Going past due date

rachel10488 · July 2015

I was recently lurking on another board and saw a few big fights about women wanting to have baby before due date and it got me thinking about something. One of my pregnant friends due in Sept's dr absolutely will not let her go even 1 day past her due date. He says that the further past your due date you go the more your placenta starts drying up (not technical terms obviously) and the baby won't get as much oxygen and possibly not make it. He had a patient refuse to be induced and went over a week late and her baby didn't make it so now he requires this of all patients.
I asked my dr about this and she said that while she sees why he is so strict she doesn't enforce that but will highly recommend inducing me if I go to a week late.

Anyways, I just saw so much of women wanting babies born at 40+ week and all the risks of having baby early but no one mentioning the risks of baby being late. Has anyone else heard this from their Drs?

spottedginger · July 2015

I've heard that the placenta starts breaking down in the 42nd week. Traditionally, doctors will have you in for non stress tests regularly once you hit and go beyond your EDD, but I've never heard of any doctor being so strict. That seems excessive in my opinion, but I am not a medical doctor.

Mags128 · July 2015

I haven't heard of any doctor being that strict. It seems a little excessive for me, My doctor will let you go 10 days past your due date and then they will induce.

beccabeeee · July 2015

I'm really not familiar with much of this as I'm a FTM but I think after about a week over your DD the doctors will want to induce you. Especially with FTM sometimes it takes a little longer for baby to take a hint and get things going lol but I also believe it has a lot to do with the mom to be as well not just baby. Blood pressure could also be a concern, a stressed mommy is a stressed out baby. I think at the point of being a week past due date, who would want to go any longer voluntarily of course? Lol can't even imagine the discomfort. With all that said, I think the doctor is probably just more comfortable with his patients delivering no later than their EDD. At that point, baby is fully developed and ready to come out anyways =]

LC122 · July 2015

I was 13 and 3 days overdue, respectively, with my first two. I was scheduled for an overnight induction the day I went into labor with my first.
They monitor you much more closely when you are past due (although I just had more frequent visits, never did a NST - non-stress test, because I had no risk factors and baby was fine), but generally the point of risk is considered to be 42 weeks.

bluelily9 · July 2015

Yeah with my first I was induced 1 day after I was 41 weeks. I heard the longer they're in the more the more brain folds they get (smarter?). Maybe that's just a hoax, who knows. My mom says I was due on 9/5 and I was born on 9/29 so waiting - at least back then - couldn't have been too bad.

hummingbird35 · July 2015

My doctor hasn't said anything other than I have the option to be induced before my due date. I'm sure he wouldn't let me go more than 2 weeks past, but he said that a few of his patients are just tired of being pregnant at about 38-39 weeks and request to be induced. Is that considered risky (only a week or two early)?

groovylocks · July 2015

I'm currently planning to schedule a C-section. Not sure which date. Whatever doctor thinks is best, I guess.

That plan may change but it's how i feel right now.

Jess0813 · July 2015

My first was 10 days late and my second was 6 days late. My drs office wont let you go past 10 days and i had non stress tests done twice a week past 40wks. My mother was 3 weeks past due with me and i came out green. They said the placenta was going bad inside her.

rachel10488 · July 2015

@VegDumpling according to the majority of women on these threads I was reading the worst most selfish thing that can be done is choosing to be induced before 40 weeks. This is not my opinion, I was actually pretty surprised to see such a consensus on that side of things.
I say if dr says it's ok and baby is fully developed than it sounds legit! A lot of people were saying "baby will come when baby is ready to come". Now I'm not a pregnancy or baby expert but I highly doubt unborn babies are making decisions to start pushing their way out of our vaginas. It seems to me our bodies have a lot to do with the labor process getting started whether baby is (unknowingly) ready or not

hummingbird35 · July 2015

@rachel10488 thanks! v. interesting. I don't really see what the problem is, but maybe I'll do some lurking. I was considering the possibility, especially because I anticipate our LO being a big fella.

