How far "over due" were you?

[texaspeach]

Did you end up with an induction in the end, either hospital or a mw induction? Were your mws forced to risk you out because you were post dates? My good friend is 42 weeks today. She hasn't had any complications or anything, but I'm worried about her cnms being forced to turn her care over to a dr because she's 'so far past dates'. Her mw suggested taking castor oil tomorrow if no baby by then. She's been taking L6W and she's dilated to 4 (cervical checks are meaningless I know, but she was having some warm up contrax, it shows that those warm ups did some hard work!) If no baby by Monday, she has to go to the hospital for a biophysical profile. She's seeing cnms at a freestanding bc, she doesn't seem too happy about going to the hospital. That worries me because of all the times docs say "oh it looks like your fluid is too low, let's do a c-section now". Her mom is coming into town tomorrow, so hopefully if she's holding on to anything she'll let it go when her mom is here to look after her. Any words of encouragement that were reassuring to you in those last few days? Please reassure me, so I can reassure her!

[rmzbm]

Tell her to hang in there! I was induced at 43 weeks with DS2. Bad idea. Ended in a section after 4 days of unholy, unnatural labor.

[sprout 1]

My mw's started 'natural' induction techniques at 40w and dropped me at 42w because of insurance reasons. I went into the hospital for a terrible induction at 42w 3d and ended up with a c/s at 42w 6d. I wish I would have been given the option to wait because I would have, for sure.

[Trishy]

I was 11 days past my edd with my 3rd baby. I was worried about being pressured for an induction since the practice I was going to was already making a stink about refusing internals so I discontinued prenatal visits after I hit term.

[Quagmire]

Eek. 5 days past EDD here and wondering what the "rules" are re: the magic 42 weeks. Is this state law? Insurance issues? Why the push? Anyone able to get around it? What happens if you refuse induction?

[Zyla]

With my first, when I was 13 days past due my CNM told me that if I didn't go into labor within the next few days she would have to bow out of attending me at home because she'd risk losing the support of her back-up doctor. At the time, in the state in which I was living, CNM's could only attend homebirths if they had a back-up doctor working with them. And he was the only one in our city (population 800,000) who would back a midwife for a homebirth. I was fortunate in that she gave me four days, and I only went two more.

[mamabadger]

I was one of those 'ten month mamas'. My first was born at 44 weeks, my second at 43 weeks. (The third was a C-section at term for placenta previa.) Fortunately for me, I had children before this obsession with due dates became really severe, and I was able to go into labour spontaneously both times.

Sorry about the trouble your friend's having. I suppose one thing that might help is knowing that more and more inductions haven't improved infant or maternal outcomes at all, they've just caused more C-sections. Good luck to her!

[Full Heart]

Its very important to let the body do what it needs to. If you push and its not ready thats when problems arise. I did a castor oil induction before and it dehydrated me to the point I passed out twice after the birth.

My births in order have been over due (in days) 14, 14, 16, 13, 16 and the last I padded the date so I was probably 21 days late but I made it look like 38 weeks 6 days. Now in my case its obvious I am gonna go past due, I am used to it. I do kick counts every day and wouldn't hestitate to do a BPP if I thought something was wrong.

If it were me (and I have soooo btdt) and my mw dropped me I wouldn't go see the dr. I would just wait till I was in labor and either go UC or go to the hospital then. I figure unless I have a good relationship with a dr beforehand I won't get the birth I want so I am better off just waiting till I am in labor and going then. (but I would probably go uc but thats just me).

[dvons]

I went 8 days over with #2, (#1 was an induction due to medical reasons). My CNM was just watching and waiting and didn't even have me try "natural" induction sorts of things. With this one I'm in a different state with a CPM and she technically can't deliver after 42 weeks but is willing to "fudge" dates if everything is still ok (kick counts, heartbeat etc). I'm not too worried about it though.

Deb

[WillsMomma]

Overdue

We were 14 days "late" with our son - my cm miscalculated so she only thought i was 7 od - then after the fact i redid the math! still birthed at home, no induction needed!

[greenlace]

overdue 17 days

i check my cm so i knew EXACTLY when i o'ed and i knew my duedate was 1/04. the mw put my duedate at 1/20. my dd was born 1/21 with NO vernix, LONG nails, and REALLY LONG hair......so i know i had the correct date. so it works out to 2 1/2 weeks over due!

[eco_mama]

I went "overdue" 13 days. So he was born 41 wks 6 days. It probably would've been even longer but @ 12 days overdue I tried castor oil. My mw's would only see me to 42 wks so I figured I should try something...I wasn't comfortable w/ an uc OR going to the hospital.

[alegna]

I was around 10 days past 40 weeks I believe.

If she's in town, that birth center is pretty medical IMO. My midwife didn't have any problems with babies that were "overdue"

-Angela

[Phoebe]

I went into labor at 41w 6d after taking castor oil. My midwife was not going to risk me out but at 42 weeks I would have had to see her dr for a biophysical profile...which for some reason I didn't want to do. It just worried me and I just wanted to get it done I guess.
BUT...ds was born at 42w 1day after 52 hours of labor via csection. So I think my midwife would have continued to care for me after 42 weeks as long as everything was ok with the bioprofile. But I went into labor before that and it just went on and on and on, went to hospital, push push push push, baby was coming out with a crooked head, I had enough and then it was off to surgery. No regrets really. I just wonder what would have happend if I hadn't of pushed it with the castor oil...

[WinterBaby]

I went 11 days past edd. I was having concurrent care, and my cpm was relaxed, but my ob types were talking about going ahead to schedule the induction for the morning it would be 42 weeks. I balked and brushed them off over that, so they wanted biophysical profiles, which I did, since we were monitoring for several things already throughout pregnancy. The bios(s) were all fine though, and I went into labor normally.

[mamaheart]

First two roughly on time. From there on out, overdue, but not induced in any way, 10, 10, 16, 19, then 23 days overdue.

My midwifes, for their liability, did ask if I'd be open to weekly biophysical profiles after 42 weeks, and I was OK with that.

Tomorrow is my due date, so the count will be on once more, LOL!

By the way, all of my children when born did not appear overdue in any way, even the last little lady born 23 days overdue. Ie, still some vernix, creases normal, no cracking/dryness, labia/nipples not "overdue" looking, placenta without any signs of being older, and my dates were firm, without long or irregular cycles. I'm a huge believer in some of us being slow cookers.

Kim, mama to 7, new little boy due July 10th

[Emilie]

12 days .... with dd #1- have her speak to her mws about it.
different care providers have different rules..... doctors are now beginning to induce at 40 weeks or before- blech-

[DreamsInDigital]

In Oregon, licensed midwives don't have to risk you out of homebirth until 43 weeks.
I went to 42 weeks 1 day with my most recent birth.

[erin_brycesmom]

With my first I went 18 days past EDD and then had the induction and it was awful, but I did birth vaginally.

With my 2nd I refused induction and had to sign and AMA at 42 weeks but went into labor on my own and had a wonderful amazing NCB with no interventions at all, a much better experience!!!

[PerennialMom]

EDDs are unfair to women. They should really look at the big picture and not a date of when things are 'supposed' to happen. Babies don't look at calendars.

I was a full 2 weeks after my EDD with DS2 (DS1 born at 37 weeks), which was fine by me and I had no pressure from my MW. She was the one convincing ME that everything was perfect and that he'd come out all in his own time.

I hope everything works out OK with your friend.