anyone else at 42 weeks +

[rebelmama]

I am at 41+7 days right now and am very anxious. Have tried everything but castor oil to bring on labor but still nothing. Anyone else experiencing this right now and how are you coping? I am extremely concerned and am afraid I might see my homebirth turn into a hospital one. My biggest concern of course is for my baby. Looking for support....

[Spark]

I'm not 42 weeks, but I just wanted to offer you some Rah Rah Cheers! What a strong beautiful bod you have to grow your babe!

There have been at least two 42+ week mamas here on our DDC. hopefully some of them will come cheer you on, too!

[pazerific]

you're going to have your healthy homebirthed baby so soon!!!!

i'm 40+6 today and expecting my 2nd LO, but i had my 1st baby at 42+2 (and she and i were both totally fine and healthy). it was a really long and emotionally difficult wait. if it makes you feel any better, i think going that long the 1st time has really prepared me to keep my chin up this time around. now we joke that i just cook my babies to well done. but really, all joking aside, you can do this. it's hard, but you're so so so almost there!

[yamilee21]

Someone call for me?

I just gave birth on Monday morning at 42 weeks and 5 days. Fortunately, at the time that I had interviewed midwives, the one I eventually worked with assured me that she would not drop me if I reached 42 weeks, so I did not have the added stress of losing my homebirth VBAC. I had decided that I was not going to try any kind of natural induction method until 42 weeks, but I would consider trying things beyond that point. At my appointment at 42 weeks, 2 days, I had been having a start and stop pattern of contractions for several days, so I conceded to getting checked (my midwife wisely did not tell me how NOT dilated and NOT effaced I was at that point), and having my membranes stripped. I continued with the same start and stop pattern, but I decided I would ignore them for as long I could; instead I spent most of the following day and night in a cleaning frenzy, which I guess is what finally turned my random contractions into "real" labour. Oddly enough, I was never really worried about the baby, movements and the heartbeat were always fine, though I did monitor more closely in those last days. As it turned out, there was a lot of thick meconium - the baby would have been whisked off to NICU in a hospital - but the midwife took care of suctioning her, and she was fine. We actually took the baby to the pediatrician today, and she had trouble believing that she was born at almost 43 weeks, given how healthy and alert she is.

It may sound a bit far-fetched, but consider whether there are any obstacles blocking your labour. In my case, I could not truly establish labour until I realized that I had to get my almost three year old son out of the house. He's never spent a night away from me, but I had to send him off to stay with some cousins overnight; had I not sent him off, I would probably be 43+ weeks now, .

[Reg1123]

I'm 40 weeks 3 days and am currently driving myself insane... As others have said, I really don't want to consider any sort of natural induction until I hit 42 weeks, but the anticipation is killing me already!

We're having a homebirth and my midwife has no 42 week restriction, so that is one less thing to worry about, but I didn't realize exactly how difficult it is to cope with being 40 weeks+ (emotionally that is)!

I had been hoping to go into labor early (obviously wishful thinking at this point!), but every day feels like a week to me now. Every time I get BH I find myself getting so eager and hoping that they will become active labor shortly.

And yet here I am. Still waiting. It's 2:33am and I can't even sleep because of it!

I guess patience is the key at this point. I keep telling myself that now is the time where I really need to try and finish up every loose end I possibly can, because no matter what, really in a matter of days everything will change.

I'm sure once we actually give birth, we're going to sit here wondering what the hell we were complaining about in the first place!

[emma76]

I'm 42 weeks today and facing induction next week. Like you I've tried everything except castor oil.

I'm not coping very well I'm afraid as it looks like I'm going to be in hospital rather than at home for this birth...

I hope your baby comes soon.

[finnegansmom]

Wow. I'm only 40w4d, I'm already chomping at the bit. My widwife said she would give me the recipe for her lovely castor oil cocktail at 41 weeks and she would strip my membranes if I wanted her to. I am going for a NST and U/S next week to check on the baby. I hope you all go into labor real soon....!!

[jrabbit]

I am due in December, but I wanted to give y'all a cheer!
My 2nd dd was born at 42w5d, and here is my diary from the last few weeks, when I was feeling completely stressed out.

http://www.pigvig.net/molly.html

[aprilsfools]

I am 42 weeks 2 days. My MW just stopped by and did a quick NST with the doppler and everything looks great with the baby (and me), so we are just chilling and waiting for her to be ready. Hopefully it will be soon.

[Hemiola]

I would tell you my story in this post, but the support you will find in my thread from April is worth the read

Good luck!!

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=884293

Laura

[Reg1123]

Is anyone here actually considering castor oil? I know that it generally does work... It can sound so tempting to me! I keep telling myself, I'm not really "late" until after 42 weeks....