41+ support club?

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

Anyone 41 weeks or more? Got any tips for not going nuts?

[simplykate]

Me! I'm seriously starting to think that it's never going to happen. Never ever.
The only thing that has helped me is a lot of prayer and giving up. That hasn't kept me from freaking out about once a day, but it's better than freaking out all day.

[rivkah]

I have officially been 41+ weeks three times now. #3 just born on the 12th, at 41 weeks, 4 days. #1 was born at 42 weeks and #2 at 41 weeks 3 days. As DH said, I seem to have a slow cooker.

All I can say is, hang in there! It will happen when you and baby are ready. None of my babies were very big (all under 8 pounds) and both #2 and #3 were born with a ton of vernix and laguno, with the wrinkly skin of a pre-term baby.

Though it can get infuriating to be on MDC and hear all the stories of babies being born at 38 or 39 weeks, and have people ask you inane questions like "still pregnant?"--as soon as you are holding a baby--which is HIGHLY unlikely to be more than a week away at most--time flies by way too fast.

[simplykate]

Honestly the thing that's bothering me the most about still being pregnant is that my MIL is flying in on Tuesday evening, and I REALLY wanted to have this baby before she got here. She's staying in a hotel so it's not a huge deal, and I love her to death but this is just not the time that I want somebody else hanging around watching me. My mom is already doing that.
I told them both to come later than they did, but they somehow weasled their way here early. Guess they'll know better next time!

[simplykate]

rivkah, congrats on your new baby, you must be so happy!
It's nice to hear that your babies weren't huge. I'm starting to wonder how big mine is going to be. 41+3 today and I'm married to a huge scandinavian guy. My mom had six kids all between 8 - 10.5 lbs, and my dad is a little guy!
I'm not really worried about it as I don't think it's likely that my body will grow a baby to big for me to handle, but it is interesting that later doesn't always mean bigger.
Thanks for the encouragement, and have fun with the new LO!

BTW, is there anyone else who's 41+? Or is it just you and me Ashley?

[sarahwg]

I'll be joining you on Tuesday unless the babe comes before that! Just wanted to add that my son was born at 41w2d and only weighed 7lbs ...in France the due date is 41 weeks which I think makes a lot more sense at least for the mental game aspect of being pregnant.

[Thistles_in_Snow]

I'm 41 weeks tomorrow. Actually I feel OK. It's everyone else's impatience that's driving me crazy!

I mean, how many times do people have to call me and ask if I've had the baby yet? Do they really think I am going to forget to call?

[seafox]

I'm 41wks today. And Thistles, I hear you! I'm only stressed since I don't want to be induced saturday, and because *other* people are stressing me out about still being pregnant. I'm still fine w/ staying pregnant a bit longer but its hard to when folks are asking all the time why you are 'still here' and w/ the end date induction looming over me. Otherwise I'm super comfortable and that is even adding to my stress, since labor just seems *far* away because of that! Plus since the babe is still high, since I'm not very dilated, induction has a pretty low chance of working anyway. But Ill try acupuncture wednesday to try and avoid it. And maybe babe will come before then!

I'm going to start pretending I'm in France that makes me feel way less antsy

at least I have tomorrow off of work (I need to get a non-stress test, etc., due to my 41 weekage) so I have a short reprieve from my annoying coworkers.

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

Is everyone else certain of their dates? Cuz I am, and yeah...out!!!!

I hit a big hormonal blarglesplat last night. I was crying and panicking and anxious and it was just bad. I don't know how much more of this I can handle.

[simplykate]

Yep, I'm certain of my dates, and because I tend to ovulate a few days earlier I may really be about 42 weeks right now.
I totally understand about the panicking and anxiety and crying. Especially because I know you've been dealing with a lot of the pre-labor stuff too. I think that really got my mind in a weird place, thinking that the baby could come any minute for the past 4 weeks.

[seafox]

I'm certain as well, I get distinctive ovulation pain, and I have a really regular 28 day cycle. I ovulated that month on day 15 instead of 14, so I am maybe really 41wks tomorrow, but its *damn* close!!

though I do feel like I am behind, size-wise at least. My belly has been pretty small looking all throughout this pregnancy, though I guess I measured fine. I also even did get bigger this last week, which seemed odd since I thought from 40 to 41 the babe wouldn't gain much more? I do have a LOT of amniotic fluid evidently as well though.

It might be that I just can hide a babe well though and there's a soon-to-be-10lber in there.

I'm not sure which is worse, having the prelabor or not. I had it at 38wks, then nothing, until yesterday, and I guess I did have a lot of cramping and contractions last night which gave me some hope, but then it waned by the AM. In some ways it was nice to feel 'close' again, but then the disappointment sucks! and knowing that I had it at 38 and nothing for two weeks doesn't make it feel that close anymore.

