I just had to share this. I couldn't sleep last night (ok, so we went to bed at a quarter till ten. I did doze off until eleven when I woke up again), and I just had to take a nice cool bath. I stay in there for about an hour reading and then finally decide I should get out of the tub. I get out, dry off, use the toilet and then wiped. I was rather slimy (had been pretty slimy feeling all day, kind of like clear slug slime, sorry if TMI). I decide to wipe again, and out comes this HUGE glob of mucus! I had never seen so much gathered together, coming from the same place at the same time in my life! I was pretty impressed. I considered going downstairs to measure how much came out (it was between an eighth and a quarter cup, I think) but decided that would be a little twoo weird.

I was so excited, I thought about calling my mom at that time, but whispered it to my hubby instead. He giggled in his sleep and doesn't recall it.

I still am excited. One step closer to maybe Dainyah deciding to make an appearance!

Yay.. how exciting! It shouldnt belong now. With my second I lost my mucus plug the day I had him.. well, I had him after midnight but ykwim. I will say a prayer for you today to have a wonderful birth experience and a beautiful healthy baby.

I lost mine two weeks prior to having Ethan! Good luck!

I lost mine 3 days prior to having Hannah. How exciting! Keep us posted!

Yay Crystal! and I had to laugh about your DH giggling in his sleep like that 8)

Fingers crossed :wink:

Thanks. I called my mom after church and told her and she asked me how far apart the contractions were :shock: . I told her I wasn't having any and she freaked out. She never did lose her plug with either me or my sister until they went in and broke her water during labor. So, I had to explain to her that the plug can come out well in advance of labor even starting.....

I've been teasing my husband all day about talking to me in his sleep last night. It was a pretty coherent conversation too.....The giggling when I told him I lost my plug is still cracking me up.

I tihnk I should go and find someting to do. I took a five hour nap today, probably shouldn't have slept that long, but oh, it was nice. The dogs wouldn't leave me alone though. They both had to snuggle right up to me. Then, when I got up, they got off the bed (I know they shouldn't be up there, but if we don't let the puppy up there, she eats the carpet which I do not want to replace since we rent) and went downstairs, but when I didn't follow immdeiately, they both came up and sat at the door until I came down. I let them outside and neither of them would move off the back porch....I wonder what they may be sensing....

Crystal - if you took a 5 hr nap, your body must have really needed it! 8)

I know at the moment I can't function without my nap.

I lost my mucus plug a few days before going into labor with my daughter. Your time is coming girly! So excited!!! :mrgreen:

I lost my mucus plug 2 weeks before my dd was born.

I lost it 3 days before ds was born...

Girl...DON'T apologize for that nap or any others! Be downright greedy about your sleep! You're gonna need it! :lol:

Ok, so I can nap whenever and where ever I want now, right? I can not believe how tired I am again today. I slept decently last night. Of course, there were the countless trips to the bathroom.....but that is pretty normal right now. I got up at a quarter to eleven and had lunch with Peter before he left for work, sorted laundry and started a load and felt like I was just going to collapse from the exhaustion! So, I got on the computer. Then, I put that load in the dryer, started the dishwasher and got down another load of laundry and had to sit in the recliner for an hour. It is now about time for me to start supper. Peter's lunch break at work is to be about four and he wants my breakfast casserole. It doesn't take too long to put together, but it takes about an hour to bake. And I have two more loads of laundry that need done, another load of dishes and the vacuuming needs done desperately.

If I weren't pregnant, I would think I had leukemia or mono or something with how exhausted I've been. Whatever happened to that burst of energy that we are supposed to be getting about now? I think it is all a lie!!!!!!! If this is how the end of this goes, I can't imagine being pregnant again with an older child to take care of. I want to try and space them 18-26 months apart, but I don't know if I could do it right now. Guess we can just adopt from here on out, or Peter can get pregnant next time....

And I have been so slimy all day. I am getting sick of the slug slime leaching from my body. Guess it is just a part of the show, but I wish it was bloody so that way I know the end is nearer. This is just clear slime!!!! Like fertile mucus day each month, only slimier. Kind of gross, but kind of fascinating at the same time.

I've been having a talk with Dainyah most of today telling her how nice it is outside and how much she'll like it. How she'll get presents (I haven't been bribing her today, but I may start that later this afternoon), and get snuggled and have tons of people who love her who want to hold her and see her, and how she'll have way more room to stretch. So far, all she does is burrow into my back like, ha ha, I like it here. I don't have to do anything!!!! You breathe, eat and go potty for me. I am nice and warm and comfy, why come out?

At this point, if I weren't so exhausted, I would walk to the store (about 3/4 mile away) and buy some black licorice, a coconut, and a bottle of castor oil (only to be used on the 28th if I don't go into labor by then to avoid being induced by my midwife).

She'll come out. Someday, I hope. I am getting sick of the Come out, come out, where ever you are song from the Wizard of Oz running through my head. I have lost track how many days it has played nearly constantly in my head. And I know where she is!!!! And it isn't like a house fell anywhere near her and she's hiding!!!!

I hope your time comes soon. I never lost my plug...or if I did it came out really slowly. My DD was also a week to the day late, but I don't remember being that tired. Maybe your body is realizing how tired you will be after she comes, and it's trying to talk you into storing some sleep....LOL! I know it's what everyone says, but sleep as much as you possibly can, because once labor starts, it's hard to nap, and then baby is there and you never sleep again...haahaa just kidding, you do get some sleep, but never like you did pre-DD!

I pray your labor is an awesome experience and you turn to the Lord for support. He's there for sure when you need him!

Amber

Oh man.. I hate to be the bearer of bad news..

But that slug slime you speak of.... It gets worse with every pregnancy and starts sooner each time too...

Mine disgusts me!! And I am only half way there! I thought my water broke about 4 weeks ago and when I went in the midwife did a speculum exam and said... no water.... but a heck of a lot of mucus..

Gross....

Uh, thanks Bekah.

Well, dinner is finally in the oven, but I have yet to get anything else done. I have played quite a few games of tetris though....

I've had a few random b/h contractions today. Nothing notable though.

I'm still praying to go on Wednesday for sure. That is Peter's late dad's birthday and I think it would be special for the first grandbaby to be born on that day. His mom isn't too keen on that, but that is her problem, not mine.

Still haven't heard from my best friend. She was being induced this morning. She was using the same midwife as I am. Neither of us ever plan on going back to her again.

I just hope she isn't on call when I go into labor, finally.

I have decided the waiting is the worst. In a way, it is like waiting for the second coming. I know it is going to happen, the signs are there, but when?!?!?!?!

As my husband keeps singing to me, Soon and very soon, we are going to have a kid. I hope the soon is soon.

Amber your baby is BEAUTIFUL!

Crystal, I know what you mean about the slug slime thing ugggg. I have run out of breathable panty liners so I am changing my underpants regularly instead which makes more washing. EWWWW !!! (mind you, the slug slime is double with twins)

Being that exhausted is normal! UGG I had one of those days yesterday and I accidentally fell asleep on the bed until I woke up with DD shining a torch in my face (don't freak anyone, my house is completely kid proofed)

Our thoughts and prayers are with you :D

Thank you Aussie_Mum....we think Emma is a blessing from the Lord!

Thanks for the heads up about the slime being worse the second time around. This is actually my fourth pg, but we lost the first two, and I don't remember much slime in the beginning, and not much with Emma really..so maybe I won't have that problem this time...but I will be prepared!

Amber

Ha! I had hardly any slime with my first pregnancy... It was pretty bad with my second and this one is just nasty... I will be glad when I don't have to worry about it anymore!!

You try slime with twins LOL LOL DOUBLE THE SLIME.

Why do you think that would be? It is your cervix and v-canal that is producing mucus not the babies...

But I'll keep that in mind...

Bekah - when I was having the twins in my prior pregnancy I found EVERYTHING was so much more extreme to what I am experiencing now in my single pregnancy.

I was EXTREMELY slimey and had no choice but to wear pads.... this time around, every symptom (apart from the morning sickness which was worse) - is so much more less noticable - including slime.

I was told by midwives etc taking care of me, that things would be going crazy in my body because of the extra needs of carrying two babies not just one.

It's all soooo different - it's astounding - :D

I was wondering how you were doing? I pray your baby comes soon and I am excited to hear all about it :)

Bekah I'm guessing there is probably twice as much if you are carrying twins. I looked on the net and this is what BabyCenter says...

Is it my imagination or do I have a lot more vaginal discharge now?

It's not your imagination. It's quite common to have more vaginal discharge during pregnancy. What you're noticing is probably normal leukorrhea — the odorless or mild-smelling milky fluid discharge that you occasionally found in your underwear before you were pregnant. There's just a lot more of it now, partly because of increased estrogen production and greater blood flow to the vaginal area. This discharge is made up of secretions from the cervix and vagina, old cells from the walls of the vagina, and normal bacterial flora from the vagina.




So I guess with twins there'd be more Estrogen production and more blood flowing to the vaginal area.... that's just my guess :wink: I really have no idea.

