Fudging Due Date...

[astro_katie]

OK, so this might be a little controversial, but here goes:

I'm planning on a birthcenter/home birth (still on the fence), and Midwives in my area are NOT allowed to deliver babies after 42 weeks gestation; they must be delivered in a hospital. My first daughter was born exactly 2 weeks after her official due date (the day my OB had scheduled an induction), and I delivered med-free in a hospital. ( She was just under 7 lbs, and completely healthy.

My due date this time around is kinda up in the air - my last period was, hmmm , Feb '06, so that doesn't help
I really don't want to be time pressured at the end - I think I just have long gestational babies. So here's the question - do you think it would be safe/fair to encourage my midwife to set a later due date? I don't think we will be doing any Ultrasounds, unless medically necessary.

Why is 42 weeks such a magical number anyway???:

[kangaroomum25]

I'd definetly fudge my due date in your case. I don't think it's safe/fair to put so much pressure on women to birth before 42 weeks.

[Max'sMama]

I would fudge it too.

[Valian]

I would definately fudge the date, although only if I have a good idea, personally, of when I conceived. I knew last time that they had things wrong, so I just corrected it in my head, but as it turns out it really mattered, a lot.

We had trouble at the other end, Ds was born premature and just at the cut-off for a mandatory stay in the NICU vs. staying in the room with us. If we had fudged more in the other direction (like you are suggesting) they would have thought he was even younger (earlier) and it may have caused additional problems (testing, requirements, who knows). I agree it sounds like you have a naturally longer gestation, I just wanted to add my caution. I know you expect to go long, but you never know.

(PS I'm in my 2ww but came to check out the forum, excuse my lurking).

[kriket]

I would. I have long cycles and I know the DRS will think that I am a week further then I really am.

[astro_katie]

Valian, that's a really good point; I wouldn't want it to hit me on the way in either... I think I'll discuss it pretty openly with my midwife and see her perspective on it. I'm no good at keeping secrets, so she's pretty much going to know my whole history anyway!

(BTW, gl with the 2ww!)

[CookAMH]

I'm thinking about this too, but more because I ovulate between CD17 and CD20, and the date of my last period will give an earlier due date than I think is apppriate. I have no idea yet whether a doctor will consider the due date you have in mind, based on ovulation, or if they are stuck on the dates surrounding your last period. I have considered on the other end too, as the pp mentioned, of going early and the doctor thinking the baby is premature. There is such a window of when first time moms, espeically, I think, can deliver (like a 14 day swing) that you really have more room than doctors want to give you. Whether that is because of liability and insurance, I'm not sure, or just the general mindset of obstetrics.

[Full Heart]

I have cause I always go to 42 weeks as well (also hbs). 4 actually went past 42 weeks. Due dates are such an estimate anyway.

[iana703]

My general feeling on fudging dates is if you are sure that you are outside the realm of 28-29 day cycles and you do not ovulate on day 14 of your cycle, then fudge your last menstrual period. That is only if you KNOW FOR SURE. Docs and even some CNM's usually stick to the one size fits all rule unless they prove themselves wrong with an ultrasound and even then if they show a few days difference they usually won't change. I have heard some of my teaching midwives say this.

[bellee]

I wouldn't fudge, but I'm not sure why. Even though I'm super pro homebirth (I'm on my way to my second), after 42 weeks, it does get a bit risky, something about the placenta slowly starting to separate? But, then again, that's for the "average woman" just like the day 14 O and the 28 day cycle. bla bla bla...

MW's in my area are not to deliver past 42 weeks either. I went 10 days late and my MW wasn't too worried about, although we were discussing ways to get me going, homeopathics, sex etc.... If it came down to the wire, I'd just have her sweep my membranes, it works like a charm on me and even though it's an "intervention" and it makes labor a bit more uncomfortable, it's a hell of a lot better then going to the hospital and being succumbed to 1000 MORE interventions and wearing a hospital gown and being told when I can eat and drink Ya know.

So, I dunno, I just wouldn't

[Full Heart]

Well when you have hit that 42 week mark and you have tried sweeping membranes, and castor oil and black and blue cohosh and everything sex related and walking and all the other crazy things you can think of and you still aren't in labor you have till noon or you transfer well then you start to look at it differently. And yes all those things are just as awful as having an iv and wearing a hospital gown. Worse. I have btdt 7 times. 7! I would fudge in a hb.

As far as the placenta. There is a very slightly increased risk after 42 weeks of complications. But 30% of all malpractice claims on OBs is for going post dates. Thats why there is a huge push for getting the baby out before then. The placenta may start to calcify but they don't really know if its related to length of pg or something else. Pam the mw here has written some wonderful posts about the placenta and post dates. I encourage anyone who goes "late" to read them.

I know when I Ovulate and I still go to 42 weeks. I base my edd on my o date not on my lmp. And yes I still go to 42 weeks and beyond. So I absolutely have to fudge. If not I would look like I was 4 weeks late! For instance my lmp was July 16th. I did not ovulate till Aug 6th. I am still fudging my edd (hence why I am here and not in April. I know I won't deliver in April).

[MotherMama]

I would fudge. I wouldn't hesitate to do so actually. But I have been 'overdue' and pressured by an OB to get things going starting at 40 weeks. Luckily I ended up going on my own, but the impending doom feeling she gave me about induction was awful.

[patricegonzales]

I would/am.

Trust yourself!

[kdtmom2be]

I might.

If I felt that my midwives were open minded enough to listen to me when I was closer to the 42 week mark and I could argue with them then that my due date was actually later because I don't O until day X in my cycle, then I might not try to convince them now, though I WOULD bring it up at least once "Oh, I calculated based on my ovulation date and I think it should be Y date instead." maybe twice, between now and then. (And I think that my midwives ARE that open minded and easy to talk to and will listen to reason.)

If I felt that I had a history of going late and looking back THAT due date was correct, then I would probably fudge a few days (maybe 3...) but not too much because every pregnancy is different and you'd hate to lose a home birth opportunity because you weren't far enough along according to your fudged date.

[michaelsmama]

We're not so much fudging our due date as will be making sure it's accurate - i didn't conceive til day 28 of this cycle (my only post-maggie cycle) so lmp means nothing to us - and my babies like to go late, too. we're sure of our conception date which helps us get a good due date - do you have any idea when you conceived? I'm not the biggest fan of U/S, but if you do one soon it may help pin down dates better. That would at least give you something to work with. Honesty will always be the best policy though - but I feel you on the 42 week deadline. We came close twice and it wasn't fun to consider induction. Good luck!