Torn between encouraging and discouraging labor

AmberLiz99

I'll be 38 weeks tomorrow. I've felt crummy since Saturday, and last night I had about an hour of painful, but mostly random, contractions. Today I get a tone of BH whenever I move too much. 

I'm so ready to have this baby! But at the same time there is so much I planed to get done first. it's my son's last week of preschool, and my house is a mess, haha. 

I know baby will come when she wants, but I'm so torn between trying to keep moving and get these contractions going stronger, or resting and praying for one more week. This is my third, I should be used to the unpredictability of it all by now! Anyone else going a little crazy not being able to plan ahead? 

SMLmom

Mee!  I think I'm more in the "wanting baby to stay put so I can rest" boat but at the same time, I sure am looking forward to not being pregnant.  I finish work this Friday and my daughter will still be in daycare most days this month so I'd appreciate a bit of pre-baby rest.  Last time my daughter was 2 weeks late so I'm familiar with the annoyances of being very pregnant and playing the waiting game and that's no picnic either.  Good luck!

Diesel615

Yes! My husband has to go out of town for training the 5-19 and I have no way whatsoever to contact him during the day. I'm freaking out because this past weekend was our last weekend to do anything, and of course I was in too much pain to do anything and the weekend flew by us without finishing prepping.  I'm so scared to be alone going into labor and not being able to get a hold of my husband. He said when he gets to training there's a guard desk that should have a landline phone and he's going to hopefully get that number so I can call it if I need him. I wish I could just hold this baby in until the 20 when I know he'll be home, but knowing my luck he'll come early while my husband is gone. 

annaf2011

I can sort of relate to this. My due date is tomorrow, but I've been expecting all along to go late so I'm not too impatient yet. It's the uncertainty of not knowing when he is coming that's driving me crazy! If someone could tell me now that I definitely wouldn't have the baby for two more weeks, I'd be fine. It's hard to be mentally prepared to go into labor and also be mentally prepared to not go into labor.

RMLandy

I'm in the same boat! Every day I think "Ill walk more today" to try to get it going but then think of a reason I want more time and end up "resting" instead! 

mimi_8607

Yes! I'm so ready to be done, but I know what's to come. I remember this feeling last time then when DS came out I wanted to put him back in. Lol So I'm trying to enjoy the calm before she gets here. I still need to clean some stuff around the house and pack the rest of my hospital bag. I'm not due till the end of June.

HeartLikeMine3

Yes I totally get it.. I'm almost 38.5 weeks and dilated to a 4 so I'm sure I could help things along if I wanted. But my DS is out of school for two weeks and I'm trying to get lots of alone time with him before baby. And also we have a maid coming to deep clean next week so I don't want her to come home to a dirty house lol 

NLewis1

I'm in this boat too! I'm 39 weeks tomorrow, which also happens to be the day we close on the business (hello massive debt! Haha), plus we are doing a big dinner to celebrate the purchase. I'm SO tired of being pregnant and miserable but I also need to get through at least tomorrow night! But I've been feeling torn like this for about a week and a half now

purplefan1

I will be 37 weeks tomorrow and I have started hoping that at every appointment they will tell me it is time. I'm ready to be done with the gestational diabetes and the horrific SPD that is crippling. But I also want baby to come as naturally (and ready) as possible. I think I'm hopeful my body will just start the labor process because I really want to avoid an induction and the potential for the cascade of interventions. Soooo I want baby to come but I don't want to force it to come. I keep thinking in my mind "I can last three more weeks" but we will see. I just told my husband I'm going to make it a point to not complain any more. I think the more I fixate on how uncomfortable I am, the worse it feels. 

GinnyJ2012

It's a catch 22. If you move around to clean and do everything you need, you have contractions and may go into labor. If you sit and relax then you won't have as many contractions, but you won't get it all done either. 

RMLandy

I agree with that theory @June2016BabyW ! I stopped talking about how "ready" I am when people ask and instead say "I'm doing great!" Or "just being patient, she will come when she is ready!" And I think I've started to believe it myself??? I guess there's something to "fake it till you make it." 

AmberLiz99

GinnyJ2012 said:

It's a catch 22. If you move around to clean and do everything you need, you have contractions and may go into labor. If you sit and relax then you won't have as many contractions, but you won't get it all done either. 

That's how I'm feeling today. I want to get everything done, but it's so uncomfortable to do it, if rather read books with my kids, lol. I did get the kids closet mostly cleaned up.

WinniethePoohsPants

The way I see it is if the baby comes as the result of a clean house, then that's totally a win-win.

mno918

This is my first and I am feeling more and more like this every day!

Also, I very rarely post on here, but I just have to say how amazing and supportive you ladies are towards each other. I've seen people get really nasty very quickly on other boards when mom's post about feeling ready before 39/40 weeks.  

AmberLiz99

WinniethePoohsPants said:

The way I see it is if the baby comes as the result of a clean house, then that's totally a win-win.

Good point 

xc1148

Nope lol. I know I'm so in the minority on this.