There is probably more of all those pregnancy hormones if you are carrying twins so a lot of pregnancy symptoms/pains are probably twice as bad.

Makes sense Renee! Thanks for looking that up!

No baby for us yet. I am praying like a mad woman to have this child come out!

I so want her today.

I think I feel my cervix getting pushed on by her head. It is a slight burning sensation with a feeling of stretching. I've had it before though. She keeps moving herself lower and lower and lower. I half expect to look down there one of these times to have her looking up at me and saying, Hi Mom! I honestly have no idea how in the world she is able to stay in me this low. I felt her hand hitting my pubic bone a while ago!!!! Talk about a weird feeling...

I did have two massive bm's in the past 24 hours. I hope that is indicative of something!!!!!!!

At this point, I am ready to try nearly anything to get things started. I have a midwife's appt. on Friday that I would love to not have to go to. And if I go soon, I won't have to worry about having her on Monday. I do not want her to come on Monday (Monday is the one year anniversary of the day we lost our first one to miscarriage. I honestly don't think I could handle it being the same day). My midwife has me scheduled to be induced on the 29th if I don't go by then. I do not want induced at all. After all the reading I've done on pitocin, it scares me. My best friend who had her's this past Monday was induced. She said it was terrible when they started the pitocin. That it was ten times worse than their first one (she was induced with the first one, but she walked in at five cm that day and they would keep turning down the drugs since she was so far dilated, so she didn't get the full effect). She hurt so bad, they gave her staydol, and that just pretty much paralyzed her. She said everyone thought she was sleeping because she could not move at all. They then gave her an epidural. She was able to function with that one at least. Her daughter is absolutely precious!!!! Abby was about 8 lbs and 22 and1/4 inches long. Her daddy calls her the human snake because she is so long. I want my baby!!!! It was hard leaving the hospital last night without mine being out of me.

I know, I know, she'll come when she's ready. I pray she is ready soon. I am sick of walking the mall trying to start labor. In fact, we ended up walking both the mall and Target last night (I can not go into Wal-Mart without being asked where the baby is.... :roll: . As if you can't tell I'm still hugely pregnant).

I'll try and keep you all updated as time keeps ticking by. No promise if I will be able to get on before we go to the hospital though. Depends on a lot of factors.

Crystal, who is thinking of buying a trampoline, setting it up in the back yard and jumping on it this afternoon to get Dainyah out. That is after a HUGE meal of black licorice and coconut milk.

Crystal,

I'll bet that you're really climbing the walls. On my due date when labor didn't start, I felt rather deflated to say the least.

I'm also terrified of induction and I've been in the situation of avoiding it quite recently, as my pregnancy went 2 days shy of 42 weeks.

If you want to know any ideas, feel free to PM me.

I'll be praying for you.

I have quite the list of natural labor induction ideas, Ruth. Though, Peter honestly doesn't want me to do it on the theory that she'll come out when she's ready, yet, he has no problem with the pitocin on the 29th if she doesn't. (however, he is pretty sure she is coming soon and we won't need to worry about it)

I am having very hot and spicy food for lunch today.

I have had my third bm in the past 24 hours now. My rear end is starting to hurt from it.

I called my mom with a cooking question earlier and she thought it was to tell her we were going to the hospital. She told me she had a preminition that it would be today. I wonder if my MIL has had one too.....They both have been known to have feelings and just knowing that something is going to happen before it does.

I think I am going to go and nibble on some more salsa. We got the hot stuff yesterday that I can't normally stand....

Crystal - aww I thought you must have gone in yesterday! Poor you!

I remembered my Mum has this book called "Foods that heal" and it claims that eating Fennel can induce labour.

I know you said you had a list of remedies, just thought I would mention anyway :wink:

May not be safe, the book didn't actually say it was unsafe, it just said "don't eat when pregnant because it causes contractions"

[balloons] AM

Awwww, did the coconut water not work? Will be praying for you and baby! The time will come soon and i can't wait as i'm sure you can't either. :wink:

I don't know if I told you all how I was meant to be induced but ended up having my waters break on me while lying in the hospital bed. Well the midwife asked me to drink three glasses of water before that. Sophie was being too active so they couldn't induce me and she said I needed to drink some water and I was peeved off and wanted to ask her what on earth that would do LOL Well I drunk the water and I don't know if it had anything to do with it, but my waters broke after a couple of hours.
I know I don't drink enough especially water. :wink:

Perhaps you just need to drink a ton of water? :wink:

I haven't tried the coconut. My husband won't bring me one [crytantrum] [crysad] [thumbsdown] . I think I may have him talked into some black licorice though when he gets off work in forty five minutes. I asked him why not both, and he said he doubted I would eat the licorice if he bought it since I hate that more than coconut, and he isn't too keen on me trying to start labor myself. He keeps telling me that she'll come out when she is ready. The meany.

AM-I can not stand fennel, I think it tastes like licorice, but not as sweet. But then, desperate times call for desperate measures. However, if we go through and catalog all the things that can cause uterine contractions, I am sure we wouldn't be allowed to eat anything. And the food lists are so restrictive as it is.

I hope this is over soon. I have had to pee every fifteen or so minutes most of the day, I have felt her head banging my pelvic floor and twisting on it (I kept begging her to go harder, it was ok), she had a horrid case of hiccups earlier and felt like she was kind of scratching me on the inside, and I told her to go ahead and break the sac of water, however, none of it worked. I wonder if I am just going to end up having a strong willed child. She won't obey me!!!! I know that getting dehydrated will start contractions, however, that makes them worse too and isn't too good for either of us.

Well, time to go and find something to do to keep my mind from going over the edge. So far, one phone call today to see if I had had her yet. I figure tomorrow will be worse, and Friday. ARGH. So, if anyone calls me, don't expect me to answer!!!!

Maybe if I start to reroof the house....it is needing done....just have to go and buy shingles though, and well, that isn't my responisbility. That's the land lords.

Hey... I know this is going to sound catty... but I am wondering why your husband won't let you try natural things to bring on labor? It isn't like you are only 37 weeks.

Sigh... I just feel bad for you. Because guys truly don't know how we feel.

Hugs! And I hope you have your baby soon.

I know that getting dehydrated will start contractions, however, that makes them worse too and isn't too good for either of us.

What I meant was to drink a ton of water, not to not drink water :wink: I drank three glasses and all of a sudden my waters just broke. :shock:

Peter's philosophy on Dainyah is that she will come when she's ready. I keep trying to convince him that the natural induction methods really don't work unless she is ready. We did talk some last night, and he isn't too keen on the idea of me being induced next week. He just was shocked at the office when she suggested it. Then at my response at the first date given.

My MIL called this morning to tell us to use her cell IF she decided to come today as she is in a conference. I told her I highly was doubting she'd ever show up. So, she had me put the phone to my belly and she talked to her grand daughter and told her it was ok to come out.

I have another friend who was being induced today. That leaves just me, and the my friend who isn't due until December 27th now to go.

I have to find something to do!!!! Something not baby related to keep my mind occupied. Maybe I'll get Peter to drive me to one of the antique malls around here to go browsing later. He has today off work.

I haven't tried the coconut. My husband won't bring me one [crytantrum] [crysad] [thumbsdown] . I think I may have him talked into some black licorice though when he gets off work in forty five minutes. I asked him why not both, and he said he doubted I would eat the licorice if he bought it since I hate that more than coconut, and he isn't too keen on me trying to start labor myself. He keeps telling me that she'll come out when she is ready. The meany.

AM-I can not stand fennel, I think it tastes like licorice, but not as sweet. But then, desperate times call for desperate measures. However, if we go through and catalog all the things that can cause uterine contractions, I am sure we wouldn't be allowed to eat anything. And the food lists are so restrictive as it is.

I hope this is over soon. I have had to pee every fifteen or so minutes most of the day, I have felt her head banging my pelvic floor and twisting on it (I kept begging her to go harder, it was ok), she had a horrid case of hiccups earlier and felt like she was kind of scratching me on the inside, and I told her to go ahead and break the sac of water, however, none of it worked. I wonder if I am just going to end up having a strong willed child. She won't obey me!!!! I know that getting dehydrated will start contractions, however, that makes them worse too and isn't too good for either of us.

Well, time to go and find something to do to keep my mind from going over the edge. So far, one phone call today to see if I had had her yet. I figure tomorrow will be worse, and Friday. ARGH. So, if anyone calls me, don't expect me to answer!!!!

Maybe if I start to reroof the house....it is needing done....just have to go and buy shingles though, and well, that isn't my responisbility. That's the land lords.

Go get yourself a coconut girl! [rofl] I'm just kidding i wouldn't want to cause trouble if you hubby doesn't want you to. I hate coconut water myself but was willing to try anything and since i knew it had worked for someone i decided to try it and it worked for me too! Hopefully you can convince hubby and then just chug that water so you won't taste it. :wink:

Yup... natural induction won't work unless you are really about to go into labor anyhow...

