am i the last one? UPDATE!!!!

[queen b]

has everyone had their babies already? i feel like i might be the last one left...
11 days past due and hoping for some action soon!

[U-Turn]

Nope, you aren't alone...I'm here and 16 days past due.

[lovingthis]

best wishes to you both- we all can't wait to hear that your babies are here, safe and sound. I'm sure the waiting has to be frustrating, but what a wonderful thing, for your babies to get to pick their perfect birthdays! I admire your sticking it out

[queen b]

16 days! I hope you aren't getting harassed the way I am! Everyone is asking if I am going to be induced. It's the worst! Hope you're babe is born very soon!

[rumismom]

I'm still here too... 7 days over... our MW said we can have HB until 43 weeks. Tomorrow we go for a non-stress test at the hospital to make sure she's well. Thinking I'll try the castor oil/verbena drink again on Wednesday - was told the trick is to take two doses, I did it wrong. I think Wednesday would be a cool birthday 07/08/09... tee hee. Not that I'm really into choosing for her... we'll be more patient if needed.

[EmmaJean]

you're definitely not alone! where'd the thread go I just replied to earlier today??? Anyway, 16 days is amazing! You are awesome for sticking it out! I am like, what, 8 today? The couple "scared" comments I've gotten have been annoying enough for me to stay away from facebook and church! lol Jeez louise, people think that a due date is magical or something. I'm just annoyed by the ctx I've been having today that aren't going anywhere. I decided this weekend that July 15 would be a good bday! That would be 42+ and I'd just love to blow people's minds, right?! I'm actually thinking seriously about doing the membrane stretch deal on Wed to just see how it goes....... but part of me says to just let it be. We'll see what prevails on wed! rumismom, that is an awesome bday too!!! Makes doing it seem more appealing!

I bought some henna tubes this weekend to do my belly, but now I'm reading about "black henna" and I'm all paranoid. It's not like the pkg is in english........ guess I'll do a test patch and see how it looks in the morning.... it's not advertised as being "black henna" just henna..... hmmmm.......

[U-Turn]

Actually, I'm hearing that going past 42 weeks isn't as amazing as I thought! There are several mamas here that have gone to 43, 44 and even one who's midwife delivered a baby at 45 weeks! It's certainly rare in the mainstream, though. I'm getting lots of concerned, nervous questions, but generally, nothing too bad. Mostly sympathy!!!

I've come to where I hardly pay attention to the ctx anymore. They come and go so frequently, that I'm tired of wondering if "this is it" only to be disappointed. I'll probably be taken totally off-guard when it actually DOES happen!

[MommaShark]

I'm still here too!!!!!!!!

[quixotic]

I am still here too. 42 weeks tomorrow. Did the stress test today and she is still doing great in there. Have done a couple membrane sweeps (Friday and yesterday) as I get more and more impatiant... skipped work yesterday because I knew I couldn't deal with the questions. But here I am today trying to stay positive and also thinking 7-8-9 would be a lovely birthday. Midwife also joked about the Full Moon and suggested lying nude in the yard tonight and just letting those moon beams work their magic. Hmmmm, might just try it because the thrill and adrenaline of the idea that the neighbors might see might just nudge me into labor, yeah?

[queen b]

glad i'm not alone! quixotic-bless your heart for working still! i am home with my daughter and i have been feeling very checked out the last few days with thoughts of the baby consuming me. dd was born 12 days past due on a full moon. today is 12 days for me and a full moon, so it would be cool if it went that way again. i'm not holding my breath at this point

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by queen b

glad i'm not alone! quixotic-bless your heart for working still! i am home with my daughter and i have been feeling very checked out the last few days with thoughts of the baby consuming me. dd was born 12 days past due on a full moon. today is 12 days for me and a full moon, so it would be cool if it went that way again. i'm not holding my breath at this point

:

It's gotta be the day!!

