I worked hard to convince my consultant that I knew what I was capable of this time round. Determined and backed up the knowledge I\u2019ve gained from my Gentlebirth training as well as being kept totally chilled and focused by the tracks on the Gentlebirth app, I sat, expanding by the day in the sweltering heatwave. Braxton Hicks came and went as did my \u201cguess date of July 1 and still no sign that show time was near. At 40+5 and a hot mess, even breastfeeding Starfish wasn\u2019t enough to kickstart things. I did think a few times that the crampy pressure I felt might be something and not to put too fine a point on it, I was so hot that at times I thought that maybe my waters had broken! But as my lovely cousin (a newly qualified midwife) jovially pointed out to me, if I could talk through the surges, they were not the real deal yet!<\/p>\n

A scan with my consultant confirmed that everything was going well and that Chickpea who had previously been breech was now in the correct position so it was agreed I would relax until 41 +3 (as much as I could with massively swollen feet and a bump so big that the pressure on my back and the sheer weight of everything meant I could no longer straighten up. At 41+3 when nothing had happened of its own accord I went in for induction, armed with my trusty CUB chair<\/a> and Gentlebirth<\/a> app. I was admitted and given dinner almost immediately, very impressed as I had been too sick to eat anything for most of the day. Not because of any aniety about the delivery but rather heartbreak at leaving Starfish overnight and potentially for a few days, for the first time ever.<\/p>\n

Not long after dinner the duty doctor came to examine me and begin induction. She broke the news that my \u201cbig baby\u201d was still very high and my cervix was \u201cclamped shut\u201d. She also said that Chickpea was very comfortable and could potentially stay put for another 10+ days! Not the news I wanted to hear. She explained that she felt my chances of a successful induction were very low and she also expressed concern that Chickpea\u2019s size could cause issues. Now the size issue did not phase me in the slightest because the Gentlebirth affirmation \u201cMy baby is the perfect size for my body\u201d had served me very well throughout pregnancy and I knew when she was able to grow to whatever size she was, she\u2019d get out. I also took a lot of comfort from my supposedly \u201cbig baby\u201d because I knew she\u2019d have to be strong enough to contend with her big and bullishly strong big brother.<\/p>\n\t

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