Hellobee Boards

@pmrlady: I guess it's better to rest up before all the hard work.

@namaste: thank you, hope you're enjoying your new life with your LO

@Mrs. Blue: I also got all crazy because of some totally irregular contractions, and now we have a fully packed hospital bag sitting next to our dresser. My DH thinks I am a crazy person, since there is still 3+ weeks til due date.

I have been in INSANE nesting mode - making page long to-do lists and knocking out tasks one by one, and then collapsing from exhaustion. All I really have left is to assemble and set up stuff for the nursery (something I wouldn't DARE do before baby was born last time, due to Jewish superstition). We have painters coming tomorrow to paint the nursery, so once that is said and done, I'm going to get those few tasks done and relax (I hope). Also, I am slowly wearing my DH down on my 1st choice for names...hoping I can get him fully on board before I have to pull the "but I just forced him out of my vagina - your opinion no longer matters" card.

@Mrs. Blue: @Mrs. Confetti: @MapleMoose: Add me to the list of suspicious contraction-getters. After weeks of telling my disbelieving OB that I wasn't feeling any contractions at all, BH or otherwise - despite dilating to 2 cm and 80% effaced - I felt a whopper contraction two nights ago. Followed by awful menstrual cramp type back pain, and possibly more contractions (painless though). I sat down with a heating pad on my back right away and haven't done much since - SO much screen time for J - but I really, really need this baby to hang out until my mom flies in next Monday. Our closest backup childcare is 2.5 hour away, because we literally don't know anyone in our new town. 38 week appointment this afternoon, and I haven't dilated or effaced any further, so that's good. I want things to get moving as soon as my mom arrives, but not before!

I still need to pack my hospital bag too. And wash the newborn clothes. And install the car seat base. Womp womp!

Just had my 38 week appointment and need your advice to help decide what to do!

I had my cervix checked and it was between 1-2cm dilated, and baby's head was right there.

My OB offered me the choice of whether or not to get induced on Tuesday (I'll be 39+2 then). I've been working from home / resting for the past few weeks after having crazy high BP in early December. My BP is now stable and lower, but his reasoning for inducing is that if I do develop Pre-E it would happen super fast and the chances of that happening get higher the closer I get to my due date.

Because he said I can choose NOT to get induced, it still feels sort of elective to me / not a dire need or anything and makes me question whether or not I should do it. Logistically it would help a lot with child care for DD to know when I'll go in, but I don't know, I'm really torn and don't want to make the wrong choice.

I'm hoping I just go into labor on my own before Tuesday and don't have to decide, but would love to know what you would do.

Also....this "lightning crotch" you guys speak of...is it basically like stabby/stingy pains down there? I was having a good bit of that this morning while getting ready for work.

@HappyBaker: That's a tough choice, lady! Sounds like a lot to consider. I'll also be hoping for you that you just go into labor before Tuesday! The good news is, at 39+2, if you do decide to induce, the little babe will be totally cooked and ready. You've done such a great job keeping things under control! Wish I had more advice...but I'm not sure what I would do in your situation. Thinking of you!

@mfa_lady: Ugh, I get the lightning crotch every time I walk now.....sooooo uncomfortable. I'm just hoping that it's helping things move into place down there to pop this kid out sooner than later! Although, I'm just hitting 36 weeks...so there is lots of time left. But man, I'm so much more uncomfortable this time around, than with my first.

@mfa_lady: yep - that's what it's like for me! lightning type pain in my cervix. lol.

@HappyBaker: well I would go for it, just because I'm already planning on a 39 week induction lol! when do you have to decide by? can you "sleep" on it or take a couple days to decide?

@HappyBaker: I was induced with my first (although it wasn't by choice) and was super happy with it. It was nice to not have to play the waiting game anymore. Mine wasn't pre-scheduled, but I still wouldn't have changed it

@Espion: I'm coughing, too--it's the pits! I am really praying that I can kick it before labor starts! The whole coughing/sore ribs thing isn't the best combo. Hope you feel better!

