Overdue Babies!!

Hi everyone,

Just wondering i'm now preg with bubs #2 (almost 14 weeks) the one thing that worries me is being overdue(OD). With my first (he's now 3) i was 44 weeks when i gave birth and that was after having my dates changed like 4 times according to my LMP i was well over due but they changes my dates at 12 weeks, 16 weeks, and then at the 20 week scan. I was always told that the most acurate EDD was around the 12 week mark. (which would have made me very OD)

I ended up being book in for induction under protest from the hospital (they didnt believe me of my Due date) my GP had to contact them and make them book me in. Finnally thou i was due for induction on the tuesday and i went in to labour in the monday night but they were going to send me home(was only 4 cm) After hours of arguing and stress we finally convinced them to assist with breaking my water and getting it over and done with. Once bubs finnaly was born they realised that he was infact overdue as he had pooped inside, my waters were very green in colour and his skin was very grey.

The checked the placenta (apparantly they can tell by looking at it if bubs is OD) and told me that i was right bubs was more than 2-4 weeks OD, later on a midwife had told me that i was lucky everything went smothly as OD babies can sometimes not make it??? (not sure how true that is)

Just wondering if anyone had any tips on not going overdue once again.

Wow 2-4 weeks OD...bummer. I sure hope that dont happen again.

DD1 was 3 days early and i swore the 2nd time DD would come early or on time. But i went 5 days over.

So i dont think u can really prepare to not go over? Only wat to ensure you dont is see if you can book in for a date to give birth i guess...nature takes its course when she wants...not when we want some days!!

Good luck :D

WOW thats like my first born DD.. mind you it was 20 years ago... MY dd was also 4 weels overdates due to a hopspital mix up and them not listening to me..After a long induced labour my DD when born her skin was almost peeling off :(

To answer your question i have since had 2 pregnancies ..this is baby number 5 for me.. my last two pregnancies were both fine dates wise i had twins 3 weeks early and my last DD was born the day before her due date. I'm sure this time things will be fine so lang as you have your dates all sorted ..

Good luck and i hope you don't go over :D

The most accurate due date is the one based on your own LMP, even then, they use averages of a 28 day cycle, ovulation on day 14 to work it out. You could have ovulated a week late or whatever. Scans can be innacurate by a week or more and yes, the earlier the scan the more accurate but even early dating scans can be off by days.

Check this out in my induction article what a mum had to say about her babies:

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“My pregnancies were all long. My twins were born by induction at 40 weeks and the next baby was born by induction at 42 weeks. By child number 4 I decided on a homebirth – which meant that I would need to go into labour naturally. Finally at 43 weeks and 4 days that happened. It isn’t recommended to go that long, however he was fine, although his skin peeled off everywhere. Baby number 5 was 42 weeks and 3 days, also born at home. I tried acupuncture, I drank gallons of raspberry leaf tea, I had so much sex I was sick of it. I believe that some women naturally have longer pregnancies and some have shorter. The women who spontaneously labour have their babies at 37 weeks fall into the ‘normal’ category and the unlucky women who go longer than 40 weeks unfortunately get landed with all the interventions. Choosing to wait for labour to occur naturally was very hard work as there was a tremendous amount of pressure to agree to an induction, however I believed that my body must eventually labour spontaneously. I did agree to regular monitoring in the last week to check that the baby was OK.”

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Also, I am funny with language we use around pregnancy and birth - I don't use the word overdue, I use the words post-dates. Because not only is there 3-5% chance your baby will be born on that day but it really is a stab in the dark. Women get so hung up on their due date and inductions start getting talked about and every day becomes a struggle because they are past the day they are *supposed* to have their baby!!! When full term is 42 weeks anyway.

Hi Jess,
In my recent pregnancy, there were a number of key dr's appts where the EDD was discussed and agreed upon, mostly in the early 2nd trimester, and I suggest when this topic comes up again, tell the dr of your previous experience, and also your certainty with your own dates. *Everyone* knows that the ultrasounds are only an indication and should not be leaned upon too heavily unless there is some existing doubt as to dates (ie if you have a regular cycle and are aware of when you ovulated that is different from someone with irregular bleeding and no clear LMP). If you're assertive at the beginning of your pregnancy you shouldn't have any problems near the end.

Hi Jess,

I've tried acupuncture, black cohosh, clary sage oil, sex, long walks and nothing has worked.

I'm resigned to the fact that this little princess will come when she's good and ready. My main concern is the fact that I've had an emergency CS with DS and he was born at 42 weeks. My OB has said I can wait untl next Friday which will put me at 41+2 and then we need to reassess.

I really don't think there is any way of encouraging a bub who is comfy and snug to arrive any earlier than they are ready for. So it's best to just be patient and know they are safe and warm and enveloped in Mummy love whilst they finish cooking!!

