I think I'm going to be pregnant forever.

[Belleweather]

My EDD is in four days, and I'm starting to seriously wonder if I'm going to be pregnant for the rest of my life. This baby just shows NO sign of even thinking about coming out!

I have not lost one teensy fragment of my mucous plug, he's still positioned way, way up by my ribs (high enough that he was kicking my poor gallbladder all afternoon... ) and hasn't dropped into my pelvis or engaged at all, and I'm still not feeling anything like contractions - I haven't really felt my braxton-hicks all pregnancy, so it's not like I've got much to compare to, but I don't feel my stomach tightening at all. It's not like I'm expecting him to be on time or anything, I always thought I'd go late, but it's not even seeing any signs of impending labour that has me a little freaked out -- and SO envious of all you mamas who have already crossed that threshold!

Someone please help me remember that even though my body isn't giving me any signs that it knows how to give birth, and will be able to do it when we're ready? And that it really *isn't* possible to be pregnant forever?

[flyingspaghettimama]

EDD was a few days ago...myself, I was thinking of joining the January 2006 DDC and acting all surprised when he came early.

It does get a little depressing, esp if you thought you might go early (I do have the B-H constantly; lost mucus plug, effacement and dilation - yet what do I get - nuthin). I just keep making plans one day out with friends...apparently getting stressed about it or sitting around waiting for stuff to happen just makes it worse. So I've heard. I do a good job of the worrying in the evenings; but days - I'm good.

I was wondering about non-recommended methods of induction - i.e. dehydration? Eating food from the sketch restaurant just shut down by the health inspector? Bungee jumping?

We should probably just go back and see if any September DDC mamas are still waiting - perhaps that will give us fortitude and a reminder that indeed, we cannot stay pregnant forever.

[DreamsInDigital]

I just bought black and blue cohosh and now I'm trying to find castor oil. : I'm afraid of being the last of our DDC to give birth like I was on my last one.

[dancingmama]

Try to keep in mind that on AVERAGE, first babies come a week past "due date." That means many come even later than that. DD was 8 days past, and as with many first babies, I had little signs of anything happening until the night before it did. Hang in there!

[*Amy*]

Originally Posted by Belleweather

I'm starting to seriously wonder if I'm going to be pregnant for the rest of my life. This baby just shows NO sign of even thinking about coming out! I have not lost one teensy fragment of my mucous plug, he's still positioned way, and I'm still not feeling anything like contractions - I haven't really felt my braxton-hicks all pregnancy, so it's not like I've got much to compare to, but I don't feel my stomach tightening at all. It's not like I'm expecting him to be on time or anything, I always thought I'd go late, but it's not even seeing any signs of impending labour that has me a little freaked out -- and SO envious of all you mamas who have already crossed that threshold! Someone please help me remember that even though my body isn't giving me any signs that it knows how to give birth, and will be able to do it when we're ready? And that it really *isn't* possible to be pregnant forever?

Belleweather, I still have 2 weeks to go but I am kind of feeling the same way. Honestly, sometimes I feel like this whole "baby-coming-out" thing is just a mythological event, and it probably won't happen to me! Everyone keeps *saying* she's going to come out, but it just doesn't seem likely.

I had actually been thinking all along she'd come a little early, but I have like NO signs, and I have been reminding myself just about daily that first babes are an average of 8 days past EDD as dancingmama said, but...still, you know, I'm *READY* and I know you are too!

Maybe it'll just happen really fast; it must happen that way for a lot of people! But I'm right there with you.

[crsta33]

I'm a week and a half from that arbitrary date I was assigned back in March. Everyone, and I mean everyone including my midwife, is expecting me to go before dates. People are already calling to see if I've had him yet. : And I've had more than my share of "practice" labor.

I don't trust what my body is telling me any more (as I sit her enduring another somewhat painful BH/contraction/whatever the heck this is) and I just want my water to break or something so I *know* this is it.

I'm cranky. I thought he would be here by now too.

Christa

[bucaye]

My little babe doesn't seem likes he wants to come out either. I'm "due" in 3 weeks and he hasn't dropped and I'm not having many b/h either. My girls dropped 4 weeks to my due date. And I had many b/h with them. He has his feet in my ribs constantly!! I was late with both my girls, so I figure I'll be late with him.

I know I won't be pregnant forever, but 3 weeks seems like a long way away and then it feels right around the corner. And I still have SO much to do!!!!

Hugs to all and good birth vibes comin' your way

[AmyGirl28]

Originally Posted by dancingmama

Try to keep in mind that on AVERAGE, first babies come a week past "due date." That means many come even later than that. DD was 8 days past, and as with many first babies, I had little signs of anything happening until the night before it did. Hang in there!

What about second babies when the first was delivered by c-section. Should I be expecting a late baby? Whaaa!

[DreamsInDigital]

What about third babies? I was hoping this one would be early! Probably not, the way things are going.

[MamaFern]

i was sure ngaio would be here by now!! i mean elwynn was 5 days early!! i was thinking this baby would be a week or 2 early! my EDD is in 2 days! i want to meet her sooo much!! i totally understand where you are at. hang in there momma.. soon baby will come.. it cant be That much longer now

[PicnicBear]

yeah, same thing here -- I wish that I could stay busier to keep my mind off it but I get worn out if I do too much (hence my all-day posting here from the futon). I really didn't think I would be this impatient.

