How long is too long? - Hypothetical Question

[WifeofAnt]

I've been thinking about this a little. I know some women are very against induction based on dates but how long would YOU be willing to be pregnant? Assuming you never went into labor naturally. With good NSTs? Without NSTs? Would you be willing to go 45 weeks? 50 weeks? When does the risk of spontaneous stillbirth become too great?

[gummibears]

I hadn't really thought about it. Ds was almost a week late and came on his own. In a perfect world the babies come on their own, but we know that's not always the case.

I guess I'd leave it up to my care providers as they know far more about it than I do.

[blessedwithboys]

Originally Posted by gummibears

I guess I'd leave it up to my care providers as they know far more about it than I do.

scary thought

[Kellyh_01]

Personally, I would never go past 43 weeks under any circumstances. I am 38 + weeks now, and honestly, 42 weeks is really the absolute latest I feel comfortable. And I would want NSTs twice a week and a weekly AFI, and I would be vigilant with my kick counts.

[Banana731]

Originally Posted by gummibears

I guess I'd leave it up to my care providers as they know far more about it than I do.

I think that is how many women end up with unnecessary inductions and all other sorts of interventions. It is just not true in many instances, because most OBYGN professionals know next to nothing about normal pregnancy and birth. And the majority of women get their maternity care from that type of cp.

I think you have to go by what's going on with your body. Is the baby still moving around at his normal rate (things slow a bit as it gets more crowded in there)? Are you feeling well?

I personally wouldn't even bat an eyelash until after 42 weeks. Most first time moms go past that 40wk mark, but few go past 42 by more than a few days. Maybe if I got to 43, and I was sure of my dates, then I'd start thinking about taking a closer look.

[MyFullHouse]

Knowing how anxious I got by 42 weeks (with good looking NST/biophysical profiles), I don't imagine I'd ever have the fortitude to go past 43 weeks, assuming I was very confident in my dates. But I also have a history of successful inductions, I've delivered 4 babies vaginally, and this will be my 3rd delivery with trusted hcps, so I wouldn't be especially worried about the c-section risk.

I'd love to say I'd wait forever but, if I had to guess, 42w4d would be my personal breaking point.

[fruitfulmomma]

I've had two 44 weekers. This was based on LMP and not charting, so I don't truly believe my babies were actually gestationally that far along since I have long cycles.

The last one looked to be about 39 weeks. Can you imagine if I had been forced into an induction right at "40 weeks" with her?

The other one was an induction by AROM because she was showing some signs of birth defects and growth retardation according to the ultrasound and I was kinda having piddly off and on contractions anyway and was 4cm so I was fine with going ahead and getting it over with. (She was fine but was born with a very slightly enlarged heart and needed some help with breathing too, which I think she may not have needed if they had left the cord intact for a few more minutes, but they were anxious about the heart thing.)

If I knew for sure when I conceived and based my edd off of that, I am not sure... Maybe 43 weeks. 42 weeks is totally within the range of normal and many midwives will say to 43. I would do BPPs after 42 weeks.

My midwife is quoted on a few sites about postdates mommas saying... "The Christian missionary Nora Lam from China birthed her son after being in a concentration camp years ago (verified by Chinese doctors at that time) at exactly 12 months. Apparently, it wasn't 'safe'for her to let go of her baby boy during her interment. Once she was allowed to leave, she successfully gave birth to him."

A very rare example and I would totally not feel comfortable doing that when I have other options, but it is interesting.

[bri276]

41 wks plus 2-3 days is MY PERSONAL limit, being very sure of dates. It just is. I've read a lot of studies, I see both sides of the argument, and I think every woman should be "allowed" to go as long as they want, of course. I don't put a ton of stock in NSTs or BPPs. I would get acupuncture and have the mw do several S&S to try to induce before going the AROM or pitocin route.

[Dichotomy]

Originally Posted by blessedwithboys

scary thought

Im not sure I think this is an entirely fair statement. In one aspect, your health care professional (be it OBGYN or Midwife) will likely know more than the lay person would about this subject. They do go to school for this sort of thing, and also need to take continuing education courses. Plus, a statement like that would suggest that a woman is putting blind faith in a stranger, when usually women will make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the person who will deliver her baby.

Thus if a person trusts her health care professional and their competency, why wouldnt they also trust that person to have a good idea on how long post dates is deemed safe?

[GoBecGo]

DD1 came at 41+4. If i hadn't had my ob/MW's breathing down my neck i think i would have been fine with 43 weeks. She came out thick with vernix/short fingernails/looking not a day past 40wks. My sister was born at 44weeks (by LMP, but 28day cycles) after a 96hour labour, she was OP, born at home, obviously overdue (no vernix, very flaky, long ragged nails etc.) but completely fine.

DD2 came at 40+3. With her i had a very very good independent MW, who i would trust to advise me. She treats every individual case on its own merits and told me some women get to 43 weeks and she's not worried, whereas others she begins to feel concern shortly after 40weeks. I would absolutely trust her to bring concerns to my attention and discuss fully what we could do.