Hi,
Thanks for all your posts its good to hear everyones stoies.
The issue with this preg is i was told in Feb that i couldn't have children as i have polycyctic ovaries and there for dont have a monthly cycle. Doc told me that after blood work my body isnt producing Progesterone which means that my ovaries dont release an egg. On August 11 this year u had some very minor bleeding that lasted not even a day. Went to the docs and he said it could have been caused by rough sex, SO i didnt think much of it after that. Few weeks later i was really sick throwing up constantly for a week and a half and after test after test and being hospitalised on a drip cos i couldnt keep anything down they finally did some pregnancy bloods and to my surprise i was preg.
Because i noted the day i had the minor bleeding my Doc took that is the first dat of my LMP giving us the EDD at 17th march. But as i dont have a regular cycle its not really that acurate. First US i had showed bubs EDD was 25th March- but my doc said as i was so horribly sick that it was probably few days out. My 12 week scan showed EDD at 19th March which is the date i'm using as a rough guide.
I just keep being told from other people that horrible things can happen when bubs is OD. (some dieing inside) Jords skin was grey and peeling slightly, and the MW told me that my waters were very green- like she'd never seen before. After having 4 MC all under the 12 week mark just dont want to go through a whole pregnancy and something bad happen. I realise bubs will come when ready but i still dont want to risk complications or worse losing him/her after such a long time.

I guess all i can do is wait for bubs to be ready to meet mummy. :-)

Jess, I know its hard not to worry about it.

My first DD was 17 days post EDD. I wasn't worried at the time & she was fine when she came out. I was avoiding induction though as well & wanted to hold out. By my LMP dates she was further out but I went by the US dates to give myself more time.

With my second, I didn't know the LMP or the date of conception. So I had to go by US dates. My first US said 30th October and my second US said 15th. I went by the first US and she was born on the 9th of November. With her I was trying for a VBAC, and at one point the OB said I was pushing things too far and needed an induction which I knew would be putting my chances of a natural birth to very low. So I asked for a scan to check my fluid levels and the function of my placenta. Everything was fine so I continued without induction.

I know the fears of having them go too far outside of your dates. I think a good plan is to ask for scans every week near the end to check functions.... they can check the calcification of your placenta & fluid levels to put your mind at ease.

Also have a read of "A Thinking Woman's Guide to Better Birth" it will help with information about going overdue & risks involved.

*hugs* I know its hard not to worry. I told myself I would be allowed to worry when I hit 42 weeks.

What a long time to have to wait!! Glad to hear your son was ok.
My first son was only 2 days over but felt like 2 years as it 42 degrees!
My second son was induced at 38 weeks due to medical condition, painful!

Hoping that this bubs is born on time for you, good luck

It doesn't mean it will happen again Jess - Marisa my first born had passed meconium (their first green poo) but Elijah's waters were clear and fine - no meconium. It's the same with stillbirth, it's so hard to mentally overcome mentally, but it doesn't mean it will happen again. Sometimes some awful things do happen, but don't think it's your body... just bad luck. Doctors will have you monitored if you go post dates, to check bubby is healthy. They check placenta function, water levels and heartrate.

I guess I must have the opposite view to a lot of people. I was induced with my son at 41+3w and I was not happy about it at all. Babies should come when they're ready. I WISH I'd had the opportunity to have u/s for placenta function etc to avoid the induction.

Hi again- I was never given the option for more scans- i asked for a scan when i was 42 weeks and the hospital kept telling me that i was stressing out for nothing. Although their records showed 3 dates they still didnt believe me of the date my GP and i had come too. I did shared care with my long time family GP and only went to the hospital 3 times. My GP endedup ringing the hospital to get me booked in for induction as you have to book in few weeks in advance. (had high blood pressure, feet terribly swollen). I just feel that without the intervention of my GP the hospital would have allowed the pregnancy to continue far beyond the 44 week mark. If my LMP was correct i was almost 5-6 week over but we went with US date.

Its not like i want to be induced but on the other hand dont want the same thing to happen this time. Fingers crossed this time i wont be OD.
Thanks for all the stories and advice. Comforting to hear.

Every woman gestates for a different amount of time. Some 'always' birth early, some birth at or after 42 weeks. It was a lot more common years ago, when induction was not such a craze.

You may simply have a naturally long gestation. The fact is that it is a hormone released by your baby which tells your body that baby is ready to be born, and initiates labour. If you get to the 42 week mark again, you are well within your rights to ask for monitoring of yourself and the baby, to ensure everything is fine.

And my first bub was also a very peely boy, he was 40 + 5, it is not always an indicator of a severely 'overdue' bub.