My first post here -- updated w-birth info

[toriaj]

Hi, I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and have really enjoyed reading posts from other pregnant moms!

I was due August 15 (or 13, if you go by LMP) so I'm over 42 weeks. I expected to go overdue because my mom always went overdue, but I didn't think it would be this long! This is our first baby, and we haven't had any ultrasounds, wanting to stay natural. Hoping for a natural birth in the hospital too.

I have a CNM that delivers in the hospital, and a doula, so I feel very supported. My DH has been great too, although both of us are having some emotional difficulties waiting on this baby! At our last appointment I was dilated to a 2, I think about 80% effaced, station -2. My CNM stripped the membranes and said that there was room to "push up" the baby, meaning that there's plenty of amniotic fluid. She has been so supportive of us wanting to do things naturally. She suggested that we have an ultrasound tomorrow (Monday the 31st) to do the biochemical profile and make sure that it's safe to keep waiting. What a great provider, to not be pressuring induction at 42 + 4! At our last appointment I was dilated to a 2, I think about 80% effaced, station -2. She stripped the membranes and said that there was room to "push up" the baby, meaning that there's plenty of amniotic fluid.

I don't want to induce because of the cascade of interventions that are likely to follow. And if baby is fine, then the only reason to induce is our own impatience! Last week we tried castor oil, among other natural methods, to no effect (but some horrible diarrhea!) I've had a little bit of blood, not much, a little bit of mucus, not much. I occasionally get "twinges" down there, and often have a "tightness" in my belly that approaches painful, but it lasts for minutes, not seconds, and doesn't progress, so it doesn't seem like contractions. And just in the last 48 hours or so, some minor loss of bladder control ...

Arggh, is this baby coming? It seems like a dream ... we're all just in limbo ...

--------------------------
edit: see post 12 below

[GenomicsGirl]

Well hello! Nice to meet you Good luck on your upcoming birth!!!!!

[Jilian]

Welcome! It is great that you have a care provider that is comfortable with you going past 42 weeks, most aren't. It sounds like things are moving along, the blood and mucus is a good sign. Keep up with the natural induction methods and try sex if you haven't alread. I hope your baby comes soon!

[toriaj]

Thanks, Genomics and Jilian! It's nice just to hear something Do you think that natural induction methods might still be effective? I guess it seems like if they were going to work, they would have worked ... but at least it did feel good to try them, it seemed like we were "doing something" ... that might be enough reason on its own! We've tried sex (obviously, jk) but my DH gets really uncomfortable under pressure. I can't blame him, so I'm trying not to pressure him. But anytime he's interested, I'm ready!!!

[mrsrayray]

Originally Posted by toriaj

I don't want to induce because of the cascade of interventions that are likely to follow. And if baby is fine, then the only reason to induce is our own impatience! Last week we tried castor oil, among other natural methods, to no effect (but some horrible diarrhea!) I've had a little bit of blood, not much, a little bit of mucus, not much. I occasionally get "twinges" down there, and often have a "tightness" in my belly that approaches painful, but it lasts for minutes, not seconds, and doesn't progress, so it doesn't seem like contractions. And just in the last 48 hours or so, some minor loss of bladder control ...

Arggh, is this baby coming? It seems like a dream ... we're all just in limbo ...

hah i'll be 43 weeks tomorrow, i'm glad to know i'm not the only person over 42 weeks. last pregnancy i had my daughter at exactly 43 weeks, so i'm hoping tomorrow or tonight is the day.

i tried castor oil and a breast pump on and off for a few hours friday, nothing happened. it didn't cause more braxton hicks or ANYTHING. i'm dilated to almost 4cm though, so hopefully something happens soon!

[toriaj]

It's nice for me to hear someone who is this far past EDD too! Good luck!
When I hear people describe their Braxton Hicks (the same as prodomal labor, right?) they sound like contractions that just never get stronger. I haven't heard anyone describe what I get, which is uncomfortable tightness, perhaps to the point of hurting, that goes for minutes, not seconds. Like 10 minutes. Am I the only one that gets this?

[dislocator3972]

Originally Posted by toriaj

Hi, I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and have really enjoyed reading posts from other pregnant moms!

I was due August 15 (or 13, if you go by LMP) so I'm over 42 weeks. I expected to go overdue because my mom always went overdue, but I didn't think it would be this long! This is our first baby, and we haven't had any ultrasounds, wanting to stay natural. Hoping for a natural birth in the hospital too.

I have a CNM that delivers in the hospital, and a doula, so I feel very supported. My DH has been great too, although both of us are having some emotional difficulties waiting on this baby! At our last appointment I was dilated to a 2, I think about 80% effaced, station -2. My CNM stripped the membranes and said that there was room to "push up" the baby, meaning that there's plenty of amniotic fluid. She has been so supportive of us wanting to do things naturally. She suggested that we have an ultrasound tomorrow (Monday the 31st) to do the biochemical profile and make sure that it's safe to keep waiting. What a great provider, to not be pressuring induction at 42 + 4! At our last appointment I was dilated to a 2, I think about 80% effaced, station -2. She stripped the membranes and said that there was room to "push up" the baby, meaning that there's plenty of amniotic fluid.

I don't want to induce because of the cascade of interventions that are likely to follow. And if baby is fine, then the only reason to induce is our own impatience! Last week we tried castor oil, among other natural methods, to no effect (but some horrible diarrhea!) I've had a little bit of blood, not much, a little bit of mucus, not much. I occasionally get "twinges" down there, and often have a "tightness" in my belly that approaches painful, but it lasts for minutes, not seconds, and doesn't progress, so it doesn't seem like contractions. And just in the last 48 hours or so, some minor loss of bladder control ...

