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“When I found out I was pregnant, I took my estimated due date and added two weeks to it. It was much more realistic”. A midwife I was apprenticing with spoke these words at a client’s prenatal appointment and we agreed that 40 weeks wasn’t a one-size-fits-all gestation expectation.
Standard Gestation Length
In fact, what mainstream medicine considers a standard gestation period may not be so normal after all.
Holistic Midwifery, Anne Frye’s essential midwifery text, explains why going past 40 weeks is safe, and may in fact be what is normal for humans.
“In a well-nourished woman who salts to taste and drinks to thirst pregnancy usually proceeds to term and often 1 to 2 weeks past the 40 week mark. In fact, 42 weeks may be the normal gestation for humans.” Holistic Midwifery Volume 1: Care During Pregnancy
Unfortunately, many women end up being induced by the 41st week, out of fear that the baby will be harmed.
Why Is There So Much Fear Surrounding A “Past-Due” Baby?
In the extreme post-mature case, babies can be born with loose skin, indicating weight loss. Meconium staining can be present and the placenta may show signs of inadequate blood supply. All of these could be harmful to a new baby.
But there is a difference between post dates and post maturity. Postdates pregnancy is a pregnancy that goes past the 42nd week. Going postdates does not automatically indicate a post mature baby.
In fact, it can be considered a “normal” pregnancy for a healthy, well-nourished mother and can happen for a variety of reasons:
1. Miscalculated Dates
Many women keep meticulous track of their monthly cycles, knowing exactly when they ovulate and when they started their last period. Some of us, however, intend to do so, but … don’t. Or we forget. Or we write it down and lose the paper. Often, guessing at the date results in a due date that’s right in the ballpark. But sometimes, especially in the case of someone who has irregular cycles, the estimated date is off by more than a week.
2. Longer Cycles
This goes hand-in-hand with miscalculated dates. Dates are calculated on the average length of a monthly cycle, which is 28 days. However, some women have longer (or shorter) cycles. If this wasn’t taken into account when the due date was calculated, it will be inaccurate.
3. Baby Isn’t Ready
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have discovered that the baby’s lungs actually trigger birth. Surfactant, a protein found in the lungs that is essential for normal breathing outside the womb, is released and triggers the uterus through a cascade of chemical events when the baby is ready to be born. It’s not something to be rushed.
4. Fear
If you’re feeling apprehensive about giving birth or fearful about possible negative outcomes, you could be keeping yourself pregnant. Psychology plays a huge role in birth and if you are approaching your due date with fear, your body may be protecting you by not triggering labor. If you feel this may be the case, talk to someone about what you’re feeling. Often, discussing it with someone can allay those fears and put you at peace.
5. Stress
Much like fear, excess stress can also play a part in preventing labor. While more likely to stall labor that’s already begun rather than prevent it, that’s still possible. Stress is inevitable, but maybe there’s something going on right now that’s stressing you out. Maybe it’s a holiday, family or finances. Whatever it is, finding healthy ways to deal with stress can help your body relax enough to go into labor.
Great article. I went “under” by a week… Same thing, different story. I think your thoughts are spot on.
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Yes, thank goodness for midwives that aren’t rigid to the 40 week mark. First baby induced at 39 weeks, then the next three were born after the “due date”, 2 of them by 10 days. It was hard to wait, but I definitely saw the difference in how they reacted to life outside the womb versus the firstborn.
I am three days “overdue” with baby number 3. I was 5 days and 9 days late with the first two so I knew that this would come. I had already been changing the date in my head but it is still stressful to handle all the questions and deal with the emotions. My cycle length and calculating ovulation contribute to my off dates. My babies are never overly large, 7 lbs. 10 oz. and 8lbs. 6oz. And they come naturally and perfectly healthy. This baby will come in time! I do think that the push to get the babies out is unnessacary and leads to extra interventions.
Great post! I’ve gone to my due date once and past my due date once (and my first was 8 days early). I was 2 days shy of 42 weeks with my 3rd! I think it was a combo of miscalculated due date, stress and fear. 🙂 I had an acupuncture treatment and 36 hours later–after only 3.5 hours of labor–she was born!
My first two births were both hospital induced at 12 & 22 days, both ended in c-sections because neither my body nor the baby were ready. Even at 22 days my last baby was only 8lbs 1oz and had NONE of the “over due” symptoms. This pregnancy I’m not in any rush since I have a history of healthy, happy babies that like to wait. Grateful to have a midwife that believes in me and my body being able to do what it was made to do!
While your intentions are good, and your article begins with the clarification that post-due does not start until after 42 weeks, I think trying to “troubleshoot” going past the due date (40 weeks) feeds into the fear surrounding post due-date, rather than helping people learn that it is perfectly normal and of no concern. Once a woman is past her due date, every day seems like a week, and it’s easy to let fears of something wrong to creep in. So making the point of the article being providing reasons why people go past due dates may be self-defeating. The foremost point is that 38-42 weeks is the due date, not 40 weeks on the spot. Going past 40 weeks is natural, normal, and usually GOOD (for baby and oftentimes for an easier birth)!
What a fantastic article! I wish that I could have read it while with was pregnant with my first two. My daughter was 5 days early, and my son was 11 days early. I have a shorter menstrual cycle, and I now wonder if that was part of my kids early arrival. My midwife always jokes with me that I grow them and birth them quick. I had no fear at all to birth either of my babies. My labor with my first, my daughter, was 8 hours total and under 2 hours total with my son. I wonder now if my own psychology played a part in the early arrival of my kids. Either way, they were diffidently born on time! Both were covered in vernix, my daughter was 8lbs and my son was a whopping 9lbs 13oz!!!!
I am 35yo pregnant with baby #4 and I am now 7 days past the dr’s due date and since I have longer cycles, I calculated 5 days after the dr’s due date and I’m past that too. I’m miserably uncomfortable but scared that something is gonna be wrong when she does come out… I wanted to have a completely natural birthing experience but it seems like nothing is going as planned. At this point, I’m ready to just throw in the towel and let them induce me.
[…] gospel. Otherwise we stress mothers-to-be just when they need to conserve energy for birth. See this article on reasons we may go over our dates (e.g. irregular menstrual […]
I am 34 and pregnant with my second child. First one came 4 days b4 due date but this one am already 2 days passed my due date. I am worried,concerned,frightened all at once. I was told baby is bigger than my first so there