Hi

Ok so before I start I am aware I am only just under 37wks at the mo (37wks on Tuesday), and that 'term' is anything between 37-42wks but I am really struggling with this last bit and I am convinced that baby will be O/D like DD was (she was 10 days over, didn't need inducing though).

I can't sleep at night, the stiffness and pain is getting beyond a joke.. I think I have some sort of SPD or similar- whereby I lay on one side to (try) and sleep. I then have to change position or get up for the loo and I physically have to grab the OH and moan and groan sometimes close to tears to open out my pelvis and hips to turn and when I get up I hobble like an O.A.P. (sorry!), often feels like my pelvis won't hold my weight!

I am aware also that this is common but the thought of 5wks (possibly) makes me want to cry, I really want to ask for induction at 40wks but is this something that is done often? How hard is it? Will I just get laughed at?!

I didn't have this with DD so just rode it out til the end but I am so down about it now, I need sleep so badly (yes I know a newborn won't allow this either!)... please help!

You can definitely ask for a sweep by your local midwife, or at the hospital, which might get things moving along.
I'm not 100% but I think you can ask for an induction but don't expect anything to happen quickly, beds are at a premium as always.

You can definitely ask for a sweep by your local midwife, or at the hospital, which might get things moving along.
I'm not 100% but I think you can ask for an induction but don't expect anything to happen quickly, beds are at a premium as always.

I rang her and she said she would refer me for physio Monday but then realised I would be 37wks so did say it probably won't go through before I have delivered! I might ask see what she says, if not deffo ask for sweep, I thought it was 41wks they gave those (had one with DD).. so be pleased if they do them at 40wks! Deffo will ask :)

It all depends on the consultant. I had an absolute nightmare with SPD. I was on crutches and my consultant said point blank no. I saw my midwife again who got me an apt with a different consultant as I was also huge, mostly water we later found out.
He agreed to induce me, it failed, so I was booked for a section. unfortunately it was consultant number 1 day on labour ward and so because I had bruised his male ego by asking for a second opinion he sent me home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
even though when I first met him he said a failed induction meant you had a section.
I got sent home dead on 40 weeks, babies fetal traces showed decreased variability in them and still he sent me home.
I saw a third consultant as by now I was 40+4. They agreed to try induction again, They broke my waters, there was masses of meconium and she carried on passing meconium and then her heart kept dipping, after labouring all night, they did a emergency section, her head had not dropped. She was wedged fast in my pelvis. She was not coming out without help.

Its upto you, but really, induction is stressful, you wait around for hours, you spend days and nights on the maternity ward as they will only put the pessarys in on labour ward. they monitor the babies heart before they put them in, during and after.
I know its painful, believe me I know. But you will be more comfortable at home with your own things, in your own bed. You will not be on a bay with other pregnant mums. with no space and listening to them snore!!!

It all depends on the consultant. I had an absolute nightmare with SPD. I was on crutches and my consultant said point blank no. I saw my midwife again who got me an apt with a different consultant as I was also huge, mostly water we later found out.
He agreed to induce me, it failed, so I was booked for a section. unfortunately it was consultant number 1 day on labour ward and so because I had bruised his male ego by asking for a second opinion he sent me home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
even though when I first met him he said a failed induction meant you had a section.
I got sent home dead on 40 weeks, babies fetal traces showed decreased variability in them and still he sent me home.
I saw a third consultant as by now I was 40+4. They agreed to try induction again, They broke my waters, there was masses of meconium and she carried on passing meconium and then her heart kept dipping, after labouring all night, they did a emergency section, her head had not dropped. She was wedged fast in my pelvis. She was not coming out without help.

Its upto you, but really, induction is stressful, you wait around for hours, you spend days and nights on the maternity ward as they will only put the pessarys in on labour ward. they monitor the babies heart before they put them in, during and after.
I know its painful, believe me I know. But you will be more comfortable at home with your own things, in your own bed. You will not be on a bay with other pregnant mums. with no space and listening to them snore!!!

Oh my god what a nightmare for you! God I thought my labour was long! See, the 'SPD' (if that IS what I have???) doesn't sound anywhere near as bad as yours, only really hitting me at night and causing sleep loss... I feel like a zombie right now and it's reminding me of what's to come!!

I cannot believe the 1st consultant sent you home, with all that going on, too! Oh my god! I think I would have written a very strongly worded letter, surely that's unprofessional!
I think I will stick it out, I don't actually like the thought of induction at all but sort of thought of it as an early way out... mind you have read stories of people waiting round for upto 4 days in hospital.. not something I would enjoy!

