nine days overdue and THINK this is it!

[miniegg]

hmm, suspect i am posting to myself here as it's 2.39am and everyone will be asleep! still, it's something to do to keep my mind off the pain!
i'm really excited as finally at 41+1 i think things are starting to happen!! this is my first baby and I can't wait to meet the LO!
things started off with bad period type pains around 10pm this evening but I didn't get too excited about that as it happened a couple of days ago and came to nothing.
that went on for a bit and at one point, when my bladder was full (sorry, TMI alert!)I could barely walk to the toilet, but as soon as i'd been the pain eased off.
went to bed hoping it could really be the start of things and got about an hour and a half sleep before I started getting contractions.
Couldn't get back to sleep so am now on mumsnet and trying to time my contractions!
DH is gently snoring next door and I don't think i should wake him up as he will panic and there's not much he can do anyway! no point in us both being knackered and am coping okay on my own for now. the contractions are
irregular and not very long - very between about 28 seconds and 50 seconds; for the last half hour they've been between 6 mins and 3.5mins apart.
REALLY hope this isn't a false alarm!
anyone awake?

[Leati]

My DH slept while I was in labor, too.

[miniegg]

hello, someone is out there!
what are you doing up at this time?
i'm wondering if there's any point at all me going back to bed and trying to sleep. suspect totally unrealistic!

[Egypt]

hi, i'm in singapore so 10am here. your contractions will be unbearable and you won't be able to talk - then you'll know to GET TO HOSP! meanwhile try to relax and get some sleep if you can. first babies can take hours/days!

[Leati]

I am in California 7:14 here

[Leati]

miniegg

How are you feeling?

[Egypt]

then again if they are regularly around 5 mins apart and are strong enough to stop you in your tracks maybe you should get ready to go!

[Niecie]

Hi there, I'm up at the moment but on my way to bed. Just shutting down my laptop and noticed that you had just posted. Thought I couldn't let your post go unanswered on such a momentuous occasion! I don't like to think of you all alone.

Sounds like this is it. Do you have far to go for the hospital as those contractions sound quite close together if you ask me - although don't trust my word as I'm no midwife. Have you thought about phoning the hospital just to see what they say? Can you still talk through a contraction?

I still remember going into labour with my ds1 - same sort of timing as you - period pains at 10ish and proper contractions by 2ish in the morning. It is amazing how quickly the night will pass when everything is measured in contraction lengths!! I ended up going to hospital at about 10am. He was born at 21.01pm. Oh happy days - 7 years and 6 days since his birthday. Had another one since then - born on the bedroom carpet in a bit of a hurry after only 4.5 hours of labour so completely different experience!!

I wish you luck with your LO and I really hope that this is it and the wait is over. I shall keep an eye out to see what you have. Enjoy yourself - new babies grow so quickly you need to grab every moment of newness while you can.

Good luck and good night!!!!!!

[miniegg]

thanks!
I can talk through the contractions - just tried it out on the cats! (DH still asleep!) they're completely bemused by my behaviour!
I've got a birthing ball and with the worst contractions I'm sitting on that and it helps a lot though I don't enjoy getting up from the computer and walking to the ball!
the contractions are every 3 mins at the moment but they're still well less than a minute long and I'm coping fine for now.
i've got a doula and I'm hoping to wait till about 7am to call her and she can advise!
it would only take about 20 mins max to get to the hospital at this time of night and I want to leave it as long as poss as it's much nicer at home!
mumsnet is so great- i don't feel alone!

[Egypt]

good luck miniegg. might be worth a ring to the doula though, they sound very close together. give it another hour maybe and if they are still that regular give her a call x

[miniegg]

ps feeling a strange combination of hungry and slightly sick. good or bad idea to eat something? I'm thinking maybe a small bowl of cereal.

[Leati]

Eating is not a good idea. It could come back up.

[miniegg]

okay. will stick to the water.

[Leati]

Are you having the baby at home or at the hospital?

[Niecie]

Still here wondering how you are going. 3 minutes apart - I really would phone the hospital if I were you - they are awfully close together even if they aren't very long. No harm in having a chat - 1st babies are always slow to arrive! At least that way you won't be waking the doula. I don't worry you as you sound very calm and in control. I am dead impressed!!! And you still have the ability to type too!!

