Overdue- how long would you be willing to wait?

[ace28]

Hi everyone,

So I'm not actually overdue by a long shot lol but I just have this feeling I will be. I can't shake it- I feel like this kid is going to be the exact opposite of an early bird!

Since I feel so strongly about it, I've gone ahead and talked with my midwife about how late I would be allowed to go, what steps would be taken, etc. I was thinking up to 42 weeks would be okay by me...

but turns out, she is very hands-off... she doesn't do cervix checks, doesn't offer sweeps until 42 weeks, and would even be willing to let me go up until 43 weeks!!! At 43 weeks, she doesn't necessarily recommend induction, she just orders an ultrasound to be done to see how things are progressing.

Honestly though, I feel like 43 weeks is *too* late. Yes, in Ye Olden Days there were plenty of women who were left to go to 44 weeks, unmedicated, and did fine, buuuuut I'm honestly a little bit concerned about the prospect of pushing a 43-weeker out of my chuff al natural! Is this just the "western medicine" mindset getting to me? Or is 43 weeks toooooo late? What do you think?

PS- OBVIOUSLY, I'm not *hoping* to go to 43 weeks. If I had to guess, I'd say he'll be here between 41 and 42 weeks... but still. Better to figure this all out now!

 

[MindUtopia]

I definitely plan to go to 43 weeks (with monitoring if necessary) assuming there is nothing I am worried about. I absolutely don't want to be induced unless it's absolutely without a doubt necessary. I personally think I might be someone who goes early (my mom had me at 38 weeks and I just feel I'll be the same). I haven't thought yet about what I would do if I did get to 43 weeks and nothing was happening! Hopefully I won't have to worry about it! You have to do what's comfortable for you though. But how awesome is your midwife. I only hope I have one who is that supportive.

 

[ace28]

I definitely plan to go to 43 weeks (with monitoring if necessary) assuming there is nothing I am worried about. I absolutely don't want to be induced unless it's absolutely without a doubt necessary. I personally think I might be someone who goes early (my mom had me at 38 weeks and I just feel I'll be the same). I haven't thought yet about what I would do if I did get to 43 weeks and nothing was happening! Hopefully I won't have to worry about it! You have to do what's comfortable for you though. But how awesome is your midwife. I only hope I have one who is that supportive.

See, I like that she's supportive of the natural birth process, but after 42 weeks makes me nervous. I almost wish she was MORE hands on, and that she did do sweeps at 41 weeks or so- just a little sooner I guess. And again, I'm not sure if that type of thinking by me is a relic of being brought up in a hands-on, hospital/prointervention society or if it's a relevant concern.

I did do some reading on post term babies (42 weeks or later) and it said that while most are fine, 20-30% can develop post term syndrome and be undernourished by their placenta. Plus, I'm worried about baby just getting too BIG to push out! So idk...

 

[onemorebabe]

I was 5 days over due with my first and 10 days over due with my second.. Had both of them naturally with no induction, however I was scheduled for my midwife to break my water (they can do that if you are atleast 1 cm dialated) but I went into labor at 4 in the morning and was scheduled for that at 6 am...lol

 

[Cjackord]

I don't know what I'm comfortable with... I'll probably have a scan at 41 to check on him and take it from there. I'm certain of my dates so that makes going so long seem scarier to me... But if I had to give an absolute "yikes" date, probably anything over 43.

 

[ace28]

I don't know what I'm comfortable with... I'll probably have a scan at 41 to check on him and take it from there. I'm certain of my dates so that makes going so long seem scarier to me... But if I had to give an absolute "yikes" date, probably anything over 43.

Yeah I'm completely 100% certain of my dates too- we were charting and temping and we only inseminated once! So going long does seem scarier.

 

[try4girl2]

My MW is very hands off to but she said if I ask she would check me at 41 and if I begged she would do a sweep but if I didn't ask she would just do a NST and an ultrasound and then go for there. At 42 weeks they talk about inducing and would do a sweep then set up the induction.

 

[Larkspur]

Friend of mine who used the same midwife as me went 18 days overdue with no problems - five hour drug-free labour at home. She didn't have a single scan the entire pregnancy and her little girl is just perfect.

 

[pinkandfluffy]

I really do not want to go through induction again unless medically necessary.

I will go for as long as is safe to, with regular monitoring etc.