kleshelle · July 2015

I don't see the problem wanting to go a week or two before due date or waiting it out... As long as the baby is healthy and safe, along with the momma that's all that really matters in the end.
I don't think my doctor lets you go past the week mark of being over. All I know is when it's close to her due date, I'm getting it on as much as possible and being as active as possible to try to get her to come out. My sister swears if you do the deed as much as possible it helps soften your cervix, she went into labor on her own both times and she made sure she was super active the last month. Plus she had a good long Walmart walking trip to tip off her water breaking with her first. (I'm sure this isn't going to be same case with every woman but worth a shot!)

redfallon · July 2015

A lot of brain growing goes on between 37-ish? weeks and 40 weeks, so it's a big deal for people when women want to be induced before baby is full-term 40 weeks. I don't remember the exact week mark but 37 sounds about right. There are some articles about it but I can look those up later and post.

As far as going later, several things can happen including baby having the first meconium poop inside you and swallowing or possibly inhaling it, which is what happened with me and my daughter.

When I hit 38 weeks, my OB said that it was up to me when I wanted to be induced if it came to that. I told her that I would go to 41, but not 42 weeks. At my checkup for 41 weeks, I was still 0% effaced and 0% dilated. Basically locked up tight! I was induced and DD was born at 41w2d.

She had swallowed/inhaled meconium. She was taken immediately at birth to be looked over by like six doctors and nurses. It was all in-room so she was right there, and they aspirated her and had her cry and cough to get all that stuff out. I got to hold her about 20-30 mins after she was born.

I am glad that I didn't wait for labor to start spontaneously in our situation. I still want this baby to bake as long as possible, but I don't know if I will go past 40 weeks if it comes down to it this time. That will be something that DH and I will discuss together and with my OB when it gets closer to that time.

hummingbird35 · July 2015

@redfallon thanks for sharing! looking forward to those articles when you get time. & how scary

redfallon · July 2015

VegDumpling said:
@redfallon thanks for sharing! looking forward to those articles when you get time. & how scary

Thanks! Yeah I know there are a few out there that I read when deciding what to do in my last pregnancy. I'll look for them or what I can find that's similar.

redfallon · July 2015

Here are some:

https://www.m.webmd.com/baby/news/20110523/study-gives-new-view-of-full-term-pregnancy

https://www.hmhb.org/2014/07/definition-full-term-moms/

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/10/full-term-pregnancy-newly-defined/

Most of these are reporting on the definition of full term as agreed upon by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and this is the ACOG report:

https://m.acog.org/Resources-And-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Obstetric-Practice/Definition-of-Term-Pregnancy

kristen2b · July 2015

groovylocks said:
I'm currently planning to schedule a C-section. Not sure which date. Whatever doctor thinks is best, I guess.

That plan may change but it's how i feel right now.

@groovylocks I'm also a repeat csection. Did your dr try to talk you into vbac? I was so glad mine didn't.

amw2133 · July 2015

My doctor highly recommends not being induced before 40 weeks as long as baby and mama are ok. I'm not sure how long they will let me go past my EDD. I personally was born 11 days after my EDD I wasn't huge and I didn't have any problems but this is just one case. I'm not sure what I'll do if I go late yet. Luckily I have plenty of time to think about that.

kristen2b · July 2015

amw2133 said:
My doctor highly recommends not being induced before 40 weeks as long as baby and mama are ok. I'm not sure how long they will let me go past my EDD. I personally was born 11 days after my EDD I wasn't huge and I didn't have any problems but this is just one case. I'm not sure what I'll do if I go late yet. Luckily I have plenty of time to think about that.

My little one was five days late. I was miserable but I'm so glad she came on her own. We have the most amazing birth story.

ChiccoBeanz · July 2015

groovylocks said:

I'm currently planning to schedule a C-section. Not sure which date. Whatever doctor thinks is best, I guess.

That plan may change but it's how i feel right now.

Why? I'm confused are you sharing this just to share, because it didn't answer OP's question. Is there a reason for this elective surgery ? Is it your first one or a VBAC? I'm asking because I don't get what this has to do with the question and it kinda confused me.

