Anyone else 42wks pg?!

[ella79]

I am currently 13 days o/d (16 days over my ORIGINAL due date, but 13 days over the one i'm using which was given by my earliest ultrasound) and i'm feeling a bit deflated!!

I don't WANT to be induced and my OB is fantastic - he is willing to let me go on indefinitely as long as the monitoring is still good (going for twice-weekly fetal monitoring to check baby and placenta).. however, i'm now beginning to doubt whether i'm doing the right thing for myself or my baby... i NEVER hear of anyone else going this overdue!!

i was 11 days o/d with my first baby but didn't expect the second to be even longer again...
is there anyone else out there who is 42 weeks or more? or has been in the past? i need to hear some success stories!!

i don't even feel close to going into labour - i haven't had the 2 weeks of painful pre-labour i had with the first, it feels like it's NEVER going to happen!!!

[Fleur]

Oh hun...

I don't really have any advice... but I feel for you! It must be so hard at this stage to decide what the right decision is for bub.. .

I went 13 days over with my DS1 & went into spontaneous labour. Ds2 was induced at 40+10.

DD was the interesting one though, she was due on 1/3 by USS dates, my GP thought maybe 2 weeks earlier. She was born on 3/3 - so hosp thought she was right on time... but she was brown, wrinkeld, peeling & had such long fingernails.. I have no idea how overdue she was but I am guessing at least 2 weeks minimum. Compared to DS1 who looked perfectly cooked & he was supposedly 13 days late...

I don't know if that story is really of any help, I have never been in quite the situation you are now... but they do say that babies come in their own time when they are ready.

There's a thread here which is really interesting you might want to check it out. In the meantime at least you sound as though you have a great Ob and the monitoring is good.

I guess you are trying all the natural induction methods?

Good luck

[Visitor8]

hugs hun. I know the feeling of it never going to end. I went over with Chase but not that much. I just wanted to share with you that a lovely lady on another forum I am on went to 44 weeks before going naturally

[Arimeh]

I went to 42 weeks and only had a c-section because my placenta was deteriorating and my cord wasn't functioning properly.

I have no worries about people going over, as long as you have monitoring to check up on the placenta and cord.



Good luck. Hopefully you will go into labour soon. xxx

[Bathsheba]

I went to 40+10 with my first two babies. With number 1 I went into natural labour the night before my scheduled induction... with number 2 I ws induced.

I went into labour after having a curry LOL if that is any help!

I agree with trying to avoid an induction.... they can be pretty horrid. If you have to be induced then ask them to start off gently.

My two over due babies didn't look at all 'over cooked' despite being "overdue". And my placenta was fine.

If I was you I would hire a good DVD comedy and tuck into a bowl of curry! Try to get your mind off it... try to have a laugh. We went out for dinner the night before I went into labour and I stopped thinking/worrying about it for an evening... I think that's what helped.

*Labour vibes* for you!

ETA: oh any friends with newborns or babies that you can hold? I have a theory that that helps bring on labour too...

[ella79]

Jas - haven't tried accupuncture or castor oil, but have tried DTD, hot food, walking, etc... guess i could try nipple stimulation as well... yes, the monitoring shows that he has plenty of fluid, a very healthy placenta and cord, and is very active with great heart activity - so there REALLY is no real reason to worry - it's just the pressure placed on me by this induction-obsessed society that has me doubting everything i guess!! to make things worse, DH's parents are visiting this weekend from interstate and i'm feeling PRESSURE to have the baby before they leave.. they're also talking about extending their trip if i don't have the baby before then... but they can only extend it for a few more days, and there's still no guarantee i'll have had the baby by then!! all of their other grandchildren have been born early by elective induction or c-section, so i think they also think i'm a lunatic for letting it "go on" this long, and don't understand why i don't just hurry up and get induced!!

mel (missymoo) - i'm not sure that has made me feel that much better!! ha ha!! no, that's what i need to hear - makes 13 days o/d seem like nothing to get my knickers in a knot over... if people can go to 44wks without complication, then i have nothing to worry about!! my Ob told me about one of his patients who has gone to 43.5wks with all three of her children and had absolutely normal births and healthy babies... i guess some people just take longer to bake babies to perfection!!

mel (arimeh) - thankfully there is no concern with my placenta or cord at this stage...

[Fleur]

..to make things worse, DH's parents are visiting this weekend from interstate and i'm feeling PRESSURE to have the baby before they leave.. they're also talking about extending their trip if i don't have the baby before then... but they can only extend it for a few more days, and there's still no guarantee i'll have had the baby by then!! all of their other grandchildren have been born early by elective induction or c-section, so i think they also think i'm a lunatic for letting it "go on" this long, and don't understand why i don't just hurry up and get induced!!

