"Overdue" March Moms thread!

[nubianamy]

I thought we needed a little thread to give support to those who are being told they are "overdue" (over 40 weeks). Come commiserate with us! Is your doctor trying to talk you into an induction already? How is the NST going? Fluid levels good? Hang in there, March moms!

[InochiZo]

Thanks I need this!!!
I keep hoping I will wake up in labor and not just to another day.
I had Accupunture yesterday. No luck. I am using Evening Primrose Oil orally and Vaginally. I will have a c/s if no baby by Friday.

[honeybee]

Well, I'm 41 weeks, 2 days, but since I'm homebirthing, I don't have to worry about NSTs or induction, or any of that crap. So, I'm just kind of hanging back, waiting. Ds was born just shy of 42 weeks, so maybe that's just my pattern. I am getting really anxious for this baby to be born, though! I want to meet him/her! Dh says he thinks it will be tonight. I guess we'll see!

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by InochiZo

Thanks I need this!!!
I keep hoping I will wake up in labor and not just to another day.
I had Accupunture yesterday. No luck. I am using Evening Primrose Oil orally and Vaginally. I will have a c/s if no baby by Friday.

Here's sending you lots of labor dust!

[hypnohobbit]

Hello Overdue Mamas!!!

It is my official due date today March 11, 2006. I guess I am early to join the club but I am not in labor now so I guess I will be overdue soon. Original due date according to LMP was Feb. 24., so I kinda feel overcooked! U/S pushed due date back to today. MW stripped membranes last birth which started labor 11 hours later. Really looking forward to a spontaneous labor this time around!

Good Luck, Congratulations, and here's to wonderful, gentle, natural births!!!

Blessings,
-Cherie

[hypnohobbit]

Oh, yeah, Lol, I keep hearing that ketchup+macaroni=labor, anyone try this strategy???

[lilsishomemade]

I was due the third, so I'm what, eight days over? Had my first bpp yesterday, LOTS of fluid, the tech told my mw to stand back when my water breaks She's scheduled an induction for Friday, and we're hoping I go into labor before then. I whipped out the cohosh last night and tried some nipple stim (I'm really uncomfortable, baby's head is at '0' station, and causing all kinds of pain) last night, until I got a headache, and decided to ease up a bit. Didn't even start ctx's. Right now, it's hard not to get too down about it, but I know that I need to relax and trust my body and baby...

It is hard to see all the birth stories, though. As extremely happy as I am for those mamas, right now, I just can't read them I'll be rejoicing soon, though, I know!

[hypnohobbit]

Oh, yeah, Lol, I keep hearing that ketchup+macaroni=labor, anyone try this strategy???

[InochiZo]

Ketchup and Macaroni would probably make me puke. It sounds worse than Castor oil. I can't stand the smell of ketchup probably old reminder of when I used to waitress and had to combine ketchup bottles. I can eat it on a hamburger I buy but I wouldn't actually put it on myself. No thanks, I'll stick with the current methods.

[Mallory]

I was due on the 8th. I have a midwife who isn't too hung up on dates and if I am still pregnant on the 22nd (yikes, I hope it isn't that long) then she will want a stress test, , fluid levels, ect, but still won't be pushing an induction.

But since my first was born on his due date and with my second labor started on his due date (but he was born the next day), I am having a very hard time being paitent. I thought I had babies on my due date

Come on out little one, please

[lynn-e-pooh]

Count me in

I was due on the 7th. I am trying not to dwell on the date, but I am feeling soooooo HUGE and cranky. I think mostly right now I wish I didn't have to continue working. It's a financial issue with us, so I am trying to hold on until I go into labor. But it's over 90 degrees here and everything I do seems to push me to overexertion and my ankles are swollen beyond recognition.

I was induced with DS and hoping not to have to endure that again. I was so sure this one would be born a little early. My OB wants to do a NST on Monday. She knows where I stand on induction so she hasn't really done anything but mention that we might have to consider it. She did say she didn't think I would make it to next Friday without going into labor. I sure hope she's right, but I can't imagine it's anymore than a guess. Oh, well...

[allismom]

Hope you don't mind me joining in.........my due date isn't for another 10 days. DD was born 3 weeks early after premature labor and bedrest. At 32 weeks this baby showed the same signs. You do everything in your power to keep them in and 'cooked' and then when they can come, they don't! Three weeks ago my midwife said I was 3cm dilated and 80% effaced and I'd go by that weekend........nothing since. So I was mentally prepared and now I FEEL like I am 3 weeks late. So for that reason I find this thread more comforting than reading about all the births right now. I thought second babies came sooner than the first ones! I am just uncomfortable and ready!

[nubianamy]

Oh, Lynne, I'm sorry you have to keep working! I can't imagine standing on these ankles. My friend who had a baby last year calls them "baby seal feet."

