3rd Trimester
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I had my 40 week appt today (yesterday was EDD). Midwife checked and I'm a good and stretchy 3-4 cm. I had her sweep the membranes. She said they were starting to bulge and thinks I can go at any time. In fact, she said if I started to get uncomfortable I could always just go in and they'll break my water. I don't want to do that, though. I've been having contractions since the appointment 3 hours ago. They are a little uncomfortable but they've been getting a little stronger. Hopefully that means this is it. If so, I've got some work to do to get ready like laundry and carseat!!!!
Oh, wow, you're super close! Good luck, and hopefully you'll be sharing good news soon (whenever you can)!0 -
That is great news!! I know you are probably ready to have your baby!!
ehg87-Don't feel bad, I am right there with you! I'm getting soooo uncomfortable and can't imagine being able to handle more belly weight! My back is killing me, plus he was already down low in position at my 32 week appointment, now at 34 weeks he definitely dropped 2 nights ago and seems to have flipped from face up to face down....I can feel him move his head from side to side, putting a ton of pressure down low (which seems to be right when I am going to bed haha). Does anyone else get leg cramps/hip numbness on the side you're sleeping on? I was 70 percent effaced at the last appointment and am interested to see what I am now. But as uncomfortable as I am now, I just hope I haven't progressed too much...he needs to stay until at least 37!
I can definitely feel when my baby's head moves from side to side and s/he is upside-down. It's the weirdest feeling, like someone is messing with my cervix but from the inside (well, I guess that's what it is)!
But yes, I do get crampy and sometimes numb in my leg and/or hip when I've been on one side for too long. I remember after my son was born that I was SO excited to be able to lie on my back again. I am a stomach sleeper, but holy crap lying on my back was a treat!
I remember being mostly effaced like that at that point, and I was noted as fully effaced by 37 or 38 weeks. At 38 weeks 3 days I was maybe 2cm dilated, and my son was born at 38 weeks 5 days. So you can be fully effaced and even somewhat dilated and still be walking around, having a healthy pregnancy
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Betty Woo, that is so exciting! I'm so glad to hear things are going well and I hope everthing goes soothly!
Laura and ehg-I think I was most uncomfortable between 32-34 weeks, these last few weeks I've have discomfort but I don't know if I've adjusted my posture well or what but my back does hurt nearly as often. Hopefully you will have the same experiences!
AFM-I had the ultrasound and my appt. Not only is she not "too big" but it's showing that I'm at a lower risk than normal for should dysotica so I'm happy about that The bummer is the midwife said it sure doesn't seem like she's coming anytime soon. She's been real low the last new appt and while I was sitting waiting for the midwife it was almost as if I watched her climb back up higher in my belly...at least she is still head down. I trust she will come when it's time! 0 -
Betty Woo, that is so exciting! I'm so glad to hear things are going well and I hope everthing goes soothly!
Laura and ehg-I think I was most uncomfortable between 32-34 weeks, these last few weeks I've have discomfort but I don't know if I've adjusted my posture well or what but my back does hurt nearly as often. Hopefully you will have the same experiences!
AFM-I had the ultrasound and my appt. Not only is she not "too big" but it's showing that I'm at a lower risk than normal for should dysotica so I'm happy about that The bummer is the midwife said it sure doesn't seem like she's coming anytime soon. She's been real low the last new appt and while I was sitting waiting for the midwife it was almost as if I watched her climb back up higher in my belly...at least she is still head down. I trust she will come when it's time!
Glad you had a good appointment/ultrasound! She will come when she's ready, and (as I will learn shortly) we all just have to be patient 0 -
Happy to hear that everyone is doing well... minus of course the lovely third trimester discomforts! I have been having lots of braxton hicks and pelvic discomfort, I did Zumba this week, took the kids to the park and have been walking and cleaning like crazy! I am just hoping that he makes his arrival soon! I started taking my homeopathy this week, and my cervix is dilating and effacing (as by my checks) and I can feel the baby's head when I check as well! I am ready to meet my little man, so any time that he wants to make his appearance, I will be thrilled!0
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Emily-I hope it does get more comfortable!!! But if not I'll get through it....what I really feel like doing is staying on the couch and eating Reese's Easter eggs, but that wouldn't help anything lol. I do feel better when I fight the feeling and get my exercise in....although is anyone else experiencing the sudden urges to go to the bathroom as soon as you start exercising? 10 minutes in I already have to go so now I end up passing by the house again in the middle of each walk just to go lol.0
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It's a girl!!!
So dh got home, and by then I was able to start timing the contractions at 2:45 min apart. We finalized packing and headed out, stopping for a slushie on the way. The hospital was 45 min away, and the drive spaced them back to 5 min apart. So we stopped at a target near the hospital to walk around some. After an hour, the contractions were serious enough that I was having to stop during them to breathe, so we grabbed one more slushie and went to the hospital, getting there at 7pm. They hooked me up for monitoring and I endured sitting on the bed. The nurse checked and said I was a "good 4" and she left. I showered, moved around the room a bit, trying different positions. But at 8:30 after already being up for 15 hours (in addition to the late night insomnia) I went ahead and got the epidural. They checked and i was up to 5cm. No problems with the epidural (I was itchy but at least it was tolerable). I tried to rest, but felt water gushing out in little squirts. My midwife came in and I told her I thought my water had broken. She looked, saw some meconium, and said she wasn't telling anyone. Lol. Afterwards a new nurse came and in setting up she turned on a light and saw the meconium and looked surprised because she didn't know. So, midwife said they had to bring in a pediatrician for the delivery but if the baby came out okay then there would be no reason to examine the baby right away
By the point it was about 11. The nurse checked and said I was fully dialated and ready to go. My epidural had mostly worn off at that point (which is why they checked) so the midwife had me do a practice push. Unlike with ds, I could feel to push and it was a comforting sensation! It was crazy that the pain left when I pushed. After a few contractions, I hit to feel the baby's head and SHE was born!!! She came out screaming (they sent the ped away). Her cord was a little short so they put her on my stomach instead of chest until the cord stopped pulsating. It took a while for her to calm down and nurse, but when she did she wouldn't stop for 1.5 hours lol.
