Conference moira::parenting_v3

    I'm in the same situation as you, except I'm due in 7 weeks.  I think
    labor can start at any time for any woman, no matter what her size. 
    There are a lot of factors that can contribute to this.  I wouldn't
    worry about going early, if it's going to happen, it will happen.  At
    this point, your baby has excellent chances of surviving a preterm
    labor, and I'm sure your Dr. is taking good care of you.  Personally,
    I'm actually hoping that I go a couple of weeks early because I'm
    extremely uncomfortable.
    
    As far as the Braxton Hicks contractions go, I get them constantly and
    sometimes they hurt like hell and knock the wind out of me.  The Dr.
    said that this is good and normal.  I started getting them (only
    milder) around 19 or 20 weeks.  Now they come at all times during the
    day or night, but probably more frequently at night.  
    
    Have you started childbirth classes yet?  Maybe they will help relax
    you more.  You can try the breathing during the BH contractions to
    practice and to help you get through them easier.  By the way, I was
    really happy to hear that real labor contractions don't feel like the
    BH contractions, because I really hate the way the BH ones feel. 
    Granted, I'm sure real labor contractions hurt a lot, but I hear they
    hurt more like bad menstrual cramps and I think those would be easier
    to deal with.  I hope this helped.  Good luck!!!
    
    Nancy
                   

    
    
    
    
    
    
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    
    An aside to Nancy,
    I told my wife about your comment about Braxton Hicks and "real" labor,
    and she laughed. She said to tell you that they fell different but also
    the same. The same hardening, squeezing feeling *in addition to* the
    real bad menstrual cramps! (emphasis on *REAL BAD*). Son't be too
    happy. Labor is no fun, ....but....everyone who's ever had a baby by
    vaginal delivery has gone through it, and all survived, and many went
    back for more! (look at us...we're on number 4!!!). Yes, it's painful,
    no, it's no tfun, but guarranteed there ain't no other way out than a
    C-section, and I doubt if that's much better!
    
    Just focus on that beautiful little baby that comes out of all that
    awfulness, and you'll do fine (so says Wendy, who has had some nasty
    labors....36 hrs. for the second one!)
    
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    
    Labor will begin wehen its ready. I've known some mighty small women
    who've gone late, and some large women who've been very early. My wife
    went 3.5 weeks early with #1, and on her due date with #2. #3 was
    induces one week early, and #4 will likely be induced betwee 2 and 4
    weeks early due to diabetic complications. More first babies are late
    than early, sorry to say, but you may be one of the lucky ones! Hang in
    there...it really doesn't last forever...just seems to!
    
    --dave--

    Re base note:
    
    Don't beleive the one about "smaller in height means you'll go sooner!"
    I'm 5' tall and I was 1 week overdue. I walked around 2 centimeters
    dilated for 3 weeks, never had a braxton hicks that I could feel! The
    first sign of pre-labor I had was loss of the mucus plug 2weeks before
    I delivered. Once I saw that forget it! i tgought I was going to go
    into labor any day soon after. Labor snuck up on me, the day after my
    non-stress test, I was at the books store buying a baby book, well, as
    soon as I got home I went to the bathroom and BOOM, i felt 2 pops in
    the right side of my belly and all of a sudden my water broke! 
    
    I never had a clue that it would happen that day. I had very irregular
    contractions before my water broke. Don't want to scare ya but, I went
    into the hospital 1 hour later contractions 5 min apart.(1:30 pm sat.)
    didn't deliver my baby till 10:00 am sunday!!!!!!!!
    After reading every labor and delivery book that was ever made, nothing
    prepared me for how fast I actually went into labor.
    The funny thing is, the day before I went into labor, kiddingly i said
    to my OB,"please tell me I'll go into labor tomorrow", he whispered
    Jokeingly to my husband,"sure she'll be in labor by 12:00 tomorrow
    afternoon. And at 12:20 I did!!!!!!
    
    
    Good luck, and stay calm. It will happen but it may sneak up on
    you.....
    
    sandy
    
    
    right side 

    
    Sometimes the braxton hicks are just getting the baby's head settled
    into the pelvis.  (Commonly called "dropping".)  If you notice one
    morning that you seem to be carrying a lot lower than you were, that's
    probably what's happened.  Of course, it can still be weeks to a month
    after that that you actually go into labor.
    
    It's difficult towards the end to not want things to go faster, but
    although it may not seem like it at times, the baby WILL come out
    eventually.  (Or at least I've never heard of an eternally pregnant
    person... ugh! what a thought!)
    
