am i ready?

Question

i am 37 weeks pregnant....i as like many other mothers are tired of being pregnant i just want her here already...i have been in early labor for a week now...should i try to speed up the process and if so what should i do....my doctor said to be safe and to take care of my baby and self before i try something that can hurt us...can anyone suggest something easy and safe?

Answer 1

I feel for you. The last weeks are so l-o-n-g. I would wait for your due date to come before you even think of trying to speed it up. Here's why: lets assume you have a totally healthy baby, still you can get an "easy" baby, or you can get a "difficult" baby. Just from personal observation, it seems to me that babies born even a little early are more likely to have digestive issues like reflux, or simply have more immature nervous systems which keep them from falling asleep. Now, carrying the baby to the full 40 weeks doesn't guarantee that you'll escape those issues, but delivering early doesn't help the health of the baby.

So, my advice, 1) get your sleep now, 2) line up your support system for the first 4 weeks after the birth so that you have friends/family who will take the little one so that you can have moments to yourself to sleep etc and 3) cook and freeze some dinners for yourself...and enjoy the last few weeks as best you can.

Good luck!! Best wishes on a healthy baby and mom :-)

Answer 2

Gestation is considered 40 weeks. This is an average and some babies are born full-term 38-42 weeks. I have had 4 babies and all were past their due date by 9 days, 11 days, 5 days, and 7 days. Trust me when I say that no matter how badly you want this baby to be born, she will not come any sooner than she's ready. I had more sex, walked more miles, drove down more bumpy roads, ate more spicy food, and washed more kitchen floors on my hands and knees then I ever did at any other time in my life. Not one of those things got labor moving any faster. My 3rd child, I was effaced and dialated for 6 weeks before she was born and had Braxton-Hicks contractions for 3 months. I understand your frustration, but I didn't find anything that worked.

Answer 3

Enjoy the time without the baby... go out to lunch and dinner because it's the last time you'll be out without a baby in a long time. Take a nap... or 12... because about 2 weeks after the baby is born you'll be wishing there was a way to shove it back up in there for a few hours so you can get some sleep.

Answer 4

Walking is supposed to be the best thing for moving labor along safely. You can walk in your neighborhood or if it is too cold, go to a big store or mall and do laps. If you are feeling very tired or lightheaded, stop, the baby will come on it's own eventually. No reason to cause yourself a fall and injury.

Answer 5

Be patient...a couple more weeks won't kill you. Yes, having sex can help bring on contractions (it's a chemical in the man's semen that does this) but the little fella is safer in your tummy for just a little longer. His lungs should be mature enough by now not to need an artificial respirator after birth but why take a chance?

Answer 6

Well... I was going to be past my due date... I was in my nesting period on my due date and I decided to weed eat the whole front yard! Half way through my water started leaking. It put me in labor. I had no complications except the fact I did not realize it was my water breaking and I did not go to the hospital until 12 hours later!
Since you are not to your due date yet I would actually keep waiting. I would not speed up the process until after your due date.

Answer 7

After you have the baby, you'll wish you did some of the things you enjoyed in your last weeks of freedom. Do some of the things that you won't be able to do for a long time after you have the baby. And let the baby take his/her time in joining us all.

Answer 8

Just be careful about the baby's lungs they are still developing so you need to watch for that. You also need to make sure the baby's head is down that will indicate that it won't be to long. Walking will help and careful sex is also said to be of help.

Answer 9

Take a long walk. Climb stairs. Have Sex. But don't do anything that will totally exhaust you because if you do go into labor, you will be wicked tired.

Answer 10

Take a long walk or have sex. The c*m throws you into labor......It worked for my brother and sister in law when they wanted to have the babies..They have 3.