Waiting...

[BrooklynActor]

Hello All,

So my DP and I are at 41 weeks. For months we have been prepping ourselves Mentally, Physically, emotionally, Nesting, getting everything ready or at least to make us feel more prepared. For Months I would answer my DP question of "how yah feeling?" and "can I tell baby to come?" with "I'm not ready!" and "whoa whoa whoa". BUT in the past I'd say 2 weeks there has been a shift. perhaps it's the build up of this remarkable life changing experience that is imminent and the build up of 9 months prep that now ...I'm kinda at the point to say... "Alright already!, Let's get this show on the road!!!". But the little guy seems pretty content up in there.

So we're in this very surreal state! Just waiting. Know at any moment, any day everything IS going to change! And things will start rolling! It's pretty incredible.

How have others dealt with this "Waiting"? I'm so curious. This feeling of things about to change and just sitting around ...waiting.

[TzippityDoulah]

I'm 36 weeks and I have hit that place a bit early this time around. I am DONE. done done done. I dn't know what to tell you... I justw rote a post about it on the UC board actually heh...

distraction is the best thign I can say. try hard not to think about the imminent arrival. when you do, think of something else if it gets too overwhelming. just try to live in the moment if possible... or delve into a project (I clean or organize when I get anxious!)

[Breathless Wonder]

41 weeks already?!?! I remember when you first posted! :

I wasn't a distraction kind of girl. I made a point to enjoy things in those final days that I knew I wouldn't be able to enjoy again for a while...uninterrupted naps/ sleep. Snuggling with my partner, or my other children as they came along. Going shopping by myself. Taking a long shower. A long phone call with a close friend.

Good luck, and congratulations!

[AutumnAir]

Oh man did I have to wait! You get 26 weeks of maternity leave here, but you have to take 6-8 weeks of it before your EDD (crazy, I know!). My mom was coming over for a visit and I knew work was going to want to send me away for yet another 2 day stint teaching in the mountains, so I ended up taking off just under 7 weeks before my EDD. THEN she decided not to put in an appearance until 43+1 weeks. So I had 10 (!!!) weeks of sitting around waiting for her to show up. It was the longest time of my life - never has time moved so slowly!

Things that I found helped were a mixture of distraction - starting projects - I knitted a baby blanket (doesn't sound like much if you're an experienced knitter, but I'm pretty slow!) and making a list of things that I wouldn't be able to do (easily anyway) after baby arrived and doing them, like going to the cinema, going for long walks and so on.

It's not easy to wait, but it's SO worth it! You'll be holding your baby sooner than you know!

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by BrooklynActor

How have others dealt with this "Waiting"? I'm so curious. This feeling of things about to change and just sitting around ...waiting.

Oooooh yeah! Oh yes yes!!! My Mom had most of the 3 of us around 40W. Sister had 1 & he was early (36W.) I worked out regularly through my pregnancy (I teach fitness classes part time) and research shows that exercising women deliver 5-7 days earlier than their health, non-exercising counterparts. I was convinced I was going to birth DS around 38-39W.

But the time I reached 40W, I felt "late" & was getting impatient.

By the time I reached 41W, I was practically clinically insane! It was horrible. If one more person said the comments of, "Still haven't had that baby yet?" & such, I was going to totally go off the deep end.

I seemed to alternate days - some days I was so depressed & frustrated. I didn't even have any BH Ctrx, so I was starting to fear my uterus just didn't work! I was TERRIFIED of having to be induced (didn't think I could go all-natural with the pit & didn't want to have to do ALL my laboring in the hospital! blech.) & other days I was ok & thought, "Well, one more day to organize everything yet again & clean everything yet again."

Finally, at 41W4D, I had my membranes stripped. 2 hrs later, regular ctrx started & 6 hours after that, he was born! :

Best wishes & good labor vibes to you!!