Going on 42wks

[Mandala126]

Hi All,
I'll be 42wks this Thursday. I know it's not a big deal, I guess, but what are the chances of the baby getting too big? My midwife is not worried at this point but I am, a little, I don't want to transfer for a c/s because of a big baby. My last baby was 8 days late and was only a little over 8lb, my first was on time and a little over 8lb as well. I guess I'm just worried because I've never been this overdue. I know my due date is correct this time. I guess I'm just looking for positive thoughts.
Thank you.

[SilverLace]

You'll do great!

I had one at 42+5, and one at 41+5 (and one at 39+3, not sure why)... and all were born at home.

The waiting is the hardest part! This is part of this baby's story

Sending thoughts of labor your way!

[emnic77]

*Hugs*
My first was 41+3, 10lbs 4oz/22" long.
My second was 41+1, 7lbs 7oz/21" long.
My third was 41+6, 8lbs/22" long.

The waiting is HARD. That said, don't fear a big baby just because of going overdue. I pushed out my 10+ pounder first baby, weighing 100lb soaking weight (pre-preg), and my hips were the hips of a 12 year old boy. Did you have issues with your 8 pounders? Fat is squishy, it's the head/shoulder size that matters.
Hang in there, butting up against 42 wees is stressful and emotional.

[kindchen]

Sending good thoughts your way! My dd1 was exactly 42 weeks, and it was SO HARD to wait!

She was 9 lbs 6 oz, and her size was not a problem. My second was born 40 weeks 5 days and was 8 lbs 12 oz.

A medium-sized, slender woman (well,except that she was hugely pregnant!) I know recently gave birth to a 12 pound baby girl vaginally, with no problem at all. Your baby won't be too big just because he or she bakes a bit longer.

[Mandala126]

Originally Posted by emnic77

*Hugs*
Did you have issues with your 8 pounders?

No, no issues, they both came out nice and smooth, just minor tear with the first one.

[Mandala126]

Thank you all for your words. For some reason I'm thinking that being late is somehow my fault. I know it's silly. I guess it's all the phone calls and emails that come my way about this time with questions why the baby isn't here yet, especially MIL.

[Maprilynne]

It is SO hard to wait and worries DO creep in! DON'T feel bad for that! It is as natural as . . . well . . . birthing babies! None of my BBs have been born before their due date and edging past 41 weeks is always where things got especially hard for me. So big hugs and empathy. You can do it!!!!

[HeatherB]

Babies do slow their weight gain so don't worry that your baby is putting on huge amounts of weight in these last days. Unless you have uncontrolled diabetes, your baby will not get too big for your body. If you're concerned, focus on eating a very healthy diet - limit carbs and sugars, especially white flour and refined sugar. But, your baby will come when s/he is ready! It won't be long!

[Mandala126]

My midwife will check me tomorrow and if my cervix is ready she wants to try castor oil. Has any of you had any experience with castor oil? Does it really work?

[firewoman]

HMMMM....I think I may try other forms of naturally getting things going before jumping right to castor oil. It works, but causes loose stools and can lead to dehydration. I think it can be a helpful tool, but it wouldn't be my first choice without having tried other methods such as accupuncture (which worked for me well with my third birth) and nipple stimulation which worked for me with my second birth. Nipple stimulation, when done correctly, can cause some really intense contractions so my midwife preferred to be present and listen to the baby through the contractions. I did it without her help but made sure to only do one breast at a time (with a breast pump) and once contractions started I would stop until the contractions went away. The last time I did it, my water broke during one of the contractions and the baby was born 90 minutes later. Hope this helps and good luck with your birth!

[Magali]

Originally Posted by Mandala126

My midwife will check me tomorrow and if my cervix is ready she wants to try castor oil. Has any of you had any experience with castor oil? Does it really work?

I'm not having a homebirth, but I am overdue...how long is kinda hard to say. But reading this thread has brought me lots of encouragement too. About the Castor oil...I don't think it is one method I would try because of how it works on the bowels. I just wouldn't want to feel uncomfortable from loose stools while in labor, yk?

