What did you do, the date you were due?

Hi,

Even though my ticker says otherwise, today (15/02/06) is the day i am due. Its what my 8 wk ultrasound has said and what the drs and midwives are sticking to.

Its early arvo and still nothing. Im feeling a bit deflated - i want to LEAVE THE HOUSE, but scared my waters will break or something. My DD arrived on ONE of her due dates. Im at a bit of a loss as to what to do. I feel like im waiting for death row (but a much, much happier occasion of course).

What did you do on your EDD? Continue on as normal, or walk around the house aimlesly as i am???

Its definitely important to carry on as normal. Less than 1/3 of women will experience their water breaking at the start of labour (going by a BB poll and of course less likely in general). Its a good time to start projects to keep you busy like scrapbooking, filing away those recipes in your books, photos in albums, something you have meant to do for a while, knitting - the more you sit and wait and build anticipation and anxiety, the less likely it will happen! Remember that baby will be coming when he/she is ready and reaching your due date (especially one designated by ultasound) doesn't mean that baby is ready.

Even if your waters do break, chances that labour will start up hard and fast with it are quite low. In a normal birth, the water will often break on its own at second stage (pushing). But often if you go to hospital, it's seems to be the policy that 'if it aint broke, break it!'

I was 1 day early with Lindsay, but with Erin I went 5 days over.

Like you I felt really upset/deflated/annoyed. i just stayed at home, not because i was scared of my waters breaking, I was just too upset. When I was 3 days over, we got a thunderstorm in the afternoon and i was literally outside jumping up and down hoping that the change in air pressure would break my waters (this is true about the change in air pressure - FIL always has cows go into labour during a good thunderstorm). This did not work either, although Lindsay thought it was hilarious watching me jump up and down.

Mbear, it probably wouldn't hurt to go out for a bit. Is there a park or something nearby you could take DD to? Try packing and unpacking your hospital bag and make sure you have everything (no doubt you have already done this, but it might take your mind off things)

Good Luck and i hope bubs comes soon for you.

Mbear - I'm booking in for a pedicure tomorrow (my due date) kind of to celebrate, but also to keep me busy.
Maybe treat yourself to something, or ask someone around for afternoon tea (tell them to bake something yummy!!)

Or on the other hand - hopefully we will both be in hospital!

Go out - go enjoy yourself, take your mind off it. The day I was due I was in hospital going through labour and giving birth 8-[ but that is really rare so go and enjoy - or relax do something you have always wanted to do...good luck!

Like Jillian, I sat in a spotless house on my due date with Olivia, bored out of my brain!

I ended up going & doing an extra grocery shop because I thought "You hear of so many women having their waters break in the supermarket........" that I wanted to tempt fate!

It didn't work, and we went out to the pub for dinner that night.

My waters eventually broke 4 days later.........

LOL I went up to the mountains for the day because I felt like if something was going to happen it wouldn't happen while I was sitting at home and waiting for it to happen... so I went far away for the day & the next two we did day trips around Brissy.

They changed my due date from the 14th December to the 21st of December. I was nervous about going out after the 13th (I was shopping my little heart out on the 13th! *L*) but as soon as I got to the 21st and then past it....well I got annoyed with having put myself on house arrest when I could be out still somewhat enjoying myself. There is only so much cleaning you can do!

I just started going out and about - to the shops etc; and prayed that I wouldn't have my waters break in the middle of the shopping centre.

What will happen will happen. Needless to say, my waters broke in bed (after a warm bath & some nipple stimulation/tweaking) late on the evening of the 23rd.

Maybe you could go out to a meal with your husband/significant other? That's what I did when I got myself depressed about not being in labour already; I went out to a nice Indian meal (doubles as an old wives tale - curry supposedly induces labour in some cases) with my husband as our last meal as a couple before we became a family.

I don't suggest curry or chilli anymore LOL could get a bit messy if you indeed go into labour after eating it ;)

Hi mbear, how exciting for you! On my due date I went to a BBQ and everyone there was asking me the usual 'when are you due' and I would say 'today' and they would practically run off! I moped around the house for another 10 days before I convinced my doctor to induce me with the gel. I know it is easier said than done, but try to relax (as they all say, it is the most relaxing you will do probably for the next 18 years!) and enjoy the time alone with friends and family. And of course hang out on bellybelly!

Thank you ladies. It was nice to hear that some of you did what i did - sat in a clean, spotless house waiting for a contraction !
This afternoon i ended up doing an hour and a half of gardening before DD came home from kindy - it did take my mind off the situation.

Im thinking about vacuming our 2 cars tomorrow. mmmmm exciting :rolleyes:

This is pretty back to front from what you are talking about, but on my due date I did hand and foot prints of Emma....She was born 3 weeks early ;) so we chose her due date to do the prints. Sorry, not the answer you wanted, but it just reminded me that we did it then....

On my due date I went with my mum on a 1hr drive to see our new work warhouse, then on the way back we stopped off & ordered my sister's birthday cake - the lady there asked when I was due & I told her today. Should have seen the look on her face & she even stepped back from me LOL!!

The day after we went for a looooong walk on the beach as well.

Only about 5% of babies come at 40 weeks so I didn't even think about it. This time I'm having a due month since the dates mean nothing anyway.

On DD's due date I cleaned the house, cooked and froze meals, and built a cupboard (anyone think nesting??) She was born 3 days later.

With DS I fully expected to go overdue for some reason and so when my waters broke the night before his due date I was in shcok! (A very happy excited shock though!) So I spent the first 8hrs of his due date in labour and he was born just before 8am.

xxxCaz

*bump*

LOL loving seeing these old 'archives'!
On Natty's due date, I cried. A lot. LOL! I was oooooover it.
But as her due date was the 20th December, I also baked heaps of stuff to give to family for Christmas. I was a baking machine. At the end of the day my feet were so puffy.

I actually relaxed and I felt like the pressure was off! I think everyone was expecting it to happen on or before that day and once it arrived, it was like - oh well who knows when it will happen and it did - 11 days later! :)

Oooooh, I'm loving thread bumping too.

My first due date, the 31st of Jan, I knew I wasn't going to hit so I went on as normal. Went into pre-labour at a girlfriend's house; she thought I was going to deliver my baby right then and there!

My second due date, the 3rd of Feb, I was a bit more excited but didn't really expect anything. However, I started pre-labour on the 31st so was a bit more twitchy.

The 11th of Feb (Sunday), when I thought I was going to have a baby, I was ready for DS to come out (as was BiL, who kept phoning all weekend to see if we'd had the baby yet!). I was a bit miffed he didn't and even went to the hospital because I thought it could be labour et cetera. I did go into labour 7am the next day and was pretty releived about that!

So really, although I had a lot of false labour and pre-labour, I was only a day late going into labour from what I thought. I didn't nest at all. But did do loads of long walks with DH (he tired before me), drives, all the natural induction crap that doesn't work... I also had a due month, just told everyone February and that was that. My mother told everyone the 10th of Feb (that was her due date with me no other reason as I didn't give her a date), which is my cousin's birthday, so his mum was pushing for a Jan birthday for DS!