h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I hope you have the baby soon, then. You don't want to be getting that sort of cramp regularly for very long, it really tires you out. Watch out for a sudden burst of energy, followed by a feeling that you'll be lucky if the baby *ever* comes: for every one except me, apparently, that feeling is caused by the onset of labour hormones.

And remember, when in labour, that when you get to the point where you feel you can't take any more and you have to give up/have an epidural after all/don't even want the baby any more etc., that that means you are in transition. That's when your birth partner has to really work to help you stick to your birth plan, because you never realise that actually the baby's nearly arrived and that helpless feeling won't last long.

I agreed to an episiotomy in that state, and nearly had a ventouse delivery, feeling that anything that finished it faster was worth it; if I'd realised the feeling was normal at that point I'd have stuck to my guns, and I really regretted the episiotomy afterwards. Luckily Charlotte came too fast in the end for the ventouse.

Oh, that's awful! I hate the idea of intervention to that extent. My mum says that she was forced into agreeing to forceps to get me out because the consultant ***wanted to go home & watch football***!

My MW (wonderful woman) has given me her mobile number and says she'll come out and inspect me to make sure I'm far-gone enough that I'm less likely to be "intervened"; with a plan that involves TENS, entonox, and waterbirth, she doesn't want me to have to undergo episiotomies or epidurals unless baby needs it.

I haven't had any 'nasty' cramp since I posted. I've had my share of normal BH tightenings, and a constant feeling of baby-in-pelvis... I keep wondering whether I could be dilating without getting painful contractions that would be nice! Any ideas what could cause the underside of my bump to feel really bruised?

The burst of energy? Still waiting - haven't had one of those since October, unless you count Nesting-related energy (I found myself scrubbing the bathroom at 2am)! On the other hand, I definitely recognise the "baby will never come" feeling! Hope yours comes soon - I know how I'm feeling with 11 days to go to my EDD!

x x Driver

The underside of your bump is under a lot of strain right now, I'm not surprised you feel bruised.

You can dilate without much pain, and I've had friends who've reached five or six centimetres a week or two before delivery, which may seem depressing if you're hoping dilation means you're going to be early, but it means a shorter labour.

I think I'm in labour now - since yesterday afternoon I've been getting real contractions, which were really intense and frequent until I went to bed, then slowed down enough for me to get a good night's sleep. They're gradually picking up again now. My last two labours followed the same pattern, so going by that the baby will be here by tomorrow morning. I'm also feeling energetic and excited and absolutely sure that this is it.

I'll post again when it's here - I just hope that's really soon. I'd like a nice short five or six hours this time.

We're keeping our fingers crossed for you.

Good luck Bernadette. Hope you've done it, now, and that little-one is out and happy!

I've been dilating slowly since Friday morning, as I called the MW since I was getting worse pains. Saturday they slackened off, but I'm pretty sure they're back (& have been for three hours). So I might be joining you soon...

x x Driver