Engagement/labour a few Q's

[Soontobe]

Hi
Its been a while, and im still pregnant (40wks and 5 days), just have a couple of quick question's (this is first baby):

1. Does the station of engagement of babys head make a difference in when you'll go into labour? (babys only 4/5 or fixed at the brim)

2. Is it possible for your waters to break and you not notice?

3. Are the BH contractions suppost to get painful towards the start of labour or can they remain painless?

4. Does the baby being postiour (sp???) change when you'll go into labour???

5. Does anyone think that being worried or thinking about when labour is going to happen will post-pone when you'll go into labour??


Thanks. :p

Babys still cooking 40+5 weeks

[Jamily]

Hello,

I can answer a few of your questions from my experience (btw I went 10 days past my due date so if you are frustrated, I can honestly say I know how you are feeling :) )

1. The head can engage when labour begins for defs.

2. My waters broke when my DD's head was crowning. There was a definite popping sound which I also felt.

3. I had totally painless bh all the way through pregnancy - I got my first contraction and knew straightaway I had gone into labour.

4. Yep the baby can turn in labour - I don't know much about this but understand that labour w a p baby can begin with a backache.

5. I truely believe that I went into labour as I finally stopped stressing about being late - I got booked in for an induction, relaxed knowing the end was in sight and then went into labour naturally within 12 hours!

Good luck - not long now til you hold your precious bub

[Rainbowbrite]

Hi and congrats on the impnding arrival. Hope this will help you a bit

1. Does the station of engagement of babys head make a difference in when you'll go into labour? (babys only 4/5 or fixed at the brim)
I was never told my DD's head had engaged and i went in 3days later

2. Is it possible for your waters to break and you not notice?
Mine broke as a trickle so thought i was wetting myself at first.

3. Are the BH contractions suppost to get painful towards the start of labour or can they remain painless?
I only ever had them once when i was 31weeks, so can't help, sorry.

4. Does the baby being postiour (sp???) change when you'll go into labour???
Mine was not posterior 3days before but was found to be when I was in labour. SHe stayed that way and i delivered fine. Just a lot of back pain.

5. Does anyone think that being worried or thinking about when labour is going to happen will post-pone when you'll go into labour??
That i can't help with as I went in at 38weeks and she is my first

Good luck

RB

[JanetF]

What great responses. If your membranes rupture completely you'll know :D It's a big sploosh. A small leak is a hind water leak from somewhere else on the sac. It's all normal! :D

In terms of EDD, well only about 5% of babies come on the predicted day - that's why it's an ESTIMATED due date. A term baby is anywhere from 38-42 weeks and most first time mamas in Australia go into labour around 41+3. My son was born 41+6 :D

Posterior labours are sometimes slower because the baby's head is not on the cervix firmly helping it to open. But you can move your baby into an anterior position and plenty move spontaneously in labour. Go to this site and learn all about it.
http://www.spinningbabies.com/

I hope you have a beautiful birth, don't hesitate if you have any other questions. Now go relax and enjoy the last days of being a beautiful pregnant mama.
:)

[Soontobe]

Hey Thanks for your replies to the post. Very helpful.

Just one question for rainbowbrite:
When you say 'Mine broke as a trickle so thought i was wetting myself at first'

When/how did you relise that it was your waters not just wetting???

Im really scared of that happening!!!


Bub like my belly (40+6 weeks) :D

[JanetF]

Hi mama,
why are you scared of your membranes rupturing? What do you fear will happen?
*hugs*

[Soontobe]

To JanetF

I don't fear them rupturing, Im just scared I won't relise (sp?) as my MIL didnt relise when she had her first and she and her bub got an infection, as labour didn't start. I think she's just scared me into thinking that will happen to me.
Thanks for being concerned though, you must really love everything to do with pregnancy and birth. :D

[JanetF]

I do love everything to do with birth! Well spotted ;) Remember, just because it happened to someone else doesn't mean it's going to happen to you. We know from lots of studies that if your membranes rupture (ie not just a leak whic often reseals anyway) and labour doesn't start immediately that you can safely go up to at least 4 days without even considering induction. A MW friend of mine recently changed the policy at the hospy she works in to no inductions before 4 days after PROM and you know what? No more inductions! :D All the mamas go into labour spontaneously and birth their babies beautifully. Provided you stay home in your familiar germs and don't put anything in your vagina (so no VEs) then your risk of infection is practically nonexistent. It's good to be prepared with knowledge but the likelihood of what happened to your MIL happening to you is next to nothing. If you want to take extra care at this time, you can take Vit C and colloidal silver but there's really no need. *hugs* Without any details we can't really know why or what happened with MIL. It could be a multitude of things.

[Sarie]

When in doubt check with your doctor or midwife. That's what they're there for. Their trained professionals.

[jaydensmum]

Hi soontobe, well its getting close now. I'll see if i can try to help you with your questions.

1- I dont think how much the baby has engaged makes much difference. Some people dont get engaged until labour.

2- I dont think its possible to not notice if your waters break. I think it would depend on if it was a gush or a trickle. Mine was artifically broken and i felt it but it was a gush.

3- My BH contractions didnt change when i got closer to labour. They stayed the same at the end of pg. They only changed when i was actually in labour and they were real contractions. I think it differs between people.

4- Jayden was posterior at 40weeks then he turned back the other way a week later. When i was in labour he turned back around back into posterior position. They say that if you go into labour with a baby that's posterior they usually turn around during labour. Jayden was a bit different and decided to wait right until the end to turn around! :D

5- Im not sure about your question of thinking about labour would postpone it. It might do because it puts stress signals to the placenta which might stop it. Maybe you should try some relaxing treatments such as massage to take you mind off it. I know its easier said then done but it might help.

Well i hope some of these things help your questions. I wish you all the best throughout the whole experience and let us know how you go.

jaydensmum. :)