Overdue

[onyxravnos]

So. how far overdue are you willing to go before getting a little help getting things going? (such as sweeping the membranes)

Now assuming of course baby and mom are fine and everything looks good in theory i got no issues going even past 42 weeks.... but..... i wonder... after 42 weeks i get a little worried.

Thoughts?

[PreggieUBA2C]

I had 2 c/s for frank breech and had never experienced any labour until my third birth, which was my first uc. I had prodromal labour every night for four weeks, during which time my water broke twice (sealed up after the first time and then just leaked after the second time a week before the big final day), and the massive amount of adhesions inside my body tore and healed.

On the day that our uc ds was born, it was 44 weeks and 2 days since conception. I had been unsure initially of the date, but there were only two possible ones and when the first one passed three months earlier (I hadn't had a visible cycle then for years, so no reason to even suspect I was pg), I could easily count the time. I measured 46cm.

My second uc was at 42wks, 3days, and may have gone longer but I hadn't eaten in two days and had a terrible flu (as did our three boys), so I had suspected I would go into labour with all that wretching and no food.

I couldn't care any less what the averages say for how long my gestation should be. My babes were active all the way through, responsive and alert in the womb, and I am very intimately aware of them.

My concerns don't include length of gestation on the later end of pregnancy. My only concerns about dates happen on the early side.

ETA: I personally wouldn't consider sweeping or getting help just for dates, ever. If I was concerned about the health of the baby, I would try other methods first.

[UCmamaToMany]

Before the Birthlove site was taken down she had stories up on it of mom's who went to 45 and 48 weeks. I don't believe the "hype" of an "old placenta" not working. They'll work and when they are done working baby will be born.

Of course you could bel ike some women who never give birth and end up carrying your calcified baby for 50 or 60 years! Of course those are rare!!!

http://english.pravda.ru/science/19/...pregnancy.html
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle2139390.ece

[Serenyd]

Originally Posted by UCmamaToMany

Before the Birthlove site was taken down she had stories up on it of mom's who went to 45 and 48 weeks. I don't believe the "hype" of an "old placenta" not working. They'll work and when they are done working baby will be born.

Of course you could bel ike some women who never give birth and end up carrying your calcified baby for 50 or 60 years! Of course those are rare!!!

http://english.pravda.ru/science/19/...pregnancy.html
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle2139390.ece

Seems like these were cases where the baby died and the body failed to expel it.... in fact the 1st baby was only 7 months along when it died. That's a bit different.

[TzippityDoulah]

I went to 42.5 weeks. I did start to worry - but more or less I worried about what other people would say or do. I was terrified of some well intentioned friend callng the cops on me or something. (you now how stupid some people can be). I heard one too many horror stories of cops being called and judges ordering a mom to get a c/s

and then I started avoiding any BAD story b/c it was running amuck in my mind

It totally depends on the pregnancy. I might feel ok about one going that long and not ok with another. it depend son personal experience and intuition and a host of other factors you know?

[basje]

If it were me

If I was at 42 I would see an acupuncturist, it's really effective and doesn't have risky side effects and try to get as much movement and exercise as possible to help that baby come down. I would not however do anything more invasive until the end of 43 weeks as long as the movement was the same as it's been for the rest of the pregnancy. But of course, you must do what you feel most comfortable with because it's your baby and you know your body better than anyone else does. Wishing you labor!

[gon2be]

As long as your blood pressure is good and you have good fetal movement, I see no reason to do anything but just wait. My oldest DD was born at 42w 1d and my midwife was wigging out. One of the many reasons I switched to UC for the next birth! My mom's generation was routinely left alone in terms of post dates meddling. Lots of her friends went to 43 weeks. Doctors didn't seem to freak out like they do know.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by UCmamaToMany

Before the Birthlove site was taken down she had stories up on it of mom's who went to 45 and 48 weeks. I don't believe the "hype" of an "old placenta" not working. They'll work and when they are done working baby will be born.

But it isn't hype. True enough you don't get to 42 weeks and the placenta automatically shuts down but the risk of stillbirth due to being post dates does increase. I think it's important to acknowledge that if you are doing UP/UC so that you can practise extra watchful waiting, assuming you are comfortable going past 42 weeks.

It also worth noting that drs possibly weren't so fussed about going post dates in the past as due dates weren't usually as accurate as they are now. It's now more likely to be acknowledged that not everyone ovulates on day 14, many women have early u/s to date the pregnancy and the date of sex could be up to a week earlier than the date of conception.

So, I very much doubt that anyone genuinely has a 48 week pregnancy.

[TopHat]

I UP/Uced and had my DD at 43 weeks based off my ovulation date and 42 weeks 4 days based off my period (I ovulated early that month). She was only 8.5 pounds and breathed right away and had no problems. I didn't worry because her heartbeat was good (we have a fetoscope) and she was active and kicking.

[onelilguysmommy]

I did to 43 from O.
She was fine in there. She was screaming before born
My older one was a couple of days before 43. I went to be induced because I felt he needed out. I was right, he did.

