40 weeks and counting

[Mommy2B14]

I am 40 weeks today...and just got home from the dr still only 1cm dilated and barely 50% efaced!  I have tried it all since 38 weeks and here i am still pregnant. I had membrane sweep done at 39 weeks and lost my mucus plug but no labor. I have tried sex, walking, jumping, squats, eating eggplant and pinapple and not even a little contraction! so today my dr did another cervical stretch on me (pretty painful) and then i go to get induced next thursday. Really want her to come on her own but at this rate it doesnt seem like she wants to come out yet ! I havent tried castor oil i heard its not too too safe with the baby as well as it gives u bad diarrea which i doubt anyone wants to have while in labor!

[dayiscoming2006]

Why are you getting induced so early? There's no medical reason to be induced before 42 weeks just because of gestation age. 

I would avoid inductions until then unless you have some other medical issue. I went to 38 with my first, 39.5 with my second and 41+2 with my third. All healthy babies. 40 weeks is only an average for gestation. Meaning it's totally normal to go 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after. And I've heard occasions where people went to 43 weeks and I think even 44 weeks with a healthy baby. It is safest for baby to come when they are ready unless there is another important health reason to induce.

[Teles]

Induced labour also tends to be more painful, long, and complicated compared to letting it take place when she's ready (within reason, obviously). She's just letting you know that she isn't ready yet.

I don't plan to even consider having any kind of labour encouragement until 41 weeks, at the very earliest, which is actually standard practice where I am.

[LilyTiger]

If you're a first time mom, not going into labor until 41 weeks is actually pretty standard.  I was completely closed and not at all effaced at 40 weeks.  So I just waited.  Sure enough, I went into labor at exactly 41 weeks on my own.  My doctor pointed out that because laboring is such a complex process involving so many different moving parts (baby has to be positioned right, mother's body has to be ready, hormone levels have to be right, etc.), even "natural" induction methods like membrane sweeps increase the chances that something will go wrong. 

Let your body do what it needs to do (unless, of course, you have a medical reason to be induced like preeclampsia).  Your babe will come on its own, probably in the next week or so.  There's a lot of preparation that you and your baby are doing right now, whether you know it or not.  Let it happen.

[womenswisdom]

It's also important to realize that your dilation and effacement before labor tells you exactly NOTHING about when labor will happen. You can walk around 5+cm dilated for weeks or not be dilated or effaced at all and go into labor that night. Also, I agree with everyone else about being patient. The baby signals the start of labor when it's the right time and interfering in that process can lead to a cascade of issues for you and the baby so it's generally best to leave things alone unless there is a very good reason to intervene.