40 Weeks and Still No Baby! Help (UPDATE)

[JerseyMamaBear]

So im now 40 weeks with my third child and this little bugger will not make a move. I went into preterm labor with him at 22 weeks and have been pretty much on bed rest up until 34 weeks when I got the all clear that we were both safe. I guess all of the medication I was on worked too well because he is enjoying his little room a bit too much. I have been 3cm and 50% for 2 weeks now with contractions comming and going. The ob says he is still sitting pretty high up and thats why the contractions arent doing anything because he is not low enough to thin me out. I have an appointment for Thursday for an induction but would prefer to go on my own.
What tips or suggestions does everyone have to get this show on the road? We have tried a few of the "common ones" but nothing. PLus in this heat im having a hard time walking outside too much. Thanks for the help

 

[tjbaggott]

Does your OB do "stripping of the membranes"? That always worked for me.

 

[MrsSpratt]

From what I hear...

Go to a mall with a friend, Mom - anyone who is REALLY supportive.

Have a glass of wine and shrimp for lunch.

Go walking - as long as you can stand.

Baby next day.

Worked for 3 friends of mine...

Good luck!

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

good question, not sure. but I do know he is not big on interfering unless he has to. But we do go Thurs for induction since its past our due date

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

I can sympathize, my first was 15 days late. You will get very sick of folks say, Haven't you had that baby yet?"

With my second I did a step aerobics tape the night before went into labor.

Good luck!

 

[wisegal]

Chinese food for dinner worked for both my mom and sister

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

Chinese food for dinner worked for both my mom and sister

funny that what we ordered for dinner tonight!

 

[ShellyShellfish]

Just wanted to say good luck! I'm no help...I went late with my first and had to be induced...I tried everything under the sun EXCEPT castor oil. I couldn't bring myself to try it.

 

[bumbershoot]

What's the problem with being 40 weeks? Cancel the induction; baby isn't done yet. Baby will let you know when s/he's done.

Hubby was a 44 week baby and their dates were rock solid (FIl was in Merchant Marines on leave). Hubby was under 9 pounds...can you imagine if they'd made him come out 4 weeks earlier? He was holding his head up from birth and was very physically advanced...

Unfortunately I didn't listen to my own advice and hired some really bad "helpers"...my son was forced out at 42 weeks 3 days, and he was under 8 lbs. Had some signs of prematurity, too! We too were rock solid on our dates (wedding night...by 2 days later I had already started to change and wasn't feeling very well, and there weren't really any other opportunites to have "started" a baby after that). If he'd been forced out at 40 weeks he wouldn't have been the same baby.

Remember, and remind your hired help, that 40 weeks is an AVERAGE. It's not "normal", it's the "norm", which means it's a numbers thing. For babies that arrive at 36 weeks, there has to be a baby at 44 weeks, to come up with that 40 weeks nonsense.

Schedule things to do every day, and do them until baby graces you with his/her presence. Plus, induction makes things dangerous for YOU, with far more complications than just letting baby's nature take its course. Just relax.

 

[limace]

Yeah, remember it's just the average-38-42 is normal.

With that said, I totally sympathize. My second was 12 days late and I was absolutely opposed to induction, if I could avoid it-those were 12 hard days. In the end, totally worth it-had a very quick labor and unmedicated birth, baby was absolutely healthy, and not quite 8 lbs.

And may be TMI, but we're all moms here, right? Nipple stimulation was what did it for me, I think.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

What's the problem with being 40 weeks? Cancel the induction; baby isn't done yet. Baby will let you know when s/he's done.

Hubby was a 44 week baby and their dates were rock solid (FIl was in Merchant Marines on leave). Hubby was under 9 pounds...can you imagine if they'd made him come out 4 weeks earlier? He was holding his head up from birth and was very physically advanced...