Well... maybe you can convince him to let you do something over the weekend to avoid the pitocin induction (which by the way... most times doesn't work either if your body isn't ready!)

Ok, here's the current scoop.

Turns out I had a midwife's appt. this morning at 9:45. I thought it was tomorrow :oops: . They called this afternoon to track me down and I got to go right over for the lovely visit. At least we were already on our way to Wal-Mart to get some bread and I think I finally have Peter conned into getting a coconut (he forgot to get bread last night, I tacked the licorice on and he left without either, and I really wanted a sandwich last night, but our bread was moldy). So, after apologizing profusly to the nurses, the midwife and the receptionists, I got in and I lost a quarter pound (but the nurse marked me as weighing the same as last week) and my blood pressure was 122/77. I have never been as high as 77 before, that kind of wigged me out (my average is closer to 107/60). Then, the nurse couldn't find Dainyah's heartbeat. That started to wig me out then (she was turned on her side, this was just after a nice rousing game of head bang and grind on mommy's pelvic floor). We finally find it. Then, the midwife finally comes in and measured me and asked about inducing on Monday again (I guess it would work better for her, I said nope, not that day at all) and she gives me a pelvic, and I am finally close to four cm and about 70-75% effaced. I told Peter before we walked in that if by some miracle I was between five and six cm, I was begging to be taken to the hospital and get this over with, at that point, I didn't care how! So, she set the time of inducement for 6:30 am on next Friday. I don't have to go back in unless something happens before then. Though, for the third visit in a row, she told me it won't be much longer, I will go on my own, and it will probably be before Monday. If I am induced on Friday, the first words out of my mouth when I see that woman will be LIAR!

After the appt. Peter dropped me off at home because he was nearly late to get to the radio station for his class. So, we will resume our original plans of going to Wal-Mart when he returns in about two hours. Unless by some miracle, I do go into labor or something.

I think I have him convinced now that induction won't work if she's not ready. I am thinking that dinner tonight will be chinese food, black licorice and coconut water. He was like, that sounds nice? Ick. I love chinese food, however, my body is pretty acclimated to it (why is it that the people in china don't use it to induce?). Then, someone told me Italian food will do it too. I make that quite a bit, so I am acclimated pretty well to that one too. I just want this child out!!!! In fact, my MIL called this morning to tell us to use her cell phone if anything happend and insisted I put the phone up to my belly so she could talke to Dainyah. I did because I thought it was funny.

Well, I need to go and check a few things and find something else to snack on. Peter ate what I wanted to eat for lunch (pepperoni pocket things) and left the ones I hate (philly cheesesteak ones), so I'm not too happy. I just had some chips and salsa. And I don't feel like cooking.

Oh well.

I heard mexican food will do it... Didn't work for me though!

Tried mexican last night. Didn't do it for me either. I make mexican a lot too.

Oh well. She'll come. Someday, I hope.

Now, to find the exemption forms from the state on a few things. Like the newborn heel prick. ARGH. The way it is done in this state is crazy. The blood is collected, then sent to the state lab, and the results are released to the state. As if they need to know if my baby has one of the 26 things they test for. It is not the state's business if my child has a genetic disorder!!!! Then, reading through the website and all the info (state's health and senior services site, pain to navigate I might add), it says that 87% of the tests come back fine, the rest mandate more testing. At the rates of incidences of what the test for to begin with (which, we aren't in any high risk group for them anyway), that is an awful lot of false positives and probabilities. And some of the stuff they test for doesn't show up until a few weeks after birth anyway! Is it me, or is our health care system here in the states starting to go socialist? I mean, mandating what I have to have done to my child, making it hard to get exemptions, next to impossible to get a religous exemption if you don't necesarrily belong to a denomination or faith that says these things are wrong. If you think they are wrong on principal, practice or the way they are done, you are up a creek. Whatever happened to informed consent, level headed thinking and making decisions for yourself? Is the government that much in need of control and things to spend money on? ARGH. Ok, enough of that soapbox...

I have about an hour until my husband comes home. I am getting bored.

And hungry.

And Dainyah just got done beating the tar out of my pelvic floor again. I so expect to look down there after she does it one of these times to find I have a baby peeking out at me, with the look of, wow, how did I get out here?

So the coconut water didn't work? Or is that what you're going to try tonight?

I am buying a coconut in a few minutes. I will try it tonight. Unless we spend too much on other groceries.

Right now I am craving oreos and hot tea.

I totally know what you mean! I live in NY and there is NO way around the PKU test, vitamin K shot and antibiotic cream in the eyes... unless you have a homebirth.

Makes me mad!

We don;t get the cream in the eyes over here - I have never actually heard of that.... :shock:

Crystal - I so know what you mean about the food and all the restrictions and all the claims that this causes labour and this causes that bla bla.
It's annoying to say the least! :shock:

I don't really know if I personally believe in the coconut thing because I use coconut milk and cream in my cooking all the time and have done through the whole preg and it's done nix - but perhaps people are referring to raw coconut???? (is that it?)

HUGS to you

AM

Ok, it is eight o'clock our time here at home. I just downed a coffee mug of coconut water. It was nasty. My husband went to the kitchen and used his drill to get it open, poured it into the cup and said, I didn't know there was this much liquid in one of these things. I gagged all but one swallow down. I made him taste it. It was strong tasting.

We'll see what we shall see. Now to figure out what to do with the rest of the coconut...Neither of us like the stuff. I am thinking of hollowing it out and making candles or a planter or something. I refuse to eat it!

I'll let you know.

How long is this supposed to take if it works?

The coconut water made the baby rather active. I don't think she liked it either....

I have had some gas. At least that is what I think it was. A bit of pressure too, but that is it so far. And it is now 9:30.

I think I want to take a shower and go to bed.

I keep burping and tasting the coconut mixed in with our dinner. We had pizza. It is a nasty combination. I do not reccomend it.

Maybe later. Who knows? If not, then tomorrow it is black licorice.

It is starting to thunder here. Better get off the computer!

uggg I hate it when foods repeat during pregnancy LOL

Guess we'll see if you're around tomorrow then :wink:

Awww i hope it works. I drank it at around 8pm in the evening and my water broke at 1am in the morning.

It is now twelve hours later. I am still here. I have some minor cramping that started about seven and my lower back is spasming a little. That is all.

I just had a peice of pizza and some reece's pieces for breakfast. And am on my second glass of water. Then, it is back up to snuggle the husband before he has to get up.

Not sure what today's plan of attack will be yet. We'll see. I know I need to vacuum, so if I do a marathon vacuuming job, drink about three thermal cups of water and climb up on my roof and jump down, we may have some success? Who knows. I hate heigthts thought. With a passion. They send me into panic attacks. Might skip the roof thing.

Hi Crissyanna,
I was 10 days late with my dd and terribly afraid of being induced. I tried every method to try to get the contractions to start but nope. Finally someone told me to try hanky panky :oops: , and lo and behold that worked. I went into labor a few hours later.....tmi I know :oops: But it's maybe worth a try. Will be praying that the contractions start soon.

What Eva said is what worked for us... Went into pretty hard labor about an hour later...

Yeah, my midwife told me that it's something in the man's sperm (am I allowed to say that on here :? ) that cause contractions to start. I should maybe research it and then post it on here so that you can have fact instead of my mommy brain trying to remember details :D

What was the standard amount of time over for most of you before induction came up as an option? My midwife wouldn't even consider sending me to the doc for an ultrasound to check the baby's condition until about 42 weeks. And induction wouldn't even be mandatory at that point, as far as I understand, unless the baby was in danger.

After all 37-42 weeks is considered full term. 40 weeks is just an average.

I have never had to worry about it both kids were born a couple days before 38 weeks. But the midwife did tell me they induce at 42 weeks. But if you want to they will consider it at 41 weeks. Although they really want to give your body every chance to start labor on its own.


And Eva it is something in the semen... A hormone called Prostagladins... that would be what you would get if you were induced.... some type of prostagladin gel or suppository next to your cervix to "ripen" it.

My midwife insists on inducing during week 41. I know, that is EARLY!!!! I am scheduled to be at the hospital on the 29th (she wanted to do it Monday the 25 and even brought it up again yesterday about that day, guess it just works better for her, I told her no way on this earth). However, the date I figured and two different online due date predictors figured for me was the 28th! I went off the day my temps spiked to signal ovulation, she went off LMP. And I have longer cycles :roll: . I've always had longer cycles. When I questioned her about it at the begining of all this, she said it didn't matter since I would probably go "late" anyway. Now, I am "late" and she wants to induce. She was so nice to tell me that I would probably go by Monday yesterday. I was close to 4 cm dilated and 70-75% effaced. But then, she's been saying the last three appts. that I probably will pop soon, and that she wouldn't be seeing me at my next scheduled appt. If I go in on Friday to be induced (am tempted to cancel it, trying to come up with some reason she can't argue with), I am so calling her a liar to her face. And since I am so far dilated, no prostglandin E gel suppositories for me, it will be straight pitocin. Thanks, um, no.