Oh, that does make it hard... I would arm myself with as much info as possible!

If your Ob is happy & bub is healthy there is no reason to put either of you through an induction. But you already know that...try not to let them make you feel too pressured.

Good luck, hope it happens for you soon

[Inertia]

I went 42 with my first. The fact this pre labour has spent its time being vague and almost painless has me thinking I am going over again. Gah! I *always* went over so dunno why I thought this would be different.

With mine, the block was mental. I was terrified of what labour was all about and I think the only reason I finally went into full blown labour was because my mum was leaving the next day to go back to Sydney and it knocked the "afraid to labour" walls down and replaced it with "I ain't doing this without my mummy!!!!!" LOL.

See if you can't get a chance to relax and get ready to labour. You've done pretty much everything else. Worth a shot, right?

[MamaPan]

oh ella - dont let the ILs pressure you, your OB is doing a fantastic job and so are you...
I am looking out for your announcement though, i would be sooo impatient by now! xxx

[BekZ]

I did not go over at all, but I had 5 days of pre labour with DD1 and no pre labour with DD2. I was expecting to have pre labour but all I got was a show and 10 hours later a sharp pain at 1am that got me out of bed, contractions started at 2am, she was born by 4.30am. My point is you may not get pre labour at all. Personally I would avoid induction to a point. Can you go in for daily monitoring? Plus you could discuss the most gentle form of induction like the gel only. YOu really might not need much to get things happening.

Good luck....and listen to your instincts hun!!! You are the mum, not the in laws or anyone else

[Tanya]

I know of a woman who recently went to 45 weeks Baby was happy and healthy

[me83]

My sister went to 40+14 and the baby came out spontaneously and didn't look overcooked. I hope it comes soon for you without the need to intervene. Good to hear you are being minitored closely.

[ella79]

thanks everyone!

i am feeling a bit better about it all now... am going for another round of monitoring this morning, and as long as that is good (which it is bound to be - it's not like it's been borderline at my last two appointments or anything), then i will just have to try to be patient and wait it out!!

BekZ, i like your story of the lack of pre-labour and then a quick labour - i've got my fingers crossed for a similar experience!!

Tanya - 45weeks - yikes!! i'm not sure i'm THAT patient!!!

[Trillian]

Ella, have you tried some acupuncture or other therapy to try to kick thinks along? Anything is worth a shot at this stage.

[MamaPan]

let us know how the monitoring goes hon...
It sounds like all is well, baby is just baking a little longer...
I dont think I could possibly wait til 45 wks... but i am sure you wont have to either...
Cmon you have to beat me!!!!

[Je$$_84]

I went to 43.2 weeks with my DS and ended up going into labour naturally but needing my waters broken as i wasnt progressing much 2 hours after water broken i had my DS. he was grey colour and had pooped inside once the colour cme back to huis skin jhe was RED raw and peeling for about a week. I was told anylonger and bubs could have been in trouble.

Bubs number 2 i went to 41 + 10 days they call it in hossy. i opted for induction only cos i was worried about going to over due to what i was told with my 1st. but everything went well had my DD 2 hour 16 mmins after initial gel went in...

I would really like to have a more natural birth next time and am trying to convince DP of a home birth or using a birthing centre just for a less hands on approach as i think #3 will be our last... ( although if DP gave the word i would be up for more babies in a heart beat.

[mummy2chloe]

all the best hun, hopefully it wont be to much longer now xxx

[ella79]

trillian - i have a nanny coming in to look after my daughter for a few hours tomorrow so i'm going to ring around in the morning and see if i can find anywhere to get some acupuncture done... will probably struggle due to the late notice though...

preagainpan - i was thinking the other day that you'll probably have your baby before me!! my friend (who was due 12 days after me) had her baby today.. it was her first, and late, but nowhere near as late as mine!!

jess - i'm concerned that if i go too long the baby will be "overcooked" and have the peeling skin, etc.. but i just have to remember that my daughter was 11 days late and perfectly cooked, so this baby may not be significantly later than her, so hopefully not overcooked!! my daughter had already passed meconium in utero before she was born but she wasn't at all discoloured or sick from it, so that doesn't really worry me...

well, the monitoring this morning went well... i still have more than enough fluid for a normal pre-term pregnancy - doesn't look like my placenta has started to deteriorate at all... plus the baby was nice and active, and i have had lots of tightenings... i hope to god the end is near!!
my PIL have extended their stay until Wed arvo in the hope of seeing the baby... fingers crossed!