The Great Big Giant Question Thread

bridgiebee82 · November 2025

@virginiaham happy belated due date! I was told spicy food, lots of walking and bouncing on a yoga ball, and getting a pedicure will help!

thatbaintforbetty · November 2025

@virginiaham Sex can help. Both the orgasms and the ejaculate if I remember correctly. Also pumping can help induce labor. Spicy foods can be hit or miss.

If I got to the point of overdue I think a massage would be top of my bucket list. Because well fucking deserved. lol.

Just don’t drink castor oil. Thats not actually a safe way to induce labor and it’s a hill I will die on.

virginiaham · November 2025

Thanks ladies! Sigh, I’m definitely doing alllll the things with great contraction response but so far they’ve fizzled every time, but was thinking more about stuff to get your mind off of being late & have little things to look forward to. The pedicure was fantastic today and oooh a massage sounds heavenly!

{And yep, it’s a big no to the castor oil 🙅🏻‍♀️ It’s sitting on my counter but ONLY as a nod to Murphy — if I have it I won’t need it, right??}

brookejay06 · November 2025

@virginiaham
ohhh the mental struggle of being past the EDD- so hard. Here are some things I’d do (maybe you already have)

- decorate for Xmas (if you do that)
- buy/wrap Xmas gifts
- baking baking baking
- make plans. Baby’s love to come when you have plans lol. Schedule a dinner with friends or a date with your spouse!

- massage for sureeee
- start a small project (redecorate book shelves for example) or small craft (air dry clay??)
- learn a hobby like royal icing for decorating cookies (clearly I like to bake), or crochet… something you could pick up rather quickly and occupies your mind

californiacherry · November 2025

@virginiaham My doula recommends acupuncture! It’s in the bucket of at home induction methods instead of things to occupy mind but since nobody suggested it yet, thought I’d throw it out there! Sending labor vibes your way girl! 🙃

thatbaintforbetty · November 2025

Does anybody know of a place that sells pajama
sets that allows for size customization? Ideally that don't cost an arm and a leg, lol.

I am funky shaped (think upside down pear with a long torso and short legs) and usually wear a medium in bottoms and an XXL in tops so I pretty much never buy pajama sets.

But I am going to attempt to breastfeed again and button up tops would be stellar. I have a couple nightgowns in my Amazon wish list but would prefer ones that are top/bottom.

DH asked me what I wanted for Christmas and new pajamas was the thing that came to mind but it’s always been complicated given my sizing.

virginiaham · November 2025

@thatbaintforbetty Cozy Earth sells tops (button-down, both long sleeve and short sleeve) and bottoms separately if that may help??

thatbaintforbetty · November 2025

@virginiaham I will look into them, thank you!

caffeinatedandtired · November 2025

@thatbaintforbetty Old Navy, Gap for more budget friendly, Soma for mid tier, or Lake Pajamas if you’re really looking for a nice/expensive set

bridgiebee82 · November 2025

I do love me some fresh jammies! I never thought to get a button down top for nursing! I just wear a nursing tank top and call it a day. But cozy jammies would be nice. Hmmmm maybe that'll be on my list this year!

nopegoat · November 2025

@thatbaintforbetty I ordered two of these gowns. They are actually for labor but are so comfy, stretchy, and skin to skin and breastfeeding friendly that they would be perfect for jammies to. If cold you could probably wear them more as a tunic and put some comfy leggings under them.

https://a.co/d/5pfogRl

rebecksah · November 2025

I get all my cozy hospital clothes from this brand Ekouaer on Amazon! I still have things from my first pregnancy from them but I buy fresh every time lol

californiacherry · November 2025

Am I having prodromal labor? Last night was rough — every ~13 min (between 11 min and 20 min) I was woken up by what feels like bad trapped gas spanning my lower abdomen, starting mild and peaking in intensity — like the “wave” I keep hearing of — lasting for ~1 min at a time. They’ve all been the same intensity since they started and don’t really change in length (all around 50 sec -75 sec). Still happening now and started about 4pm yesterday. @virginiaham I read in your birth announcement you had prodromal labor — I am not sure if this is similar but @ing you if you have the time/space to chime in! Thank you mamas!!!

brookejay06 · November 2025

@californiacherry Hi! It does sound like prodromal labor.

If they are uncomfortable (and not just abdominal tightening) then it’s probably prodromal and not just Braxton hicks. But if they’re not changing at all (like increasing in intensity) then it’s probably not early labor either.

So yes I think it sounds like prodromal. Which will eventually go away (or turn in to early labor!)

With my second baby I had prodromal labor for 24 hours before it picked up into actual labor. It was every 10 min for a whole day and night. Uncomfortable but not very intense.

Sometimes prodromal labor will stay for a day and then go away entirely. Which is maddening.