I know that sex can help labor to start. But can we do that if I don't have my plug? I think we can, just that it kind of scares me because of how low Dainyah is inside of me. She is very very low. And I know it would freak my poor husband out if my water broke on him doing that. We've had that lovely conversation several times.

Well, the mail man just went. Might as well go and see if I got anything worth while today. Probably not. Rarely ever do. We are still getting a lot of mail for the previous tenents and we have lived here since January! Including stuff from the department of education, the local high school, loan stuff and all this other stuff. It is annoying. Then, we started getting mail for my late FIL three weeks ago. He's been dead for close to seven years, never lived with us, let alone in this house. That is really annoying.

Talk to you later. I doubt I'll go into labor today. But, maybe God has a surprise for me. I hope so. I do not know how much longer I can last like this.

You can have sex until your water breaks... That is when you would be at risk for infection...

That's what I had thought and have read. But then, I have read that when you get close to the due date, you should use condoms. I can't, latex allergy and the price of the non-latex is insane.

My MIL called us three weeks ago when I started to dilate and told my husband we shouldn't be having sex at all until after the hiatus. That was a fun conversation. He was rather squirmy on the phone.... It took me two weeks to convince him it was safe that time (sad thing was, he decided we weren't going to until after the baby before she called that night)....Talk about a long two weeks for me filled with frustration and confuzzelement as he didn't tell me why he decided to stop and turn me down. We finally had it out, I cried for two days straight, he finally decided it was ok to do it, and I can't bring myself to want it at all right now. Long story. Oh well, guess I should have made ravioli for supper tonight instead of bbq pork. Another story there.

Well, my grandma sent me a book that finally got here today, so I am going to go and read it. Well, I should after I do some housework. I just plain don't want to do any. Though, I really need to vacuum. I've put it off for so long, I have enough dog hair on my carpet to make another dog or two.

The reason that they tell you to use condoms towards the end would be to avoid having the prostaglandins near you cervix in fear that it might make you go into early labor...

But just like any kind of inducement it won't work if your body isn't already ready to go into labor.

Thanks for clearing that up!

I have come to the conclusion that the coconut water didn't work. At least not for me. Oh well, guess we try something else. I have been doing all my computer work sitting on the exercise ball today and bouncing on it. The puppy thinks it is a game though and tries to get into my lap (a very codependant beagle who is actually close to five months old).

You have no idea how tempted I am to sterlize my longest crochet hook and use it like an amnio-hook at the moment. I know better, but I am sure tempted.

I pray the baby will be joining us soon and safely. I wish I had the secret, but don't we all!

If you are already that far dilated I would seriously try the baby dance! ;)

My best friend's first, she walked in to be induced at 5 cm! I pray that isn't me. This time (she had her daughter on Monday), they just went ahead and induced her at six days late.

I had another friend who was induced yesterday.

Found out yesterday, another friend of mine is pregnant and due in February. I have a friend due Dec. 27th.

I will still be pregnant when they have their babies. At least, that is what it feels like at the moment!

Time to haul laundry upstairs. Maybe that will do something.

My midwife insists on inducing during week 41. I know, that is EARLY!!!! I am scheduled to be at the hospital on the 29th (she wanted to do it Monday the 25 and even brought it up again yesterday about that day, guess it just works better for her, I told her no way on this earth). However, the date I figured and two different online due date predictors figured for me was the 28th! I went off the day my temps spiked to signal ovulation, she went off LMP. And I have longer cycles :roll: . I've always had longer cycles. When I questioned her about it at the begining of all this, she said it didn't matter since I would probably go "late" anyway. Now, I am "late" and she wants to induce. She was so nice to tell me that I would probably go by Monday yesterday. I was close to 4 cm dilated and 70-75% effaced. But then, she's been saying the last three appts. that I probably will pop soon, and that she wouldn't be seeing me at my next scheduled appt. If I go in on Friday to be induced (am tempted to cancel it, trying to come up with some reason she can't argue with), I am so calling her a liar to her face. And since I am so far dilated, no prostglandin E gel suppositories for me, it will be straight pitocin. Thanks, um, no.

Crystal, you nailed the nail on the head girlfriend! It's your body and you don't have to be induced that early if you don't want to! Like you said, your true due date is the 28th, so induction on the 29th puts you only one day past that.

Shame on your midwife for saying that it didn't matter about your due date because you'd probably go late! She wanted to induce you before you would have been even a week over her due date.

If my midwife had gone by my LMP due date I would have delivered Hannah 3 weeks late! Yikes. That's one reason why I'm so adamantly anti-41 week induction, because probably half of us aren't even technically due by the end of 41 weeks.

I'm praying for your wisdom in this situation.

My best friend's first, she walked in to be induced at 5 cm! I pray that isn't me. This time (she had her daughter on Monday), they just went ahead and induced her at six days late.

I had another friend who was induced yesterday.

Found out yesterday, another friend of mine is pregnant and due in February. I have a friend due Dec. 27th.

I will still be pregnant when they have their babies. At least, that is what it feels like at the moment!

Time to haul laundry upstairs. Maybe that will do something.


Hi Crissyanna!

I've been MIA for a while and wondered if your little one had arrived yet! Soon enough your little bundle of joy will be here and you'll never want to let go!

ITA with you, your body, your decisions. After all, your having this baby, not them!! And your midwife, you think she'd be a little encouraging and nicer to you...

I'm prayin' for you sweetie! :wink:

Thanks Ruth. Seems like most around here are going for the 41 week inducement thing. I so want a homebirth.........I know, wishful dreaming in this state. Maybe for the next one.

Hauling the laundry upstairs hurt. No contractions though. I have had a bit of pressure down there today, but nothing much. I did have some cramping when I woke at seven to use the bathroom this morning, but it stopped after I did that, let the dog out and ate something.

Sitting on this exercise ball is making my back ache. Not thinking it is contractions though.

Oh well. She'll come when she comes. Just that I'm getting annoyed, I am so sick of being pregnant, and well, I am sick to death of dealing with my midwife. After yesterdays, we discussed inducing on Monday last visit, right? As if I was going to change my mind. At least she hasn't brought up the birth control issue again. When I handed her the info on what we had chosen to try and continue with, she hardly looked at it and handed it back to me. I printed off ten pages from the CCLI website with good hard evidence as to it's worth for her and she just hands it back to me. Oh well. If she tries pushing the IUD again.....I do not want to be held liable for my actions. And if we decide to not induce a week from today, I do not want to deal with any grief from her over it. I guess she is used to just having people do what she thinks is best for them. Peter and I were discussing not being induced on Friday last night, and I told him that there would be a good chance that she would try to get a non-stress test or a bio-physical profile done if we didn't. I don't want to do either of those, no indication of anything wrong anyway, and I highly doubt insurance would agree to covering it. Why can't medical professionals be professional and let their patients decide and make decisions for themselves? I mean, come on, I don't think I'm stupid. I read, I research, I know my options, thanks.

Though, part of me is not looking forward to labor because when I went in last time, I felt like such a prisoner in that bed. It was horrible. Two monitors attached to my stomach (they had me wear a "belly band" which is like a huge white elastic knee brace, and boy did that itch. That was to hold the monitors in place), hooked up to the finger thing to measure O2 saturation, and a blood pressure cuff that was set to go off every fifteen minutes. I had to get unhooked to use the bathroom and the nurse had to type into the computer why there was no documentation for a time. As if I want to be regulated like that. Then, the stupid monitor wouldn't register my contractions unless I was on my back, but that was sending me into back labor and that is not pleasant to say the least, so I laid on my side instead and was told by the computer I wasn't having any. I was sure having them, thanks. Then, Dainyah would move around and it would lose her and start things dinging. Though, it was kind of funny when she went into her nightly bout of hic-cups while being monitored.

Those of you have the option of home birth, I am so jealous. I pray I can next time. That either state laws change, more dr.s will back up a midwife (only like five in this state do, and they are all hours away from here) or we move. Or, I succeed from the union and make my own. Though, I don't think that one would work too well.

Thanks Jamie. You were typing the same time I was.

No, obviously no baby for us yet. I can't wait though. If I'm awol here a few days, that is probably why.

Crystal, JMO, but if there's absolutely no medical reason why your midwife wants to induce you, I don't see any reason under the sun why you would have to go along with it. Simply the passing of time without evidence of trouble does not constitute an emergency. At the very least, she could wait until 42 weeks to start getting worried. And actually, if you went by your due date (which is the right one anyway!) then your 42 weeks wouldn't be over until almost midway into October and you would be pretty well guaranteed to go into labor naturally, especially since you're already dilating.

I read somewhere that with a correctly calculated due date your chances of going into labor by 42 weeks are about 99%. If your midwife is not familiar with fertility charting, then she needs to get familliar with it. Good for you for sharing NFP pamplets with her! :)


That would sure help cut down inductions if medical professionals would kindly listen to women instead of thinking that they know everything.

