Rant: Too pregnant!

[Gabesgrrrl]

I am exhausted. Prodromal labor for the last 3 weeks has meant lack of sleep, being emotionally drained and overall not a good version of myself.

I don't mind pain. In fact, pain during labor doesn't really register as "pain" for me-it seems like a good thing-a great thing-because a baby will be close behind, and no matter how hard the labor one look-one smell of that babe, and it all fades into a distant, blissful memory...

But this? How can I be contracting 3-4 minutes apart, with contractions lasting 1.5 minutes long, some of which are strong enough to cause discomfort that borders on pain....for 4-6 hours almost every day/night, and NOT have a baby?

I'm so tired of women telling me I shouldn't feel frustrated because:"After all, lots of women go to 42 weeks, and you're not even at your duedate yet!". ALL of my babies have come early. Early and fast. That's what I signed-up for this time around, and instead I'm dealing with this.

I'm freaked out that this means she's going to be a really hard delivery-(no logic there except that my body isn't working like it 'should' ", so who's to say it will during birth?) I'm supposed to be sure-strong-knowledgeable and unflinching in my resolution and belief that babies come when they're ready, that women are created-designed-to birth, and that it is a spiritual and beautiful process. I mean, I wrote the book on it. Literally!

But instead, I'm a pile of emotion, fear, worry and illogic. I'm sure this baby won't ever come out on her own. I'm sure, that despite being perfectly healthy, she is unable to come out for some reason and I'll end-up with a C-section. I'm stressed and worn out, and I feel like a big fat whiney baby.

Sigh.

Please tell me I'm not crazy-that it's ok to feel irrational, to think illogical thoughts after 3 weeks of exhaustion, and that I will-someday-somehow-actually have a squirming bundle in arms!

Marcie

[lifeguard]

Oh - you took my words!

Today is officially the 1st day of my 3rd week of this nonsense. I can feel the eye rolls from other women when I complain 'cause afterall I'm still not at my edd.

I am actually sitting here in tears 'cause I've been contracting for the past 2 hours & I'm just so tired of it all.

Fwiw - with ds I didn't have ANY contractions until the day they induced me, so this is totally new to me too.

I go back & forth. Either this means my body will be so prepared the "real" labour will be short & sweet & or my body will be so worn out the "real" labour will be slow & ineffective. I try to focus on scenario one.

I hope we both have babies in our arms very, very, very soon.

[Gabesgrrrl]

I'm glad to know someone else feels similarly.:) This is my 4th baby, and although I had some prodromal labor with my last baby, it was much more mild than this time around. My longest labor of all 3 was 3 hours, so I feel pretty stressed about if it's "it" every time it starts.

I've been told that it can shorten labor, but doesn't always...I have an appointment with my midwife this AM, where I'm going to request a cervical check. If I'm not dilating at all, I honestly don't know what I'm going to do. I can't continue like this for much longer-my work is suffering, I'm short-tempered with the kids and DH, and I am starting to feel myself slipping into a bit of depression, which doesn't bode well for my post-partum period!

I sure do hope we have babies in arms soon...keep me posted! (When is your 'due date'?)

[lifeguard]

My edd is Oct 8 but I have an induction scheduled for next Thursday - because I have gd they do not want me going over - which at this point is more than fine with me.

It really is exhausting. At this point I'm not sure I'll have a clue in the world when I am actually in labour - probably end up with an unintentional home birth because we won't leave in time.

Short-tempered is a good description. Poor ds.

[Katico]

You guys, I think it's awful that people are giving you that crap!  Sure, we'd all love to have our babies early (or at least not late!)  but who the heck would be able to shrug off weeks of pain, sleep deprivation and waiting and be thankful for it ?!?!

y all them haters be hatin'?   

[saoirse2007]

OMG....please do not go into labour...I haven't ordered my soap yet!!!!!

[LaBruja]

Good heavens. I've had some days off and on where I get the painful, regular contractions-for-two-hours-then-they-just-stop garbage. And I'm not due until October 13th. And I'm DONE...so I can't even imagine what you ladies are going through with weeks of prodromal labor and the accompanying exhaustion and stress.

Anyone who is giving you mamas grief can just go kick rocks.

[corrabelle]

oh my goodness...i couldn't have written this better myself. I'm going through the exact same thing. I've always had very short, surprise labours, that resulted in a baby in less than an hour.