@Mrs. Confetti: Soooooo, who are you going to dream about next?

@mfa_lady: I feel like I'm going to cough this baby out! I hope you kick it waaaaay before I do!

@Mrs. Confetti: Ha! I totally hear you on that front. I woke up at 12:30 am, was awake until 3 or 4 am, then was ecstatic that I made it to 6:30 am...

Seems like a cruel trick of nature to make a mom sleep deprived a month before she is really sleep deprived...

@Mrs. Confetti: @Espion: Ugh I feel you guys on the no sleep! I woke up to pee last night and thought "wow it must be like 4am, what a great stretch of sleep", then looked at the clock and saw it was 11pm. Then I had to pee like every hour the rest of the night!

@Mrs. Confetti: @Espion: @HappyBaker: I am seriously waking up EVERY HOUR to pee at night. And I'm coughing all night, which means my poor husband isn't sleeping either. My mom told him it would only get worse from here--and he said "At least then I'll be able to hold the trophy!" AKA our daughter. Haha!

@Mrs. Blue: I feel you on this! I feel like baby girl is still SO HIGH...and that is not super encouraging since her due date is Saturday. I haven't felt any contractions, seen any bits of mucous plug, nada. I REALLY want to avoid induction...but right now I'm just trying to be happy that I'm not while having this horrendous cough. Hope you get good news at your appointment!

@mfa_lady: Lightening Crotch - (n). the searing pain that feels exactly like a bolt of lightening went down your hoo haw and makes you quickly suck air in and/or fight the urge to reflexively grab your crotch in public. Said searing pain then disappears and all is well until the next lightening storm which may be seconds or hours away.

@HappyBaker: Tough call! I wouldn't be too worried about an induction because your body has already at least begun the process. At my induction, I had a whole lot of nothin going on other than being about 50% effaced and my bottom baby was breach. I never dilated during 10 hours of Pitocin, & if you were in that same situation I would be more likely to hedge towards waiting a bit longer. It sounds like you are already pretty favorable for an induction & you'll probably progress more in the next week, so there's a good chance you'd have a positive induction experience. Even though my induction failed, I have zero regrets about going forward with it and then electing to do a c-section instead of repeat attempts at induction. When the boys were born, we all realized that the ultrasound estimates were off and one if my guys was in danger. My gut feeling that the boys needed to be born then quite possibly saved his life and ensured I brought two babies home. My advice is to follow your gut. If you feel more comfortable waiting longer and your dr is okay with that, go for it. If you feel better about scheduling the induction and hopefully avoiding the pre-e risk, go for it! How's that for the most unhelpful post ever?!

@mfa_lady: that's what the lightening crotch feels like to me! It usually happens when I'm walking at a faster pace than normal - I must jostle the baby around too much and she doesn't like it

@HappyBaker: No real advice, but I hope everything goes well for you either way! Personally, I would do like @MapleMoose: suggested and try everything I could to get labor started on my own

@Happygal: we're staying in tonight and enjoying a nice dinner just the two of us. I doubt I'll stay up till midnight, but I'll probably wake up around then to go to the bathroom

My 38 week appointment is this afternoon, and while I'm not expecting anything exciting I'll be sure to update if I'm wrong!!

@sorrycharlie: Sorry about the BP and the GBS! At our hospital, you don't have to be hooked up to IVs during L&D unless there's a specific reason, so if you have GBS they put a port in and give you the antibiotics through that so you can still move around. (I'm quoting from my midwife here, as I've never given birth before. LOL.) From the way she describes it, it's totally no big deal--just another thing to check off the list when you're there and getting situated. She also said they like for you to have the medicine roughly 4 hours before delivery...so at our hospital, they'll give you a dose of the antibiotics every 4 hours just in case.

@sorrycharlie: I was positive last time. That was the main reason I was induced, I think, since I was already a 3 and she was worried about me getting to the hospital in time otherwise. Because of the induction, the meds were no big deal because I was already on an IV of pitocin.