41 weeks and counting...

[Storm Bride]

So - just rambling, really. I haven't posted here in a long time, even though this forum is the reason I found MDC in the first place.

Today, I'm 41 weeks with baby number four. I woke up yesterday with a bad cold. It's a little better today. I really want to go into labour, but not until I can breathe. I have no idea when this baby will decide to arrive. I went into labour at 38w, 4d, with ds1 (sectioned for breech). I never laboured with dd, because I let myself be pushed into a repeat - 39w, 2d, with NO sign that she was ready to be here. I again let myself be coerced into a repeat with ds2, but argued successfully long enough to go into labour on my own...at 41w, 4d - he was taken the next day.

So - no idea how long this one will take. DH and his brothers were all long pregnancies, and it seems to be in the genes (ds1 is my son by my first husband, and the only one to be "early"). My mom has to leave town as soon as she gets a work visa, and I want her to be here, so I'm really hoping labour starts soon...

So - any idea if prodomal labour tends to recur? I had a couple of weeks of it with ds2, but nothing so far with this one. At least, I don't think there's been anything - lost a lot of pelvic sensation after my third section, so maybe I just can't feel it? That loss of sensation is the only thing I'm really worried about. Maybe I won't be able to tell if things aren't normal during my labour, yk? I can't even tell when I need to pee! (Okay - yeah, I can, but not until it's really, really bad, and it's not actually bladder sensation as such.)

I guess I'm just rambling, because I don't even know if I want to go into labour today, or would rather have it wait until my cold is gone. I'm sort of in the "now, now, NOW!" camp and sort of it in the "whenever is good" camp.

This is our last baby, so I'm also trying to hold onto every second of pregnancy with all I've got. It already feels weird to know, after all the problems (secondary infertility, miscarriages, unwanted sections) that...this is it. This is the last baby I'm going to grow...sooo strange...

Ah, well - HBA3C, here I come...whenever...

I was told last night that I "need to be in the hospital" (the woman didn't know that I won't be), and I just laughed to myself. I've tried for hospital VBAC...and now my pelvis is all screwed up. I'm staying home - nobody's likely to stick a needle in my arm, drug me and take me to OR when there isn't an OR...

[mom2tillie]

I admire your determination and wish you continued strength in your conviction to labor and deliver this baby on your terms. As far as the loss of feeling, nothing can take away your mother's intuition so follow that.

Can't wait to read your birth story.

-Iris

[danotoyou2]

I was 42 weeks with DS1, and thought sure that I'd go into labor sooner with DS2... after all, it's a second child, and those are supposed to happen sooner. Ha! 42 weeks with DS2.

I know that you're determined, so I don't need to encourage you to stick it out. I just wanted to say that you're doing awesome by staying patient this long! I am such a firm believer in waiting until the baby is ready, but it's still HARD when you're pregnant and uncomfortable.

Some nerves may be damaged from the surgeries, but I don't think they'll be enough to interfere with your labor. After all, they were working well enough to get pregnant and carry a baby this long, so they'll be working enough to contract and open that cervix up too. Just remember that women have done it with more surgeries than you've had, and with your faith and determination, you can do it too.

You're doing great! I can't wait to hear how the birth went. If you want someone to talk to, PM me and I'll give you my number to call or call you. I don't know how much support you have, but from a recently inspired HBACer, I have lots of support to give.

[pampered_mom]

mama I know you can do this!

[JanetF]

How magical are these last days and weeks of pregnancy! I find them enthralling You're doing so beautifully and you know a birth is a birth is a birth is a birth I can't wait to read your birth story

[TurboClaudia]

i've been thinking of you, mama.

sending you lots of patience, strength, wisdom, love and labor vibes when you need them and want them...

~claudia

[turtlewomyn]

Lisa I am so excited for you, here you are, just days (or maybe a week or two) from your HBA3C.
It sounds like you are doing really well, I think trying to enjoy your pregnancy (being that it is your last) to the fullest is a great idea.
Good luck and I can't wait to read your birth story.

[Storm Bride]

Thanks for all the lovely thoughts. I'm still ticking along - been a few odd sensations today that I think are actually some kind of uterine activity (not baby, not squished digestive organs doing weird things, etc.)...but I can't really say I've identified anything that really feels like a contraction.

