40 weeks today

I've finally reached my due date, and all I can say is "sigh". I have
decided to have my mum induce me by acupuncture (she is a doctor of Chinese
Medicine) by the 16th if nothing happens by then.

I've been doing better for the most part in the last week or so, but today
has been really tough. Not emotionally so much as physically this time.

I have had some very serious false labour, sometimes lasting up to 7 hours
at a stretch. This morning I was woken up by very painful contractions
every 20 minutes or so, but they are still Braxton Hicks. I know it is good
that my body is preparing, but I wouldn't mind the real thing at this point.

Today has been bad because everything I do causes me to have a contraction:
if I stand up from sitting, walk up the stairs, walk faster than a snail,
bend over, urinate, etc etc. My contractions feel different now, they are
no longer the tight, long lasting ones I've been getting for the last month,
they are now painful like period cramps and feel like I am being stabbed
from the inside. They are not painful to the point of being a problem, but
they do require me to focus a little and breathe. I've also had diarrhea,
an upset stomach, a headache, a back ache and what feels like a ton of
pressure on my bladder and bowels. : P Yuck. I know that these are all
good signs. And I know that I won't be pregnant for more than another 10
days at the most, so these are all good things. But I can't help feeling
like my body keeps playing with me.

I gave in and had the midwife do an internal today to see if at least all
this crap was accomplishing something. I didn't expect much because the
baby's head isn't even engaged yet. She said that my cervix was very soft,
not quite shortened yet, but almost there, and that I was 1 cm dilated. So
even though I haven't gone into labour, I am working up to it nicely. I
know it is possible to go for weeks with those kinds of stats and not make
any further progress, but at least that much is done, I won't have to dilate
that 1 cm when I go into labour. : /

Anyway, I'm pretty wrecked and emotional today. Everyone in my life has
been so supportive and kind to me, and I feel like I am having to rely on
everyone for everything, but at this point, I don't even care anymore. I
don't feel like fighting to be capable, I just want to relax into myself and
let my body and mind take a break.

To Em: thanks for those labour vibes, and for keeping track of my due date.
That is very sweet of you, I really appreciate the sentiment.

Alicia

"Alicia Elliott" wrote in message
. ca...
I've finally reached my due date, and all I can say is "sigh". I have
decided to have my mum induce me by acupuncture (she is a doctor of
Chinese
Medicine) by the 16th if nothing happens by then.

I've been doing better for the most part in the last week or so, but today
has been really tough. Not emotionally so much as physically this time.

I have had some very serious false labour, sometimes lasting up to 7 hours
at a stretch. This morning I was woken up by very painful contractions
every 20 minutes or so, but they are still Braxton Hicks. I know it is
good
that my body is preparing, but I wouldn't mind the real thing at this
point.

Today has been bad because everything I do causes me to have a
contraction:
if I stand up from sitting, walk up the stairs, walk faster than a snail,
bend over, urinate, etc etc. My contractions feel different now, they are
no longer the tight, long lasting ones I've been getting for the last
month,
they are now painful like period cramps and feel like I am being stabbed
from the inside. They are not painful to the point of being a problem,
but
they do require me to focus a little and breathe. I've also had diarrhea,
an upset stomach, a headache, a back ache and what feels like a ton of
pressure on my bladder and bowels. : P Yuck. I know that these are all
good signs. And I know that I won't be pregnant for more than another 10
days at the most, so these are all good things. But I can't help feeling
like my body keeps playing with me.

I gave in and had the midwife do an internal today to see if at least all
this crap was accomplishing something. I didn't expect much because the
baby's head isn't even engaged yet. She said that my cervix was very
soft,
not quite shortened yet, but almost there, and that I was 1 cm dilated.
So
even though I haven't gone into labour, I am working up to it nicely. I
know it is possible to go for weeks with those kinds of stats and not make
any further progress, but at least that much is done, I won't have to
dilate
that 1 cm when I go into labour. : /

Anyway, I'm pretty wrecked and emotional today. Everyone in my life has
been so supportive and kind to me, and I feel like I am having to rely on
everyone for everything, but at this point, I don't even care anymore. I
don't feel like fighting to be capable, I just want to relax into myself
and
let my body and mind take a break.

To Em: thanks for those labour vibes, and for keeping track of my due
date.
That is very sweet of you, I really appreciate the sentiment.