I'm trying to be really laid back about this whole thing. I'm doing parallel care with the nurse-midwives and they will do a NST on Wednesday if I haven't gone into labor yet (41 weeks), but they know I won't even want to talk induction until 42 weeks. My homebirth mw will do her NST at 42 weeks. We'll just keep an eye out.

Meanwhile, she is SO low, it's amazing. I am feeling spacier every day! My parents and mil are here and they are really helping get our little condo into shape. Today mil and Tom unpacked all the boxes in his office and I put books away while my folks put together the co-sleeper. More to do tomorrow! Maybe she's just not coming until we're completely settled.

[JillChristina]

My due date was the 5th and I'm still here w/no baby. However, I'm feeling great and have a pretty good attitude at this point. I was kind of cranky for a couple of days but now I'm just SO over it! I'd love it if she came this weekend but am trying not to obsess over it.

I have an NST and regular mw visit scheduled for Tuesday. She told me last week that if baby isn't here by the end of this coming week, they'll schedule another NST, ultrasound, and induction for 41w6d (which according to them is 3/18). I am really praying that I don't get to that point because I really don't want to be induced. I'm just trying not to focus on that until I need to.

Major patience and labor dust to us all!

Jill

[honeybee]

Here's sending everyone a little more labor dust. So far, the only natural induction method I've tried is DTD. That wasn't too long ago, so we'll have to wait a bit and see how that works out. I may agree to have my membranes stripped at my mw appt on Tuesday if nothing else has happened y then. I don't think I'll get to the black cohosh or castor oil (ick) stage until at least after 42 weeks (this Friday).

Since I've been in many of your positions, before, I hope you don't mind if I share my experience. If you're a veteran who already knows all this stuff, just skip it!

Just a reminder to everyone that you don't HAVE to be induced just because your doctor reccommends it. It is your choice and your decision. I really don't understand why docs are so hell bent on inducing before you even reach 42 weeks. Why do they bother doing NSTs and BPPs if they don't look at the results (ie scheduling a NST and induction for the same day)? I know last time, with ds, I had another NST/BPP scheduled for 42 weeks, 1 day after which my doctor and I were going to "talk." I was planning on still refusing an induction after that point if the tests were all positive. (Ds was born just shy of 42 weeks, 8 lbs. 2 oz. with no signs of being post dates.)

Now, I did believe that ds's date was wrong to begin with, and that I wasn't really even at 42 weeks yet, which influenced my decision. I was also having a healthy pg without any bp issues. Knowing that a first time mom's AVERAGE gestation time is 41.5 weeks was a big factor, too. I also did a lot of reasearch into the rationale behind inducing due to post dates. If you can get ahold of Henci Goer's book The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, I would really recommend reading the chapter about post dates inductions. It includes a summary of the research that docs are basing the induction decision on, as well as her examination of the data. There are valid arguments to both sides. I think if you do decide to be induced, it's better to understand why it's necessary and be fully on board with the idea that it's the best choice for you.

There are also things you can do to help make an induction a better experience, and even go med-free if that's important to you. It's a good idea to discuss an induction plan. Will you use a cervical ripener and see what happens before trying pit? Can you go on a low dose of pit and then turn it off once contractions have started? Will you let them break your water? (breaking your water puts you on the clock). Will you be able to still get up out of bed, or labor on hands/knees on the bed, etc.? I'm sure you can get some links to references for different induction options from the Birth and Beyond forum here.

Just my 0.02! Good luck, everybody!

[InochiZo]

Well, I got call from my MW this evening. She had to call to tell me that she doesn't feel comfortable letting me go past Wed., which will be 41 weeks. Mainly because she feels a lot of pressure from the community since I am a VBAC breech birth. I feel fine going till next Monday. However, I will do accupunture at least 2 more times if need be. On Friday, either way, I'll have to have a BPP. She is still trying to be very positive about my ability to have a vaginal birth but she had to let me know how she is feeling. I keep hoping every night I go to bed that I will wake up in labor.
Here's more labor dust to everyone.

[InochiZo]

Labor dust must working. I think it's started!!!

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by InochiZo

Labor dust must working. I think it's started!!!

Yeah!

[nubianamy]

Hey, that's great, InochiZo!

Still nothing here. Today is 40 weeks, 4 days. Still keeping busy.

[JillChristina]

Nothing here either. 41w1d. Ugh.

I had a bad day yesterday. I was just depressed out of nowhere. Crying, grumpy, and really wanting to have this baby. I feel ok physically but emotionally, yesterday was hard for some reason. Hopefully today will be better.

I have a NST and mw check-up scheduled for tomorrow morning. I REALLY don't want to go. I'm sick of going for check-ups. But at least my neighbor offered to watch Kylie for me so I don't have to worry about entertaining her for two hours.

Hope you all have a great Monday! And I hope we get a happy birth report from InochiZo soon!

Jill