Forgive me if I'm ranting. This subject lies near and dear to my heart since without an NFP calculated due date I would have been up a creek without a paddle.

Hey girly, so sorry the coconut water didn't work. :( Praying that the baby will come soon. You mentioned you were cramping a little so more than likely they are little contractions. I started having contractions like a week before my daughter was born. So like somebody suggested (i believe it was Ruth) you should hold off on being induced if you can. Praying for ya!

Who knows Crystal? If Dainyah comes fast enough, you may get a home birth. [rofl] It's funny, but since home birth is so rare anywhere you are, there are people who assume that I may not have made it to the hospital on time or ask, "So was it planned or unplanned?" LOL. I smile and say back, "Yes it was planned. With as long as my labor was, I wouldn't have had a problem with making it to the hospital on time." [rofl]

Crystal I hear you on those belly belts! When I was having pre-term labour stopped I had them on me ALL NIGHT! (with two monitors for two babies).
They didn't turn the sound down so I could get to sleep either, so I was drugged up to my eyeballs and listening all night to them moving and their hearts - a friend of mine had them put on during labour and she demanded to the midwife to take it off as the noise was stressing her out and she did.

Just be forceful with them, they will be trying it on because it's your "first" but it doesn't matter if it's your first, it's still your baby !!

Could you put on your birth plan that you don't want continuous monitoring or is it standard there??

Continuous monitoring is pretty standard unfortunately. And something tells me that even if I hauled in a notorized birth plan, it could very well go unheeded. Peter already has the orders to not leave the baby at all after they take her to the nursery until they bring her back to me (they say it is 2-4 hours for temp observation and get her cleaned up.) I do not want to risk anything being done to her without our permission. The nurse did ask me if I wanted to get up and walk the night of false labor. However, I did decline because I had already been out walking for four hours before that! I was kind of tired. Go figure. And I have to be careful in there because people get too happy to call the department of family services on stupid stuff around here.

I figured the cramps were contractions each time I get them. Especially after the lovely pelvic exams I've had the past three weeks, and the two in the hospital. I normally also get a backache with them too.

I've been trying not to stress today. Though, I've been having the fun of exhibiting hallmarks of depression in me, which can be bad, I know. I've been craving sugar and carbs all day long. And I have given in to most of those urges too (sure hope they don't check my sugar levels if I go in tonight.....They'll decide I developed GD on top of everything. Which I haven't!!!!! I know what I've done. I have had more candy [shouldn't have let the reece's 52 piece bag into the cart last night while grocery shopping] than I have had in the past three months combined. I've been careful with what I eat, and yet I still gained double what the midwife wanted. ARGH). I know what is stressing me out too, and frankly, I just don't know what to do. Oh well. This whole induction thing (I am not scheduled to go back to the office before it is done either, she made it for my post-natal check in 6 weeks instead), this whole mess with state mandated genetic testing garbage for metabolic disorders that are so rare, probably 98% of the US population has never heard of them and the pain it is to get exempted, the fact that I am still pregnant, dilated to a four as of yesterday afternoon and can't wait for this to be over, and the fact that I feel stuck at home. I have given up driving the past month because of how close I need to sit to reach the pedals and steering wheel (I'm short, ok?) and the air bag scares me. Especially the way people drive around here. It is amazing they are even able to get their driver's licenses. And the near 40 lb. weight gain which my midwife isn't happy about anyway (she told me to gain no more than 20. I've been pretty careful too, however, it just happened. I don't eat junk food as a general rule and I have been cooking good meals and everything. In fact, I gave in to my three month craving for oreos and hot tea finally yesterday. Haven't given in to the cocoa krispies craving yet though).

Ok, enough vent. I should just calm down and go fold the laundry lying on my bed. Otherwise, we have no place to sleep tonight. Maybe I'll take a nice cool bath and read in there for a while after the laundry is done. Peter has to finish writing a paper when he's off work tonight, so I'll have some time.

Maybe you'll hear from me tomorrow. Maybe you won't. I don't know. Oh, and Peter actually has Sunday and Monday off from work so I don't know if I'll be on much. He has quite a bit of homework to do and will probably need the computer. I'll be doing gymnastics on Sunday to start labor, and praying she doesn't come on Monday.

Crystal just a quick FYI.
With my first delivery they strapped me down with those belts and the nurse said I had to stay on my back and I felt very confined to my bed.
Same hospital 1 1/2 years later different nurse this time they let me roll on my sides and she also hooked me up to a box that is hooked to an IV pole(it's not an IV) but you can walk all around sit in the rocker or on the birthing ball all while still meeting the rule of being continuosly monitored. I think alot of it has to do with the nurse. Being hooked to the box is more work for them. It was very nice I was able to walk the hall and rock for awhile. I would check to see if your hospital has that available so that you can request it. Also is it absolutely required that they take the baby away for 2-4 hours? Both of my babies were cleaned up and temp checked in my room in fact when Erik had temp problems instead of putting him in a warmer they had him nurse with just a diaper on and had him lie inside my gown skin to skin and then covered me up with warm blankets. I actually had the option to have everything but the weight checks(no scale in the room) and the circumcisions done in my room. But I was given the option to watch the circs I declined.
I truly pray that you have blessed nurses who will go out of their way to make your experince wonderful and stress free there are many of them out there and I hope some find their way to you when it is time.

Crystal...I will pray for you, it has to be hard to desire birth to be one way, and have to follow other people's plans!
I had a homebirth, but we didn't decide and move to our midwife until I was 24 weeks. I am like you and did A LOT of reading, and found out that hospital births tend to be "cookie cutter" as far as the docs are concerned, and the rate of c-sections is crazy, so we chose to homebirth. It's not illegal here in Oregon, and I wanted to let you know for next time...just a kind of FYI, there are birth centers that you can fly to that will accomodate you from a certain point in your pg until you give birth, and for some post partum care all for one fee. I know my midwife is trying to open a birthcenter where people can come and stay to have the births they want!
I just want you to know that I am praying for you, and I hope your birth is a great experience!!

Amber

Mominluv It all sounds really cruel to try and force someone to stay in a position they don;t like or is uncomfortable for them.

Is this to do with insurance issues????? or is it a state to state hospital thing??? or is it to do with whether or not the medical person "on call" is a smart alec or not ???

All my friends have given birth in the position they chose.

You know... technically you are the consumer... and they have to really do what you want to do.

That said... I think it is absurd you have to let them take the baby for 2-4 hours!! I can't believe there is still a hospital that does that! You really should refuse that they do that. The baby is your child and you CAN make decisions for her care. Especially if you plan on breastfeeding. While she is in the nursery they are more likely to give the baby formula or sugar water. A baby needs to bond with mom and try to breastfeed within in the first hour. Do they take her right away or are you allowed to hold her for a little while and try to feed her? Also if they think she has a low temp they will put her naked under a warmer when actually she would warm up faster if she was skin to skin to you.

I know it is hard to refuse things that you don't believe in and I know it is harder to put up a stink about the lab tests... but DON'T let them take your baby!

Okay... that was my rant...

One more thing. You should think about having a doula with your next baby. They are like a patient advocate and would see to it that a lot of what you wanted would be followed.

ITA with what's been said here regarding birthing preferences. Studies have shown that electronic fetal monitoring results in worse outcomes for moms (unnecessary c-sections) and no improvement in babies' outcomes whatsoever. Also, you pretty much have to lie on your back to have the monitoring which is in and of itself a risk. My midwife used a handheld Doppler only to periodically listen to baby's heartbeat. Is there any way that you can request that? Here's the thing, back is the worst position to labor in and can slow down labor. My labor was so long and stalled that if I had to go by that hospital's rules, I would have been in trouble and probably would've ended up with a C-section or Pitocin.

Those fly in birth centers sound like a great option, Amber!

Crystal, on top of everything else, does your midwife like to do episiotomies a lot?

As far as taking the baby to the nursery, unless there's something wrong with her health, you have the right to insist that they do those procedures in your room. She's your child, not the hospital's. However, if they do take her to the nursery, your husband can go with them to make sure that they don't give her any bottles or anything else that you don't want. If I had been transferred to a hospital that's what we would have probably done if they had taken her to the nursery.


Amber, did you use a CPM or a CNM for your homebirth? I used a CPM.

Anyway, done with my rant. Stick up for your rights girlfriend!

Still praying for you.

The only thing with the dad going to the nursery is that sometimes depending on the confidentiality they may ask him to leave if another baby comes into the nursery...

When my ds was born after I had already fed him and things had died down the nurse came in and asked if I wanted to him to have a bath. I said that was fine as long as my dh could go with her. She sad that would be fine. But while he was in there with the nurse and ds another baby came in the nursery so they asked him to leave. I had fallen asleep and hadn't known that or I would have been mad!

So sometimes having dh in there isn't always possible either.

