's a little unlikely that "nothing" would happen. I would prefer to get a biophysical profile or monitoring or an exam over going to the hospital for any type of induction. I had a biophysical profile done 2 days before my baby was born, and it was very helpful for me to stop worrying.

Also, kick counts are extremely important after 41 weeks. My MW suggests doing them at 37 weeks for a baseline comparison. But even if you didn't do that, it's useful to note what activity levels you have on a daily basis.