[quixotic]

My midwife emailed this to me today (she knows I am going nuts). Not that it says much new, but I did find some comfort in it-- long, sorry.
Just some more info for you ( and for James, as well). Written by a wonderful midwife in Salem who is perhaps the least interventive midwife I know -- Maybe this gives you a little more piece of mind???....see you soon..........e

"Due Date" Blues
-by Pamela Hines-Powell, CPM, LM
Birthlove
This is the time in the pregnancy where it becomes a real pain in the ass tobe a pregnant mama. Everyone calling your house, asking if you've had the baby yet. Have they forgotten that you told them you would call them right away when you did have the baby? "Oh, I'm sorry, Uncle Fred, we had the baby two weeks ago and just completely forgot to call anyone..."Within the medical model of (s)care, the placenta is viewed as an organ that has an expiration date. Just completely fails at a certain date. We know from studies and experience that this is not true. A placenta CAN start to deteriorate at any point in the pregnancy- usually from poor nutrition, smoking, or unknown causes. For normal, healthy pregnant women, the placenta is an incredible ever-changing organ specifically designed to meet the needs of the baby. I trust that our bodies are wise and know exactly when the perfect time for birth is. Our western model of medicine does not have that same trust. This does not mean that I am naive. That I don't realize that these babies that go longer sometimes need to be watched a bit closer in labor. The vast majority of the time, things are beautiful and go well without any help from me. What is the DUE DATE, really? It's an approximation of gestation. What influences gestational length? Many things COULD influence it- we don't know for sure. Sometimes familial history, baby's health, mother's health, etc.What I do know is that most women aren't able to find out how long their babies "cook" for- they are routinely induced on their due date, sometimes before. This is not a fault necessarily of our medical system. Women
ask-BEG- to be induced. They need to know in their last month of pregnancy how far dilated they are. Family and friends now have enough information about labor/birth that they ask. Just like asking if people are having a boy or girl- it's just expected that after your prenatal you'll be able to report to Aunt Susan the condition of your cervix. Most women (or their
partners)
in their last month of pregnancy don't touch their vulva/vagina as often as their care providers do! This should be reversed- less touching by those not intimately involved with them- more touching in loving, feel-good ways by themselves and those that are in love with them! Besides, what the cervix looks like doesn't matter. I've seen mamas at 5cm for weeks. I've seen women be closed and thick one day, then start labor the next and have a smooth, fast labor. It's no indication of WHEN that twinge will turn into the "real thing." Since so many labors are started for convenience, many people get freaked out if a woman is over her due date. There must be something wrong, they chatter amongst themselves.
"How long will you let her go?" is a common question I'm asked by relatives and friends. Like it's my journey- like I dictate when labor starts. I usually smile and remind them that the baby is doing fine, and that mom is healthy. We cannot ask for anything more than that- and we are grateful to have that. The longest I had a client go? Well, we weren't completely sure of her dates, but if we went by her one and only period (she was nursing), then it was five weeks past the due date.
However, after the birth and all (from looking at her baby), I would guess she was only a week over. It's pretty rare to have a mama go a full four weeks or more after the due date. Not unheard of, just rare.
Usually it's a dating issue. This mama labored beautifully and had a VBAC at home- after being told she had a pelvis that was too small to birth a baby (and this baby was only six ounces less than her big
brother) That five weeks, though, was not easy. We ended up doing some testing and a biophysical profile at week three- which revealed all was well. The nurses at the hospital, however, were flipping out. They couldn't believe it...even after I explained the whole dating thing and her nursing - that we weren't sure about the dates. The physician we scheduled the testing through spoke to me on the phone at the nurse's station... "Get out of that hospital now before all hell breaks loose!
Don't stay any longer!" We had the doc on our side- and managed to slide out peacefully.... but not without two nurses tentatively asking me, "How much longer are you going to let her go?"
Self-nurturing is important these last weeks. Massage, baths, going to movies, crying, laughing, and spending time with friends and your partner are important. So is not answering the phone. Having a blessingway. Making a belly cast. Getting a facial. A haircut. It's all about self-love and savoring those last few days/weeks where your baby is much more portable and easy to carry about. I usually call my past dates clients a couple times a week, aside from our regular prenatals, to check in. I make sure, usually from their partners, that they are releasing emotion (although, most of the time, the tears flow easily at the visits when
asked) and that there is no undue pressure from the outside about the dates. We go over conception dates, last menstrual period dates, and varying ways to determine due dates beyond the typical common method (Nagle's Rule). We play with baby through palpation more at the visits. I listen to baby longer, expecting rises in the heart rate with movement and some variability in the rate.I make sure mom is feeling safe and supported- and that there is no underlying fear holding her back.
We wait together. My family waits... Still, I think I have the easiest time waiting. My back doesn't ache, I don't have heartburn, I'm not looking microscopically at the toilet paper for plug or bloody show, and my feet aren't swollen. I don't have the cashier at the grocery store tsk-tsk'ing me when I come in STILL pregnant.