I get to keep the baby with me for an hour after the birth. A whole hour to attempt a feeding and cuddling and the counting of fingers and toes and bonding with daddy. "Hospital policy" is then that the baby is taken to the nursery (daddy gets to push the little cart thingy down) to be bathed and "observed" for at least two hours, rarely no more than four (depends on how busy they are and who's on and stuff like that I guess). The baby is then brought back to you to feed again. The baby is then "allowed" in your room with you while you are awake (no total rooming in at this hospital. We ended up with this one because the insurance we had went through them only, and they do have midwifes, who are normally better than ob's from what I've heard. The other hospital doesn't have midwives, but you labor, deliver and recover in the same room, they have complete rooming in and just seem more family friendly there. Next time, if the insurance allows, and we are still here, that's where we are going). If you go to sleep, they return her to the nursery. Depending on who's there nurse wise, is how often they bring her in to nurse. My best friend, Beth who had her second one last Monday said when we visited them on Tuesday that the nurses there that day were great about bringing Abby in every four hours to feed. With their first one, they would go six hours or longer. During the birthing class we went to and the b/f class I went to, they said that they encourage b/f, and that if the parents don't want it, they will not offer bottles or pacies to the baby. However, I don't trust them too much. They said that daddy can come to the nursery and get the baby anytime after the observation period is over, however, he is not allowed in during shift change or when a new baby is brought in due to confidentiality.

State law mandates that the heal prick is done no later than 72 hours after birth, only exemptions are premies or a religous one. Which, I can't in good concious try for since it doesn't go against our religous beliefs, just moral and ethical ones. So, even though I oppose the whole heal prick thing, I could end up in a TON of legal trouble if I try to get out of it for the reasons I want. And I am not comfortable with filling out a religous exemption because that would be lying and I don't like lying (hugest pet peeve of mine from growing up and being lied to repeatedly over and over again by my parents). I can not find any info on the state's health websites about the vitamin K and eye goop which I don't agree with either.

At this point, I am seriously considering after the hour of "recovery" in the delivery room, I check us out ADR. My husband would have a cow though. He is way more cautious about certain things than I am. He has even mentioned that if we ever get the home birth I want, then we should take the baby to the hospital right away to be checked. I kind of laughed at him for that one though. Told him there was no need, as the midwife in attendance would take care of preliminaries and that we call the ped. and get an appt. for the next day or two. However, that would involved moving to a homebirth friendly state. Or even country right now.

State law also mandates a two night stay after the event for a normal vaginal birth. They decided that the insurance companies couldn't try forcing people out of the hospital within 24 hours in a "drive through" birth thing. However, you can get discharged after one night. I think if you have the baby early enough in the day, and feel fine, you shouldn't feel like you have to stay. If you do leave early, you leave ADR, and could end up in some legal trouble with the kid (I know several DFS social workers from working in the day care, and let's say I don't like very many of them for a reason and the one I do like is on maternity because she was induced on Thursday with their third)

I thought of hiring a doula, however, insurance won't cover it and we don't have the money. In fact, I considered becoming one myself for awhile. Still am, but not until the kids are older. I want to stay home and be a mommy to them first.

The closest birthing center is nearly two hours away. Too far to drive to since fast labors run in my family. Oh well. It is also out of state. I would love to go out to Oregon Amber, doubt the insurance would cover it though, and I really doubt any airline would let me fly at this point either.

When I was in for the false labor last week, they hooked me up on my back, with a towel rolled up under my right hip to keep the baby off the uterine artery. That sent me into back labor so bad, I did consider crying, and I have a very high pain tolerance normally (it freaked out my poor husband too.). I was miserable. I did watch and I know how to disconnect stuff. And I am not afraid at this point to do so. I do not plan on putting on that stupid hospital gown when I go back. The thing felt like it was trying to choke me, let alone how exposed I felt. However, I hate the thought of cleaning my own clothes after this, you know? I basically have to be there by law, so may as well make them do the work of clean up and laundry. I did get on my left side after my fist trip to the bathroom. I just got into bed like that before she hooked me up and only rolled over for her to check how dilated I didn't get in an hour before being sent home. The nurse was nice, but older. She had to enter everything into the computer twice because she would forget to save it, or not type it in right the first time.

So, that is how it pretty much is around here. I know about the risks of fetal monitioring, I know how uncomfortable it all is too (the machine would only pick up the contractions if I was on my back. After I moved to my side, none of them registered at all, and she moved the little disc twice to try and get them to pick up). I decided and told Peter that next time, we don't go in until the contractions are like two minutes apart, or my water breaks since I could end up in trouble with the GBS stuff too (for those who don't know, I tested positive, and now they insist on antibiotics. They want to use penicillian, I won't because it is made from mold, and I am allergic to mold, and my husband's entire family is deathly allergic to penn. and I will not risk the allergy being inherited by Dainyah until she is older. I told them that at the hospital and the nurse went and checked with the OB on call, right outside my door, and she sounded a little irate. At least they didn't hook it up last week, I'd have yeast problems to be miserable with on top of all this).

So, this sure shall be interesting. I think I didn't get any farther last week because I was so upset at being at the hospital, and so uncomfortable and so tense. When we got home, the contractions were hurting way worse than they did even before we left. Took me forever to get to sleep (I refused to take anything to "help" me sleep) and I was sore the next day from it. I added it up, and if you count the cramping from when the midwife stretched my cervix that morning until when they stopped, I was having contractions for a good 14 hours. Most of that was at seven minute intervals or less. I just have a feeling that if I could have had a home birth, Dainyah would have been here by now. Now, I am so not wanting to return to the hospital, I wonder if that is playing a part in this whole baby not coming thing.

Lord willing, we move to a home birthing friendly place come January. Peter is done with classes in December. Our lease is up here the end of January, but we have no idea where we will or may be going for sure yet.

I just get so frustrated with insurance companies nowadays! They tell the docs what to prescribe, how to practice, and everything! We had two really good insurances that would have paid 100% of a hospital birth, but we decided to pull in the belt and pay out of pocket for the birth we felt the Lord wanted us to have! Praise the Lord our midwife let us make payments, she is also a Christian, and feels her practice is her ministry, so she helps people any way she can! We actually didn't finish paying her until Emma was quite a few months old. I think we are going to pay for our next birth with our tax refund, if the state insurance won't pay her!
Ruth~ I used a LPM...I think in Oregon her title is Licensed Practical Midwife. She actually attended a Christian Midwifery school here in Portland, sadly it's now gone, but she isn't a nurse, so no CNM!
It's so scary that you know what's best for your kid, but to make those decisions, you can have your kid taken away from you! Of course it's ok to have the choice to kill your baby when it's still little in your womb, but to keep your kid healthy from unwanted, and unneeded shots and eye goop, NO WAY! One thing that I see that's good from all this, the worse it gets, the closer we are to Jesus coming back, and that will be a great day! :-D

Crystal,
I pray for you and wisdom for you and your husband to know what the Lord wants you to do!

Amber

Thanks Amber. BTW, your Emma is way too cute!

After I got off here earlier, I took a shower, finished a book and then fell asleep on the couch. Woke up at about three. My husband is now really late in coming home for his lunch (should have had it at three, it is now a quarter after four, but they run late in the dept. where he works a lot) and he left his phone here when he left earlier. I ate a sandwich at three and then sat down to play some tetris. Well, I then have to run to the bathroom. I had a very very loose stool!!!!! I have heard that that could mean imminent labor impending!!!! You have no idea how hard I'm praying for another bout of the big D now! (Never have prayed for that one before...). Or something else to happen.

That is it from this psychotic corner of the world. Maybe something will happen later. To quote the midwife on Thursday, "you'll have her by Monday." If I don't, I think I will call her and complain about being lied to again (three appts. in a row, you'll have her by and fill in the blank).

I so am dreading church tomorrow if I don't have her by then.....I had enough, still pregnant? last week. And Peter won't let me skip. Because he'll still go and he'll get all the questions (we run the sound board there. So, unless we have her tonight, he's going since we are the only people who know how to run sound there).

That just totally stinks!

Well... it sounds like you have definitely explored every option. We are very blessed to have a birth center to go to. And that the midwives are really good. There is rooming in and your labor deliever recover then stay post partum in the same room. You never move.

Although if we don't get insurance in the next couple of weeks we will be going with a homebirth because it would be cheaper out of pocket then paying the hospital out of pocket.

I will pray that you have the baby soon!

Wow, I'm getting emotionally involved with this, Crystal. It makes me want to scream and cry to think all of the stupid hospital policies that you have to put up with. :cry:

I think that your plan of going to the hospital when contractions are two minutes apart of when your water breaks is a good idea. My water didn't break until I was pushing, so you may not have to deal with yours breaking early either. Everybody's different though.

Sounds like your birth center is great, Bekah! If you do end up having a homebirth, I know that you'll like it also! My husband and I chose a homebirth initially because of our finances also. And boy I'm glad that we were financially hard up. LOL. Because having a homebirth was wonderful. Sounds like either way you go you will have a great birth.

Can I come and run away to where you all live?

I don't know if I have much longer to wait.....

