As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

Someone told me (and I take EVERYTHING) with a grain of salt) that the more active you are BEFORE you labor, that the shorter and less eventful your labor may be as opposed to someone who nests for a while and excluding those on bed rest.

As you know, I am basically working up until I deliver with a 10 day period of time between my due date and the end of summer school. I am on my feet and moving around more than I thought I would be which is fine. I am just wondering if this is a good thing in terms of labor. Anything I can do within my power to move things along better and safely, I would like to do. Go figure.

I feel fine. I am not sick, I am not dizzy. I am not fainting (anymore). I watch everything I eat and eat iron rich foods like I was told to so I am 100% safe and not worrying about endangering Ed-lie one bit.

Any thoughts?

Message edited 8/6/2008 11:02:35 AM.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I think, as long as you feel good, you're doing yourself a favor by remaining active.

Definitely rest if you are tired, but there's no reason to slow down if you are OK. I was walking on a daily basis and working right up until I went into labor with DS. I had a long labor, but was out walking again 2 days after he was born. I think remaining active helped me both mentally and physically.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

My grandmother is a true believer in this, she keeps telling me this to walk a lot and walk as much as I can everywhere....She had an insanely quick labor with my mom (her first). My mom who is also very active, she never drove, and when was 8 months Pregnant with me was just emigrating to the US so was all over the place walking and doing things, and her labor with me (her first) was 2 hours....so I'm hoping my grandmother is right about this, bc I plan on keeping really active until she comes!!!!

Good luck!!!!

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

If you're feeling fine, then work right up to the very end. With my first pregnancy, I left my job 3 weeks before I gave birth and I layed around at home all day. I ate more and spent money on pedicures every week. Not a bad thing to do, but I wasn't very active. This time around I have a 3 year old, so there is no resting.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I ain't gonna lie, I would love to sit on my arse and not do a damn thing except watch Baby Story and eat Gobstoppers with an occasional indulgence of fried macs and cheese.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I think...you think too much!



Just go about your business and she will be ready, when she is ready!!

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I can't help but think that keeping the blood flowing (by walking around, doing stuff) can only help labor... after all, it's a major extended test of endurance and exercise... if we don't move, and climbing a flight of stairs becomes difficult becuase our cardiovascular fitness declines radically, it will be very hard to push out a baby when the time comes.....

Also movement will reduce edema and other common problems we have....

I'm try to be like you and keep moving within reason. As long as I feel good and there are no medical reasons to slow down, I take it as a sign that Scone doesn't mind and it's probably healthy.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I was due 3/30. I wanted to work up to the very last second. I had terrible sciatica and was literally limping, dragging my body around - walking to the train station (until it was impossible then I took a cab the last week or so). I was still commuting from LI to Manhattan everyday until my boss insisted I stop early (he thought I would give birth at the office). We said my last day would be 3/20. At my 36wk appt I was 1cm dilated and almost 100% effaced.
I worked until 11PM on 3/19 in preparation of the next day being my last day.
I woke up at 6AM on 3/20 - felt like I had to poop and by 9AM realized I was actually in labor. My mom got me to the hospital by 10AM and I was 9CM, 2 pushes and Ryan was born at 10:24AM.

EVERYONE claims this was due to the fact I stayed active - I was up and down stairs, walking a mile a day up until 37 1/2 wks or so, commuting, continuing to go about my business. I'm sure it had a lot to do with my easy delivery. I feel like I was effaced early on b/c I was so active (although I don't know for sure if that's how it works )

ETS: When everyone kept asking me how I continue the commute and traveling thru Penn Station flights of stairs and the subway with major sciatica I kept remarking that I was building up my tolerance for pain. I swear the sciatica hurt me a lot more than labor (which was drug free)!

Message edited 8/6/2008 11:53:52 AM.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I think that is definitely true b/c my labor was pretty easy. I didnt have very much pain when pushing at all. I was also on my feet again much faster. I was ready to leave the hospital by the next day. I always make it a point to stay active and with my little ball of energy DS at home how can I not be anyway. My DS was due on July 1st, 2007. He came on June 24th exactly one week early. I think the same thing will happen with this one. I jsut feel like I am going to go early.


ETA: Hey Nicole Kidman was still playing tennis in her 3rd trimester. Go figure.

Message edited 8/6/2008 12:01:27 PM.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

good question. i have no experience with this since i am having my first child but i would like to assume that keeping yourself in shape helps your labor in the sense that you will have the energy, strength and endurance to work through contractions. i dont think it will have anything to do with how fast your labor and delivery will be...

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I think the more active you are, the better it is for you and the baby regardless of labor. With my last pregnancy, I walk Tanger that afternoon and went into labor that evening. I have a relatively easy labor and delivery without complications.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I worked up until the day i went to the hospital. I went to the gym almost every day before I gave birth. In fact, I went to the gym the night before. I was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday at 10 a.m. and my DS was born on Friday at 1:15 a.m. by c-section - needless to say, it was a long labor! People told me that the baby would pop out b/c I was so active. Not so! However, I did recover exceptionally fast! I was walking around that Saturday and really moved around well. All the doctors could not believe how quickly recovered and they said it was b/c of my activity level before my DS was born.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I guess that could be true.

I was supposed to work until Jan. 18 which was 2 days before my due date, but I got to a point where I just could NOT deal anymore. I was constantly agitated bc of traveling into the city and sooo tired from running around my office constantly so I decided to stop working a week earlier.

I wound up going into labor on January 15 and had DD the next morning. I think it was pretty quick considering - I started writing down my contractions at 5:44pm and gave birth to DD at 5:46am. I don't think that's a very long labor all in all.

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

Leslie,

I worked up until 3 days before I gave birth...the day before I went into labor I went on a shopping spree and walked around for about 4 hours straight with feet swolen like a mini elephant. I think my short labor (water broke at 1:15am, I gave birth at 9:30am) was all thanks to the fact that I stayed active, commuted to work by means of public transportation, walked my dog, cleaned, etc etc. My SIL did absolutely nothing from her 5th month of pregnancy and she ended up having a 30 hour labor. So I do believe that it is true for most people.

As long as you're feeling good (I actually felt sick and nauseus two days before I went into labor) continue to stay active, just rest, and drink a lot of water!

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

hmmm wow i always thought this to be true but now hearing the "not true" stories it's making me realize this might be an old wive's tale! my mom swears that she stayed active up until the end of her 4 pregnancies and that's why she had easy labors for all of us...i totally believe her! now hearing some of your stories i'm second guessing her!!

Re: As I near childbirth, I once again become contemplative...

I dont' think this is true. my own mom worked in manhattan and was very active till the night she went into labor. she was in labor over 30 hours and ultimately needed to be knocked out to have me I think it just has to do w/ how your body reacts to labor