Part 1: Countdown- Get my baby out!!!

The clock was ticking and we had exactly 7 days to go into labour naturally before they'd try and take it out of our hands. So many people had said 'wait till you get to 38 weeks, then you'll just want the baby out as you're so uncomfortable & just want to meet them'. Once again, guess what? I'm not like you. Not at any point did I just want her out for any of those reasons. I was quite comfortable with her inside of me, contained, no crying, life still the same (mostly!) etc. and by this point, I wasn't particularly uncomfortable as I carried our little baby quite compactly.

We were booked in for an ultrasound on Monday the 4th October with a review at the hospital on my due date the following day. Right, we had to get things moving!!

Countdown to D Day!

7 days to go- Tuesday, 28th Sept

Still avidly reading about when an induction is indicated and preparing arguments to medical staff if ultrasound results showed no deterioration in a week. Trying to refocus myself on our baby and what was ahead of us and trying to shake Dr 12 year old's words out of head. Coming to grips with the fact that I was no longer having a water birth, was not in the birth centre and would be hooked up to a monitor constantly unable to move around freely or use the Shower to ease the pain of contractions. Booked in for acupuncture to try and induce labour the following day.

6 days to go- Wednesday 29th Sept

My first acupuncture appointment of three. The lady was so lovely and calming. I'd never had acupuncture before (well apart from one session of drunkupuncture, acupuncture whilst drunk, from a friend who practices Chinese medicine and acupuncture). She left two tiny needles in the inside of my ankles so they could continue working whilst I was at home. I also was given a moxa stick (looks like a fat cigar and stinks!) to use to heat the needles in my ankles and on my lower back on my 'oxytocic' spots.


5 days to go- Thursday, 30th Sept

Attended acupuncture for second session. Equally as peaceful and relaxing. Starting to feel more centered and my head was in a better place for what was ahead of me. Continued using the moxa stick on ankles and lower back as advised by acupuncturist. Talked with husband about having a membrane sweep by our midwife. Surely a membrane sweep was better than an induction? We were already in daily contact with our midwives at this point, so discussed the option of a membrane sweep. They said normally they wouldn't offer one prior to a due date, but given the circumstances, if I asked, they wouldn't say no... And they also hinted that it was probably a good thing to try if we wanted a natural labour! So we booked in to see one of our lovely midwives- Tanya, the following day.

4 days to go- Friday, 1st October

My husband, Mum and I all trudged off again to the hospital to see Tanya. Tanya measured my fundal height again and popped me on the CTG to listen to my baby's heart beat. All seemed fine and prior to doing the sweep, said she needed to get the CTG signed off by a Dr around in birth suite. As you can imagine, my anxiety levels rose because of what had happened on our previous visit. Tanya said she was going to try and see the Prof himself. After a bit of waiting (I was still hooked up to the CTG at this point), in walked Tanya with the Prof himself. By this stage my anxiety was through the roof. What did his being here mean? Were they going to keep me here against my will? Could they keep me here against my will??

But the Prof was extremely gentle and kind. He measured my fundal height again, listened to our baby's heart beat and told me to go in to labour over the weekend! He wanted us back on the CTG again in 2 days time for a check up. He wrote a note in my chart and left. My anxiety slowly receded. Now for the sweeping.... I'm not going to describe it here for those that really don't want the gory details, but see the footnote down the bottom if you're interested!. Tanya did her business and reported I was already 2Cm's dilated, but said my cervix hadn't started to efface yet. Surely being 2Cm's dilated was a good thing- right?

3 days to go- Saturday, 2nd October

The only appointment we had today was acupuncture, the final of the 3 sessions. I had a young man this time, as the lovely female acupuncturist had gone on holidays. It was quite a different session, less nurturing I guess, but he did the job fine enough. I continued using the moxa stick when we got home.

Now to get ready for the gathering we were having at our house the following day for the football Grand final! My husbands team was in it (The Roosters. And, might I add, they only got in because of the game between them and the Tigers was rigged! Tigers are clearly the better team, regardless of the year). My in laws were coming over, plus my best mate, his fiance and baby, so there were going to be 9 people in the house!! Knowing my luck, tomorrow would be the day with a house full of bloody people..................

Footnote: A membrane sweep is one best done whilst you are disassociating!! Your midwife does an internal and whilst examining you, attempts to go through your cervix (if it is partially open) and sweep the membranes around in a circular motion to dislodge the sac from the uterine wall. This is meant to increase your chances of going into labour within 48 hours. Given the cervix can be hard to reach at this point it can be quite uncomfortable or painful. It was horrid. I was not prepared for it to be THAT horrid. I recommend disassociating!