I am fairly comfortable and I really hate the uncertainty, but I just feel like I'm not ready haha. Plus I get two weeks pre-maternity leave and I'd like at least a full week of pool/sleep time with my daughter before the craziness begins. Also I'm scared of labor....either it being long or not going right. I guess I'm more scared than uncomfortable lol.

cmj88

I am the same way! Im 37w4d with my first and I am stuck between just wanting her out since I've gotten so uncomfortable and also wanting her to stay put so we get some more done around the house (we just moved in April). It changes from hour to hour depending on my mood. Everytime I clean the house and go food shopping I think, ok baby - now would be a good time to come! I also have a hair appointment next Monday so I'm really hoping I can get that done bc lord knows if I don't it'll probably be 3 months before I get around to it. I also wanted to get a mani/pedi beforehand...ha, priorities. Wish we just knew the exact day they were coming!

Tawny87

Just did some cleaning hopefully that will get something going. I had contractions last evening that stopped when I went to bed. I am 39+2 and am going to ask her to strip my membranes at my appt tomorrow. My hubby goes out of town on the 19th so I need this baby out like now.

MynaBird

Because of his PUVs/hydronephrosis we want this baby to stay in as long as possible so his lungs are in really great shape, and obviously a healthy baby is the most important thing. I will be honest, though, since we know we are looking at surgery and an extended hospital stay for him regardless, there is a tiny part of me that would be just the barest bit relieved if I showed up for my appointment today and the OB said it was time to get him out. Between the groin pain, the exhaustion, the Braxton Hicks and the baby's repeated violent kicking of the same spot over and over again, I am so much more miserable than I was at 37 weeks with my first baby. I'm not going to be gnawing any pineapple cores or taking any long walks to get Thai food, though.

Rosehip15

I'm done, done, done at 37+ weeks, but know that nothing I do will kick start anything.  My first two were 10 days & TWO WEEKS late, respectively - despite sex, pineapple, walking, spicy food, etc.  I really feel like I should get credit for time served and knock a little off this pregnancy, but doubtful that will happen.  I'm struggling desperately at work, and just exhausted and uncomfortable.  I'm so behind on laundry that I just ordered extra packs of underwear for my kids to get us through.  Sigh.

xc1148

@Rosehip15  "credit for time served" LOVE IT! 

Tawny87

Well I decided to break out the pump tonight, dr told me I could at my last visit a week ago, and see if I can get something rolling. I had a good 7oclock hour with quite a few contractions but they have petered out : (.

Boonhilde

I'm so with you. I just hit 38 weeks and I want my baby already! But I know it's better if he cooks a little bit longer... But I want my baby!

nightwitch

So much yes to this thread!  I have two online courses that don't end until the 11th. I'm due the 4th. Don't ask what my crazy ass was thinking when I scheduled them, a form of denial about being pregnant.  I also applied for a different position at work and the hiring manager said I'd know by mid week LAST week his choice, well the fucker went out of town last Wednesday, and wasn't back today,  so I'm still waiting to hear his decision. At this point I don't even care if I get it, I just want to know yes or no because I can't make other decisions without that info!  

karicontreras82

I am very torn between "get this tiny human out!" and "noooo I want to keep him inside forever!!!". I'm as prepared as can be, but just don't quite feel ready for him to be here. And at the same time my body hurts so bad and I just want it to end lol. Apparently I must want him to stay in more though because I've done nothing to encourage labor and in no way want an induction (unless medically necessary).

Boonhilde

I met with my doctor and she said it's better to have this baby soon, than to wait past the due date. (I'm still in the 38th week.) So encouraging baby to come it is!

missmandi616

My husband is a packrat.. i had a great burst of nesting energy & got a lot of stuff accomplished. It was great but now there's all this "big stuff" to get done that requires assistance & i'm so frustrated with him.... he just started a new job a few months ago and is working constantly. They offered him a promotion & agreed to wait till the baby came to start his training process! This should be great news! I'm very proud of him & appreciate  his hard work but all my hard work feels unfinished because he hasn't had time to go through the things i know he would be upset with me if i just threw out & he's never here long enough to help me move furnature where i want it and things like that.... so i want baby to stay put till it gets done but i'm starting to get pretty miserable in this heat... but then again, this is my 3rd and we don't plan to have more. I love being pregnant most of the time. It makes me sad to think this is the last few days i wiĺl prob ever get to be pregnant... very torn! Plus i'm due the 7th (tues) but Sat(4th) was his father's Birthday so it would be so cool to have him come then! I really can't decide if i should go about my nesting and give into my horny-ness or just chill & kick my feet up and see what happens and when....

AmberLiz99

I think I've decide that as of Sunday I'll be up for trying to move things along (which probably won't actually result in anything , haha). Tomorrow I have dinner with friends, Saturday I have a friend's baby shower, kids class party, and our block party. Once I'm done with all that this girl can show up as fast as possible! 

Pluss i got my bathrooms and kitchen cleaned, so my house is no longer a total disaster

adiaz132003

I'll be 40 weeks on Saturday and had my 40 appt yesterday where we talked about all my options with the midwife.  So the plan is on Tuesday I'll have my massage therapist come give me on of her awesome inducing acupressure treatments, Wednesday we will try a sweep and until then it's lots of sex, yoga balls and walking.  Come on little one!!!!!!