[queen b]

thanks, quixotic! that made me cry, but in a good way thanks for the support, lizzy q. i think am going to stand beneath the moon right now!

[rumismom]

Well, we'll soon have a baby unfortunately maybe by induction... today started with a non-stree test which went fabulously - I was very excited. Then I waited at the hospital for the OB to do a mobile ultrasound... turns out we're low on amnio. fluid - 1/2 as much as we're meant to have. He suggested induction right away. I called my MW and she confirmed that we do want to have her soon... but agreed that I could go home and do a couple rounds of castor oil this afternoon/evening to try and get things going.

I've just taken my second dose and it does seem that things are picking up somewhat - I'm staying on my feet becuase that seems to make ctx feel more 'productive'. We've lost the mucus plug and I'm just praying that we kick it up tonight and have her at home like planned... otherwise it 's an induction and hospital birth tomorrow.

Please send me some white light and see her born tonight for us!

[MommaShark]

Induction for me today - never thought it would come to this!!!!!! A little scared.

[queen b]

good luck, mommashark! my thoughts are with you. you will have a beautiful birth and amazing babe in your arms soon. rumismom- i will keep you in my thoughts that all go as planned. can i ask what your midwife thought the status of your amniotic fluid was? mine thinks i have plenty, so i turned down the afi test. i am getting a nonstress test today and then going in for acupuncture. however, i have been having contractions for the past hour every 8 or so minutes. i am hoping to continue on with my homebirth plans, too.

[MommaShark]

Well, I get a second chance to do this naturally!!! They were short staffed so it was rescheduled for Friday! : I'll be hiking a ton today and tomorrow!!!!
Thanks for the positive words!

[queen b]

Originally Posted by MommaShark

Well, I get a second chance to do this naturally!!! They were short staffed so it was rescheduled for Friday! : I'll be hiking a ton today and tomorrow!!!!
Thanks for the positive words!

hooray!!!:

[tangozulu]

to you patient mamas still waiting for your little ones! Hope those babies show up soon!!

[EmmaJean]

I saw the mw yesterday and decided to get checked and get the membranes separated or whatever, just to see if it did anything. I told myself it was all in good fun, and not to get my hopes up or be disappointed. So for the first time EVER (this is #4) I know before labor that I'm 3-4 cm, 50% effaced, zero station, and she had absolutely ZERO to separate! She was convinced I would go into labor last night. I, otoh, know how these predictions go, and didn't get my hopes up too much. I did have have ctx about every 10 min. for most of the day. Then by evening they were gone. I'm trying to get over it, not be disappointed. I guess the baby isn't ready. I'll be 42 wks on Sunday.

I'm just bummed b/c I was having such an awesome attitude, and now I'm all disappointed. "Anything before the 12th, and I'll consider myself early" was my new mantra, so I'll try to remember that today. I have a lot going on today, for some reason. Feast or famine, I guess.

So what does it say about the ctx when they only happen when I'm sitting or lying down, nothing when standing up? Total BH, I guess??? Esp. since they fizzled out?

Mamashark, I'm excited you get to have a couple more days to do it on your own! Good luck!!