I had 5 s&s's with DD1 bri276, and all it did was weaken my membranes (you could see afterwards the scraped, scratched, thin patch on the bag where all those fingers had been with the ragged tear across it where it had ruptured) so my waters broke before labour began. I was immediately on the clock for transfer (it was a planned HB), and would have been given anti-b's had i laboured much longer, despite no sign of infection whatsoever. Also now i have the comparison, labour was much more intense and painful with no bag of forewaters than with one (DD2's waters broke 7mins before she was born). I would never have an S&S again.

[gradstudentmommy]

I don't know. I hadn't thought about it. I'm trusting my baby will come before 42 weeks. I was charting so I know exactly when I conceived. And I'm also 39 years old so I don't know if at my age, it's risky to go past a certain date? I've never researched though so I don't know.

[beckyand3littlemonsters]

I'm not sure i would connect to nst's once i get to 42 wks but as long as all is well with baby it would be down to nature to choose when he/she is born, i have birthed 4 babies already so know my body can kick start labour by it's self.

[WifeofAnt]

My personal limit is between 42 and 43 weeks but unless necessary I wouldn't agree to an induction before 41.

[CherryBomb]

Originally Posted by Dichotomy

Thus if a person trusts her health care professional and their competency, why wouldnt they also trust that person to have a good idea on how long post dates is deemed safe?

I agree. I wouldn't be birthing with my OB if I didn't trust her. She attended my hospital vba2c, she's a great doctor, she's not induction happy, and she's not concerned about post dates, assuming NST is fine. I went to 41w3d with that pregnancy and she was never concerned. I had one NST at 41 weeks and everything was fine, so she said you know, just have an NST every 3 or 4 days and as long as the baby is fine, you can go as long as you're personally comfortable. Which, for me, is 42 weeks, assuming i'm positive of dates. The increased risk of stillbirth is not worth it to me to go much beyond 42 weeks.

[bri276]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo

I had 5 s&s's with DD1 bri276, and all it did was weaken my membranes (you could see afterwards the scraped, scratched, thin patch on the bag where all those fingers had been with the ragged tear across it where it had ruptured) so my waters broke before labour began. I was immediately on the clock for transfer (it was a planned HB), and would have been given anti-b's had i laboured much longer, despite no sign of infection whatsoever. Also now i have the comparison, labour was much more intense and painful with no bag of forewaters than with one (DD2's waters broke 7mins before she was born). I would never have an S&S again.

Like everything, it depends on your own situation. I had one with DD and it did nothing, but I'll sure as heck give it a try with this one before an elective pitocin induction instead.

[lillymonster]

Tough question for me I think. I was induced to early because of a date mix up (I was right, OB wrong about when I ovulated) I was induced for AMA reasons. I do understand the reasons (likelihood of stillbirth for those over a certain age) and it scares me, it still does. I think it was too early in my case though

This pregnancy, at 40 weeks, I will need to schedule a c-section for 42 weeks. I will be AMA and VBAC. I think the risk for rupture is great the longer you go past 40 weeks, but I could be wrong. At this point, I wouldn't want to go longer than 42, and I know that might mean a c-section. I am annoyed I was put in this position to begin with by an "induction happy" OB who induced me at 39 weeks 5 days (she says 40 weeks 5 days, but I was not that far along). I think if I was younger than 40, maybe I would feel more comfortable going past 42.

My mom said she went 2 1/2 or 3 weeks with me, she can't remember but she said it was longer than 2. She was AMA, and it was a VBAC after a vertical scar. She had no issues, but she had 2 successful vaginal births (one being twins) and I have had one other birth that was a section.

[gemasita]

I don't think I would be concerned until BEYOND 42 weeks. Maybe it if got close to 43, I would start to wonder what's going on. I think my mom went to 42 weeks a few times so I'm sort of expecting that.

[MamaChef]

I went 43w2.. fighting the "good" fight of how babies come when they are ready.

I ended up with a flat NST, a cesarean, a baby with an almost completely ossified skull born stained by Mec. She got 8/ Apgars.. not worse for the wear, thank God. I felt very lucky. It was time for her to come.

However, I would never go that long if I had to do it all over again. At 42 I would have tried induction.. As a HB, I wish I would have tried some natural induction methods.. starting gently and progressively, ie castor oil, sustained nipple stim, homeopathics, etc starting at 40 weeks.

As a hopeful VBAC, 42 is my outside edge of comfort.

[etsdtm99]

42 weeks is my limit.. sure of my dates, baby moving well etc. though i would probably try some natural induction methods around 41-41.5 weeks, i want to give myself some time for them to work. i'm 3 days from my due date now and i really hope i don't have to think about this ...

[Honey693]

42ish weeks here. I'd start to get really concerned around 40w though b/c my first was 37w, 1d so I'd start to wonder why this one was so different. If I had NSTs though I'd be ok going to 42/43 if things looked ok, baby was moving, etc.