I never even had regular contractions.

This one though...i've been on again, off again for weeks now with real, solid, regular contractions. I dilated to 10 last week, and now (well, as of monday) had gone back down to 2.

I've never had this many contractions without producing a baby, and these contractions are worse than the ones I had with my previous two deliveries.

I'm going to lose it.

[LaBruja]

Corrabelle, you amaze me. I didn't even know it was possible to dilate to 10cm and NOT have the baby soon after. Hang in there mamas...I hope all your babies make their debuts soon!

[corrabelle]

Originally Posted by LaBruja 

Corrabelle, you amaze me. I didn't even know it was possible to dilate to 10cm and NOT have the baby soon after. Hang in there mamas...I hope all your babies make their debuts soon!

Neither did I. It's like mother nature's meanest prank! I was 10 for about 6 days, I felt like a time bomb, and didn't leave the house in fear that I was going to drop a baby at any moment! grrrr.

[brennan]

I'm right there with you ladies.  Dh and I have decided that baby is not coming.  And I totally know, I KNOW I'm not at my edd.  I've stopped telling people my edd because I don't want to hear it.  I am up at 2 1/2 weeks of prodromal...I don't get to sleep at night anymore, that's when everything happens.  Yep.  Good times.

[lifeguard]

Corrabelle - oh my - the mind games that would play with me!

I wonder why it seems they are more likely to hit at night? Mine are most likely late at night & very early mornings. Rarely does it start during the day.

[Gabesgrrrl]

lol...you're funny! You're the only one asking baby to hold-off...believe me! :)

Unfortunately, I'm not taking orders right now, since I'm due on Monday. If I do make an exception, it would be with the understanding that I'm not guaranteeing a ship-time.;)

[Gabesgrrrl]

I am sooo blessed to know you understand! This is the most trying pregnancy I've ever had! xoxo

[saoirse2007]

Originally Posted by Gabesgrrrl 

lol...you're funny! You're the only one asking baby to hold-off...believe me! :)

Unfortunately, I'm not taking orders right now, since I'm due on Monday. If I do make an exception, it would be with the understanding that I'm not guaranteeing a ship-time.;)

 OKay I will back off....baby come now so I can get my dang soap....lol

[RosemaryS-F]

This makes me feel less confused about my labor with DS, which was 5 days of intense contractions, mainly all night long, mainly extremely painful. The nice thing for me ended up being when I got into the birth pool, and the pain of the contractions went away. I was able to relax and have him, already. Right on the due date to boot.

I hope that you all can get some rest and yeah, them babies. You've got my sympathies, completely!

[Gabesgrrrl]

Well, today is my official duedate. I am still pregnant! I am now a full 2 weeks more pregnant than I have ever been, and am starting to lose my grip.

I have inlaws calling to tell me I should be getting myself to a hospital-which doesn't help combat the fear that my body has forgotten how to do this....

I'm also battling a headcold, which my oldest son so generously brought home from school, which is not helping my positivity!

I don't know what to do...I'm thinking about trying to induce with homeopathics...but then I wonder if I actually want to go mucking around...but of course homeopathics are the most gentle of options...I just wonder if inducing this way would change the way labor would've gone if I had done nothing...

sigh.

So conflicted!

[lifeguard]

gabesgrrrl - Oh I understand the debate in your head! I'm fully convinced the baby won't come until she's good & ready unless we take real action. I've done castor oil (a couple times) to no affect, a stretch & sweep & every "old wives tale" I can find (except sex 'cause dh refuses) & I'm still pregnant.

[corrabelle]

Originally Posted by lifeguard 

gabesgrrrl - Oh I understand the debate in your head! I'm fully convinced the baby won't come until she's good & ready unless we take real action. I've done castor oil (a couple times) to no affect, a stretch & sweep & every "old wives tale" I can find (except sex 'cause dh refuses) & I'm still pregnant.

Ok, here's a question. DH and I were talking about the castor oil method the other day, because we were dipping french bread in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar etc. Why is it that castor oil will sometimes induce labour, but other oils don't seem to? (or do they? I'll tell ya now, I had quite a bit of olive oil, and nothing happened.lol)

[nicolian]

Castor oil causes contractions by stimulating your bowels.. causing you to poo. Or so I've heard.