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@MrsKRB: Yeah, I've heard a lot of mixed things about having it done. At my 38 week appointment, I was about 2 cm dilated and was told my cervix was very soft. I guess I'll see how this weekend goes, but I'm tempted to skip having it done Monday. I'm still working this week, with next week off, and it would be really nice to relax for at least a couple days before baby comes.... But again, I guess I'll see how uncomfortable I am come Monday.

@rockinghorse: I hope everything goes smoothly.

@Lahela017: My OB never offered a membrane sweep, and I don't think I was every sufficiently dilated for one. My understanding is there is not really any evidence that they work. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence, but the odds of going into labor are pretty high at the point where they tend to be performed.

@rockinghorse: Exciting! I'm 37 weeks as well and as I sit at work, it struck me how close I am to baby-time! I was induced last time for high blood pressure as well, so I know how it can get intense in there! Good luck!

I think the second one almost feels more surreal because I know a little more about how my life will change overnight this time around, lol. I am back on the diabetes diet due to a high blood sugar reading, so that sucks, but it's almost over. I don't know about others, but I hate getting accosted daily at work with questions like "ohhhh almost here! how you feeeeeling?!" and "oh you came in today! We were taking bets!" Like really... Eye roll. I'm not a time bomb!

As you know, I ended up needing to get induced on Thursday (37 weeks on the dot) because my blood pressure continued to be high and had protein in my urine last week (official pre-eclampsia diagnosis). I went to the OB on Thursday for BP check, it was high, went home to grab my stuff, and then hubby and I were in L and D. They did a cervical check and I was 2 cm dilated with a favorable cervix, so they started with pitocin right away at 1 pm. I also had to get penicillin because of being strep B positive. I hung out pretty OK with increases on pit every 30 minutes until about 5:15 pm, then I was like, ya, time for the epidural. This was especially because the pain of the contractions was making by blood pressure go up and I wanted to avoid needing treatment for that as much as possible. I had heard magnesium sucked majorly. At 6:30 pm they did a cervical check and I was at 4 cm, and they also broke my water at that time. There was meconium, so they just let us know that the NICU team would need to be there to do an assessment when he was born. My nurse was great at positioning me around comfortably, and I wanted to mainly lay on my left because my blood pressures were best that way. The peanut ball is great for positioning on your side with the epidural! She convinced me to roll on my right side after a bit, and then I knew transition was coming on as I started having some intense pressure in my upper thighs and hips as well as shivering and getting anxious. She did a check and I was at 9, nearly 10. The epidural was not helping as much anymore, so anesthesia came in to give me a bolus before the action. Granted I probably should have tried to tolerate it a bit more since I couldn't actually feel the pressure anymore for pushing, but I was kinda terrified because of the first birth experience I had. I started pushing around 9:30 pm, and my blood pressures started going up even more. They had me hold off for a bit to give me a quick Magnesium bolus and start the drip. We then got back to business and by 10:10 pm I had my baby boy! He started crying good right away, so the NICU team let me do skin to skin for a bit before their assessment. I had to stay on the Magnesium drip for 24 hours, and was kept in Labor and Delivery instead of Postpartum because of that. That is a whole other story.... But that was my Thursday!

Hi Everyone! I cannot believe we are in our due date month tomorrow! I loved reading updated from everyone and I'm excited that we get to meet our tiny babes this month. I had my 37 week checkup last week along with an ultrasound to check on baby. Backstory - we had positive markers for down syndrome at 18 weeks but decided to forgo additional testing. We had an ultrasound scheduled to check on baby and it concluded that there were no abnormalities and additional issues. So thankful. We also found out that this baby is measuring big. As in her due date according to her size is today. My due date is April 15 and I'm hoping to make it closer to there because I'm not done with baby prep stuff and my baby shower is this Saturday. On another note, how are your other children doing about the arrival of a new sibling? I feel like my girls' have had such a hard week with being needy, fighting with one another, and wanting tons of attention from my husband and I.

@rockinghorse - Congratulations on your little boy! I'm not looking forward to delivery and postpartum pain, but I am looking forward to meeting my little girl.

@rockinghorse: congrats on your little boy! Sorry about the preeclampsia, but sounds like things went pretty well considering!

We are also on the other side now, just a little early. My husband and I went on a last date night Friday at 38 +2. My mom babysat, and we said goodbye to her at 9:30. Then I started having contractions at 12:30 but was in denial lol. I’d been having on and off contractions for a couple weeks and was so hesitant to call my parents in the middle of the night for a false alarm. Also, honestly, my main thought was, “but I’m not ready!!” But by 3:30, I decided things were picking up. My mom came back over and we got to the hospital around 4:30 am. They checked me out and decided to admit. It was probably a little after 5. The contractions were between 3 and five min apart and getting intense, so I asked for the epidural pretty quickly. I felt great for awhile after that! They broke my water, but then by 9:30 am I had stalled at five cm for hours (basically since I got there). They tried the peanut ball for a bit but contractions were getting farther apart and also my epi almost totally wore off on one side. So around 10:00 to 10:30 they boosted the epidural and gave me some pitocin. That did the trick because by 11:30 I was feeling the pressure to push. After 15 min of pushing she was here! 7 lbs 13 oz, 21 in long. I had the same degree tearing as my son (second) but the physical recovery has felt easier. Maybe from the 15 min of pushing vs. an hour? That’s been a pleasant surprise, though. We left the hospital Sunday afternoon, so a bit over 24 hours after she was born. I was so ready to just get home! She’s nursing well, although mostly all night long...so I’m pretty tired. But overall doing well.