Alicia



You sound like me just before I went into labor with my son. I don't think
you are far off. I had accupuncture to speed things a long, that was a few
days before labour actually got going. Get as much rest and eat plenty of
energy food. I imagine you know all this, I'm so excited for you. I wish I
didn't have ten more weeks to go :-)

Good Luck and most of all don't fear labor, it's a wonderful experience. The
fatigue was far worse than the pain for me, so I'll be doing nothing around
here towards the end, don't feel guilty about doing the same.

Judy

Hang in there, Alicia! You're right, it can't be *that* much longer, and
your body is doing a great job getting ready.

More labor vibes from

Tiina
SAHM to Emilia,4
EDD Sept.15




Alicia Elliott wrote:

I've finally reached my due date, and all I can say is "sigh". I have
decided to have my mum induce me by acupuncture (she is a doctor of Chinese
Medicine) by the 16th if nothing happens by then.

I've been doing better for the most part in the last week or so, but today
has been really tough. Not emotionally so much as physically this time.

I have had some very serious false labour, sometimes lasting up to 7 hours
at a stretch. This morning I was woken up by very painful contractions
every 20 minutes or so, but they are still Braxton Hicks. I know it is good
that my body is preparing, but I wouldn't mind the real thing at this point.

Today has been bad because everything I do causes me to have a contraction:
if I stand up from sitting, walk up the stairs, walk faster than a snail,
bend over, urinate, etc etc. My contractions feel different now, they are
no longer the tight, long lasting ones I've been getting for the last month,
they are now painful like period cramps and feel like I am being stabbed
from the inside. They are not painful to the point of being a problem, but
they do require me to focus a little and breathe. I've also had diarrhea,
an upset stomach, a headache, a back ache and what feels like a ton of
pressure on my bladder and bowels. : P Yuck. I know that these are all
good signs. And I know that I won't be pregnant for more than another 10
days at the most, so these are all good things. But I can't help feeling
like my body keeps playing with me.

I gave in and had the midwife do an internal today to see if at least all
this crap was accomplishing something. I didn't expect much because the
baby's head isn't even engaged yet. She said that my cervix was very soft,
not quite shortened yet, but almost there, and that I was 1 cm dilated. So
even though I haven't gone into labour, I am working up to it nicely. I
know it is possible to go for weeks with those kinds of stats and not make
any further progress, but at least that much is done, I won't have to dilate
that 1 cm when I go into labour. : /

Anyway, I'm pretty wrecked and emotional today. Everyone in my life has
been so supportive and kind to me, and I feel like I am having to rely on
everyone for everything, but at this point, I don't even care anymore. I
don't feel like fighting to be capable, I just want to relax into myself and
let my body and mind take a break.

To Em: thanks for those labour vibes, and for keeping track of my due date.
That is very sweet of you, I really appreciate the sentiment.

Alicia

Alicia Elliott wrote:

I've finally reached my due date, and all I can say is "sigh".

Stubborn people are interesting people. :-D I should know! ;-)

Sending easy labour vibes your way.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

"Alicia Elliott" wrote in message
I've finally reached my due date, and all I can say is "sigh". I have
decided to have my mum induce me by acupuncture (she is a doctor of
Chinese
Medicine) by the 16th if nothing happens by then.

One of my husband's co-workers had her first baby induced via acupuncture
one day before the due date, with great success (I imagine, like with any
induction method, the baby has to be ready to be born before it will work
successfully). I believe she also used acupuncture during labor for pain
control. Are you going to try that also? Anyway, she is due a month after I
am now and is planning to use accupuncture again on or right before her due
date. I hope it is successful for you too!

Today has been bad because everything I do causes me to have a
contraction:
if I stand up from sitting, walk up the stairs, walk faster than a snail,
bend over, urinate, etc etc. My contractions feel different now, they are
no longer the tight, long lasting ones I've been getting for the last
month,
they are now painful like period cramps and feel like I am being stabbed
from the inside. They are not painful to the point of being a problem,
but
they do require me to focus a little and breathe. I've also had diarrhea,
an upset stomach, a headache, a back ache and what feels like a ton of
pressure on my bladder and bowels. : P Yuck. I know that these are all
good signs. And I know that I won't be pregnant for more than another 10
days at the most, so these are all good things. But I can't help feeling
like my body keeps playing with me.
snip
Anyway, I'm pretty wrecked and emotional today. Everyone in my life has
been so supportive and kind to me, and I feel like I am having to rely on
everyone for everything, but at this point, I don't even care anymore. I
don't feel like fighting to be capable, I just want to relax into myself
and
let my body and mind take a break.