[emily11megan]

Babies don't grow that much in size after 40 weeks, compared to before. Many women have postdates pregnancies, even into 43 weeks (and beyond!) and have healthy-sized babies. Trust your baby knows what s/he's doing. You can have an NST if you are worried.
Castor Oil does work if you are close to going into labor anyway. You do have very loose and frequent stools, but very shortly after taking it, and usually it's all cleared out by the time labor starts.Good luck post daters!

[AutumnAir]

I have had two late babies

DD1 - 43+1 weeks 8lb 13oz
DD2 - 43+6 weeks 9lb 8oz

They're both well within the norm size-wise for my family, where all babies seem to be between 9-10 lb, so I didn't think they were too big. And DD2 was born in all of 45 minutes, with only about 5 minutes of pushing!

But I do understand how awfully stressful it is to go late, especially when everyone around you is constantly asking you if you haven't had that baby yet. And you do feel like it's somehow 'your fault'. But it's not. Babies come when they are ready!! Hang in there!!

[AutumnAir]

Sorry - double post.

[Sonnenblume]

I wouldn´t worry too much about it. My last three babies were all "late" and all born at home, wonderful and smooth births! I loved being pregnant and didn´t mind the extra time :-) I told everyone to stop calling and saying silly things as I would surely let them know when the baby had arrived. People with little to no knowledge about birth try to tell you what is going on/ best for you and that is really annoying and unsettling. Trust yourself and your beautiful baby.

[star8kitten]

I did the castor oil thing with both my boys. BUT only after six hours of herbs, nipple stimulation and tons of walking. With my last I was up agaisnt the clock because my water had broken and I did not go into labor.

My feelings on Castor oil is that it should only be used if you are already showing some signs and have tried all the other natural inducers. If not, you are just going to give yourself a enaema. It has worked like a charm for with both my labors though. After taking the oil in a milkshake labor started about an hour later.

Talk to you midwife about it before trying it on your own for sure. Good luck!

[donutmolly]

Hang in there! It's so hard to wait at the end, especially when most mamas in our culture are "not allowed" to go past 40 weeks!

My 3rd was born at 42 weeks exactly -- after having given birth to my DD1 and 2 within days of their EDD. I'm not sure that babies don't grow much after 40 weeks -- we're pretty sure I had about an 8lb baby at 40 weeks, but she was 9 lbs 10oz by 42 weeks -- it was clear she got huge! But even with a baby that big, I had no tearing and recovered very quickly. It's clear DD3 wasn't meant to be a huge person; I've had her doctor bugging me about how she's dropping in percentiles -- except that besides her starting weight, she's following the exact growth curve of DD1.

I did use castor oil to nudge baby out. I was uncertain about it having heard some horror stories and some concerns about meconium. But my mw highly recommended it, she's had great success when mamas use it, and it definitely worked for me! I had already tried everything else besides black/blue cohosh and stripping membranes... had no signs of labor, but had baby 16 hours after first taking the castor oil (labor was 6 hours, it took awhile for the effects to kick in...).

Hope you have your baby in arms soon!

[spatulagirl]

waiting is hard and it seems like the longer we wait the more we worry!

#1 was 42 weeks and 8.4
#2 was 40 weeks and 9.4
#3 was 42 weeks 5 days and was 7.7

Believe it or not, my smallest was my longest labour and hardest to push out. I wish you ELV when the time comes!

[Mandala126]

She's here!!

Thank you all for your responses. I went into labor Tues. night before I had to use the castor oil. Victoria was born Wed. morning in water. It was perfect. She ended up weighing 10lb 2oz, 21.5". She's beautiful. I still can't believe it happened.
Love to all.
Aneta

[boogiebearlove]

Don't worry!

Hang in there mama! My son (my first) was only 8 days late, and he was 9 and a half pounds (quite big for me who's only 5'2"!). I didn't get induced with my daughter, as I had planned a home birth, and she carried to 42 weeks and 3 days! I was a little concerned about her size...but she was only 8 lbs 11 oz.

Even if your baby is big, though, don't worry! Planning a home birth where you can move around will let your body birth a 10-12 lb baby. Our pelvises are made to stretch and shift to allow the baby to pass through. As long as you're listening to your body and moving frequently, big babies are perfectly safe