[samsmamma]

As my MW said yesterday, they won't be in there forever. But it sure feels like that sometimes, doesn't it?

[spiritmomma]

I am starting to feel ready. I am not complaining because I've kept a positive attitude this whole pregnancy and I'll be danged if I'm gonna be crabby now! But I am starting to feel the urges to not be a pregnant woman and be a new mother instead. I find myself staring at how good everyone looks in their jeans and know that will be me again soon. I am seeing new moms holding their babes and know that will be me soon too. I am just getting a little anxious....

even spent some time looking up "natural induction" in my google search window today... :
but I know it's not up to me... it's up to this baby and (s)he will definitely let me know when it's time!

[Belleweather]

Thanks, Ladies, I really needed the reassurance that I wasn't the only one wondering whether this baby was ever going to come out into the world.

To add insult to injury, our next door neighbors just had their little one who, little stinker that he was, came exactly on his due date. We live in row housing, which isn't insulated well against sound, so I hear those little kittenish newborn cries *all the time* and I'm starting to wonder when it's going to be MY TURN.

I think I'm getting a little extra paranoid because at some level I'm not sure I trust my body to be able to give birth... my experiences with my reproductive system other than this pregnancy (which has been frighteningly stepford like) have been pretty negitive - bad periods, endometriosis, infertilty, etc. I'm shocked and thrilled at how good the pregnancy has been, but I'm worried that somehow my uterus is going to drop the ball when it comes to delivery.

[LeAnnie]

It really is a challenge to make it this far and keep a positive attitude while waiting, which I am determined to do. My dd was 12 past due date, so I'm trying to prepare myself for this little one to do the same. Remember that even if you do have engagement, pre-labor contractions, cervical changes, etc. you can still hang on for weeks. I know it probably seems unfair not to have any signs, but my Bradley book specifically states all of those indicators tell you nothing about the hour, the day, or even the week of labor! I had all of the above for almost 6 weeks before dd decided to come out.
I'm trying not to think or say the word 'late', which has negative connotations! Instead, think of it as 'a little extra cookin time'.....

[spiritmomma]

LeeAnnie:
I like that! "extra cookin time" is great! It's like the cookies are in the oven and you can smell them... The timer has gone off, but when you peek inside, you realize they aren't quite the shade of golden brown you'd like them to be. You could pull them out early, but you know in your heart of hearts you'll wish you had waited for that perfect golden brown!

Thanks! That helped me find a bit of patience. For the last week or so, I've been watching the oven timer so to speak. And now that it's about to ding, I better make sure that I'm not too set on the cookies coming out until they are actually done!

[HoneyTree]

I am ready. DH is ready. The house, the room, the midwife is ready. The dogs have been given their lecture on the new sibling. Everything has been washed, hung to dry, and folded twice. And honestly, for my money, the babe could sit in there for another two weeks. IF HE WOULD JUST DROP AND GIVE ME ONE TINY BIT OF REPRIEVE FROM THIS CONFOUNDED HEARTBURN!

That's really the only thing that makes me wish, sickly, for a lickity-split birth, whether or not the kid is ready. Like, NOW.

(And the bad mommy guilt begins already...)

[Belleweather]

BeTheEarth: Don't feel guilty... While I respect everyone who can keep a totally happy and patient and blissful face while waiting, some of us have that temperment and others don't. That doesn't mean you're a bad mama!

Plus, I know some of us are on a externally-imposed time line to one extent or another. I'm not home birthing, and I can only remain at the birth center until 42w6d. So while I'd like to blissfully wait, knowing that the peaceful birth in safe surroundings with safe people is ahead of me no matter what, there's definately a ticker over my head and some worries and doubts about what happens if I end up at the hospital-of-ick, you know? So when the baby and my body are showing no signs and the count down begins, it's harder to be cheerful and peaceful about the whole process.

Anyway, I had a good cry about the whole thing last night - partially fueled by the fact that I'd convinced myself that I had Obstetric Choleostasis for no logical reason (The internet should be contraindicated for pregnant women, I swear!) - and have finally decided that it's time to go back to the acupuncturist who originally got me pregnant and see what she recomends. Interestingly, the same imbalances that I had that kept me from becoming pregnant can also prevent the baby from engaging in the birth canal and slow the progress of labor, so it might be a good thing to get my spleen ch'i and blood stasis balanced out again. Not that I want to forcibly evict the little one, but I do want to make sure that when he's ready to go there isn't anything standing in his way.

[PicnicBear]

I am impatient, too -- my due date seems to have come and gone -- we went to babies 'r us to try to use the gift card we had been given but we found less than $10 of stuff we could justify buying since I just won't pay full price for that stuff, we have everything we need (as far as we know now), and a lot of it I don't like. Then we went next door to Big Lots and spent $30 of our own money on stuff for babe and some household things -- I didn't know they had a baby section but they had some cute stuff -- still not as cheap as used, but nice stuff. But I want to know whether to buy BLUE or PINK at this point, already -- ANYWAY, the whole point of this is that all that walking did get some minor crampiest going but nothing to get excited about and even so -- it doesn't mean anything in terms of when things will really get going ...