So the stats:
11:39 pm 4/4
9 lbs 5 oz (same size as ds)
19.5 "
Abigail Claire
We are all doing well. Abby has a little heart murmur though so we will have to get that checked. It was such a calm and easy delivery!! I love my little girl.
Oh, and for those concerned with the big sized babies (mine was measuring 5lb 4 oz at 32 weeks)--- no induction, no episiotomy, slight 2nd degree tears. (DS gave me three degree tears with an episiotomy and a vacuum delivery). Abby was a couple of inches shorter than DS, so a little chubbier. 0 -
Congratulations! Thanks for posting the story of little Abby's birth so that we can all share in your joy! What a positive story!0
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Congratulations!!!!!0
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Congrats on your baby girl!!0
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YAY! Glad to hear your birth story and to hear everything went well!0
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Congratulations!!!0
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Went crazy working out today, staying active, and trying just about every natural form of induction that I was comfortable with (long walk, dancing, sex, evening primrose oil, raspberry leaf tea) My back and abdomen are getting to be in a considerable amount of pain (that comes and goes) so either I over did it or, it did the trick....I'm hoping for the latter0
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Went crazy working out today, staying active, and trying just about every natural form of induction that I was comfortable with (long walk, dancing, sex, evening primrose oil, raspberry leaf tea) My back and abdomen are getting to be in a considerable amount of pain (that comes and goes) so either I over did it or, it did the trick....I'm hoping for the latter
Don't forget spicy food
I read in Parents magazine a couple of years ago about a lady who joked about all the old wives' tales she heard about inducing labor, including eating pineapple. Since she loves pineapple, she figured she'd eat some anyway, since it couldn't hurt. About two hours later, she went into labor. She still doesn't know if it was dumb luck or the pineapple, but depending on how close I get to my due date and how uncomfortable and/or desperate I am, I might just try it! 0 -
@emily, with my son I brought essential oils to the hospital that were supposed to make labor progress faster. The doula on this webpage says to use clary sage to induce and myrhh to make labor progress faster...http://www.doterraoil.com/essentialoilsbirth.html
I know it's a little "out there", but it doesn't hurt to try!0 -
I'm all about trying things (as long as they are midwife approved ) Yes, spicy foods too....I didn't include that because I ALWAYS eat spicy food. I definitely think the sex got something going on because I was having some definite contractions about 30 min after (and apparently sex is the only one with scientific backing) But this morning they stopped (or really dampered out) today I'm working on getting the house in order then I think I might catch up on rest until she gets here. I do think that, if nothing else, it thinned out my cervix. I self checked today and I don't seem to be dilated but seem to be REALLY thin so I guess that's good. I'm gonna talk to the midwife at my next appt about sweeping my membranes if she isn't here within a week (I REALLY don't want to be chemically induced) 0
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I can recommend the clary sage, I put it in my bath everyday towards my due date. I also used it when I was in labour and it made the contractions stronger. Good Luck!0
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Went crazy working out today, staying active, and trying just about every natural form of induction that I was comfortable with (long walk, dancing, sex, evening primrose oil, raspberry leaf tea) My back and abdomen are getting to be in a considerable amount of pain (that comes and goes) so either I over did it or, it did the trick....I'm hoping for the latter
Don't forget spicy food I read in Parents magazine a couple of years ago about a lady who joked about all the old wives' tales she heard about inducing labor, including eating pineapple. Since she loves pineapple, she figured she'd eat some anyway, since it couldn't hurt. About two hours later, she went into labor. She still doesn't know if it was dumb luck or the pineapple, but depending on how close I get to my due date and how uncomfortable and/or desperate I am, I might just try it!
I love pineapple! With my first at my first check I was 50% effaced and 1 cm, the night before my next appointment I ate like half a fresh pineapple by myself....the next day I was 90% effaced and 3 cm! ............ annnnnnnnnd then I stalled out for a week and a half
But I do think the pineapple helped thin the cervix a lot 0 -
Other "natural" labor-inducing ideas I've heard mentioned in my prenatal yoga classes: nipple stimulation with a pump, acupuncture... Good luck!!!0
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The nipple stimulation (with a pump) was very effective on me. It did cause considerable contractions (but nothing that stuck). I started after my 39 week appointment, and the Sun-Tues before baby was born, I was doing the pump like it was my job! Took an induction sanity break on Weds, and at my apt on Thurs I was 3-4 cm dialated, when the membrane sweep did the trick. (Baby 12 hours later!) I think that the more dialated/progressed you are before going into the hospital, the quicker labor should be.
Oh, and 6 days later I'm down almost 20 lbs. (9lb baby plus lots of fluid). The swelling in my feet is almost gone. Now it's time to start buckling down to lose the other 35 lbs I gained with this pregnancy. 
Going to start with the nutrition, but people have been bringing meals this week so in reality I'm going to wait until next week - but still being mindful of what I'm eating now. 0