Since I don't know what actual labor is like yet either its distracting - I get cramps, and contractions, but they don't seem to happen at the same time or in any pattern w/ each other, its odd. And its easier to tell the frequency of the cramps rather than the contractions since my belly feels so tight sometimes its hard to tell if I *am* having a contraction while I'm feeling the cramps.

that came out much more confusing than I thought it would, but its usually the middle of the night that I am trying to figure this stuff out so its possible its not *that* confusing and I'm just too sleepy to tell what's really going on!

I did have a lot of cervix pressure today when walking so hoping the babe is doing *some* work down there at least.

[simplykate]

seafox, just wondering if anything has happened for you yet?
I'll be 42 weeks on Thursday, I'm thinking about seeing if I can get an acupuncture appt. today and see if it helps kick things into gear. I'll let you know if it works!
I'm not sure if you can tell anything by how big your tummy looks. I've noticed that taller women seem to carry a lot more gracefully.
I on the other hand, at barely 5'3, look like a huge lump.
I met a woman a few months ago who just had a little bump, but she had a 10 lb. baby boy!
Are we seriously the only people over 41 weeks? Am I the only one about to hit 42? THAT makes me grumpy!
sunflwrmoonbeam, how are you? Feeling better? Progress?
Next baby I'm using the french due date!

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

I'm 5'3" and HUGE. My midwife says that I'm larger than one of her other clients who is working on #9.

Feelign better today. I have a m/w appt. tonight and I'll start talkign to her about what we'll do if I hit 42 weeks. Considering I'm dead certain of my dates, ginormous, miserable, and my BP is going up I'm not terribly inclined to go much longer.

[simplykate]

Glad you're feeling better, and I bet something WILL happen before 42 weeks.
I'v e been lucky, at my last appt. my BP was 110/60, so nothing to worry about.
I'm starting to toy around with the idea of castor oil. I'm not worried about the taste or it making me sick or anything because I've taken it for other reasons and it didn't have a bad effect on me.
But do I want to get that interventionist?
Is that a word?
Let us know how your MW appt. goes.

[seafox]

why are there no other 41wk folks here? !

thanks for thinking of me, I had my non-stress test today, and an ultrasound, and both went well - as I thought they would, babe is way too happy in there

so yeah, plenty of fluid, babe moving around a ton, they estimated around 8.5lbs but could be off by a pound either way I suppose. I am surprised I have such a big babe AND a ton of fluid w/out being bigger, I'm not super tall, 5'6, but I guess having a long torso helps!

even if I hit 42 I think I will try and postpone induction. The non-stress-test gave me hope though, since the nurse said it looked like I had some 'uterine irritability' and thought it looked like I was gearing up for labor but maybe she was just trying to make me feel better !

so going to do some walking/sex today (not at the same time ) and then I guess back to work tomorrow but Ill make an appt today for acupuncture wednesday and hope that does something.

I've been crampy today, but not much else going on! A little discouraging but I'm trying to focus on how it can happen fast and all at once. Babe is definitely lower so that's good.

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

Seafox, you so should try it at the same time

I was actually reading back through my blog, and about right after my LMP I had a BP of 96/50 (I'm a very regular blood donor with, obviously, low blood pressure), and at 8 weeks my BP was up to 140/70. I attributed it to my well documented white coat hypertension, because I don't know anyone else who is FAR calmer getting poked with a gigantic needle than talking to a doctor. My BP has thankfully not been that high since, but we're near there, and I wonder if I just have asymptomatic PIH and this is my "normal." I will be mentioning this to my midwife today, because I know she's somewhat concerned about my BP, as am I. But my swelling isn't outside of the realm of normal for a hugely pregnant woman, I have no headaches (despite being plagued with severe ones since I was 8 years old), no visual disturbances and no proteinuria.

[seafox]

Ashley, mine has been higher these last 4 weeks as well. But its stayed steady, so not a big deal I guess. I usually have low as well, 100/55 or at most 110/60 - and the last few weeks I've seen anywhere from 110-140 for the top # and steadily 77-85 for the bottom. Its funny, at my doc's its usually 110/77 or 120/77 and when I've had to go to the hospital (for the amniotic fluid leak I thought I had, or the u/s today) its 140/85. So not just white coat, but specifically *hospital* white coats get me I guess the nurse at my doc's I suppose I know now and like so she doesn't freak me out

I had protein in my urine at one visit, but that was it. I do have a lot of edema, but not too bad I think since I am still exercising which helps. So it hasn't come up as an issue at all since the first time she noticed it rise.

she said only if the bottom # hit 90 that there'd be a reason for induction, so at least its stayed below that.