40w 6d (aka Shouldn't I have a baby by now?)

Well, yes, I am six days over my due date and should technically be a mum by now. But it doesn't seem like my body wants to play ball - i have had no contractions, no waters breaking, no 'show', no nothing. Just endless days of still being pregnant. An internal inspection by the midwife this morning confirmed that my cervix is long, and well and truly shut. Oh, and the baby's head isn't as far down as she thought last week. There was no way she could do a membrane sweep, so I got a rather uncomfortable cervical massage and that was it.

I'm frustrated and disappointed by all this - I know how common it is for first babies to be late, but I had really hoped that my body would have taken some steps towards being ready for labour by now. As it is, I am now booked in for an induction next Monday (which will be 41w 5d). In some ways that's a relief - at least there is an end date beyond which, technically, my pregnancy won't continue. But induction means I'd have to give birth on the labour ward - saying bye bye to all my best-laid plans for a nice private birth in the birthing unit, using a birthing pool, etc.

So I have six days to get this baby out naturally. Think we will be trying lots more walks, curries, and having sex without laughing too much...