While waiting, is it life as usual?

[saffrongirl]

I am 38w5d today. Dilated 3.5-4cm as of Monday and having loads of prodromal labor. Pretty rhythmic contractions throughout the day - some with crampiness and pressure. I'm not overly anxious but getting there. Mostly it's exhausting hanging in this limbo all the time as most of you know. Trying to strike a balance between conserving energy and keeping active. How are the rest of you doing? Are you resting more or is it life as usual for you? It's taking more and more energy to take my dd to the park or wherever and when I do, I start to worry that I'll go into labor tonight and be so tired from the efforts of the day. How are you finding balance?

[2boyzmama]

I go back and forth. Sometimes I'm intentionally active to try to move things along maybe and also to distract myself, but sometimes I think that I'd really better conserve energy! Every night when I go to bed I pray for labor to start overnight, but FIRST for me to get a few hours of sleep so I don't start labor when exhausted!!

[saffrongirl]

Originally Posted by 2boyzmama

Every night when I go to bed I pray for labor to start overnight, but FIRST for me to get a few hours of sleep so I don't start labor when exhausted!!

HaHa! I hear you on this. The other night I woke up in mid-contraction needing to pee and I thought "ug, not right now, I just want to sleep!". Guess I better change that attitude.

[Therese's Mommy]

Well, right now I am not even having much in the way of BH cxns. With my second I had prodromal labor for WEEKS. I thought for sure that every day was *the* day. I stayed home for the most part and put my life on hold. I went 42 weeks and then was induced. This time I plan to continue on with life as usual. I feel that by limiting myself I may have hurt my chances of going into labor on my own. As it was, I was home all the time not doing much, but the morning of my induction I woke at 2AM and didn't fall back asleep. I had DD at 11PM and didn't fall asleep until about 4AM. I was induced with the pit and didn't have an epidural or anything and pushed out my 9+ lb-er with no problem at all. Yes, I was tired when it was all said and done, but my body rose to the occasion even after being up for nearly 24 hrs. So, I vote for life as usual, but of course listen to your body and take it easy when you need to

Beth

ETA: Sorry for the DDC, I thought I was in Oct DDC

[MyZoeJane]

I am trying to strike a balance between doing everything I can to induce labor, and then to not think about it. :

Today I've had quite a bit of cramping and contractions but I went about business as usual, which for me includes getting out of the house as much as possible and WALKING.

I would lose my mind if I stayed home waiting!

[SarahDC]

38w5d here too, 50% effaced but NO dilation... and still working full time! Trying to make myself stay patient because I could very well be pregnant a few more weeks... but I am so excited to have this baby, it's hard! I'm having occasional BH but that's about it.

[cristeen]

39w5d here. I'm not doing a thing to get things going.

As for my days... I have to have a nap every day at this point. Even just 20 minutes. Other than that I'm trying to stay busy... in the kitchen, in the sewing room, shopping, doesn't matter. I'm not leaving the house a whole lot, but then that's just the way I am even not pg.

[rebeccajm]

It was life as usual until I started maternity leave Monday. I should have worked at least a couple of days this week. DS is sick right now, though, so I am glad to be home with him. When I was pg with him, I worked until the very end. This time, I thought it would be a good idea to get some rest and keep the house clean (normally impossible) until the baby comes. But of course, I was hoping he'd come this week. *sigh* I'm still hoping that "banking" some energy will help with my VBAC.

[skydancer]

39+1 weeks here...
I find the emotional aspects of being so close are a lot harder to deal with than the physical ones this time around. I vary daily. One day I may be an awful crank and just want it to be over, but at other times I am very content to be in the moment.

As I suspected, my appointment today revealed no signs of anything happening anytime soon. No matter what my attitude is, there isn't a lot I can do about it, so I guess I'll just try to be as happy as I can.

[~Laura~]

Life as usual here! I am due 9/21 - Monday.

It's easy to not dwell on what's coming because there's always lots to do with the kids, the house, etc. If I were sitting around, I would go MAD I think. Things aren't crazy here, just there's always stuff to do. My cup runneth over...

But really, I will miss being pregnant - the kicks and that she's ALL mine - so I cherish these last days we have left since my health is great and she's doing great. We have the rest of our lives to have her on the outside!

Laura

[ElliesMomma]

i already had my baby (on 9/8), but when i started having contractions, and didn't know if it was "real" or not, it was most definitely life as usual. that is such the only way for me! after 34+ hours of 45 second contractions every 4-5 minutes, i finally got bloody show (and then it was only four hours to delivery). everyone seems to talk about conserving energy, but i found that i was totally reenergized after the birth. as for the transition/hard part of labor, i'm not sure that being "well rested" versus being without sleep would make a darn bit of difference for me. i didn't get much sleep in the days leading up to delivery (maybe four hours of sleep in a couple of days)... and i was chasing a very active three year old. however when it came to the hard part of labor, i was able to stand, walk, and otherwise survive just fine (and unmedicated).

good luck to all of you guys getting ready for your labors. and yes i do miss being pregnant already! sometimes i think i still feel the kicks, even though he is now alive and well in my arms!!

[ilovejeff]

I"m 39+2 and still working full time...kind of. The temp who is replacing me while I'm on maternity leave has taken over my normal duties, so I'm doing busy work, reading birth stories and analyzing every twinge I feel. I haven't had a cervical check yet, but think I'll ask for one at my next appt on Wednesday (my edd) just to see if anything is happening yet....that is, if I don't have my baby by then, which is what I'm really hoping for.

At home, I've been taking it easy for the most part. DH is on break right now, so I've been nesting through him.

[lisa_nc]

39+5 and I am around five and contracting every ten minutes or so...for TWO WEEKS NOW. I finally went back to work on Thursday because I was making myself crazy.

[clemrose]

I'm 39+4 and it was life as usual until just over a week ago when I started experiencing lower back/pelvic pain that really inhibits movement. Walking, standing and bending (and to a certain extent existing!) all cause pain.

This happened with my 2.5 yr old too, only then I was on maternity leave and basically knit in my rocking chair for the last few weeks! Now I'm trying to keep up with the young one and keep the house going and prepare for the birth. Everything is hard to do.

I would have been content to be pregnant 42 weeks if not for this. Now I just want the baby to come! My midwife says not tonight because she had a birth last night and is really tired. Hopefully that will jinx me into labor!

[Dmitrizmom]

40+2 and counting. last day of work was monday and things are a little better. I'd really like for this one to arrive late on Saturday or sometime on Sunday.

In the meantime, I'm walking and trying to stay active.