Some people drive me crazy about the whole "going overdue" thing =/

[Guppy051708]

My friend, Kristen, is worried she will go overdue and does not want an induction (she is a first timer)
She is only 38 weeks at this point in time and i keep reminding her she may not even have to worry about it (remember the states are very pushy about induction!). Anyways, I knew she didn't want to be induced so i reminded her that a normal pregnancy can go up to 42 weeks. (this is all over FB), well this one chick gets on there and says

"Yeah. But thank god most doctors that know what they are doing don't allow you to go to 42 weeks, I'd never take that risk. The risk of still birth, deteriating placenta, need for a c-section and all kinds of other complications are GREATLY increased at that time."

then i simply replied with: "thats after 42 weeks, not after 40...but to each their own Kristen, you do whatever you feel is best for you and your baby and who knows maybe you wont even need to worry about it You'll do fine no matter what and be such a great mother!!"

This girl, who i dont even know! said: "No, actually the risk for still birth is doubled at 40 weeks, and is 6 times greater by 42 weeks. Hince the reason why if you make it till 40 weeks, you will have a check up everyday after."

Sorry about the rant but that really drives me mad! The girl replying, of course was all for induction (she had them). On the other hand, she had no idea that I went 41+5 with DS (everything was perfectly fine!) and that im a child birth educator and a birth doula (not trying to brag but just that i know this stuff like the back of my hand). I just felt bad for Kristen bc i knew she didn't want to be induced and know this chick is giving her all sorts of incorrect info and its just gonna scare her I didn't reply back. Im not into FB wars but i really hope Kristen knows, i a NORMAL, HEALTHY
pregnancy, that info is incorrect. Ugh.

 

[Speccy]

Since being pregnant I've discovered that people like to tell you all sorts of scary and negative stuff, whether or not they have the proof or evidence to back it up. It's like they enjoy worrying you! I'm due on 13th December, but am not getting myself too obsessed with my due date - I always tell myself that I hope to go into labour by Christmas, which takes me to near enough 42 weeks, rather than by 13th December. Pregnancy isn't an exact science anyway and if everything is ok then I'm happy letting nature take its course.

3rd tri is full of women talking about everything they're doing past 37 weeks to induce labour, but I think baby will make an appearance when it and my body is ready for it to. (Remind me I said all this when I get to 41 weeks though .) This is my first pregnancy so I can't imagine how uncomfortable and fed up women must feel by the end, and I am so excited to meet my baby, but I don't know why you'd want to try to make it happen early, before its ready.

Anyway, hopefully your friend isn't taking this other woman seriously and isn't letting herself get too scared. She knows you're a professional and know what you're talking about, so I'm sure you'll be able to reassure her.

 

[nickyXjayno]

Actually you are considered over due if you go over 40 weeks and if you get to 42 weeks your are induced or at least greatly pressurised by Dr's.
At 38 weeks she is considered full term if she were to give birth so not sure why you're saying she's only 38 weeks.

It's highly recommended that you do not go over 42 weeks.

The placenta does reach it's peak at 37 weeks and starts to calcify and deteriorate.

All this I have been told by my dr and my midwife.

I hate it when people want to be natural for the sake of it.
I want a natural birth but am in no way willing to risk my baby even if it's a tiny risk by going over 42 weeks.

https://www.askbaby.com/what-happens-if-my-pregnancy-goes-overdue.htm

 

[Speccy]

I think that's what Guppy meant though - you can quite safely go up to 42 weeks.

 

[Guppy051708]

You are overdue at 40 weeks. You are postdated at 42 weeks. You can have a healthy baby between 37-42 weeks.

yeah, i went to 41+5 with my son. i did EVERYTHING humanly possible because i was so scared of induction, i knew i was low risk, and i knew the test i had said everything was fine. If baby is ready, those things will work, but i find more often than not, the natural induction stuff (like sex, nipple stimulation, walking, bounce ball, etc) dont work unless baby is ready.

 

[lynnikins]

Babies in my family ( maternal side ) seem to come post 41wks if we let nature take its course i think we just ovulate a bit later since the women dont get positive pregnancy tests till we are a few days late with our periods no matter what tests we use lol my brother got to 43+ something and arrived naturally there was sins his placenta was well mature and wouldnt have lasted much longer but thats why he was born caus the hormones triggered the labour lol.

