Week 40 – Day 6

Membrane sweep + 10 hours. No labour yet. The sweep was definitely uncomfortable and involved a bit of pain  and I seized up a couple of times when I should have been trying to breathe through it instead, but it was still not as bad as I’d expected it to be. Afterwards Dave took me out for breakfast and then we spent most day at home chilling. 

A couple of things have progressed… 

• Lost mucus plug
• Uterus has been tensing up all day
• Been getting what feels like period pains and cramps all day but nothing regular or anything that would actually count as painful.
• Cervix is in a slightly more progressed state than it was on Monday. 

If this has worked we’ll know by the morning, they say give it 24 hours. If not, I’ve decided to give a second sweep a chance before going down the hospital/medical route. Yes I don’t want her to come on my birthday, but at the same time, if she’s not ready and if my body is not ready a couple of more days of waiting might just get us there naturally, so could be worth it. Worst comes to worse I spend my birthday in hospital… but I’ll still get to take a little baby home. 

Week 40 – Day 5

40+5. The average day that first babies are born. But this is no average baby is it. I had some pains last night, at 2 am and then again at 6, but they are most likely false contractions as they didn’t last, and went away fairly quickly. Looks like membrane sweep tomorrow is happening.

Yesterday she was a lot quieter than usual in there and I decided to call in just for a check. The risks go up the more over due you are. Anyway, it all looks good in there still, and while I was in they did a quick internal examination… to find that my cervix has progressed absolutely zero! Joy oh joy. This means that most likely the sweep tomorrow won’t be possible, as they won’t actually be able to get up there, and it’ll probably be more painful as well.

I spend so much time reading about different methods and ways of induction. None of them are ideal, as technically you’re forcing the body to do something it’s not naturally ready for. And although there’s a lot of good information out there, it’s all based on statistics of a very small sample of people who might have totally different circumstances from me. So how are you supposed to make a choice at all? Either way I booked in for a balloon induction on Friday, rather then potentially going for another sweep. Can still change it, but the appointment is there either way. Again, none of it is guaranteed to succeed… but oh well.

Spoke to Cris as well which was quite reassuring, as she mentioned that whatever way it goes, it won’t matter in the slightest once she’s here. Just need to repeat that to myself as much as possible! And try to go with the flow until then.

Week 40 – Day 4

4 days over. Not en epic amount in the grand scheme of things, but feels like forever. I read that around 10% of pregnancies need to be medically induced due to the baby just not coming within 14 days. I really hope that she’ll decide to turn up before that… Even before Wednesday when we’re supposed to have a membrane sweep. They don’t sound like the most pleasant thing.

I’ve pretty much been ticking off the list of things to try to get labour going, but they’re just old wives tales I guess, and so far nothing has worked. The main issue for me is not so much the physical side, I do still feel fine actually, but the mental aspect of just waiting, and being restless, and not knowing. On the upside, unless she comes today, she will be a Sagittarius like me! Not a massive deal I know, but feels familiar somehow 🙂

So again, how likely is spontaneous labour?

• Odds of going in to labour today: 8.17%
• In the next three days: 24.69:
• By this time next week: 56.19%

But this time next week is the day before my birthday… and I really just want to sit at home with a baby, and a nice meal and a nice glass of wine! Is that too much to ask?!?

Week 40 – Day 1

As of today we are officially overdue. I’m being really selfish here but I absolutely don’t want her to come on my birthday, I don’t want to share Physically I still feel fine (or as good as you can feel at 40+ weeks),  and mentally it’s a bit of a rollercoaster. At some times it’s ok, I can wait, she’ll come when she’s ready, and at other times I feel like I can’t possibly wait around for any longer.

Been to the midwife this morning to discuss the plan of action. Obviously and indiction will never be as good as a naturally occurring labour, with medicines and artificial hormones… and so here in the Netherlands, they really do wait until the very last moment before they turn to that option. The plan is now:

1. At 40+6 weeks, so next Wednesday (22nd Nov), they will try a “membrane sweep”. This is a more natural way to try and encourage the body to go into labour. I read that it can be slightly uncomfortable, but only lasts a little while. The success rate is around 1 out of 3 women go into labour within 24 hours. If nothing happens within 24-48 hours then it hasn’t worked.
2. If the first sweep doesn’t work, they will try another one at 41+2, but that’s a Saturday, so I’m hoping would could potentially do that on the 24th Nov.
3. If both those sweeps don’t work, there will be a medical indiction at 41+5 which is on my birthday. The last thing I want is to spend my birthday in hospital giving birth. Medical indictions are usually more painful and have more complications, so please let it not come to that.

Hopefully we won’t even need the first sweep, and she’ll be here soon! The current odds are:

• Odds of going into labour today: 6.21%
• In the next three days: 19.08%
• By this time next week (well, sweep will have happened, but still): 45.7%

Cross your fingers and hold your thumbs everyone!