[VeezieTG]

i'm a few days "overdue" now... so to get my head right i was reading some uc birth stories and homebirth stories... oddly enough, i think there's a trend in overdue in both series. coincidence? or maybe without the time constraints put on us, our bodies can actually fully gestate? or more likely to have wrong dates? idk... but there's def a trend.

my previous 3 were born at 39w+4, 40w, and 39w+2. (hospital and birth center births, all.) now i'm 40w+5. i worry. BUT i also won't have any medical interventions til 42.5w at the very soonest (unless my bp went up, i stopped feeling movement, or something like that). i've had acupuncture 4 times already, used epo, drink rrl, and naturally, walk alot, have alot of sex, and nurse my toddler (nipple stimulation). but cervix is still just over a finger tip (but all the way thin). i'm not worried. i get the acu and drink the tea cos i genuinely like both. the epo was on a whim the day after 40w. and it was icky so i probably won't do it again until end of next week or so...

[onelilguysmommy]

I think a lot of us are more likely to have the right dates, personally...

[Happiestever]

I had a midwife that told me that induction methods only work if baby is ready. Which to me means that they are pretty much a waste of time. Although things like sex and lots of it is something I would push if and when I get to being post dates. It was never pretty but I am sure your dh would be happy to oblige.

When I look back at the experience of having my membranes swept with my first- it was more like my mw pulled my plug out than anything else. I would definitely just have more sex, take EPO orally and vaginally, lots of RRL, and lots of exercise/ stair climbing. Visualize and talk to baby, baby will come when they are good and ready!

[Astraia]

By 41.5 I'd ask my dr about a NST/BPP possibilities- not necessarily go, just ask some questions.

By 42 weeks I'd consent to coming in for regular checks to make sure baby was doing okay.

That said- my brother was born at 43.5. My mom was coming in ALL the time for checks after 41-42 weeks, but he had obvious signs of post-maturity. On my side of the family, we tend to carry late. I've so far had the earliest non-induced baby for as far back as anyone can remember, and my DD was born at 40+2. If your babies (not sure how many you've had) tend to come earlier- say, 38-39 weeks - then going later would be odd and I'd be more concerned.

If I was UPing, I'd spend as much time as possible getting in touch with the baby, I'd start kick counts or whatever to monitor and make sure I'm NOTICING movements (or lack there of), and I'd consider finding an OB to consult and get me in for NST & BPP sometime after 42 weeks.

Yes, there are a lot of women who go over without any problems at all. And no, going over in itself is not a reason to induce. But like a PP, the risks do go up (ever so slightly) and I'd rather be assured I'm making the right decision, just for my own piece of mind.

Definitely dig deep into yourself, get in touch with your baby, make sure you're trusting yourself and your intuition deeply enough to know when to get the help or back up checks (or get the baby out).

That's what I'd do, anyway! This is again such a hugely personal decision, you're going to get a huge variation on what people would do. I'm sure you'll find the answer you're comfortable with.... or have a baby!

[gossamerwindweb]

Originally Posted by Serenyd

Seems like these were cases where the baby died and the body failed to expel it.... in fact the 1st baby was only 7 months along when it died. That's a bit different.

They were actually ectopic pregnancies that went almost to term and then died. One went past term and then died. Of course they are so incredibly rare, that is why they have stories about them. I watched one on Discovery Health. There WAS a woman who had a full-term ectopic in California a few years back, and when they opened her for the c-section her uterus was small and empty.. baby was attached to her intestines. Anyhow, again... incredibly rare.

[onelilguysmommy]

Originally Posted by gossamerwindweb

They were actually ectopic pregnancies that went almost to term and then died. One went past term and then died. Of course they are so incredibly rare, that is why they have stories about them. I watched one on Discovery Health. There WAS a woman who had a full-term ectopic in California a few years back, and when they opened her for the c-section her uterus was small and empty.. baby was attached to her intestines. Anyhow, again... incredibly rare.

There's one who had triplets- two girls in her uterus and a boy who wasn't inside the uterus too.

[cathicog]

Originally Posted by VeezieTG

i'm a few days "overdue" now... but cervix is still just over a finger tip (but all the way thin). .

Be prepared for a fast labor, Veezie...If you are completely effaced, I have seen women go from 3 cm to pushing the baby out in less than an hour. it's intense, but it happens and everything is usually fine when it's that fast. Just make sure the baby isn't posterior...(spend some time daily on hands and knees, perhaps.)

[lia_joy]

Originally Posted by cathicog

Be prepared for a fast labor, Veezie...If you are completely effaced, I have seen women go from 3 cm to pushing the baby out in less than an hour. it's intense, but it happens and everything is usually fine when it's that fast. Just make sure the baby isn't posterior...(spend some time daily on hands and knees, perhaps.)

That was me! My third was 40wks 6days (my first 2 were 8 & 5 days before 40wks so it was a suprise to go that long) and the labor only went about 3 hrs. I went from 4-5cm to pushing in 10 min... What a shock it was after my previous had been 12 intense hours!!

[VeezieTG]

what?! i was just about to say, oh no, not me. my shortest labor has been at least 12 hours...

guess i'd better get my self ready for anything!!

[PinkPantherDiva]

We had a homebirth with our 2nd. She came one day shy of being 43 weeks. With our first, I started labor on my own, went to the hospital and started the induction. She was only two days past due dates.

Since this is our first UC, I feel very comfy going 43 weeks as long as baby is moving around in there.