Needing words of encouragement...

[cymbeline]

Ugh, I just don't know how to keep going like this. I've been having strong ctxn's since early May. At first I was on bedrest in the hopes that I would make it to 36 weeks.

Well, I made it! I passed my due date yesterday, and she is still inside!!!

I get four or five phone calls a day from friends and family asking if she's here yet. Some people even say "congratulations" before asking!

DH has already burned up 2 weeks of paternity leave. We really anticipated spending the full babymoon together. Now I am wondering if I should just send him back to work tomorrow. Who knows how long this could take?!

My mom and sister came into town yesterday to take the boys off my hands--that was supposed to happen post-partum, when I really needed it! They leave town on Wednesday. So much for having help!

To top it all off, I've been having very uncomfortable ctxns for the last 36 hours. I'm trying my best to just ignore them since there is simply no point in thinking this is the real thing AGAIN. But they hurt and I can't sleep so I'm cranky and snapping at DH and I am not fun to be around right now!

Oh, and tonight DH has the stomach flu. Knock on wood that I don't get it!

I'm so done with this pregnancy, and I can't envision another week or two, or even two days, or two hours of this going on. Everything hurts. Everyone is on my case. I can't drive and riding in the car is uncomfortable, and I try to get out of the house, but everyone stares or makes rude comments.

I DON'T WANT TO BE PREGNANT ANYMORE!!!!!!!

*le sigh*

Ok, that's all, I promise. If you have any words of encouragement, I could really use them right now.

[BelgianSheepDog]

Turn off your ringer! People are too aggravating to deal with at this stage in the game. I've even been avoiding all the cashiers I know at the grocery store because they keep asking "when are you going to have that baby?" Oh I get to decide? Well how about...NOW!!!

Can your DH go back to work and then go back on leave fairly readily? If so I say let him go back to work until you start labor, save whatever time he has left for then and afterwards. But I feel your pain on that one too, in my case we wasted a full 4 days of paid vacation on my little wild goose chase at 37 weeks. Ugh. Out of about 7 total available.

I guess some kind of law of pessimism would declare that if you're miserable and feel like you can't go on it has to be getting close, though. Let's hope, right? And 36 hours straight sounds fairly promising.

[AugustineM]

I second the turning off your ringer thing. Or just don't answer the phone. I'm a week over my due date and I don't answer the phone. Also, I firmly tell people "I won't forget to tell you!" with a little irritated tone to my voice. That stopped quite a few annoying calls of "Have you had that baby yet??"

Also, if your DH has a job that he can leave quickly, I would have him go back to work. I've been tempted to have DH start his leave, especially since I have a 21 month old toddler at home (and I see you have older ones too!) and it's hard to take care of him, but I know I'll want him here when the baby is born.

As far as waiting, well I know how that feels! I haven't been having the contrax you have, but I have been really uncomfortable. I try to schedule something every day to do to keep my mind off of it. I find that if I'm too focused on "when is this baby coming" it's so much harder emotionally. I have realized that my dates might be a bit off, so I'm trying to stay patient that way.

Hugs to you, and it can't be that much longer. Try to relax as much as you can and have some fun while you can... movies? mall window shopping? a massage? a pedicure? Whatever it takes, mama.

[medicmama]

soon,my friends,soon

[grace's voice]

Oh my goodness, I could have written this post myself!

I, too, did not think I'd make it past 36-weeks, no one did, not even the mw's. Well, I was 39-weeks as of yesterday... still pg... still having contractions... getting bigger and more uncomfortable by the day. You know when you see a miserable, hugly pregnant dog lying sprawled on her side on a cold hard floor struggling to breathe while every inch of her bloated beyond belief belly bumps and jumbles? That's me.

I know how you feel. The only words of encouragement I have, for either of us, is that every day is one day closer. These babies WILL come out, someday. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe next week... but they will come. At the very least know that someone out there knows exactly how you feel.

The hardest thing for us has been getting our hopes up every day and then finding me still pg in the morning. That and the fact that I feel like the whole world is watching me under a microscope, just waiting for the baby to pop out. I wish I could just disappear from the world and have this birth and baby to myself.

I'm soooo hoping this means we'll have gentle, easy labors! Our bodies have to be accomplishing SOMETHING with all this work.

P.S. I'm suffering from no sleep as well. I'm sooo exhausted I often wonder how on earth I'm going to give birth to this baby. I guess I'm relying on adrenaline and will power!

[MyLittleWonders]

's to you. I too am a week "overdue" (techincally 9 days now), dh has already been home a week, he's out of sick days Tuesday and will be taking none-paid family leave after that ... I need his help with the boys but at the same time, he only has 7 more days of school left, which includes finals, graduation, and final grades, and I have NO IDEA when this child is going to make his/her appearance. Each day I wake and think, "Crud, I made it through the entire night without contractions/labor."

I am so sorry you are having to deal with contractions on top of being late ... I keep trying to tell myself that this baby is healthy and will come when he/she is ready, but it gets so hard sometimes (a lot of the time). I guess I don't really have any words of encouragement, but more of sharing in your misery.

[earthmama369]

Today's my EDD. Last night was a full moon. And . . . nothing. I just keep telling myself that no one's ever been pregnant forever. These babies have to come out sometime!

[augustmom]

Hang in there, mama. I was 11 days post dd with dd. It was really really hard. Let yourself cry if you need to. But realize that your little bundle will be here before you know it, trust me! This is a tough time in our pregnancies, at least physically. We'll pull through and we'll have out babies soon enough.

B

[cymbeline]

Thanks, mamas! I get so worried. I've never gone late--I start thinking something is "wrong." I've been waiting for so many weeks, expecting labor to start and here I still am.

Mostly I'm worried about something going "wrong" and leading to interventions. I've had two previous hb's, and I really don't want to have anything else this time! We too have the pool set up and ready to go--but as soon as my mom and sister leave town we'll have to collapse it because the kids will try to play in it, I am sure!!

I try to remind myself that she will come when she is ready and everything is OK. Sending you all hugs too!!!!

[Satori]

You have my sympathy! I honestly thought you would have your little one before me Hang in there, its almost over, all else failing try kick starting labor, sex, walking, cumin tea..

[cymbeline]

At this point, I am actually asking her to STAY INSIDE! Weird, I know, but my ear infection has turned toxic and everyone is worried about sepsis.

Spent a scary night in the ER two nights ago while they checked me (and her), and they sent me home with meds that I ended up being allergic to.

Went to the family doc today to get it taken care of, and she sent me to a specialist.

Mamas, he jammed an ear wick in my ear to get the meds past the swelling, and I almost passed out. Labor is so much better than this pain. I haven't slept in two days, and I can barely eat or speak because moving my jaw hurts so much!

So, now I'm asking Ellie to just stay put until mama is healed. Life works in mysterious ways...

[Keeta]

Oh, cymbeline, that sounds awful! I hope you get some relief soon and don't need any more meds jammed in there!!! Youch!!!