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Can't Stop Crying
Today is my due date. I am so miserable and just want this baby out.
We spent Christmas Eve/Christmas night in triage. I had three hours of consistent, painless contractions apx. 4 min apart or less starting around 10:30 pm so we went to the hospital around 2 am.
They monitored me for an hour. And after that there was no change in my 2 cm dilated cervix, so they sent us home around 4:30 am Christmas morning. The nurse was great and did a good sweep of my membranes which caused a few hard contractions and lots of cramping.
My next OB appt isn't until Thursday. They've scheduled an NST, ultrasound and visit with the doctor.
I feel like I am letting everyone down. I get so many txts asking if I've had the baby yet. Do people honestly think we'll have the baby and keep him a secret or something!?!? Trust me... everyone will know once he's born.
Now DH is starting to get upset that the baby's not here yet which is just stressing me out more. He doesn't do it on purpose and I don't want him to NOT share how he's feeling. We're just so ready, it's like "what's the damn hold up?!?"
Except for castor oil, we've tried every OWT/induction technique I can find.
Sorry, this turned into more of a vent than I had planned. I just needed to get it out.
ETA: I called my OB office earlier today to see about moving up my appt. The nurse finally called me back about 10 minutes ago. I spent the phone call crying and she was able to move up my NST, u/s and doc visit to tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.
Re: Can't Stop Crying
I'm sorry Katie. Hopefully all those contractions are working and something will happen quickly for you soon.
I hate those calls/texts/FB messages about "when is the baby coming" "did you have the baby yet".
I hate EDDs for that whole reason. It makes you feel broken when LO doesn't arrive by that particular date. Then everyone has to put in their two cents. So annoying.
Can you let your H know that you understand his feelings on that, but you're also feeling that way, times 100 since you're the one actually carrying LO around all the time?
Aww, Katie. Big hugs to you, you're not letting anyone down. I'm almost there and can imagine how frustrating it is. He'll come when he's good and ready. That's what sucks about the "estimated" part of EDD, could be 2 weeks one way or the other, right?
Sending you lots of labor vibes!
Claire Elizabeth 12/31/2011
Married Bio
It's hard. When we hit my due date - DH had to just tell everyone to back off and stop calling/texting/emailing/FB messaging asking if the baby had come yet. I also posted a pissy FB post and the calls/messages stopped for awhile.
I tried everything except castor oil too - eggplant parmesan, Bring On Labor cookies, labor cake (I liked the food induction methods!), walking, sex, manual nipple stimulation, nipple stimulation with the breast pump (be prepared because colostrum may come out and some people say not to do it because it can cause overstimulation of the ute), evening primrose oil, acupuncture (on my own and with a professional). Looking back, I wish I had maybe done more squatting to try to open things up and move the baby down but I don't know that it would have helped.
In the end - there is nothing you can really do. The baby will come when s/he is ready. And I know how sucky it is to hear that over and over.
Enjoy this time with just your DH as long as you can and take some time to pamper yourself. Get a massage, a manicure and a pedicure. I spaced them out - one every other day or so. I would call the morning of to make my appointment - just in case. Relax as best you can. Go to a movie. Go on a date with your DH.
Awww... *HUGS* I'm so sorry you're dealing with a super cozy baby along with external annoyances. I dont' have much else to say, but that does suck.
***Labor Vibes**** for Katie!!
The waiting is hard, hang in there! Baby is cozy or still needing a few extra days and all this "pre-labor' is not for nothing, your body is doing work before you even go into labor, and it's going to make the real thing that much eaiser! As hard as it is to believe now, you will look back on these few days and think, what the heck was my hurry, what's a couple more days in the grand scheme of things? Labor juju coming your way!
I went 10 days past my due date with Abby, so I saw my due date come and go. It sucked. I worked a week past my due date and everyday people would say "Oh you're still here?" "What no baby" "Why are you still working??" OMG it got old real quick!
I was miserable at the end but my doc wouldn't induce until 41.5wks so thats when I went in to have Abby. I know it sucks now, but the baby will come when ready!
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I'm thinking of you, Katie!
Sort of a different way of looking at it coming from the wife of a December 23rd baby-- the farther you can get from Christmas, the better it really is for the kid for birthday purposes. Everyone, even DH's parents, tend to forget/ glaze over his birthday since it's the day before Christmas Eve, and I can only imagine it's worse for Christmas Eve/ Day babies. It hurts his feelings and he hates it. The waiting right now really sucks I am certain, but the good news is that you are giving yourself a nice little breather between Christmas and his birthday for his lifespan.
I hope he decided that *rightnow* is a great time to show up! Until then, thinking of you and sending you lots of good labor vibes.