@mrs. eagle: so glad to hear there aren’t addition issues, that must be a relief! So far my son is pretty ambivalent, haha. He’s 2.5 and is just mildly interested at this point. I think he’ll get more interested as time goes on.

@MrsSCB: congrats!!

@Lahela017: congrats mama!

2 days until my due date and feeling very left out, haha

@Lahela017: @MrsSCB: @rockinghorse: CONGRATS! Honestly your stories all made me cry! I'm so emotional this late in the game lol!

@MrsKRB: Good luck today.

@MrsKRB: What does that feel like? you must be able to feel baby's head like a football in your belly. Good luck!

Aaaaand I'm 10 days out and developed a nasty cough. So much for staying healthy for the last trimester!

@MrsSCB: congrats!! Thank you! I’m very relieved that our ultrasound went well and our baby is doing great.

@Lahela017: congrats!!

I see my doctor tomorrow to see if I’m dilated any. I’m hoping I am, and I don’t have to have to be induced. But because I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes this pregnancy, my dr doesn’t want me going over 40 weeks. So this week might be baby week! I’m so excited. It also means I have to get my hospital bag ready. What do you have packed in your hospital bag? What have you packed for postpartum recovery??

@MrsKRB: Fantastic news. I can't believe there Good luck today!

I have at most two weeks left. I am not at all dilated, even though I have been having some painful contractions (I even had one during my NST). My ob thought I would probably make it to my induction.

Baby girl was born Wednesday night! Hadley ‘Haddie’ at 8#4oz, and I still hate labor

@plainpistachio - no, I was diet controlled.

Baby Lily was born 4/12 and weighed 8lbs 12 oz. We are home and it has been rough. She has dropped to 7lbs 11 oz even with all the nursing I’ve been doing around the clock. So we are nursing, supplementing, and adding pumping sessions to encourage my milk to come in.
Anyone have any recommendations to encourage my milk supply?

@mrs. eagle: my son dropped from 9 lbs 8 oz to 8 lbs 9 oz in the first few days, all was well in the end though. Staying hydrated and coconut water is what has the best results amongst my friends and I. Pump after the morning and pump when you supplement.

@mrs. eagle: with my first I had some issues... I pumped after nursing at least once a day, usually the first feed in the morning. I also spent a whole day in bed with her, just nursing all the time and resting. Lots of skin to skin. Trying to enjoy my baby! Also, Mother's Milk tea, tons of water, oatmeal, granola bars. Supplement wise I did Feungreek, Blessed Thistle, and I think alfalfa? I got a combo supplement on Amazon this time for when I go back to work.

@Lahela017: DD is great right now, sleeping pretty well (while it lasts!). I’m loving this stage, I hated it with my first, but now that she is almost 3 going on 16 I’m in no hurry

I was induced for high blood pressure on 4/16 and my son Finnegan was born 3.5 hours later! Just like with my first son, my BP was good literally up until my week 40+0 appointment! So I went into the hospital, the midwife broke my water, they started me on Pit and right away the contractions were strong and awful. I could only stand about 90 mins before I took the epidural, which immediately made things better. So three hours in I started noticing that each contraction would cause crazy intense pelvic pressure, like the baby was gonna come out the wrong hole! The nurse checked me and I was 4.5 cm so they told me everything was progressing great and now it was a waiting game. 20 minutes after that I started really becoming concerned about the pelvic pressure and each contraction felt totally weird. Finally I called the nurse back and a sub came in saying that everyone was on lunch. I told her about my intense pressure and she asked when I was last checked and what it measured. I told her, 20 mins ago, 4.5 cm. So she pulls back the blanket and looks down and goes, ope, yep there’s a head! Let’s get the team back in here! Everyone came streaming in and they were looking for my nurse and midwife while I told everyone that I couldn’t physically hold the baby back. So they pulled a random doctor off the floor and I pushed my little dude out in under 5 mins! It was pretty intense all around! Everyone was shocked, including myself. I was also extremely grateful to be on an epidural when growing 5.5 cm in 20 mins, lol! We decided to only stay one night in the hospital, and all told, I spent less than 30 hours at the hospital. Luckily most aspects of recovery and breastfeeding have been better this time around. It’s been an intense first week home trying to get enough sleep and dividing and conquering toddler and infant duties, but so fun doing it with a little more confidence second time around. The boys are really cute together and we are so thrilled to have a two kid household. Everything still feels so surreal, like when I got both boys in their car seats together in the car, weird! Hope everyone else is doing well.

Baby boy was born April 24 in a pretty straightforward induction. I was feeling discouraged that I was only 3 cm after several hours of pitocin. My doctor thought that was pretty good, but it was slower than my previous deliveries. My doctor broke my water, which really sped things up. My contractions got painful, but I was nervous to get the epidural too early, because the epidural slowed down my previous labors. I ended up getting it a little over an hour after my water was broken, at which point I was 5.5 cm. Half an hour after the epidural, the nurse rushed in due to heart decels. I was dilated to 8 cm, and the head had descended. She turned the pitocin off, but I was still having regular contractions. A little while after turning the pitocin back on, I was fully dilated. My epidural was pretty strong, and I couldn't feel much. I did a practice push, which was good enough that the nurse had me wait for the doctor for more pushing. I could only vaguely feel when it was time to push, but after only ten minutes the baby was delivered.

He was 7 lb 6 oz, so smaller than predicted. He is my first baby to have a full head of hair. My milk came in extremely fast, while still in the hospital. We had a minor scare, he took just over 24 hours to have his first poop, after the pediatrician ordered an x-ray, while the nurse was about to encourage a poop.