I'm struggling with SPD, and have a toddler, and am working 25hrs a week until I can't manage it, but I am desperate to avoid induction however much this pregnancy is testing me lol x x

 

[Irish Eyes]

I really wish I'd have gone to 43 weeks, anything to avoid the induction I had.

I was deserate for a homebirth but was induced at 42 weeks. next time I will happily wait until 43 weeks if needed

Edited - just to add, I had 3 sweeps before being induced, I really felt I'd done everything possible. However now I know that 42 weeks isn't the end of the "safe" zone!

 

[bassdesire]

I wouldn't go longer than 43 myself. Our hb mw would allow 42 weeks.

 

[ZoeZo]

I'm currently 9 days over due by USS EDD, but only 3 days by LMP EDD, I am 100% sure of my dates and willing to argue until I blue in the face that my LMP date is more accurate, the fact nothing has happened yet is evidence for this!

My MW said 'we don't go by LMP date anymore' even though it is in my notes in black and white! If they had their way I would've had a first sweep at 1 day over LMP then another tomorrow (40+7 then 40+10) and I'd be expected to be in hospital Sunday (40+12) to have gels to start me off

I WANT to wait longer! Although waking up every day thinking 'is today the day' is getting wearing - but I think that is because I'm now worried in the back of my mind that I'm 9 days over, which I know I'm not, and it's modern medicine which scare you by saying 'you mustn't be over 2 weeks late) even at my '40' (39 IMO) appointment the midwife said 'you don't want to have a still born' how digusting of her to use that scare tactic!

There is no evidence to show that a placenta starts to stop working after 14 days 'over', generally we do not grow babies that are too big for us to birth, and some babies just gestate naturally for longer than 40 weeks!

Rant over! xx

 

[flipflopfan]

43 weeks is my cut off, I went to 41 weeks with my daughter. I would say 42 is my cut off, but dates can be wrong and some babies just need more time than others. If the baby is still in there at 43 weeks, I'd have my midwife give me some herbs to help things along (I would never try castor oil, heard too many horror stories and a membrane sweep seems too aggressive and intrusive).

 

[chattyB]

I would go to 43 weeks - my son arrived at 42+4 after I agreed to induction. They popped in a prostin pessary and he arrived 3 hours later. I'm pretty sure I would've laboured on my own within a day had I not been induced.

 

[amjon]

I'll probably be pushing for something by 37 or 38 weeks, but I lost my daughter at 27, so I'll be really nervous. (Plus I may develop GD as I'm IR. Hopefully the Metformin should help with that.)

 

[bunda]

As far as I can tell, the only danger of going too far beyond your due date is when the placenta stops working properly - however a quick ultrasound can show whether this is happening (they measure the blood flor going to and from the placenta).

Some hospitals will allow you to go quiet far beyond full term but may want you to have regular ultrasounds to check the placenta is still working (maybe even daily). I'd suggest discussing this with the midwife (the 'stillborn' remark was uncalled for and out of order - if they are that scared, it can be monitored and she would know this!)

 

[patch2006uk]

I went 18 days over by LMP and 15 days over by scan dates. LO had passed his meconium (they broke my waters, but they really couldn't be called waters. It was just poo) and his heart was struggling. They tried to induce, but his heartrate disappeared from the monitors and they couldn't find it again. I had an EMCS.

I'd never allow myself to go that far overdue again. Up to 42 weeks I'd be comfortable with, but not a day longer. My placenta was fine, but LO clearly wasn't.

 

[amjon]

As far as I can tell, the only danger of going too far beyond your due date is when the placenta stops working properly - however a quick ultrasound can show whether this is happening (they measure the blood flor going to and from the placenta).

Some hospitals will allow you to go quiet far beyond full term but may want you to have regular ultrasounds to check the placenta is still working (maybe even daily). I'd suggest discussing this with the midwife (the 'stillborn' remark was uncalled for and out of order - if they are that scared, it can be monitored and she would know this!)

Are you referring to mine???? I honestly HAD a stillborn at 27 weeks and will be nervous because of it. I don't see how anyone could find that offensive (or even unexpected). MY baby WAS monitored (had a NST 4 days before she died), so no I don't know that they can be "monitored").

 

[xxxjacxxx]

Oh no she wasn't referring to you, it was in response to Zoezo's post about her midwife using the 'stillborn' scare tactic

 

[amjon]

Oh no she wasn't referring to you, it was in response to Zoezo's post about her midwife using the 'stillborn' scare tactic

Ok, thanks.