Full term?

[yolly]

Hi guys just a question....a silly one ..... Why are we full term at 38wks and not actually Due until two weeks after that?

[christy]

A human's gestational phase should last 38-42 weeks. So you could be full term at 38 weeks or at 42 weeks. Depending on your cycle and your body and your baby. Both of mine chose 42 weeks to be their full term.... Estimated Due Date is just that happy number in the middle

[yolly]

I wish there was a way of telling when they will arrive!!!
Im getting excieted but also tired and over it.

[Adnil]

I wish there was a way of telling when they will arrive!!!
Im getting excieted but also tired and over it.

I'm with you there!! I just want to know to be physically & mentally prepared IYKWIM! I don't want it to come when I'm having a bad day PMSL.

[StrawberryMumma]

That waiting game can be so painful can't it yolly! Not knowing when it's going to happen!
Not long to go now- hang in there!

[christy]

oh I know how you feel, both times I was "sure" that they were on their way around 39 weeks... then nothing for weeks. *hugs*

[hannahfroodoo]

The best thing I did was to tell myself over and over that I was going to go 2 weeks late. Then when she arrived a couple of days after her due date, I was pleasantly surprised. I recommend convincing yourself you will be late to avoid getting impatient. worked for me!

[Adnil]

That's waht I thought the first time - I was so sure that "all first babies come late" that I was in shock when it all happened 3 weeks early. But because of that, I just couldn't help myself, I fell into thinking that this one would also be early......silly me!!!

[Julie Doula]

yeh I remind myself to remember the cases of women happily gestating away until 43 or 44 weeks to stop myself getting impatient around the 42 week mark! One Ob told me, well, we don't all go senile at age 70, we mature at different paces, so do babies.

[yolly]

Hey guys
something i found interesting today at my clinic appointment we asked about when they start thinking of induction...and the answer supprised me . They apparently if little bub hasnt arrived by 40wks they can induce at 41? I always thought they let you go to 42wks.

[Snacks]

I thought the usual time for most hospies was 10 days over...?
However - it is your call. If you'd rather baby came in his/her own time you can decline the induction. They can monitor the baby's health to make sure everything is ok. Having said that, I was very impatient at the end of my pg, and if Natalie hadn't have come when she did, I probably would've had an induction. Next time round tho, I'm definitely going to wait for baby to come naturally again, regardless of how late they may be. (Provided there are no problems.)
All the best for the rest of your pregnancy! The last bit is hard, and seems to last forever, but your baby really is going to be here soon!

[Julie Doula]

Yes, it's good to remember that you are in charge of whether or not you consent to be induced. From the mother who ordered them to induce her because she instinctively sensed her baby was not well, to the mother I just heard about who gave birth naturally both times at 45 weeks, these things are determined by you as the consumer, not on whether the careprovider 'allows' you or not.

Induction is associated with increased pain and intensity, so therefore natural pain management methods prove insufficient, so pharmaceutical drugs are resorted to, which carry side-effects including diminishing the mother's mobility; which leads to more interventions including epidural and caesarian, and also haemorrhage. Induction can start that cascade of interventions - once it's started, it's hard to prevent the domino effect.

So, assuming that your baby is well, it's best to avoid induction and let labour start naturally. It will! I think the high rate of induction lately has caused us to lose a sense of how long pregnancy is naturally. We would see a lot more 42-43 weekers and more clusters of births around the full moon and thunderstorms, if we weren't doing so many inductions.

Induction is one of those things that can be used wisely and appropriately when there is a medical need, but being 41 or 42 - or even 45 weeks - pregnant is not a medical condition. It's normal. If the amniotic fluid is fine and the placenta is normal, and the mother's BP is fine and both mother and babe are fit and well, an induction isn't required ... only patience and trust are.

[Adnil]

OMG - 45 weeks! Wow!

[christy]

WOW I don't know if I could have done 45 weeks!!! With both my girls I refused induction. With Matilda at 15 days post EDD they got very cranky with me & I agreed... I won't go into the birth story but it wasn't a pleasant experience.

Because of that and trying for a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) when I hit 41 weeks and the hospital started pushing for induction I dug my heals in. I asked for what reason and they pressured me saying that my placenta would stop providing for her. I said my first daughter was born at 17 days post EDD and my placenta was fine. I had a scan showing that my placenta was doing well & fluid levels were good. And then I went into spontaneous labour at 41 + 4 and had a beautiful birth.

[becmc]

My midwife has attended one women who with all three babies went to 44 weeks, it was just her thing!!
I got induced ten days over because my stupid ob told me I would not go into labour naturally, though he didn't tell me about all the complications that can arise from inductions.
This time I will be going up to 44 weeks, with monitoring from my midwife of course. My baby is coming when he or she or ready!
Christy, you would think given that induction can increase the risk of UR (with a first time mum as well), that they would be more inclined to give you a few more days to go into labour.

[Ozstar]

Gosh I dont know if I could do 44 weeks. I am telling myself that I will get to 42 be threatened with an induction and bub will then decide to come on his own.
Christy good on you for digging your heals in.

[yolly]

Thanks guys, i think ill just wait and see what happens... if i go to 41wks just see what the scan shows and if everything is still working fine then just wait and see what bub wants to do.