What’re your educated** thoughts on going until 42 weeks?

Question

I’m perfectly content going until 42 weeks if my baby is snug. I have no medical conditions, I’m young, healthy, etc. 
I’ll gladly be induced after then if baby is a no show. I really don’t see the issue with this considering many other countries don’t induce until 42 weeks, as long as mom and baby are healthy. 🤨🤷🏽‍♀️

Answer

While I’m hoping to not go past 42 weeks (in California, your birth center birth turns into a hospital birth if you go past 42), I’m totally fine with it if that’s what happens. I work with midwives currently and would need to transfer care to my backup doctor, but he’s extremely chill and won’t induce me as long as me & baby are doing well, and the placenta is hanging in there. I could be 43 weeks pregnant and it’d be fine. 
Due dates are not an exact science. I’d rather my baby be ready than try to evict them too soon based on a guesstimate.

Answer

Normal, natural labor for first-time moms with no induction averages 41w2d gestation (this varies a bit depending on what stats you look at), so it makes sense that many healthy babies will arrive naturally before and AFTER that. In the US, labor & delivery are overly-controlled because that’s our culture toward healthcare in general. OBs and hospitals want to make the most profit from insurance companies (which makes premiums increase for all of us!) while also covering any minor potential for liability. It is truly unfortunate how many unnecessary interventions are performed on pregnant women in the US, and how few moms get to experience labor & delivery as nature intended! Because of my experience in healthcare, a midwife-assisted home birth was the best choice for me. Waiting is never fun, but I’m only 39 weeks today, so I will try to wait patiently! A 2015 study showed the baby initiates natural labor when his or her lungs are at full capacity to endure the process (releasing 2 specific chemicals), so barring any life-threatening complication, it is always safest not to interfere!

Answer

I told my midwife I’d go as far as they let me. You have to be monitored closely but she is perfectly fine with it. The doctors will see if something is wrong I’m sure.

Answer

I’m in the uk and it’s very normal here I’m 40 + 2 now and if nothings happened by my next app on mon when I’ll be 40 + 5 then we’ll discuss booking an induction but it won’t be booked until I’m 12 days overdue. Your due date is just an estimation babies can be born anywhere between 39 and 42 weeks and considered full term here. 
Obviously if there are medical reasons they wouldn’t let you go to 42 weeks but otherwise it’s considered perfectly safe x

Answer

If I didn't have other kids (so constantly going to the hospital to be monitored wasn't so disruptive to my family) I would wait until 42 weeks as well. That was my plan with my first baby, but she decided to come at 40w4d.

Answer

I went to 42 weeks with my first and was induced. I will wait until 42 weeks with this one. I am 40 + 3 with this one. My midwife is fine with it, I am healthy and after 41 weeks they will do some additional tests to make sure baby and placenta are doing ok.

Answer

It’s perfectly normal. Just keep in touch with your provider and they will probably do non stress tests on baby to make sure they are ok!

Answer

My obs have explained that the reason they induce before 42 weeks is that the placenta basically wears out becoming less effective and gets calcified and almost crunchy. So basically they would prefer having the baby out while the placenta is still healthy and “juicy” lol

Answer

My doctor said she would recommend being induced at 41 weeks if I make it that far because the placenta can become less effective and the risk of stillbirth increases. But because I have no medical issues she’d leave it up to me to decide. She did say that if I didn’t want to be induced at 41 weeks, I’d be sent for another ultrasound and further testing to make sure the placenta was working and that there is enough amniotic fluid for the baby.

What’re your educated** thoughts on going until 42 weeks?

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