Absolutely all of this. I was 5 days late with Mads & was absolutely miserable... I remember that every day felt like a year. To make matters worse , 2 friends of mine who were both due a few days after me gave birth a week early, on my birthday. All of the phonecalls & texts definitely don't help either. I was the grouchiest person alive I swear. Hang in there & I agree with doing something good for yourself each day to help pass the time & keep yourself same... He'll be here before you know it!! Thinking of you & praying for you....
I totally understand! I was enduced at 39 weeks because my contractions started at 37 weeks. I was in L&D several times during week 37 and 38 with consistent contractions. I was 3.5cm, 90%effaced, they kept feeling my water bulge with every contraction, and they still kept sending me home! Finally, at my 38 week appt my BP was 150/100 so the doctor sent me to the ER for tests. All were fine, so I was on bed rest until the induction.
Even though all of that sucked, my labor was REALLY fast once the induction started. Once the doctor broke my water, I went from 3.5-10cm within an hour. The 2.5 hours of pushing is what held up the process.
Just be ready- if your water breaks on its own, get there fast! Your body has been working so hard that it might not take long.
Life of mrsjanks
Big hugs, Katie. I definitely understand the waiting game on and after the due dates comes and goes. It stinks!!
Hopefully Baby K will be on his way very soon, and you can have some relief. You are not letting anyone down, he is simply all comfy and cozy and not ready yet.
GL at tomorrow's appointment, hopefully there will be some progress!
Oh Katie. Big hugs. It's those damn hormones. These won't be the only tears you shed in the coming weeks, I'm afraid....
The great news is the baby will not be in there forever
Just think that all this work your body is doing now is less time you'll have to spend in L&D 
Also, an "inside" baby is way way way easier to take care of. Feed the baby? Just feed yourself! Not that easy on the outside 
As trite as it is, go do things that will be hard once baby comes (nails, movies, etc). Also, sleep and relax (I know, I know....).
Hang in there - it won't be long now!
Our crazy, wonderful life
I don't have much to add, because the girls already said everything I could. I hope your LO comes out to meet his Mommy and Daddy ASAP! I pray that you will have a fast and easy delivery, with you and LO being safe and healthy. Take is easy (I'm sure you are) and tell DH to tell people to back off about asking if LO has arrived. We got tons of that also, and we both just had to get a little bit of an attitude and things seemed to improve a little bit.
I am so excited to hear when LO arrives. Have a great time getting to know LO in the hospital, when you come home, etc. Take tons of pictures!
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It's so easy to say when you're not going through it at the moment, but try to relax and enjoy the final moments/hours/days of anticipation. I often think back to that time right before having Nora and I realize that I will never again get to experience that. Sure, I plan to have another baby some day--but for that pregnancy, I'll already have Nora, so it'll just be... different. The excitement of expecting that first baby, having no idea what labor/delivery will be like, cherishing the last few days of just you and your husband--you'll never have it again!
And I know you probably want to punch me in the face right now, but believe me, some day you will feel the same way, and will be giving the same advice to someone else in your position.
With all of that said, I do hope your little boy comes out to meet you very soon!
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You girls are awesome. Thank you so much for lifting my spirits.
At the doc's office this morning, I was 3-4cm dilated, over 80% effaced, -2 station. She scheduled an induction for next Tuesday, but said she really doubts I'll go that long. She stripped my membranes and said she thinks my water will break either today or tomorrow.
Claire Elizabeth 12/31/2011
Married Bio
My doc stripped my membranes at my appointment on Thursday mid-morning, and I went into labor on Friday night. IJS. Also, 3-4 cm is crazy good for not even being in labor yet. Once you go, it'll probably be very quick. GOOD LUCK!
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I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel exactly like you did when my due date hit. Physically, I felt fine, but emotionally I was a freaking mess! Since then I've learned that a baby is going to come when baby is ready to come. I've witnessed many clients go well past their estimated due dates and it sucks for every one of them. As their doula, I assure them that they will not be pregnant forever and that baby is just finishing up its final growing.
I know it's hard, but try to think of it this way: you've already been pregnant for 40 weeks, you can get through at most 2 weeks more (probably not that long though). You are a strong woman and your body and baby know when the perfect time is.
And, please do not feel like you are letting people down, if anything you are doing what is best for you and your baby by letting that baby come on its own terms rather than medical terms. It is very rare for a first time mom to have her baby before her due date. The average first time mom goes at 41 weeks 2 days.
Try to relax, enjoy a glass of red wine, a bath, and a massage. Many of those OWT induction methods will only work if your body and baby are right on the verge of spontaneous labor. Ignore the facebook and text messages and enjoy that baby bump for a bit longer.
This is exactly why I am not declaring a "due date" for baby #2. It messes with your head! :-)
Stay strong, mama! And, rest assured that everything will happen soon.
Neena Mae. 1/7/10
"A baby nursing at a mother's breast is an undeniable affirmation of our rootedness in nature." - David Suzuki
Awesome progress, Katie! I hope that we get to meet Baby K before the New Year:)