I expect the hospital would say eat, you'll need the energy later. Do you think you might feel sick because it is the middle of the night and you are tired or because you actually are hungry? Have you been drinking? (water not alcohol ) Midwives are very hot on making you drink. It might help the sicky feeling. It could be that it is just a very exciting and scary night - enough to make anybody feel a bit queasy!

Good luck again.

[Niecie]

Sorry - forgot to say. Although the hospital would say eat I never did - last thing on my mind! As Leati said, it could come back up.

[arfishy]

Hi Miniegg, how are you doing?

[miniegg]

hi
i'm doing okay thanks! yes, i'm drinking - sipping water.
DH has woken up now so he knows what's going on. he's very reluctantly gone back to bed (under my orders!) but i can wake him any time obviously!
i don't think there's any point me trying to sleep - although the contractions are managable I can't see myself sleeping through them and doubt i'd drop off. might try lying down for a bit just in case it works but i doubt it!
it's funny, some of the contractions are much stronger than others. mostly they're quite mild at the moment - i'm sure it's NOTHING compared with what's to come!
re. being hungry, i have a really fast metabolism and am always hungry so i'm not too surprised by that!

[Leati]

miniegg
I thought that maybe you had left for the hospital. If you are nine days past due there is a good chance, this is it. I am crossing my fingers for you.

[Leati]

So is this your first?

[miniegg]

thanks! really not keen on going to hospital till as late as possible as they will just send me home if i'm not far enough advanced and i don't fancy the journey twice...but am keeping an open mind, as I obviously don't want to be stupid/irresponsible. I don't think DH would fancy delivering the baby himself!!
i feel like it's not painful enough to go to hospital yet...

[Leati]

miniegg,

But it would make for an interesting story!

[Budababe]

Hi minniegg! How exciting!

Just to warn you that with my DS (was in hosp being induced as waters had broken) none of my contractions were lasting longer than about 40 seconds and I kept being told that they weren't lasting long enough to do anything. Finally persuaded a midwife to actually check me and I was 3 cms!

3cms is magic number to be moved to delivery room and get epidural. Getting epidural wasn't nice (discovered my spine curves slightly) and went to 10 cms REAL FAST.

How are contractions doing now?

[Leati]

MiniEgg

I have a funny joke for you..3rd time I have posted it

While visiting England, George Bush is invited to tea with the Queen. He asks her what her leadership philosophy is. She says that it is to surround herself with intelligent people.

Bush asks how she knows if they're intelligent.

"I do so by asking them the right questions," says the Queen. "Allow me to demonstrate."

Bush watches as the Queen phones Tony Blair and says, "Mr. Prime Minister, please answer this question: your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and this child is not your brother or sister. Who is it?"

Tony Blair responds, "It's me, ma'am."

"Correct. Thank you and good-bye, sir," says the Queen. She hangs up and says, "Did you get that, Mr. Bush?"

Bush nods: "Yes ma'am. Thanks a lot. I'll definitely be using that!"

Bush, upon returning to Washington, decides he'd better put the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to the test. Bush summons Jesse Helms to the White House and says, "Senator Helms, I wonder if you can answer a question for me."

"Why, of course, sir. What's on your mind?"

Bush poses the question: "Uhh, your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and this child is not your brother or your sister. Who is it?"

Helms hems and haws and finally asks, "Can I think about it and get back to you?"

Bush agrees, and Helms leaves. He immediately calls a meeting of other senior Republican senators, and they puzzle over the question for several hours, but nobody can come up with an answer. Finally, in desperation, Helms calls Colin Powell at the State Department and explains his problem.

"Now look here, son, your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and this child is not your brother or your sister. Who is it?"

Powell answers immediately, "It's me, of course."

Much relieved, Helms rushes back to the White House, finds George Bush, and exclaims, "I know the answer, sir! I know who it is! It's Colin Powell!"

And Bush replies in disgust, "Wrong, you dumb shit, it's Tony Blair!"

[miniegg]

leati, it's a top joke -i like it!
DH was begging me to come back to bed so I tried it but the minute I lay down a big contraction kicked in and lying down was not the way to handle it!
so back online for now and starting up contractionmaster.com again...
have moved birthing ball to computer so I don't have to get up when the contractions happen!
birthing ball seems to really help.it's just beginning to get light here- this is all so weird! wonder why labour always kicks in at night?

[Leati]

On my last one my water broke at 11:00pm