I have had a second bout of the big D in the past half hour (no, I don't think I am sick). It was mainly stomach acid and the sandwhich I had for dinner. It burned so bad (and I don't have hemmeroids! Sorry if TMI). I feel rather spacy. I tried playing tetris twice, and I can't focus long enough to play a whole game. Then, I tried reading my Smithsonian magazine that came in the mail today (only thing that came today too, at least it wasn't a bill), and I can't concentrate on that longer than a paragraph or two. I have never been this ADD in my life really. All I really want to do is lie around right now. That is it.

So far, it has taken me three times longer than it should have to type this. Though, part of that is the puppy's fault. She got up on the couch and to the table we have behind it and took the container of bubbles off and started parading around the living room with it. She loves watching and trying to catch bubbles, so I blew her some. She is so easily amused.

I think I am going to go and drink a HUGE glass of water and try tetris again. Anything to keep my mind somewhat occupied. Peter gets off work in an hour and a half. After the day he's had, I'm sure he can't wait. I might call my mom. Maybe the stress of that will cause labor to start? Dad called a while ago because my uncle called him and he just pushed a speed dial on the phone and ended up with me instead. I thought it a little funny. Though, he sounded a little tipsy at the time. My mom and sister went to a local craft festival today so he was left home alone, so who knows what he got into. Not like having people at home stops him or anything anyway.

Talk to you all later. Maybe. If you all don't see me around until Tuesday, don't get excited or panic unless you want to. Peter is off work tomorrow and Monday and I'm not sure what we'll be doing. I know he needs to get some papers and stuff done for school. And he'll need this computer to do it. We may go hiking or something. And I think if I haven't had Dainyah by Monday, we are trying to figure something out to do to remember our first born that day. It is kind of hard to believe that it's been a year since we lost him already. I know I wouldn't be pregnant with Dainyah right now if he had lived. If he had lived, he would have been about five months old right now. Amazing how time flies sometimes.

Need to go and use the bathroom again. I should buy stock in toliet paper at the moment, I go so much.

Yeah my hospital is really good. In fact the underground midwives in my area are good friends with the midwives in the practice I go to. If you were to have to transfer your birth to the hospital it would be to that hospital with my current midwives.

So the hospital I go to is the closest you can get to a homebirth without actually being at home. I had my first two there. I liked it well enough. But I sure would like to be able to stay home and not drive to the hospital during contractions!

Yeah, having the midwife come to me instead of going somewhere sure was nice!

Um, Bekah, what do you mean by underground midwives? Do they practice in secret?

Crystal that is outrageous they will take the baby away like that!

Even with my pre-term twins once they acertained they were okay they were right with me in the room!!! DH went with them to have further checks while I was in recovery for about half an hour, and then we were all in the room together !!

Ok, still preggo. Some contractions earlier. Nothing really notable. Maybe later? Hopefully not tomorrow though.

Um, Bekah, what do you mean by underground midwives? Do they practice in secret?

It is illegal for CPM's to practice in NY because NY will not recognize their schooling and so therefore will not give them a license. CNM's can't practice homebirth unless they have doctor back up and most doctor's won't back them up.

So underground midwives are the CPM's that want to practice homebirth but do so without a license. If they got caught I think they go to jail. But they feel called to their profession and want to provide homebirth to the women in NY that truly want it. They just advertise themselves as doulas.

Currently one of those midwives is going to be my doula at the hospital. It is kind of nice that I am going to have a midwife as a doula because she has so much knowledge.

Here's hoping that she waits till Tuesday now!

I went home the day after having Abby and Sophie too. I hate hospitals. I'm really glad I don't live in the US. I can't imagine staying for two nights or longer.

I took the fetal monitor off myself HAHA I was thoroughly peeved off with it so I took it off and turned onto my side. I don't think the midwife was very happy HEHEHE But I couldn't care less at the time.

Just a question... why do they put antibiotic cream in the babies eyes? Just wondering because they don't do it here but I have noticed that Sophie has yellowish green gunk in her eyes. I wipe it away. But I've noticed that she hasn't got that today. So maybe it's cleared up itself.

They put the eye goop in the baby's eyes in case the mother has an STD. So what they are saying is that they expect EVERY mother to have an STD, so they put it into every baby's eyes. Even if the women is in a monogomous relationship with her husband and only partner, she COULD have an STD....so stupid! Since we did a homebirth, we didn't have to do it!

Amber

Wow, Bekah those sure are dedicated midwives. I appreciate my midwife so much. I can't imagine what it would be like if the state made if illegal for her to practice. She is a CPM. So the problem I could see is that if they have to transfer to a hospital, then they could get caught.

If they have to transfer you then they go to the hospital that I normally go to where my CNMs work. The CNM's know that they are midwives but the doctors and nurses don't.

My CNM has also told the CPM who is going to act as my doula to just call her at home and she would come in for any transfers. If and when you transfer they just tell the doctor's and nurses that these ladies are your doulas.

They do the baby drops in the eyes here. But we are able to say we don't want the baby to get.

Ah ok. Well I'm pretty sure I don't have an STD so she must have conjunctivitis or something :?
I will ask my midwife.

Ah ok. Well I'm pretty sure I don't have an STD so she must have conjunctivitis or something :?
I will ask my midwife.

Yeah my son had the same thing. He had conjunctivitis. If it's green it means it's infected. If it's yellow it usually means that it's a tear duct that is plugged and will go away on its own if you message it daily. Hipe that helps Renee

Ds had the clogged ducts a few times in the first few weeks. I would like like his eye was all swollen and his little eyelashes would get goopy and start to stick his eye closed. But it eventually went away on its own....




Hmmm.... no news from Crissyanna today... I wonder if no news is good news!

My eldest ds had a "sticky" eye when he was a newborn, and our baby health nurse told me to squirt a little breastmilk into it when he was feeding. I tried it, and it worked! Apparently all the immune-boosting properties in bm work wonders on sticky, gunky eyes! :wink:

Ds had the clogged ducts a few times in the first few weeks. I would like like his eye was all swollen and his little eyelashes would get goopy and start to stick his eye closed. But it eventually went away on its own....




Hmmm.... no news from Crissyanna today... I wonder if no news is good news!

I hope so too Bekah. :D

Yeah, that'd be awesome!

My midwife is such a liar!!!! Ok, had to get that out. It is now Tuesday and last Thursday she she insisted that the baby would be here by Monday. Peter said she wasn't lying until Monday was over. I thought she was lying on Monday morning. At least I didn't have her yesterday. I don't know if I could have handled it, but I did pretty well during the day, so who knows what I would have done if she had decided to come.

Sorry to dissappoint everyone. Peter had a TON and I mean a TON of homework to get done on the computer yesterday. I spent the day moping around anyway. We then went and had chinese food last night and walked wally world and the mall looking for a decent pair of flip flops for myself. But for some reason, coudn't really find any (wrong time of year or something).

I am guessng my extra hot Hunan chicken with chile sauce didn't work either. It's been about twelve hours since I had it now. However, when I woke up, my inner hip area felt like it had been stuck in a squat position too long and was achy. I wouldn't be up yet except my husband called because he needed me to email him a file to print off at school (our printer ran out of ink last night) that he already did to himself, he just forgot to convert it from Open Office (linux's word processing and amazing office software) into a PDF file. The school runs microsoft, go figure. He left his phone at home too, so he used a phone from the school, so the ring was the one I have for the common people who call me. He is just terribly fortunate I even bothered to see who was calling when he did.

I tihink I am going to get something to eat real fast and then go back to bed. I got to sleep about twoish this morning and could use a little more shut eye. Might as well get it now, right? Besides, I know the end is near (at least I keep telling myself that one) and I will need all the energy I can muster soon.

I did have one decent contraction while out after supper last night. Some cramping before and after. And a we bit of cramping on top of the achy hips right now. I hope that is a sign.

Talk to you all later probably. Peter is to be at work at noon today, so I won't be on until after. Unless my very stubborn child decides to finally make an appearance.

I was wondering about you. I know how discouraging it can get when baby is late. It won't be long now. [hug]

Aww man! I was getting all excited for you too!

Hope that the cramps amount to something more substantial!

Awww, Crissy, I'm sorry sweetie ((((Hugs)))). I pray that your little comes soon!

Dainyah has taken up residence in my back region. Go figure. That has always been her favorite place to hang out.

I am feeling some pressure on my cervix, but I've had that off and on for a few weeks now. I am considering not cancelling the inducement at this point. I just want this over. However, I do not agree with the timing of it at all. Love conundrums like that.

I just sent out an email to a bunch of people explaining that we haven't had the baby yet. At least my phone hasn't been ringing off the hook with people wondering why we haven't let them know of her arrival yet.