This is really strange. On the one hand, things seem like they're starting to happen...and on the other, they feel...weird. So far, I'm able to keep my mental state in good shape. I don't want to slip into "those effing sections even wrecked my labour", but I have to admit there's a little of that creeping in. Grrrrr...

Baby's still moving around - more tonight than the last couple of days. If it's tomorrow, it will be my third Friday baby! I'm guessing that I'd enjoy this weekend more than the other two, though. My non-Friday baby (ds2) also arrived on the 26th of the month. That would be kind of neat.

I'm really rambling again...I seem to be a bit punchy this last week or so. I guess I'll just hang in there and see if this is the beginning of another week of prodomal labour (which I don't mind, but seems to drive everyone around me into a frenzy of "where's that baby?") or if the real thing is starting up...

[TurboClaudia]

just saw this post and wanted to send you some more peace, trust, love, wisdom, strength, openness and a buncha buncha labor vibes...

i believe in you, mama, and i know, deep down, you believe in yourself and your body, too.

so i'll hold that belief for you in those moments when the doubt creeps back into your mind...

wishing you a night of peaceful and restful sleep...

~claudia

[turtlewomyn]

Thinking good thoughts for you.
And get those negative thoughts out of your head! Your labor is what it is, there is really no telling if it is this way because of your c-sections, or if this is just the way that this labor is supposed to be. Your body is getting ready, it is warming up, it is doing what it knows to do, this is all the way it is supposed to be.

Can't wait to read your birth story!

[warrior mama]

Thinking about you.......

[Storm Bride]

*sigh*

Last night, I had about 12 straight hours of 30 second contractions, occurring every 3 minutes or so. No bloody show. Today, they went totally irregular again for several hours and are now coming at about 8-10 minutes intervals. They've crept up to about 40 seconds long (a few have been 50), but no more intense than yesterday and they're not closing.

I've been having contractions now for 26 hours, and I don't think I've even started to dilate.

Baby sure seems to like it where he/she is!

[pampered_mom]

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

I've been having contractions now for 26 hours, and I don't think I've even started to dilate.

Whether or not you have, the contractions are doing something. Hang in there mama!

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by pampered_mom

Whether or not you have, the contractions are doing something. Hang in there mama!

I just keep telling myself that...and dh keeps telling me, too. It's hard to remember. I think I was just taken aback at having them so close together for so long, and then having them back off so much...

[mom2tillie]

You are so close... you have to know that. So exciting! He/she sure knows how to build the suspense!

We'll be reading your birth story really soon!

-Iris

[TurboClaudia]

thinking of you, mama...





~claudia

[turtlewomyn]

Lots of good thoughts for you. Another night has passed, maybe you are holding your baby in your arms by now. Maybe you are still laboring through these contractions. You are in my thoughts.

[Storm Bride]

Not holding my baby in my arms yet - things are progressing very slowly, and I'm okay with that. I'd rather not have a Halloween baby, but if that happens, that's okay. I wouldn't be surprised if baby doesn't arrive until Thursday...and also won't be surprised if it arrives tonight. My morale is really good - probably because I slept pretty much straight through the night, so exhaustion isn't really a factor right now...

[mainesax]

Lots of hugs to you - I know the slow start up can be so annoying!

I had something very similar, where I thought things were going to pick up, then they would taper, then build, etc. It was a good week of gradual building until things really went into gear at 41w5d.

I truly believe that the uterus knows that it's scarred. Being around here and other places talking to vbac'ers, it seems like a lot of us have a slow gentle early labor. It's like our bodies know that they need to take it easy warming up.

Trust your body, trust your instincts, and get some sleep. Have a nice walk, and perhaps have a little talk with your babe and let him/her know that it's ok to make an appearance when it's time.

I'm sure you'll have a lovely birth story, and I can't wait for it.

[turtlewomyn]

I keep checking in for updates on here and the ICAN list. Then I share them with my husband. He was very happy to know that my cyber friend in Canada having an HBA3C had lost her mucous plug (you posted that somewhere else though, not here). OK, not really, he is pretty grossed out by those things, but it is kind of sweet because he seems to understand why I care so much about people who I have never met IRL.

I hope that last night you got some more rest if things continued to go slow. And if they started to pick up, and your baby has already arrived, I hope you are having a good babymoon. Although, since you said that you don't want a halloween baby, perhaps baby will wait until tomorrow.

Anyway, you are in my thoughts, and I can't wait to read your birth story!