I will talk to the MW about a sweep at 40wks instead of waiting. If not then I will let nature take it's course. Last time wasn't bad.. but very long. I had a sweep on the Saturday about 12noon. Cervix was closed etc. By the same time on the Sunday I had noticed backache and what I know now was contractions (albeit mild). It took from then until about 7pm for me to go into hospital, be examined and sent hom as was only 1cm, 2cm max. Then rode it out at home until about 4am and went back. Had morphine after not long (heaven!).. then suddenly everything trailed off and I was sent back upto ward. Then nothing all day, until typically just after OH had got home to bed. They rang him as soon as he switched light off to come back! Had epidural about 1am and almost 13hours after that DD (finally) arrived.

I was shocked how far apart they check if you are dilating... I can't remember now.. may have been every 4hours?!?! I was obviously on the bed, with epidural, and then baby's heart dipped (not long before she was born). I had lots of people round me and MW was saying she wasn't due to check for another 1 or 2hrs how much I had dilated (it had progressed slowly until then). Somebody (no idea who!) told her to and lo-an-behold I was ready to push!

I am just hoping and praying not to go overdue, and for a shorter labour. I can't fault the pain relief and would probably have it all again but it did slow my labour so am in two minds (ask me again when I'm in pain!)... then also I had to stay in hospital a couple of days as I couldn't even wee on my own, some sort of mental block, no physical reason! Followed by the soreness after and piles... oooh it is lovely isn't it!

Anyway... DD was and is worth every second but I think today the tiredness and utter fed-upness is setting in.. I am actually dreading bedtime.

Any tips? I have tried pillows between legs, under bump, hot water bottles.. still I feel like I could actually crack in half!

I hope you're pain and uncomfortableness is improving. If I were you I wouldn't opt for being induced.

I was induced at 2 weeks over due with my son and all I want this time is not to be induced! It's a horrible experience. As Joi5ey said it's a lot of waiting around and monitoring and not knowing what's going on. And my god when they broke my waters and the contractions started there was no build up, I was in agony! I had an epidural which I didn't really want but Gas and Air and my TENs machine weren't even touching the pain.

This time I really hope I can experience actually going into labour and seeing how I cope with the pain and hopefully it won't all be quite as clinical. You'll probably only save yourself a few days of pregnancy in the end by being induced so I'd wait it out if you can. Definitely ask for a sweep. My midwife says they can do a few of them to try and get you going.

Good luck.

I suffered badly with SPD, on crutches, and was advised that during the birth my knees should be no more than 30cm apart??!!
Both my other children were born at 42wks and i was really concerned that this would be the case with number 3.
I saw a consultant and asked for a c-section (based on the knee thing) but was told there was no way and I would just have to manage.
They eventually agreed to induce at 40 weeks and I have to say I wish I'd kept my mouth shut!!
I was taken in on my due date, but labour ward was too busy to start my induction. I ended up there 5 days before anything was done. I repeatedly asked if I could go home to care for my other children and come back when they were less busy but was told that I would then be put to the back of the queue.
I would try to hang on if I was you xx

You might like to try Osteopathy... It can do wonders for all sorts of issues and is very safe during pregnancy. I've been to the Osteopathic practice (http://www.theosteopathicpractice.com/) for myself and my son and highly recommend it. It can also be great and helpful for getting you all straight for birth too.

Hope things improve for you soon. :)

I had osteopathy, physio, the works, it eased the symptoms but didnt make them go away...it did help. the only thing that made the symptoms go away was having no baby in there!!

I personally thing that it was babies head that was wedged that caused all the pain but 4th consultant (even longer story) seems to think that If I were to have another i would get it again

induction is truly awful, really truly awful. get yourself comfy at home and get your fella/family to fetch and carry after you.

btw gas and air made me sick, it aint for everyone!!

I was in agony for the last 2-3 months of pregnancy too, unfortunately for me I didn't have a choice about having an induction or not, because of my diabetes they were inducing me at 38 weeks and that was that. I can certainly relate to the lack of sleep, no matter how I laid I couldn't get comfy. I made up for it once they'd given me the morphine during my induction though, straight to sleep. After the epidural my OH had to try and keep me awake while I had the emergency C-section - he had a very difficult time of it. Yep, I slept through labour. Lol.