 

[lynnikins]

im expecting to go 41 wks plus with this baby after going 13 days over and 11 days over with the last 2 it would really surprise me if this one showed up earlier than the 12th/13th of december when im due the 6th

 

[Guppy051708]

interesting! a lot of women in my family go "overdue" (like 10+ days)as well. I went 41+5 with my son, so i expect to go over this time too. I read a very interesting article a couple of weeks back. The sufficant that forms for the lungs to transfer from "water" to "air", which is present at about 32 weeks on, is the thing that around 40ish weeks triggers a women to go into labor. Well, this article mentioned that studies are showing some women, especially in the same family, do not have their babies produce sufficant until closer to 34 weeks, hence why it could be genetic for women in one family to go "overdue". it was a great article! wish i could find it again!

And i also think youre on to something about the ovulation! i dont ov. until CD 22...my current EDD is based on ovulation (02.23.2012) but if they based it on LMP it would have been 02.16.2012 which is over a week!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I agree with you. If I get to 42 weeks with this baby (hopefully not, first came at 41+2) then we'll obviously cross that bridge when we come to it but I cannot see myself accepting a pitocin/syntocinon induction.

 

[Guppy051708]

^using thanks button as a "like" button!

 

[sun]

It really gets me with all the incorrect info people will spread too. Especially since often it's something they heard from someone else who heard it somewhere, etc. I was in a conversation like this with a friend regarding home vs hospital births and she had lots of statistics that she heard were true (she couldn't remember where she heard it though!). I don't know why people don't research something for themselves if they want to know!

 

[bathbabe]

Drives me mad when people start saying "omg im 1 day overdue! Is this baby ever going to come?!" And if their baby is born at 39+6 they say "oh my baby was born 1day early"
Too many people think that if their baby isnt born on its due date its early or late! 37-42weeks is the norm! Not early, not late, on time!
Bugs me a little

I would just PM your friend and tell her the true facts x

 

[Blah11]

I dont know what I'll do if I go over 42 weeks. Have already brought it up with my MW who said i'd need to go see a consultant and negotiate roll monitoring instead. I think if i was hospital birth I'd just accept induction at 42 weeks but I'm desp for my homebirth this time.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Drives me mad when people start saying "omg im 1 day overdue! Is this baby ever going to come?!" And if their baby is born at 39+6 they say "oh my baby was born 1day early"
Too many people think that if their baby isnt born on its due date its early or late! 37-42weeks is the norm! Not early, not late, on time!
Bugs me a little

I would just PM your friend and tell her the true facts x

That bugs me too, the whole '1 day early' thing

 

[Guppy051708]

me three 42 weeks, i could possibly see getting induced (if fetal non-stress test was bad, or the ultrasound said the placenta was deteriorating, but proof of it)i could def. see that, but prior to 42 weeks is what bugs me (if no real med issue like high BP or GD, etc)

 

[Leahmasie]

If you look at recent data of actual outcomes in Canada, it is more risky in terms of infant mortality to deliver at 38w5d than 43w5d. Seriously. I posted the link in another thread. Definitely get monitoring if you feel the need. There are many good things about our medical care. But induction just for dates when placenta and baby are healthy is not appropriate in my opinion.

 

[Guppy051708]

^ Amen!
I will have to check the article! that is VERY interesting
They def. play down delivering between 37-40 weeks, but they over play delivering after 40 weeks

 

[aliss]

OVERDUE (40+) IS NOT THE SAME POST-DATE (42+)!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL!

Sorry, it gets me too. Personally I'd prefer they stay incubated, at least when they cry you can't hear them

I was induced when unfavourable (40+3 and he was obviously NOT ready to come out but I had an infection), and holy cow does that suck. I would much much rather have consistent monitoring when post-date (Yes! post-date! Not overdue!) then go through induction again and the various interventions/resulting birth injury.

Then again the old saying, "there are none so blind as those who will not see"

 

[candyfloss]

I wonder if there is a trend that runs in families for when babies are fully cooked and come out?! My mum had to be induced (she thinks at least 3wks 'early' but was pretty poorly due to pre eclampsia) with me and my brother but mum was earlier than my nan expected (60 years ago so no scans for edd obviously!) and my son was born at 38+2...

Just wondering if it's a genetic thing to run on the early or late side of the dreaded due date?!

 

[Blah11]

I wonder if there is a trend that runs in families for when babies are fully cooked and come out?! My mum had to be induced (she thinks at least 3wks 'early' but was pretty poorly due to pre eclampsia) with me and my brother but mum was earlier than my nan expected (60 years ago so no scans for edd obviously!) and my son was born at 38+2...

Just wondering if it's a genetic thing to run on the early or late side of the dreaded due date?!

Due dates are still an estimate these days let alone in our parent and even grandparents days so no, I don't think so. My mum was 5 days past her due date with both me and my brother. Amelie was 39 weeks.