Tra la la still pregnant

My formal due date is not until this coming Tuesday, so strictly speaking I suppose I should not really expect to have given birth yet. Except I was kind of hoping it might happen, say, a day or two ago.  Or tonight.  Or any time now really would be OK with me.

I had struck up a new friendship with one of the women I met at my antenatal classes, primarily on the basis that we were due on the same day.  For a couple of weeks there was a lot of meeting for coffee and phone calls and comparing of notes.  Then earlier this week she texted me to say she was going to have to miss our next coffee date- because she'd given birth to her son the night before. She's already home from the hospital with him. Harumph.  I don't know if its the uber competitor in me or simply the desire to be safely disembarked from the ferry myself- but I am wildly envious. And it's put me in a slightly grumpy frame of mind, and I can't seem to shake it off.

Yesterday I began feeling very crampy in a sort of menstrual way- not exactly waves or anything I could pinpoint as definitive contractions, but not far off it. And it didn't go away when I walked around or lay down. I had just about convinced myself that this was the start of it all- yay- only to have all the symptoms completely vanish after I had a bath later in the evening. Then today- nada.  Again, harrumph.  Yes, I knooooow the baby will come when she is ready but I am fervently hoping that it's not going to be a kind of long,vague run up to the main event followed by a panicked dash to the hospital. 

Also, being late? Not ideal. At the last appointment my GP informed me that after my due date, I should be seeing the midwife instead of him next week.  Except it turns out I can't get an appointment at the clinic with my midwife next week, as she is fully booked. When I asked the receptionist what I am meant to do in that case, she simply canceled my GP appointment and gave me the phone number of the midwife to organise something. Except the midwifery centre has no computer and the person I initially spoke to was totally unable to help as they cannot make appointments themselves.

When the midwife finally phoned me back, she suggested that I "wait until August 20" and if I haven't had the baby by then, then I am to get in touch for a chat and we'll discuss formulating a plan. The third harrumph. I know it's not that far over, but I do find it a bit odd and frustrating that they insist on weekly appointments & checks from week 36, only to leave me hanging for seven days after my due date with no monitoring or clear strategy thereafter.

Anyway. Stand by. E is making a very hot curry for dinner and a long walk with the dog is on the cards, and who knows.  Until then, harrumph.    

Comments

[Lut C.]

All valid harumphs if you ask me. Not getting an appointment is especially irksome!

Hopefully the curry will do the trick. :-)

[Northwoods Baby]

I probably shouldn't post for fear I'll taint you with my late-baby-syndrome, but curry = good idea (and tasty!). And? It *is* a popular induction theory. Both of my kids came along soon after I ate some spicy chow. Probably a major coincidence but you never know.

PS, crampiness and crabbiness sound like prodromal labor to me. squeeeeeeeee! Maybe if you wave a cocktail about your knees Botany will take pity and make her grand entrance. Sounds like you could use a drink.

-NWB

[Jill]

Harrumph is right. But being crabby is a good sign. I'm guessing you won't go past Tuesday. And I'll keep my fingers crossed it is sooner than that.

[wombat]

De-lurking to say that I think you must insist on an appointment/appointments. I am a very non-interventionist type of person, but it is really very essential that you be closely and frequently monitored from now until you have her. In the US they make you come in every other day for non-stress tests after your due date passes, and even the natural-type midwives here insist on it. It will at least reassure you that Botany's doing well, and will alert them to any problems. Overdue babies need some special attention. Of course, I'm hoping you're at the hospital in labor right now. Best of luck!

[wombat]

p.s. I'm not usually one to dish out assvice, so I'm sorry about that. What I mean to say is that you should trust your instincts, and ask for what you feel like you want and need for you and your daughter.

[Alex]

I went through that crampiness stuff for about a week before my little one arrived 5 days after his due date. Hope yours is in more of a hurry than mine was, but truly, at least in my experience, the wait will fade from memory once she's here, uncomfortable though it be...

[Tonya]

Harrumph, indeed! Unbelievable that the medical community just left you hanging that way. Are you okay waiting that long? Could your GP perhaps persuade the midwife to squeeze you in?

I am just thinking of all that you've been through, and am hoping you get the best care possible in these final waiting minutes before Botany arrives. And yes, I hope it's minutes or at most a couple of days, not another couple weeks!

[Vicky]

You should have an appointment at 38, 40 and 41 weeks. So if I have correctly understood you, you've had your 38 week appintment but will then not get seen until 41 weeks? If so, you should really insist on being seen - for one thing, you need information about a stretch and sweep that they offer at 41 weeks, so you have a week to decide whether to accept the offer. If you were actually seen at 39 weeks, then you're probably physically OK to wait until 41 weeks, but of course if you feel you need to be seen - that's what your midwife is there for. Go back to the GP if she can't fit you in.

[anon]

Did you know - white first time mothers give birth around 41 weeks, the 40 weeks thing is for the second or later baby.

So really, no-one should expect to be giving birth until a week after their due date with their first.

sorry!

[anon]

Oh, and the person who said it's every other day for NSTs in the US? Not true. After 41 weeks, maybe, but not after 40.

[thalia]

I hope botany gets her act together soon. According to the docs, the only home-made remedy which actually works is sex, but you'd have to have sex about 10 times in a 24-hour period to get enough prostaglandins to get things going, so not sure if E or you will be up for that...

I would also be agitating for a sooner appointment. But then you know me.

[Jen]

Wow, that's amazing that the GP and midwife would do that! Hoping that you go into labor any second now!

[Julia]

I remember this feeling like it was, well, more recently than five years ago. I had this on again, off again labor thing going for a week and I thought I would go quite mad. I was ready, most emphatically, to move on to the next part.

So much sympathy. I know how hard it is.

(Patrick arrived on his due date after all)

[Melissa]

My 1st son came at 38 weeks. The day before I went into labor my husband was cutting my grandmother's grass. When we got to the backyard there were a lot of sticks. He told me to pick them up while he cut. Let me tell you it is quite difficult to bend down at 37 weeks. It was more along the lines of squatting to pee in the woods and balancing to reach for the stick. What fun? I started cramping that night but it calmed down when I went to bed. The next morning felt great, my legs were sore. Around lunchtime, my water broke. Good luck to you. Hopefully the baby will come before you need the next appointment.

[Menita]

Crabby is an EXCELLENT sign.
Good luck!

[Amyesq]

Oh man! I was so hoping you had had her by now! I am crabby on your behalf. I can't believe they are going to leave you hanging for that long after your due date! I would call the midwife every day if I were you and bug her until she agrees to see you. This is just too much.

[julie B]

My floral delight celebrates her first birthday this Saturday - I remember all to well that sitting..waiting...waiting...and that was with a planned c section! Carry on practising that insomnia - you're going to appreciate all that sleep deprivation training in the weeks to come.

[Anne]

SEX!!!! And exercise. For me, it was walking and swimming. And, come to think of it, I ate Indian food 6 hours before I went into labor, but it wasn't very spicy.

She WILL come, although I understand that is of absolutely no comfort to you right now.

[Toni]

I'm hoping that since we haven't heard from you that botany decided to show herself!! Good luck and wish you lots of pain meds :)