Well, my phone is up for an upgrade with the cell company (the good 150 dollar rebate one) so I am going to look online to see what I want. Along with drinking a few hundred more glasses of water and debating whether or not I am going to cook hamburger to go with the spaghetti I decided to make tonight. Maybe I'll walk to Wal-Mart (about a half mile away or so) and get some black licorice. Or over to 7th street to the farmer's market/fruit stand there (but there is no guarantee it is open today and I don't want to go and have it be closed). Though, with my luck, my water will break half way there. That would be embarrassing and possibly too interesting. The roads I would have to take are main roads and I would have to cross a five lane one without a cross walk to get there. Maybe I won't do that on second thought.

Maybe later. Who knows?

Crystal

Aw Crystal, I know exactly how you feel. I had people calling me every single day after going past my due date, and I know they meant well but I was just dying to meet my little girl & getting annoyed being asked everyday if I was having any signs of labor coming. Aw, I hope and pray that your little girl comes soon!

Ok, more pressure at the cervix and it is the worst I've had yet. Not totally painful, but obnoxious.. A smidge of cramping. I am hoping.....

Thanks all. I appreciate your support through this long and seemingly endless ordeal.

I am making Italian for dinner tonight and adding tons of rosemary and oregano. I hope that works better than last night's Chinese food. Though, I am begning to wonder at this point if all these inducement methods are not just coincidences people had. If I eat nothing but reece's peanut butter cups and fast break bars, I'm sure labor will eventually start.

I need to get cooking. I am actually hungry for the first time in a few days.

Crystal

I often wonder about the natural remedies just being coincidences too... but I was 38 weeks when I had my membranes stripped and went home and decided to do the baby dance with dh....

Of course I had already had some prodromal labor the previous day and night that had only dilated me to 3... then stopped after about 24 hours... so I was already technically doing something when I tried those methods!

I was thinking about you too!!! Please come soon baby :)

Well, I've had some more pressure. However, who knows. At times it feels like she is stretching between my ribs and pelvic floor and I can feel things getting moved inside of me that weren't meant to be moved. I keep telling her to push down a little harder and break my water. That it is ok to break something like that right now.

Hmm, the UPS man just pulled up. I wonder if it is for us. I hope so. I like getting packagges.

It was for us!!!! Actually, it is addressed to my husband. Someone sent us something from walmart.com. I so want to open it!!!!!!! I should wait until Peter is home tonight at nine. Though, I know it is baby stuff. I just don't have any idea who could have done it. And they don't tell you whom it is from on the outside of the box. I could open it up and then reseal it.....But that is cheating.

Now I have something to look forward to. Besides finishing up my laundry and putting sheets back on the bed.

Talk to you probably tomorow if this kiddo doesn't decide to just show up. Which, I hope she does.

Awwww ((HUGS)) will be praying your little one comes soon.

I put the mattress pad and sheets back on the bed and the pillow cases back on the pillows and absolutely had to lie down. I dozed off for an nour and woke up abuot twenty minutes ago. Took me ten minutes to convince myself to get up, but I knew the dogs needed to go out. Since I made it downstairs, I feel funny. Not sick, not well, not me. I think the baby is lower. I am moving a lot slower than I was even this afternoon. I don't know if it means anything or not. If it doesn't, I don't want to get my hopes up to have them dashed yet again. Let alone all you guys. I do hope it does though because classes were cancelled at school tomorrow for the yearly faith forum. That would work out great, you know?

The box is still sitting on the recliner where I left it, and it is still unopened. It is pretty beaten up though from it's trip here. I've been a good girl and only shook it once before I went and put sheets back on the bed.

I guess I'm going to go and play pop or something until Peter gets home. Maybe I should move the chair I'm in and put the exercise ball in it's place. But the thought of moving isn't too appealing right now.

Crystal

Ah ok. Well I'm pretty sure I don't have an STD so she must have conjunctivitis or something :?
I will ask my midwife.

Yeah my son had the same thing. He had conjunctivitis. If it's green it means it's infected. If it's yellow it usually means that it's a tear duct that is plugged and will go away on its own if you message it daily. Hipe that helps Renee

Well it's like green and yellow... in between if that makes any sense. :?
My midwife hasn't come this week yet... when she does I'll ask her.
In the meantime I'll try squirting some bm in her eyes. Thanks Meg :wink:

Renee, I'm sorry I didn't read back very far, was just checking in on Crystall... Anyway, I saw that you're having trouble with your baby's eye or eyes. Maybe someone has already given you good advice about it, but Scotty was born with a clogged tear duct. No ammount of bm or antibiotic would have done a thing. His doc was able to run his finger tip along Scotty's bottom eye lid and this THICK yucky greenis-yellow goop oozed out of that tiny hole near the corner of his eye. I couldn't do it myself cuz it freaked my out, plus my nails are a mile long, but it was a simple and quick fix. Anyway, there are my two cents. :D

Crystal, I'm so excited for you. I've never experience real labor (scheduled c's), so no advice or 'sounds like labor' from me. Just living vicariously through you, my dear. Can't wait and am holding my breath for you. [prayer]

[lovesmile]

Joy [welcomewave]

You're welcome :) At least you know bm isn't harmful in any way :wink:

Crystal, I'm praying for you!

Renee, I'm sorry I didn't read back very far, was just checking in on Crystall... Anyway, I saw that you're having trouble with your baby's eye or eyes. Maybe someone has already given you good advice about it, but Scotty was born with a clogged tear duct. No ammount of bm or antibiotic would have done a thing. His doc was able to run his finger tip along Scotty's bottom eye lid and this THICK yucky greenis-yellow goop oozed out of that tiny hole near the corner of his eye. I couldn't do it myself cuz it freaked my out, plus my nails are a mile long, but it was a simple and quick fix. Anyway, there are my two cents. :D
Joy [welcomewave]

Thanks for that :) I'll try that tonight after I bath her and see if anything comes out.

You're welcome :) At least you know bm isn't harmful in any way :wink:



That's true :D

I had a decent contraction taking a shower last night. Other than that, a few cramping incidences. I felt horrible earlier when I made Peter take me to the grocery store this morning. We were about out of meat. I still don't feel right. I think I want a nap. Might go and do that, but the dogs need a bath.

According to my midwife, I am now at 41 weeks. My calculations say that I am 39 weeks and 6 days today. I wonder who is technically right. I know when the thermal shift occured. She didn't take that into consideration.

I'm not sure if I am up to the arguement of cancelling the induction at this point. Part of me is still hoping to prove her wrong in the next 38 hours or so. The other part of me is like, no way is this kid ever going to come out on her own. Though, if the pitocin doesn't work because Dainyah isn't quite ready, I will die laughing. Though, knowing my midwife, she'd just keep upping the dose..... She is to induce at 6:30 am (way too early for my taste, I wish I could go in at seven at night like Renee got to) and then she'll go to the office and get called to come back when it is time to get the baby out. For most people, that is sometime in the afternoon. Well, very fast labors run in my family (I'm praying I inherited that one) so she'll have patients when I figure to be needing to push (she takes them all morning on Fridays most weeks.). All I can say is this is going to be interesting. No matter what I decide.

I have felt several twinges across the top of my bump. They aren't that strong at all. I just wish it would hurt hurt (stupid high pain tolerance of mine) or my water would break or something definitive. Though, I am so far dilated at this point, that if I went in with decent contractions, I would probably get admittd and they would just go ahead and take her out. At this point, fine by me.

I need to get something somewhat productive done today. What exactly, I'm not sure yet. Dinner is in the crock pot, so I don't need to worry much about that right now.

Talk to you all later probably. Unless by some miracle....

Still here, still pregnant.

I've been debating the induction all day. If I am going to cancel it, I have to do it tomorrow. I do not want to be stuck to monitors because of it, but I know she needs to get out relatively soon. I can tell she is getting more and more squashed in there by the way she's moving. I honestly don't know how much longer I can take being pregnant either.

Nothing else exciting going on here. Oh, the UPS box last night was from some friends of ours who ordered us this toy set that we wanted from Infantino. It has a ball, worm and crab that are brightly colored and has tons of textures on them. Then, UPS came by again today and dropped off another package. This time, I couldn't wait for Peter to get home.....It was a very cute yellow fleece blanket with little chickens on it and one of them has a squeeker in it. Too cute.

I think I am going to go and try some back flips now. Never have been able to do them before now, so this should be interesting......

She'll come. I know that it feels like she'll stay in forever, but no one was ever pregnant forever....... You helped me by reminding me of this when I was pregnant not too long ago, "Your baby will come out. Where else can it go?" LOL. It's totally your decision whether to cancel the induction or not. But if you end up choosing to wait, I guarantee that Dainyah will come out eventually and that it'll all fade into a distant memory as you look at your gorgeous little girl.

HUGS.

Did she come out last night?? Did she?? Did she???

Wow... Hey. I will be praying for you today. Both of my babies were born 2 weeks early so I really don't know how you feel going late. So I will just pray that if she doesn't want to come out yet that God could at least help you to feel comfortable until she does!

Well my midwife came today and I asked her about the gunk in Sophies eyes. She said it sounds like Conjunctivitis and to squirt some bm in her eyes and to keep them clean with cooled boiled water and that if they haven't cleared up by next Thursday when she visits she will prescribe some eye drops.