Wow! It does sound like your body is really working up to the real thing!
That's good. It is also taking its sweet time...

Maybe you will have a fairly quick and easy "real" labor after all of this
preparation. One of my birth books says that there is no such thing as a
"false" labor, it is just your body working up to full labor. All of the
contractions that you have before "real" labor, do actually serve a purpose
and are actually moving you forward (however slowly) and so aren't false.
Does that help at all? (or does it make you want to smack me, since I have
*no* clue what it feels like to be going through what you have been
lately?!!).

To Em: thanks for those labour vibes, and for keeping track of my due
date.
That is very sweet of you, I really appreciate the sentiment.

You're welcome! I hope the labor vibes still work and that I don't see you
posting here anymore today...

Hang in there and take care.

--
Em
edd 9/23/03
(33 weeks)

Alicia Elliott wrote in message
. ca...
Anyway, I'm pretty wrecked and emotional today. Everyone
in my life has been so supportive and kind to me, and I feel like
I am having to rely on everyone for everything, but at this point,
I don't even care anymore. I don't feel like fighting to be capable,
I just want to relax into myself and let my body and mind take a
break.

Alicia,
{{{{{hugs}}}}} and *~*~*~*labor vibes*~*~*~* to you! Relaxing and
letting others do for you is exactly what you should be doing right now.
It's great that you have such support. I hope it will continue for you
after your baby's born.
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 4 mo.
And a boy, EDD 4.Sept

Cleaning the house while your children are small is like
shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing.

"Alicia Elliott" wrote in message .ca...
I've finally reached my due date, and all I can say is "sigh". I have
decided to have my mum induce me by acupuncture (she is a doctor of Chinese
Medicine) by the 16th if nothing happens by then.

I've been doing better for the most part in the last week or so, but today
has been really tough. Not emotionally so much as physically this time.

I have had some very serious false labour, sometimes lasting up to 7 hours
at a stretch. This morning I was woken up by very painful contractions
every 20 minutes or so, but they are still Braxton Hicks. I know it is good
that my body is preparing, but I wouldn't mind the real thing at this point.

Today has been bad because everything I do causes me to have a contraction:
if I stand up from sitting, walk up the stairs, walk faster than a snail,
bend over, urinate, etc etc. My contractions feel different now, they are
no longer the tight, long lasting ones I've been getting for the last month,
they are now painful like period cramps and feel like I am being stabbed
from the inside. They are not painful to the point of being a problem, but
they do require me to focus a little and breathe. I've also had diarrhea,
an upset stomach, a headache, a back ache and what feels like a ton of
pressure on my bladder and bowels. : P Yuck. I know that these are all
good signs. And I know that I won't be pregnant for more than another 10
days at the most, so these are all good things. But I can't help feeling
like my body keeps playing with me.

I gave in and had the midwife do an internal today to see if at least all
this crap was accomplishing something. I didn't expect much because the
baby's head isn't even engaged yet. She said that my cervix was very soft,
not quite shortened yet, but almost there, and that I was 1 cm dilated. So
even though I haven't gone into labour, I am working up to it nicely. I
know it is possible to go for weeks with those kinds of stats and not make
any further progress, but at least that much is done, I won't have to dilate
that 1 cm when I go into labour. : /

Anyway, I'm pretty wrecked and emotional today. Everyone in my life has
been so supportive and kind to me, and I feel like I am having to rely on
everyone for everything, but at this point, I don't even care anymore. I
don't feel like fighting to be capable, I just want to relax into myself and
let my body and mind take a break.

To Em: thanks for those labour vibes, and for keeping track of my due date.
That is very sweet of you, I really appreciate the sentiment.

Alicia


Hang in there, Alicia! (((hugs)))

Catherine C.
grandmother to Brendan--Sept. 22, 2002

"Alicia Elliott" wrote in message
. ca...
I've finally reached my due date, and all I can say is "sigh".

Aw, Alicia, I'm thinking of you and hoping that you don't have much longer
to wait.
labour vibes
Marie