when to be worried if you are postdate

[catinthehat]

I am 40 w and 5 days today.  I had a doctors apt. and she was strongly encouraging me to get an ultrasound tomorrow to check amniotic fluid and the placenta and do a non stress test too.  I told her I would do the nonstress test tomorrow but that I wanted to wait on the ultrasound.  She said I could only do them together ????   There are no other health concerns or problems going on with the pregnancy.  She said I was measuring fine, I weighed what I weighed last week, blood pressure was fine, etc.  I was really surprised how pushy she was being about the ultrasound today, b/c she really didn't give me a very good reason to be worried at this point.  My baby is moving fine.  I feel good.  How worried do you think I should be?  I really hesitate to do the ultrasound to test for low amniotic fluid b/c it sounds like it isn't very reliable.  Sounds like it could lead to induction for me b/c it could give a false result.  What do you all think?  Thanks.

[sahmof2girls]

Take a deep breath.....  If there is NO other concern other than post dates, I would not be worried at all.  My first was 43 w, second 42w, and third was 41w.  They were all healthy at birth.  Dating is not a science, it can be off by a couple of weeks either way.  If your babe is moving and you are healthy I would say skip the US if that is what you are comfortable with.  Good luck!!

[catinthehat]

Thank you, I so need to hear that.  Both my first two dd's were born on their due dates, so this feels a little different to me and not what I was expecting.  I just wish the doctors weren't so alarmist.  It really can make you so worried.  Thanks for the support.

[gardenbelle]

My dd was 13 days post due date and we did some extra u/s and non stress tests.  Everything looked fine and my perinatologist felt that everything looked fine and healthy enough to keep on going.  My daughter was born perfectly healthy (though a very wrinkly with long fingernails, LOL).  We joked about why any baby would want to come out - it's always the right temperature, they are never hungry, it's dark, comfortable and quiet... ;)

Maybe you can do the u/s and if there are any concerns about the amniotic fluid, you can get a 2nd u/s to confirm?  Knowledge is power. :)  Good luck with your birth and enjoy that belly a few days longer!

[alegna]

My ds was 43 weeks 5 days.  Perfectly fine.  Didn't even look post dates.

I declined all U/S, non-stress tests etc.

And yeah, I'm sure of my dates.

[cappuccinosmom]

If you want to make concessions to a freaking out OB, after you've passed 41 weeks might be a little more reasonable in terms of the statistical risks.

I have been to 42 w 3 days twice.  I wasn't worried, but everybody else was.  It got ridiculous, and be warned, a "good" ultrasound is unlikely to reduce actual pressure to induce.  They. do. not. like. having "overdue" babies.  It seems to scare the living daylights out of medical folks, even though the "increased risk" is still very, very low, and the stuff they want to do to you to "fix" it carries it's own risks. 

If they don't find anything medically wrong, they'll start harping on the humongous, impossible, scary size of your baby, pretty much guaranteed.

I ended up going for multiple bpp/nsts with those late deliveries.  More to prove to them that everything was just fine than anything else.  And it was.  I am so glad I resisted induction.  There was no *medical reason* for it.  And the labors were well worth the wait.

Obviously you and your baby are individuals, so your risk vs. benefit balance is going to be different from mine, so you may make different choices.  But at 40 w 5 days, with no valid medical reason, you certainly have justification to question this doctor's pushiness.

[gingerbane]

My first was 41+3 and my second was 41+5.  I'm fully expecting my third to be a full two weeks "late." Just remember that 42 weeks is still in the range of normal.

[catinthehat]

My OB's kids and grandkids are coming to town on Friday for the weekend.  I wonder if that could have something to do with it. 

Thanks for the support.

[BroodyWoodsgal]

Originally Posted by catinthehat 

My OB's kids and grandkids are coming to town on Friday for the weekend.  I wonder if that could have something to do with it. 

Thanks for the support.

Ding, ding ding....we have a winner! A part of me wonders if these docs feel as douchey as they ARE for putting their personal scheduling needs before the health and welfare of their patients and the unborn children they carry.

It sounds like you are not the kind of chick to let a doctor lead you into an unnecessary induction so that she's doesn't have to worry about being pulled away from a family visit...I'm very happy for that!

In my opinion, there is even MORE risk involved when a baby is CLEARLY needing to bake longer...Unless I had a gut hunch or some other evidence that something was off, I wouldn't even think about it until I was approaching 43 weeks, at which point I would allow the ultrasounds and stress test, etc....but unless those showed something "wrong"...even at that point, I wouldn't induce. At 44 weeks, I would start talking options. I've heard of a woman who went to 45 weeks. Don't know anything about it, what the real "scoop" was....but on he website "Ten Month Mamas" (is this website gone now? If so, WHAT A SHAME!) there were a lot of women who went well past 41/42 weeks.

[1stTimeMama4-4-10]

I have a slightly different perspective.  My DD was born at 42 weeks exactly and with everyone freaking out, the ultrasounds and BPP and NST we did put my mind at ease and gave me a legitimate argument AGAINST the induction everyone was pushing.  Because everything was perfect, there was no reason for the induction. On the other hand, if there WAS a problem, I really wanted to know about it so that I did not take any unnecessary risks.  If it were me, I'd be happy to go along with whatever non-invasive tests they want to throw at me as long as they understand that I will not agree to an induction absent a REAL reason for it. And telling me the baby is too big is not a real reason.  What difference will a few days make? An extra few ounces won't prevent baby from being born.