Often the best way to tell what’s going on is to rest. Take a bath. See if the contractions go away or amp up.

thatbaintforbetty · December 2025

@californiacherry best advice I was given was to take a nice hot shower in times like this. If they stop/or get less intense or regular then its definitely not actual labor. If you relax/take an shower and they don’t let up then it’s much more likely to be the real deal.

virginiaham · December 2025

Hey @californiacherry how have they been the rest of today? It does sound like your body could be gearing up for labor (but this can go on throughout the weeks leading up to active labor). I’m going to be honest that I couldn’t tell the timeframe when my contractions went from regular Braxton hicks to prodromal labor but definitely look at frequency getting closer together and intensity changing. I think by definition the only way to know for sure the difference is a cervical check if it’s causing cervical change. Prodromal labor can definitely start and stop, unfortunately even if it gets more frequent and intense 😑. Like @brookejay06 said if you eat, hydrate, rest, take a bath etc. and they stop or space out.

I’m sorry to hear they woke you up! I hope you can rest as much as possible and ignore them as much as possible. I’m not sure if this is a common experience but I had to focus on keeping my bladder empty as well — I am pretty sure I was woken up by contractions causing bladder spasms a few times.

californiacherry · December 2025

@brookejay06 @thatbaintforbetty @virginiaham thank you all!!!

Ugh yes @virginiaham It’s been about 28 hours now. I took a couple showers today and a bath, and I still am having them, still very irregularly — each 45sec-90sec, anywhere between 5 min apart - 20 min apart. they didn’t go away, but didn’t really amp up either @brookejay06 pretty much same intensity but even that changes a little. I’ll have one I can’t talk through but the next I can. I can’t move through most of them though. Laying down is bad because it’s already hard enough move normally in bed lol so I am just frozen in whatever position it starts in. Standing up or sitting at least I can bounce or sway to relax easier.

Damn if this is another week or so nonstop….yikessss 😩 @virginiaham yes I think keeping bladder empty as much as possible is helping a little

californiacherry · December 2025

@virginiaham When you say it can start and stop, what does “stop” entail? I’m reading that everywhere like Google/Reddit, but like, does “stop” mean for a couple hours, just while you’re moving, a whole day, two days? The longest I’ve gone without one in the last 28 hours is ~55 min

aisleofviewtwo · December 2025

@californiacherry I have no advice or insights to offer, just wanted to send my support and say you're a champ, hang in there!

californiacherry · December 2025

Thank you thank you @aisleofviewtwo 🩵🩵

nopegoat · December 2025

@californiacherry I always go through several weeks of off and on prodromal labor, then several quiet days where I think I'm going to be pregnant forever, then all of a sudden BAM! Real thing that happens quick!!

Definitely try to rest, stay hydrated, like even more hydrated than usual, empty bladder, warm baths/showers, and I'd also recommend a birthing ball and do some hip stretches so baby can get in the right position. A lot of prodromal labor comes from baby putting pressure of stuff but not being in the right position to actually do what it needs to do to go into full labor.

Praying you get some relief soon! 🙏🙏

brookejay06 · December 2025

@californiacherry if the longest break you’ve had is only 1 hour (over the course of a day or two), and based on how you’re describing that you can’t ignore the ctx, I would guess it’s early labor but that baby isn’t quite in the right spot. (Not that there’s anything wrong with baby- but like @nopegoat said, baby isn’t putting pressure in the right spot)

my favorite thing for this is the Miles Circuit. Google it and do those exercises along with rest, bath, water, food. Sex isn’t a bad idea either. Anything that promotes oxytocin and relaxation.

virginiaham · December 2025

@californiacherry re: stopping the answer is yes to all of the above 😩 Definitely echo the recommendation to do a yoga ball (not bouncing but like hip circles and front/back, side to side type movements) and asymmetric hip/pelvis movements. Hang in there!! It can be exhausting and I hope you’re able to find a position to rest in!!

californiacherry · December 2025

@nopegoat @brookejay06 @virginiaham thank you so much ladies!!! It turns out… it was early labor @brookejay06 ! Had my baby boy at 1:10 am this morning Dec 2!!!! Will post in birth stories also!

virginiaham · December 2025

Postpartum Q: any recommendations for a completely unstructured, soft belly binder? I have the Frida one but it’s so uncomfortable when I sit down to nurse (or do skin to skin), which is a lot of the day.

iwantcookies · December 2025

@virginiaham have you looked into a standard lik ace bandage wrap? I suffered through wearing a more structured one even tho my entire belly was bruised 😵‍💫 I wish I went with a softer one. But I also didn’t use a band until 8 days pp. I couldn’t even right after idk how people do

Want a personalized experience?

The Great Big Giant Question Thread

Re: The Great Big Giant Question Thread

Choose Another Board

Search Boards