Jenichael1217 · July 2015

I'm hoping baby comes sooner because I'm considered high risk due to a placenta abnormality. I could have a totally normal pregnancy still, but I have a higher chance of her getting poor nutrition or having a placental abruption. Obviously if my placenta got worse slowly, they would realize that she wasn't growing properly and induce. If it got worse quickly I could have a placental abruption, which is terrifying. I know those last few weeks I will be so anxious about having an abruption and her being stillborn

I wonder if my doctor would induce at 39 weeks to keep me from being a nervous wreck? I don't know what I would do if something happens and we lost her when she was basically full term...

ChiccoBeanz · July 2015

I'm an FTM... I'm not there yet in terms of prep for my LO. I'm still trying to get through my current testing situation. I'll go from there. I hope to give birth vaginally, but I will of course do whatever is best for my child. It didn't cross my mind that the baby coming after the due date may be problematic in anyway. This post gave me something to think about. Thanks OP.

Catherine1021 · July 2015

So I thought that 37 weeks was full term- I'm glad I read all of this and now know that it's actually better for the baby to be at least 39 weeks. I have gestational diabetes and am on medication to help control my blood sugar. I asked my doctor and she confirmed that I will probably have to be induced before my EDD, but we won't know for sure until the time actually comes. (I'm higher risk for a bunch of complication due to GD.) I was a little excited that I might get to have the baby as early as 37 weeks (this pregnancy has been rough) but I guess now I will be hoping that I can actually make it to 39 weeks.

satindawl83 · July 2015

I strongly remind the TedTalk called "Owning Your Body's Data", by Talithia Williams before letting a doctor induce labor. https://www.ted.com/talks/talithia_williams_own_your_body_s_data?language=en

I've cited this before, but in short, Talithia was at 41 weeks and the doctors wanted to induce because waiting longer would double her chances of a stillborn. Because she's a statistician, she asked her doctor to define "double" and he said the risk increases from 1 in 1,000 to 2 in 1,000! In other words, the risk doubles from .1% to .2%. With that data, she decided to let her baby bake a little longer.

Don't be afraid to question the doctor! It's your body and your baby.

fmraglio · July 2015

groovylocks said:

I'm currently planning to schedule a C-section. Not sure which date. Whatever doctor thinks is best, I guess.

That plan may change but it's how i feel right now.

I didn't think they let FTM do scheduled c-sections unless medically necessary. Is this a thing? I will try to avoid one as much as possible but am genuinely curious about this.

rachel10488 · July 2015

Interesting info for sure! One of the articles @redfallon posted mentioned the statistical risk for 37 weeks being 2 deaths more than at 39 weeks which is similar to what you're saying about going later as well, @satindawl83.
What I'm taking from this is that 39-40 weeks is ideal but 37-38 and 41-42 are also ok the *majority* of the time.
I personally do NOT want to be medically induced since I'm hoping for a drug free birth and I hear pitocin can be hell for that. But there is also a selfish part of me that doesn't want to go more than a week over because I'm due 12-26 and the taxes we'd get back this year for buying a home and having a baby (before the 1st) would be a huge help. I'm not sure how much all the natural induction techniques really help but I'm sure I'll be trying them starting on Christmas, or maybe at 39 weeks. Minus castor oil...I had no idea castor oil is actually so so bad for you and the baby because I hear people doing it all the time so I feel like we need a PSA for that!

Melissadmag · July 2015

I haven't heard of my doctor being that excessive. I haven't had that discussion yet with him but do remember him mentioning that an average pregnancy can last up to 42 weeks so that even though I have a due date, not to plan on that being the final say on when the baby is born because she will come out when she's ready etc etc. I'm going to assume this means that he is okay with pregnancies getting to 42 weeks, or close to it, but will have to ask him.

tmo51324 · July 2015

My first was 16 days late. They monitor you closely so I had extra appointments to check baby and had an extra scan to check fluid levels and the placenta but they were all fine and baby was happy. If there had been anything to suggest a problem they would have induced but as everything was fine I continued and had him naturally. (And he was 10oz smaller than my son born at 40+2). X

laceyglowacki · July 2015

My doctor does not electively induce before 39 weeks, nor do they like to let pregnancies get past 41 weeks. There are so many factors that come into it but from what I've read and been taught in nursing school the best case scenario is to deliver between 39-41 wks. I'll be induced with this pregnancy just as I was last pregnancy but this will be elective. I plan to be induced towards the end of my 39th week. My doctor has already said the OK because the baby is measuring almost 2 weeks ahead as of now so she feels comfortable with the plan so far and so do I.

