Have the flu at 37.5 weeks...

[Smokering]

Sooo, I'll be 38 weeks in three days, and a couple of days ago I came down with a killer flu, or something similar. I've been throwing up (not feeling nauseated, but vomiting from the combo of heartburn and a really deep hacking cough); had achy teeth and jaw the first night, have a runny rose, and am generally miserable.

Can anyone tell me what this means for labour? Is it likely to induce labour? (I'd really rather it didn't, as the baby's been in an unstable lie for awhile now and I can't guarantee he's vertex... plus, labouring while having flu really doesn't sound like much fun.) I'm not about to cause a placental abruption by violent coughing, am I?

I've been trying to rest and drink lots of fluids, but it's tricky - half the time if I'm not sitting bolt upright I get awful heartburn, and Gaviscon seems to be making me throw up. And even drinking a glass of water will exacerbate the heartburn. Frustrating!! Chewing my vitamin C tablets also brings on heartburn, as does sipping lemon/ginger/honey tea. So... yeah.

Any advice? I'll call my MW today, but haven't been able to get hold of her yet.

[Dot-to-Dot]

My first baby was due during a swine flu outbreak and I remember experienced mothers saying how your sickness goes away during labor and birth and that you somehow just forget about being sick and all of your body focuses on birth.  Of course, I would think that after the birth, your body would kind of remember and your symptoms would come back...or at the very least you'd be extra exhausted.  :(

I really don't know about whether it'll induce labor, although if it hasn't already (with the coughing and everything) I kinda think it wouldn't. 

The only thing I can think of that might help put you on the mend or at least keep things from getting worse would be to start drinking a good amount of coconut water for hydration and maintaining electrolytes (found in a health food store) as well as having someone making you a good bone broth which is something that say can cure the dead.

Good luck.  I'm sorry you're going through this on top of all of the other pregnancy struggles that come in the last few weeks.  :(  Hoping you've got someone to really take good care of you.

[Mal85]

I had a god-awful stomach virus when I was 36 weeks with my daughter. It did bring on some contractions, but once I was able to keep something down, they stopped. My midwife recommended drinking something with electrolytes in it rather than just water. DH brought me home a few jugs of Gatorade and as much as I hated drinking something so sugary, especially on a weak stomach, my contractions had stopped within an hour. So, I do think it helped me.

I called my midwife when the contractions started and she did say that it could bring labor on and if that were to happen we'd just have to go with it. I was close enough to full-term to safely deliver. The main concern was the circumstances and my level of exhaustion after being sick for so long. 

I suggest just taking care of yourself and drinking plenty of fluids, even if you throw it back up you will still ingest some of it. If you go into labor, then that's what happens. Que sera, sera. But I certainly hope that's not the case for you!

[Smokering]

Thanks people! I think I'm over the worst of it - still feel pretty ghastly, but not begging-for-sweet-merciful-death ghastly. Have been drinking chicken soup and milk - I can't stomach water, even a few sips sends my heartburn to crazy levels, but I drank about 5 glasses of milk yesterday, which is very unlike me. Had an appointment today with my backup MW and she didn't seem too concerned about it - just told me to get lots of rest and fluids. She didn't seem to think it would cause labour. Not that I'd mind exactly... I'll be 38 weeks in two days... but I have an article due in a few days, and I'd rather not add flu symptoms to labour symptoms!