I’m really regretting now that I told my family & close friends that the doctor told me I would probably have the baby early. I told them in a moment of panic and weakness, and now everyone texts me at least once a day to ask how I’m feeling, or how I’m doing, or “when’s the baby coming?” (At least I can get my revenge on the friend that texted that last one - his girlfriend is 30 weeks pregnant right now, so he’ll know the feeling soon). And my husband is just as bad. He asks me at least three times a day if I’m having more contractions (I’ve been having Braxton Hicks for weeks), or he wants to time my contractions (which is kind of pointless since they’re not actually labor contractions), or he just wants to know how I’m feeling. Everyone means well, but I’m feeling fine! Just trying not to obsess about when the baby’s coming, and they’re not helping!
Arrrrrrrgggghhh! Rant over (and yes, I do feel a bit better now, thanks).
I had told everyone that my due date was my “induction date” - then when I went early they all thought I was REALLY early, which means I had the other end - lots of worrying about my 7lb “preemie.” Everyone meant well, but getting out the word that she wasn’t really premature took a while.
You’ll soon have other things to obsess about. In the meantime - how about rereading Harry Potter or something else lengthy that will suck your brain in. Tell your husband to put a sock in it, you are hormonal and he is driving you nuts, and his job right now is to not drive you nuts and to keep everyone else from driving you nuts. (The great thing about being at the eleven months pregnant stage is you get a nearly free pass - at least a really big discount - on hormonal emotional statements - use it)
Mine was a week overdue. I cleaned every room in the house obsessively. I cleaned out the pantry and Mr. Sali got alarmed - “stop that! stop that nesting business, I’m not ready for the baby today!”. I bought some yard lengths of pretty flannel and hemmed them to make ‘swaddling’ blankies (those worked out great!). I shaved my legs every day, yeah, go on and laugh - oh, and I cooked and froze a whole lot of food! (I’m the type who is always striving to be prepared, and actually I was.) I re-read as much of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as I had time for. But what actually brought labor on was sending Mr. Sali off to a man-outing and him coming back home that day after having a couple of beers and a big meal and expecting to take a nap. “What do you mean, your water broke? We have to go to the hospital NOW?” Yep. We took a look around the house one last time, knowing it was never going to be the same. … Good luck to you!
Yes, we took one last look at our nice neat house, and at the nursery, all set up. There was a big teddy bear tucked in the crib, and I said, “in a couple of days we’re going to come home and put a real human in there.”
“I’m scared.”
“Me, too! Well, can’t put it off any more, let’s go.” And we left the house for the last time as a couple.
I was born 3-4 weeks after my mother’s EDD (this was the early 70s). My family jokes it’s the last time I was late for anything.
I’ve got no suggestions, iftheresaway, but I hope your wait ends soon!
Everyone kept telling me that first timers always go late so I was underprepared to have my water break 6 days before my due date. I was also surprised that my water broke, everyone kept telling me that just happens for drama in movies.
Go do stuff! Go out to dinner at your favorite restaurant. Go shopping at your favorite store. Visit with friends who don’t have kids. Go for walks. Go to your favorite restaurant again! I’ve found the hardest thing to do after my baby was born is to leave the house. She doesn’t care for the car seat and I don’t like to leave her. It freaks out my boobs, seriously. I’m breastfeeding and my boobs hurt in a really weird way if I’m not near my baby.
Jumping jacks? Deep knee bends? Actually, don’t rush it. There will be days to come in the future when you’ll wish you could stuff the kid back up there and start over.
The same thing happened to me. At my 2-weeks-to-go check-up, my doctor told me that I could go “any time.” My cervix was already beginning to dilate and relax. My husband had to go to a conference, so his parents came down the next day in case I needed to go to the hospital before he returned. Despite the fact that my parts appeared ready for immediate action, I actually went into labor and had her 10 days after my due date - 24 days after my cervix began to get ready…
My in-laws ended up staying for the entire month. That was worse than labor.
Seriously? I was two weeks late, and even then my son was still in no hurry to be born. Prostaglandin at the start of the third week overdue, didn’t help. I had a scheduled cesarian two days later.
I didn’t mind at all that my son was late. I was terrified of the new life and I didn’t mind at all having “life as I knew it” a bit longer.
Get out of the house. Go do lots of things - lunches, shopping, just walking around an art gallery etc. Once the baby’s born you will really never be alone for more than a few minutes (depending on your work/feeding plans), and I found the solitude and independence the hardest mind shift to accept. All of those things are doable with a baby, but just much harder.
I was spot on with #1 and induced at 11 days over with #2, and I can assure you that nothing works to get that baby moving unless they are ready = curb walking, hot curries, flaxseed, pineapple, yoga, raspberry leaf tea, acupuncture etc…
I think this is good advice - just getting out and getting my mind off of it! I went to lunch with friends today, picked up a couple of hours working with a different friend, then went out to dinner with her afterward. Keeping busy definitely helps!
I can state definitively that despite significant research, this avenue has not been fruitful. Further study is needed.
Yeah, I’m working on getting back into this mindset. I think I was so thrown for a loop when I was already partially dialated and effaced at my 36 week appointment that I went into lockdown panic mode.
It helps that Dopers post so much on weekdays - there are all kinds of discussiona dn questions and drama to keep me entertained
Ha! I promised a good friend of mine (stationed in Germany) that I would live-blog my labor, but I may end up being distracted :p. I’m definitely bringing my iPad to the hospital though - I don’t want to be bored between contractions, right?
