Mothering Forum banner

Daily Check-in - January 6th

1K views 30 replies 20 participants last post by  element2012 
#1 ·
Didn't see a thread yet, so I figured I'd start it today. TGIF! How's everyone doing? Any big plans for the weekend?

I'm 40+4, exhausted and ready to have this baby already! My midwife stripped my membranes for the second time in a week yesterday, got blood this time, then we ate a spicy lunch, walked for hours, had a spicy dinner, but only a random contraction here and there; nothing regular or super hard. I'm admittedly very frustrated, and we're considering breaking out the castor oil tomorrow. (Not something I'm looking forward to, but having already tried sex, black and blue cohosh has been going on for over a week, nipple stimulation, pineapple, EPO, RRL tea, two rounds of membrane stripping, walking, birthing ball bouncing...I'm just over this! I've only ever had medical inductions, one for a postdate baby, and I was SO looking forward to a homebirth this time around, so if castor oil is what it takes, then that's what it takes.)

ETA: Within half an hour of posting this, I lost my mucous plug. Hopefully a sign of more action to come!
 
#27 ·
pregnancy transition- what an interesting way to put it! i notice that i've gone a special kind of crazy in the last 24 hours before labor has started for me in each of my previous births. with my last baby, i was so late and feeling so stressed by things that i came to this place of truly believing that i wasn't actually pregnant, but that i had just grown this huge tumor in my abdomen, that was never going to go away. it was this really weird detachment/release from my worries about labor. of course, after a few minutes, i shook myself out of such an irrational thought (and the fact that the tumor would occasionally squirm was a helpful reminder of reality), but i was seriously in that place where i thought this was all for naught, that nothing was ever going to come of the pregnancy. (and i had my baby the next day.) it was a special kind of crazy.

so i'm really sympathizing/empathizing with you guys in your final days. take all the space you need to center yourselves, try to be as comfortable as possible, and remember how much we are supporting and thinking of you.

grouphug.gif
 
#28 ·
still preggo. tried a labour induction cocktail tonight - all that did was make dp barf. (it was castor oil, apricot juice, almond butter, water and a tincture of cohosh, verbena and another herb..lobelia! it probably would have made me barf too). we'll try simple water with drops from the tincture and see if that can help. it's sadly looking like induction is headed our way on monday morning. ugh. :(

g
 
#29 ·
I'm 8 days from my 'early' EDD (ultrasound) and 11 days from my 'late' EDD (based on the date I was pretty sure I conceived...but I wasn't charting and I had a bunch of easy ultrasounds when they were tracking development very carefully so...after much debate I'm inclined to trust the early EDD.

This is my 5th, and my first 4 children were from 4 days to 18 days late .so I'm not inclined to think this child is going to arrive early. I just had a pretty intense day at work and though I was having contractions and was sore at the end of the day, I don't feel like my body is nearing labour yet. I'm still pretty chipper, I have great focus at work - for me, losing focus at work is always a sign that I'm nearing labour day - I usually start making dumb mistakes and forgetting things in the 24 hours leading up to labour. Not there yet.

I'm working up to the day before my due date and have a HUGE deadline to meet as well as a pretty high-stakes thing I have to do that day....I'm realllllly hoping baby stays inside until my due date. I'd really be stunned to have this baby early and have to dump all this stuff on my colleagues. I had to take 2.5 weeks of sick leave in December all of a sudden, and my hell weeks suddenly ended up being my friends' problem. I felt so guilty. I'm really trying to keep it reasonable in terms of committing to things, but I'm just such a type A personality I can't seem to let go of work....I just want to leave everything perfect so that the person who has to pick up my remaining files doesn't feel burdened by my maternity leave.

At the same time, I'm desperate to hold this child in my arms. It's been a really challenging last two years for us, and although we've had many successes, we've had some devastating losses and real health struggles - so this is going to be such an awesome way to start a new year.

My blessing way is tomorrow, and I'm so excited. I really had to humble myself to ask my sister in law to host one for me - I had hoped someone would suggest it, but at the same time I also wanted it enough that I was able to ask for it. I'm having 14 friends and family over, plus my two oldest daughters, and we're going to do henna tattoos on my belly and everyone is going to have their own small henna. They are all bringing meals for after baby, which is the most amazing thing ever. I always end up doing way too much way too soon and last baby ended up flat on my ass with mastitis with a 2 week old and 3 other kids. Then we got thrush. It was the pits. I promised myself to do NOTHING for 2 weeks after birth.