    Good luck and relax... practice your breathing during the braxton
    hicks.  It's a good opportunity to see how well it works!
    
    
    					jean
    

    I echo Dave's sentiments in .2.  Labor starts when, as my mother
    would say, "it's damn good and ready."  
    
    And the size issue is baloney -- my mother (5'2" and 120 lbs. on her
    wedding day in 1945) was three weeks early with one of my sisters and
    four weeks late with me (I think her dates were way off, but that's
    just one woman's opinion).  It depends on a lot of different things.
    Labor is governed by hormonal processes that are so subtle and so
    complex that scientists are only now *beginning* to understand its whys
    and wherefores.
    
    FWIW, I was 2 cm dilated for three weeks before I went into labor with
    James, who was four days late.  I'm 5'2"; my pre-preggo weight with
    James was 106; with this one, it was 109.  
    
    It's easy for me to say, but I'll say it anyway....
    
    Try to relax and enjoy!

    As other noters have mentioned... relax, practice breathing, keep
    yourself occupied. I had my first child last October. I didn't know
    what to expect, what a Braxton-Hicks felt like, what labor would feel
    like, all the other "I wonders" that a first time pregnancy involves.

    I must say, as uncomfortable as the labor was, it is true that you
    forget about it as soon as you see your baby. Daniel was the only thing
    I could concentrate on after he was born. The doctor was stitching up
    the episiodomy and I didn't know it! 


    In reference to short women going early... I'm 5'2" and labor had to be
    induced as I was two weeks late with no indications of dilation or
    labor starting. As a matter of fact, the day the induced me, the doctor
    saw no signs at noon time and was wonder weather he should admit me
    and try again the next day, or send me home for a few days. I delivered
    at 5:11 that night.

    Relax and prepare yourself for the most wonderful experience in your
    life time!! I _still_ get goose bumps as I am writing this!

    Best wishes,
    Norma

    I have been conducting my own *informal* survey and it seems like women
    who work full time till close to the end of their pregnancy end up
    delivering early.  You know how they used to say first babies were
    always late?...  I worked up to two weeks before, had the B-H
    contractions for most of the last trimester, but they weren't really
    painful.  I was due the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend and because of
    blood pressure problems, my doctor was going to induce the day after
    Due Day.  So on Thanksgiving Day, I went totally berserk.  I wrote out
    a cleaning plan and intended to clean my entire house over the next
    four days.  (I know what you are thinking - nesting!)  So I started
    with STEAMCLEANING my carpets on Thanksgiving day after I cooked a 21
    pound bird (for the two of us and two dogs....).  Put the steam cleaner
    away at *midnight* and water broke at 2 a.m., three days before due
    date.  Think the cleaning binge had anything to do with it?!?  I should
    add that I had been to the doctor the day before - no dilation, was
    given orders to get plenty of rest, and "I'll see you in the hospital
    monday for inducing."  My husband says he knew I would go into labor
    that day and didn't tell me.  He just stood back and let me get on with
    my cleaning.  See, I didn't want a dirty house when my mother came to
    help!
    
    So, as other noters have said, when that baby is good and ready....
    
    Have fun!
    
    Cathy
    

    re:6
    Norma, I know what you mean about the goose bumps when it comes to
    thinking about giving birth! It really is the most memorable experience
    a woman could have. It was painfull as heck, but the moment I saw my
    Danielle it was forgotten. Every day since then, at some point in the day I
    look back on the day i delivered, and how awesome it was!
    
    It's the best experience 2 people can share!!
    
    Sandy
    

I dunno -- I'd be glad to find an alternative way to get the same result.
Delivery is a pain in the -- .

I think the way you can tell whether labor is going to come early is --
the more uncomforatable you are, the more likely you are to be late. 

"Nesting" apparently strikes as a side effect of the surge of hormones
that are preparing for labor, so it might be that impending labor caused
the steamcleaning and the turkey, rather than the steamcleaning causing
labor.  You never know about these things.  I know one woman who even
scrubbed her ceilings trying to get the baby to come early.  She wound 
up with a c-section two weeks late, but she did have a clean house.  

--bonnie

    From the Worcester, MA Telegram & Gazette, Wednesday, 10/9/91
    
    FETAL BRAIN SIGNAL MAY TRIGGER BIRTH
    
    New York (AP)--Fetuses may trigger their own births by sending a "Go!"
    order to the mother from deep within their brains, suggests a study
    that might help lead to better prevention of premature births.
    
    Researchers studying sheep identified a pair of brain cell centers that
    apparently set off a hormonal chain reaction to begin labor.
    
    Further research on fetal signaling might lead to earlier diagnosis of
    premature labor and better drugs to block some causes of premature
    birth, co-author Dr. Peter Nathanielsz said.