It's my due date!

[Bethla]

Had my 40 wk check-up today. I know you've all heard me complain before about my OB. Well it's more like I sometimes feel so much more informed than him. And I am not a medical doctor! He told me there is no way they'd let me go until 42 weeks because my placenta could calcify(sp?) Mind you I've had a totally healthy pregnancy and same with my previous pregnancies. I go back in 1 week and if I haven't had the baby they will induce (no, ifs ands or buts he didn't say this part but he meant it). I almost found it amusing! Why not run a few simple tests to determine that my baby is thriving. My dh said for them, "time is money".

[october]

Jees.. what does it mean for the placenta to calcify anyway??

[Juvysen]

it's true, sometimes the placenta calcifies... but um, so what? My baby was born the day after his due date and there were bits of calcification. My first baby was born 9 days past due and there was none *shrug*

october- the calcifying just means there's little calcium deposits on it. It's a sign that the placenta's getting "old" but really if baby's thriving, what difference does it make?

[cocoanib]

Wow. So sorry you have to deal with that.
They should take you as an individual and if you and baby are fine, then wait for baby to come on their own time.
I was 41 plus and my placenta looked lovely

[Plummeting]

How frustrating!

[gcgirl]

Yeah, that's annoying. It's true the placenta could become inhospitable to the baby, and the chances of that happening increase with every week you go past due, BUT that's why there are fetal non-stress tests, to check that stuff.

My OB has been really good about working with me on this. I had a NST Monday where we found plenty of amniotic fluid and all vital signs good. Is that not an option with your OB?

[Bethla]

Forgot to mention that I'm 4 cm dialated but cervix is still pretty thick. His words. His head is creating so much pressure it really hurts to even stand up or change positions. I will discuss the stress test and they can do a simple ultrasound to look at my amniotic fluid level. They are so pushing induction with me...with my three other children it was never mentioned. In fact with my first son I went ten days over my due date with no interventions. My OB at the time said sometime due dates are inaccurate. Too bad he was arrested for fraud. He was great.

[judybean]

Originally Posted by Bethla

My OB at the time said sometime due dates are inaccurate.

A due date is just an *average*... that means probably half go 'early' and half go 'late'! Some women just bake babies longer! I've gone 'over' with all mine (dd4 was the earliest at 41 weeks).

If you would like, you could always try some EPO (orally and/or vaginally) to try to ripen up your cervix to make conditions more favorable for effacement... might help things move more on their own so you can completely avoid the chance of induction!

[Bethla]

I think i might try the epo, thanks!