As I reflect on that, I realize It's been different for me this pregnancy. I've always had to be the heroic mom who did it all, and never asked for help. I think being an older mom this time and having 4 kids already, I have finally realized that if I always do it all, no one is going to offer help because I make it look easy. I've also learned that my friends and family love us and love to help us. It makes them feel close to our big, happy family, it gives them opportunities to bond with our kids, it lets them show off their cooking, or sheet-folding, or show-shoveling skills. When anyone offers me help now, I grab it. And if they don't offer, I don't hesitate to ask. My mom booked herself a trip to Palm Springs for Feb 9th and I told her flat out - "I'm going to have a 3 week old with 4 other kids...I need you here, I'm going to need your help." She cancelled her ticket the next day, so pleased at being needed - I think she was kind of relieved.

Anyway - late night ramblings from me. I'm enjoying so much hearing how everyone is feeling right now.
 
#30 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by wombjuice View Post

If I don't have this baby soon, I'm literally going to go crazy. In fact, I may have already.
nut.gif


I'm just in so much pain at night! And I have no idea what exactly is causing it. The baby moves all throughout the day (never slowed down in that department), but at night, it starts moving its little hands, shoulders, and head...and it literally feels like it's trying to head-butt its way out of my cervix. The pressure in the lower segment of my uterus, on my bladder, and on my cervix is literally unbearable...but only when the baby does these weird movements. So I'll be sitting there, just eating my dinner or whatnot, and then I'll let out a scream out of nowhere because it hurts so bad...then it goes away, then the baby does it again and I scream again. It's the weirdest, most unpredictable, uncomfortable feeling EVER. And after almost three full years of midwifery school, I've never heard of this and have no idea what it is!!! Any thoughts?

I haven't slept in about a month now. People keep warning me to get some sleep now because there won't be any after the baby comes...and I have to cover my mouth to keep from laughing at them. I would do ANYTHING for a 1-2 hour stretch of sleep at this point. I can't WAIT to have the baby, sleep for 1-2 hours, wake up to feed him/her, and then sleep for another 1-2 hours. It's going to be BLISS.

I'm so grumpy all the time and my moods change in the drop of a hat. One minute I'm so happy and excited, the next minute I'm sobbing in frustration and desperation. My poor husband. He just sighs and makes me more food and rubs my feet, and I just stare at him angrily because I'm not in labor.
lol.gif


DONE. I am done, ladies. As a midwifery student, doula, and childbirth educator, I never thought I'd say that out loud. I thought I'd be the patient one who sets a good example for pregnant women everywhere. And now, all I want to do is punch everyone who is not pregnant, shake my husband and tell him that he JUST DOESN'T UNDERSTAND, and hide in a hole (and hibernate) until this baby is born. OMG. I'm a mess!
bawling.gif
When I got to that point, it was usually a pretty good sign that labour was close. In fact, my last daughter was born within 12 hours of me having a meltdown in front of my midwives because I felt Exactly. The. Same. Way.

I'm sleeping like crap too. I am awake so much that I actually don't even feel like I fell asleep, even though I'm having surreal dreams - so I know I've slept, but I'm never rested.

Hope it's soon mama!
 
#31 ·
wombjuice:
grouphug.gif
Here's to believing that you are transitioning and well on your way to meeting your little one! Hang in there mama!

redbirdlady it sounds like things are heading in the right direction for you! Yay!

I have nothing terribly exciting to share... I'm still what feels like so far out from EDD. I definitely feel like things are moving along really well. Mostly I wanted to show support to all you ladies who are at wits end. I like hannabee's idea, we should all watch a funny movie! That can be our homework, one funny movie a night. The full moon will be here soon for all you ladies who are close, so we just have to keep you happy and distracted long enough to let nature work its magic on you! Any suggestions for our funny movie homework? Oh, I just saw this link of funny movies to watch when expecting: http://www.lilsugar.com/Movies-Watch-While-Pregnant-21151276 . Let's laugh til labor mamas!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top