Following the insertion of the pessary on the first day it was given 24 hours to work and I was told I wouldn’t be examined until 2.20pm the following day.
After a hot, uncomfortable night I woke up at about 6 and occupied myself for a couple of hours until the midwife came in and told me I was going to have to be moved out of my private room! I was quickly moved to the ward where I was placed opposite someone who was induced 3 hours after me. The race was on!
My mum came back to the hospital at 9am and we went for another walk to try to get things going. We have now worked out a nice little 30 minute route around the hospital, though it must look like I’ve escaped with my lovely pressure stockings and wristband!
We returned in time for lunch and after that I was put on the monitor again. It picked up some great tightenings and showed that Jackson kicked every time there was one with his heartrate increasing to 180bmpm at some points. He obviously doesn’t like being squeezed!
After I was monitored the doctor arrived to give me an examination and told me that because I was having some tightenings I may be in early labour so they cannot give me another pessary anyway, but she would examine me to see how things were going. She rootled around, somehow not hurting me half as much as all the others, and proceeded to tell me that my cervix was soft but closed… How could that be when it was definitely not yesterday! After a bit more poking around. She found it was very posterior but 2cm. Progress! She pulled it forward trying to stretch it which REALLY hurt (think stretching your lip over your nose) but told me that although at 2cm they could burst my waters I’d be better waiting a few hours and walking around to try and get it to move forwards or they’ll have to stretch it forwards to insert the hook as the hook doesn’t bend round corners so it’ll hurt more than normal.
So from then on it was a waiting game for a bed on delivery, for me and the lady opposite who was found to be at a similar stage to me, and we are still waiting! I have been for multiple walks, up and down stairs and sat on a birthing ball for hours at a time. My contractions seemed to get stronger but during the evening slowed down and weakened again. Apparently because this is the early stages of labour that is normal.

At 9pm my mum and Jacksons dad were told they could wait for a bit to see if a bed became available as delivery suite had said it should definitely be tonight sometime, but by 10 there had been no news so she suggested they go home and get some sleep and we would contact them if I got moved.
So now to get some sleep as hopefully by this time tomorrow I won’t be able to, either in too much pain or have a newborn to coo over!