BP1979 · July 2015

@rachel10488 Not to mention if you go to Jan 1 you'll have to pay health insurance deductible again... That would really suck. Haha Hoping for your sake baby comes by Dec 31.

lablover920 · July 2015

@laceyglowacki I had no idea that you could be electively induced at 39 weeks. Just curious as to why you chose to be electively induced. I am a FTM and just want all the knowledge I can possibly have!

rachel10488 · July 2015

@BP1979 ahhh I didn't even think about that! Ugh. Yes, I hope so too! My luck my baby will be born at 12:01am on Jan. 1st haha

littleSkittle14 · July 2015

With my first, they would have let me go up to 42 weeks. I went into labor at 39+6. Ended in a c section.

This time I'm attempting a vbac and they want me to go into labor spontaneously by 40w but I can sign a waver and go to 41.

I second what @redfallon said about brain development between a 36w baby and a 40w baby. I can't imagine why someone would want to be induced early if it wasn't necessary. But sometimes we're not privy to the full details behind someone's decision.

laceyglowacki · July 2015

BLyman2 said:
@laceyglowacki I had no idea that you could be electively induced at 39 weeks. Just curious as to why you chose to be electively induced. I am a FTM and just want all the knowledge I can possibly have!

For a few reasons. I was 4cm from 37wks on and at 38 wks I went to the ER with consistent contractions and they stopped labor since the hospital is conservative with delivery. After that I kept having fainting spells and my blood pressure was abnormally low so when I went in on Monday I asked if they could induce me because of comfort, as well as being dizzy all the time with a 5 year old at home and they said yes it's allowed so I got an ultrasound at the office and was induced the next morning. I was 39wks 3 days. I was started on pitocin at 9am and my daughter was born at 1036am. So now this time around with having contractions since about 11wks and they're strong and consistent in time just not getting stronger my doctor and I discussed another induction so I'm not delivering at home or on the way to the hospital.

Cmagno · July 2015

I'm delivering at a large university hospital, they seem to be pretty on top of all the latest research (delayed cord clamping, no bath, immediate baby on chest etc) and I know they absolutely will not induce before 41-42 weeks unless there is a medical necessity. I had my DD there as well and they will do NST and close monitoring as needed but my midwife team is all about letting the body go into labor in its own time. They've stressed how important this is for babies overall health and development.
Optional induction is a big taboo in our part of the country (Portland, OR). I think if it's something you'd be interested in definitely do your research.

lainey419 · July 2015

Due dates are only estimates and can be weeks off in terms of conception, the rate of the baby's development, and/or when baby is ready to be born. Some babies born at 38 or 39 weeks or even after their due dates have issues, such as their lungs not fully functioning, because they are actually born too early.

redfallon · July 2015

Mine is pretty on target as I know exactly the date of my last LMP and my ovulation date (I was charting this time) and the date we DTD at that time (it wasn't that often). If mine is off, it would be by a couple of days, and definitely not a couple of weeks.

stickybun14 · July 2015

In Australia FTM can have elective C Sections. There is one OB in town that is known for only doing them. He pretty much books it in his diary on your first appointment....

I have an abnormal uterus so there is an increased chance bubs won't turn or might only grow on one side of my uterus (but I have felt kicks and movement on both sides so I am praying this won't happen) and I may need a c section. But I would never elect to go early.

I've gone with a private midwife and she is very supportive of my wish to have as natural birth as possible. But I've left my birth plan very open as you never know what's going to happen.

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