Give me some hope!

[surprised]

Hi all,

Am really struggling atm as I'm 41 weeks and looking at an elective c-section on Tuesday. I'm booked into a birth centre for labour (VBAC), but after my appt last week I really mentally needed a date where the baby would be here either way, if that makes sense. I have SPD and am in a lot of pain.

So at appt on Thur nothing was looking good. Baby hadn't dropped (although this is no 2 so I realise they don't always drop til labour), cervix was back and closed and my Bishop's score was 3!

I am so desperate to have a natural birth. DS was induced at 41+6 and ended up emergency c-section.

Today I am really achy and although I get contractions every so often (sometimes quite painful), they always fizzle out into nothing. I wake up every morning and think "I'm still here!"

I guess what I'm after from you lovely ladies is encouragement/stories that even though I'm booked in for Tuesday, I could still go naturally by then. Have you experienced a quick transition from "body totally not ready" to "here's a baby"? Or do some women just not go into labour naturally? Am I one of those ones who, if we were in the 16th Century, would have died because my babies wouldn't come out and there was no medical assistance?

Oh and as you can probably imagine, I have tried EVERYTHING to induce naturally!

[Me+him+bub]

check out my birth story! try and wait it out as long as you can! I too had SPD and had a 4.4kg baby, hence the awful pain, he came at 42 weeks via induction (VBAC) so happy I waited and yes he was induced but was way better than having a c section and always wondering.

I do think some women do not go naturally, I believe I am one of them! cervix was high and closed at 14 days post dates and I too prob would be dead in the 16th century!

[shiremummy]

No advice Surprised as I'm still waiting to ttc and hopefully have my VBAC but all I want to say is just hang in there!

I too had SPD from 18 weeks with my first pg. I ended up going on mat leave early as I couldn't walk anymore. It is unbearably painful and I can bet the wait is just making it worse!

I hope that bub arrives soon and you get your VBAC

[Arimeh]

I had SPD throughout my pregnancies and went nearly 2 weeks over for my VBA2C and VBA2C2.

I found having a good cry helped bring on the contractions, I had prelabour for a few weeks last time round, and I went into labour after having a good cry the day before, and a massive walk up and down a hill. Babies come when they are ready, but it also helps to clear any fears or apprehension you may be holding on to. I wrote a "Fear List" of everything I could think of, and i helped that cleanse whatever was holding my labour back.

Good luck! It can happen. Oh, and she didn't drop until I was well into full blown labour, I just did squats with each contraction to help bring her down.

[OceanPrincess]

Like Mrs NB I found having a big cry helped - I had an attempted stretch and sweep at 40+5, returned for a second at 40+6 and the horrible MW told me it'd be useless as I was clearly not ready to birth this baby, baby was high, not engaged blah blah and I should just be patient

Went home, had a big cry, first contraction at 3am, baby born 9am

ETA: He was also a big one - 4.84kg!