Unfortunately I didn't listen to my own advice and hired some really bad "helpers"...my son was forced out at 42 weeks 3 days, and he was under 8 lbs. Had some signs of prematurity, too! We too were rock solid on our dates (wedding night...by 2 days later I had already started to change and wasn't feeling very well, and there weren't really any other opportunites to have "started" a baby after that). If he'd been forced out at 40 weeks he wouldn't have been the same baby.

Remember, and remind your hired help, that 40 weeks is an AVERAGE. It's not "normal", it's the "norm", which means it's a numbers thing. For babies that arrive at 36 weeks, there has to be a baby at 44 weeks, to come up with that 40 weeks nonsense.

Schedule things to do every day, and do them until baby graces you with his/her presence. Plus, induction makes things dangerous for YOU, with far more complications than just letting baby's nature take its course. Just relax.

Actually it can get dangerous for babies to be too far overdue. I had two induced at 40 weeks and they were perfectly healthy, then we moved and I had a doctor with a policy of waiting until at least 42 weeks. They ended up doing an emergency induction because I was having contractions and every time I had one his heart would stop beating. It was a very difficult birth and the doctors admitted he should have been induced sooner. Overdue babies can also run out of amniotic fluid.

I'm not saying this to worry the OP, all of this would be more of an issue if you weren't being monitored by a doctor, I just want to point out that just letting the baby come out when it's ready is not always the best course of action and when and if the doctor induces is really a personal issue.

To the OP, I obviously can't help you, out of my 5 babies, 4 of them had to be induced. None of the typical "ideas" worked for me.

 

[susykt4]

Parsley worked for me. I ate about 1/2 of a large bunch of parsley raw but mixed in with spaghetti and sauce. It was nasty, but my water broke and I went into labor in the middle of that night. Did it really work? No idea, but that morning I wasn't dilated at all and that was the most interesting option I found in my online search.

 

[LoveKermit]

I was induced since OB doesn't go past 41 weeks. It wasn't that big of a deal. It gave us some peace of mind and we got some other chores out of the way knowing we had an "appointment" to have DD. And one good thing about all the drugs and the full day it took---I had lots of energy to push for 3.5 hours since DD hadn't dropped at all. I never dilated and she never dropped. How's that for stubborn?

I am surprised that it's been this hard since it's your fourth. Hopefully labor will go quickly.

Good luck.

 

[*CheshireCat*]

Here are a couple things that may work................Eat a very big meal (think thanksgiving day turkey with all the fixin's). After the meal get your ipod/walkman drive to your local school track/park with hubby, family member, or friend and do a lot of walking. Best Wishes!

 

[tinkmom2]

I know this is the last thing on your mind but my doc told me to go home and fool around. It worked! I went into labor shortly after.

 

[adventure_woman]

A little hanky panky is what I have heard too. My DD never dropped, so I couldn't be induced so I had to have a c-section. I was 8 days over my due date, she was my first and weighed in at 9lb 7oz.

 

[2 Little Mermaids]

The stretch and sweep (as the midwives call it) worked for my second.
As for my first I went early and was outside gardening all day. I think the squats up and down motion got the ball rolling. To think about it when i was in labor with my second they had me doing squats to help bring her down. Anyway congrats and good luck.

 

[delmar411]

get a birthing ball and sit on that a lot. You need to bring the baby down at least before getting induced to at least help prevent a c/s.

also have your DH help you do some squats. If you get a contraction, squat down to help push the baby down against the cervix. At least then they are doing something.

Lots of labor vibes to you though and I hope that baby arrives very shortly!

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

thanks for the help, im gonna keep trying and let you all know how it works out.

 

[Kidnurse]

1. Walk, walk. walk, walk, walk, walk... and walk
2. Get an exercise ball and just bounce while sitting on it. I did this for an hour a night for 2 nights before my water broke. My son was both at 40 weeks 1 day.
3. In preparation for the birth (not necessarily to induce labor itself) drink a ton of water. No caffeine as it will cause your cervix to remain tightened (as told to me by my midwife.) Stay hydrated and it will be easier for your cervix to loosen up.

Good luck!