Arggh, is this baby coming? It seems like a dream ... we're all just in limbo ...

Good luck!!

[wombatclay]

Welcome!

My first babe was 42 weeks 3 days... it turned out she was malpositioned so while that is CERTAINLY not the only reason for a long gestation, you may want to give some of the spinning babies and optimal fetal positioning ideas a try. They're easy to do and they may result in a quicker birth (since babe has a chance to move into alignment before labor instead of during labor).

And alignment isn't everything. My second babe was lined up and good to go... she arrived at 40 weeks and a few days and I figured it was partly due to being a second babe and her being lined up. But then my most recent babe didn't arrive till after 42 weeks! So sometimes babies just need to "bake" a little longer. I'm glad you have such a supportive provider and birth site! And I'm glad you've found us...

[toriaj]

Thanks, everyone! I think the baby has been in the ROA position for a good month now. I think it's the mirror image of the baby drawn on the first page of the Spinning Babies site. I've heard that LOA is the best position, but that ROA is good too. But now I'm wondering ... what do you think?

[NaturalMindedMomma]

Hey girl! Welcome! Wishing you luck and good labor and birthing vibes...

[NaturalMindedMomma]

Originally Posted by toriaj

Thanks, everyone! I think the baby has been in the ROA position for a good month now. I think it's the mirror image of the baby drawn on the first page of the Spinning Babies site. I've heard that LOA is the best position, but that ROA is good too. But now I'm wondering ... what do you think?

Oh and as for positioning. It can hinder labor, but I wanted to encourage you with this thought, My little one was OP, completely OP, When I had a lip of cervix left at my birth I turned on all fours, when I turned over again to push i literally felt my baby turn the right way and come down to a +2 station in my vagina. It was CRAZY to feel a baby completely turn. She was born 4 minutes later.. So use the spinning babies by all means (I did) but don't worry too much!

[toriaj]

Thank you, everyone! Mallory Andrea Jones was born Sept. 1 (42+5). She is perfect, the labor and birth were perfect, we're all "blissed out!"

I think the positioning might have been part of the delay. We had an ultrasound (the first of the pregnancy) on Aug. 31. Everything looked good, dilated to 2, amniotic fluid at 9.5 cm, baby about 9 1 /2 lbs, ROT position. NM suggested we try some Cervadil to promote dilation (without affecting any resulting labor like Pit would.) I took about 1 /4 dose and dilated nearly to 5 in about 3 hours, +2 station. (Cervadil gave me vomiting, diarrhea, shakes, etc, yuck!)

Left hospital, went home with dh and 2 dear doulas. Spent the next 3 1 /2 hours in bathtub, relaxing, visualizing led by dh, breathing led by doulas. I was feeling a lot of pressure in my butt, like I really had to release diarrhea. Everyone was telling me, it’s the baby, not diarrhea, don’t push! But I felt like my body was squeezing on its own. To distract me from the pressure, I used my hand to shake my butt rapidly as I lay in the tub on my side. It must have looked pretty weird! Eventually I started to be able to tell when the “contractions” were beginning and ending, but they weren’t painful, just a lot of pressure, so I knew this wasn’t active labor yet. The contractions were about 30 seconds long, about a minute apart.

My doulas knew I wanted to labor at home as long as possible, going to the hospital while in transition was my goal : ) So I was surprised when the doula suggested that because the contractions were so close together, we might consider heading to the hospital. She wasn’t a midwife and didn’t want to deliver this baby at home! I didn’t want to put her in an uncomfortable position, but I knew this couldn’t be labor because it didn’t hurt! And I was worried that if I went to the hospital, I’d ask for pain meds when I could have managed it if I was at home. So I said, can we stay a little longer? They said, of course, although later dh said the doulas looked a little alarmed.

A few minutes later, I decided to touch and see how things felt down there. Only about an inch inside my vagina, I felt what I thought was the amniotic sac! I knew for sure that whatever it was, it wasn’t usually there! So I quickly agreed to go to the hospital (5 mins away.) This was about 4 hours after we’d left the hospital to go home.

Arrived at the hospital, nurse announced that I was complete, and what I’d felt was the baby’s head! I labored about an hour on the toilet and then standing, hanging on dh (and then on dear doula when I’d gripped dh so hard I’d hurt his ribs and made him vomit!) Switched to the pushing bed, which I didn’t like. I felt too unstable. But dh and dear doula let me hold myself up and push against their hands, which worked.

I pushed for about 45 minutes. The contractions stopped after awhile, so I would just get my breath and push when I felt ready. No one told me how to push, I took my time and pushed only 6-7 seconds at a time. Baby was already crowning when I began pushing. Nothing hurt until I felt the burning “fire,” but it wasn’t a whole ring, just a couple of spots. I hadn’t realized the head was out yet, when NM told me to look, and she had the whole baby in her hands!

They immediately put the baby on my belly, where I pushed away the nurse’s hands and rubbed her myself : ) DH told me, It’s a girl, and cut the cord. Then DH held her while I delivered the placenta and received 6 stitches. I also needed a shot of pitocin for hemorrhaging. LO came back to me, we nursed right away, and the rest is history : )

It was perfect. My recovery has been great, the hospital staff were wonderful, and LO has been completely healthy (and hasn’t been shot up with anything.) 9 lbs, 4 oz, 20" long. Thanks to you here on the DDC for helping me get through that last week of waiting! I wish everyone to have the birth they are hoping for, the way I did.

P.S. Should I post this in the positive hospital birth stories thread too? Or is there a restriction on double posting?

[mrsrayray]

woohoo, hurray for late babies! they're awesome!

[Michigan Mama]

Congrats, Mama! That's wonderful!