Week 39 – Day 6

Every website I read, women say “you just know” when labour is about to start. Well… nothing is happening. My body feels tired, moving and turning around is getting harder and my insides are hurting more frequently from her pushing things around. But no signs of labour. No contractions, no water breaking, no loss of mucus plug… The thought that this could go on for another two weeks is really starting to play on my mind. I want to go to the Swedish Christmas market in Rotterdam next weekend. I want mulled wine. I want to eat the paté that I bought.

Need to keep repeating certain mantras to myself, not unlike marathon running. One day/kilometre at the time. Every day/step is closer to the baby/finish line. Breaking things down into manageable chunks works too, I mean, one day is doable, I’ve done one day before… But daym this is getting exhausting, and I haven’t actually gone over (yet!).

Anyhow, odds… which are most likely a bunch of lies to distract pregnant women anyway:

• Odds of going into labour today: 5.22%
• In the next three days: 16.15%
• By this time next week: 39.54%

Only just under 40% chance by this time next week?!?! WTF, that’s not even half!!

 

Week 39 – Day 4

This is supposed to be the week. 3 days to go until due date. THREE DAYS. I’m still reading in to every sign, but to be honest most things feel the same. There’s no particular inkling that she’s on the way. Our next midwife appointment is on Friday, by which time we will be officially overdue, and we will start talking about how long to wait, and different options for afterwards, in case nothing happens spontaneously.

For now, these are supposedly the odds:

• Chance of going in to labour today: 4.41%
• In the next three days: 13.74%
• By this time next week: 34.7%

We managed to get out to ikea yesterday! Stocked up on Christmas decorations, and loads of goodies for the hospital bag! Very ready now! So I do hope that this gets going soon, from what I’ve read, induced deliveries are less than ideal i terms of your body coping with the pain…

Week 39 – Day 1

We’re into the last week. 6 days til due date! My body feels different, but I don’t know if it’s in my head cause I’m overanalysing everything, or if it actually IS different. My joints have been “looser” and I got a trapped nerve in my right arm yesterday. This morning I woke up feeling like I had been for a full body workout, with all my muscles aching. I read that having those flue like stiff and achy body feelings without the other symptoms could be a sign that labour will happen soon. Then again, if you google enough, anything could be as sign!

We didn’t make it to IKEA last weekend, so will try again tomorrow. Maybe some meatballs can get her going?

The odds now are:

• Probability of going into labour today: 3.46%
• In the next three days: 10.85%
• By this time next week: 27.47%

Every day I’m getting on with little bits. Still working on my sewing project. Going outside for little walks, tidying up bits at home (under the bed is next), and generally quite enjoying having this time off.

Really can’t wait for her to get here now!

Week 38 – Day 6

8 days left… haha the start of every post now, an eternal countdown. Had a regular check up with the midwife this morning. Everything is looking normal. My blood pressure has gone up a bit, which they say is normal towards the end of the pregnancy, and it’s still within the acceptable range, so nothing to worry about. It has resulted in my hands swelling though. I know it’s common as well in pregnancy, but it’s only just happened in the last week, so I was sort of expecting to get away without it hitting me. Guess I can’t escape everything. So got my little sausage fingers now and am struggling to make fists.

Probability stats today:

• Odds of going into labour today: 2.95%
• In the next three days: 9.29%
• By this time next week: 23.77%

Booked in another appointment as well with the midwife, for next Friday, so if I go over that is. In which case we will talk about the different options and how long to wait etc. Kind of hoping it won’t come to that, but we’ll see!

Week 38 – Day 4

10 days left. I hope she comes this weekend, but think I can last just over 2 weeks if I have to. Stats today:

• Odds of going in to labour today: 2.51%
• In the next three days: 7.96%
• By this time next week: 20.56%

We didn’t make it out to IKEA this weekend. Time ran over and it would have gotten too stressful. Maybe one evening after work will be better, they’re open til 10 pm every weekday, so that should work. What we did manage to do though is get all the fabrics I need for my sewing project, which I will start today!

My cold/cough is pretty much gone, but the ribs are not fully recovering. Maybe they won’t considering she’s constantly pushing on them from the inside as well. Her movements in the last week have gotten quite ruthless actually. It feels like she’s about to break me…

Week 38 – Day 1

One tab that’s now constantly open on my browser is the “labour probability calculator”. It updates everyday… Talk about impatient.

• Probability of going into labour today: 1.97%
• In the next three days: 6.29%
• By this time next week: 16.5%

According to my app I have 13 days to go (so mentally planning for 18, and have absolutely no clue how I will cope if it’s longer than that!). An upside is that I feel almost completely recovered from this virus/chest/rib thingy. Had a minor setback after I decided to go outside on Tuesday, being overly optimistic as usual. But yeah, I think this weekend we can venture out and get some bits done.

I realised that I’ll have to get Christmas decorations before she’s out, so that we can “pynta” once she’s here. So hoping for an IKEA trip this weekend, which means I can also fill up the hospital back with pick n mix!

At this point I don’t think I’m getting much bigger. The belly changes every day depending on how she’s sitting in there. Weight has pretty much plateaued in the last couple of weeks as well.