# give me your stories of happy, healthy, "late"/overdue babies and births, please!



## jsh7809 (Aug 7, 2009)

I am now a whopping 10 days late with my first baby, and although the logical part of me knows that's very very normal, I am feeling a ton of pressure from my midwife's office (hospital/ HMO), my community, and most of all, my self.... Which is leading to stress which is NOT what is going to help get this baby out! Plus I am blessed/ cursed with lots of friends who have had their babies EARLY or on time in the last year, and that is not helping (although most of the women in my family on both mom's and dad's sides have birthed babies "late" by anywhere from a few days to 2 weeks!).
So, I'd love to hear happy stories of your needed-a-little-extra-time-baking babies, and be reminded that this is NOT something I can schedule, and that the baby and I are going to deliver when the time is right for us!
Thanks, mamas.


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## MaerynPearl (Jun 21, 2008)

my son was overdue and the only complications were caused by problems 22 weeks earlier, he had no problems from being overdue.

my ex husband was born at 43 weeks and obviously was fine... I dont think the fact that I dislike him has anything to do with being born so late! LOL


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## Mama2Kayla (Feb 12, 2005)

My son was born at 42 weeks and 6 days. It felt like forever, but I am truly glad I waited it. My labor was quick and mostly pain free until the end. He was 9lbs even and had no problems nursing, gaining weight right away







.

I totally understand about friends around you going early! One of my good friends was pregnant at the same time and had her baby at 36 weeks after an 2 hr labor. He was 6 lbs and perfectly fine. I was so jealous...epecially as the weeks just went on and on for me! But, it just goes to show that every mom is different and there is nothing wrong with that. Some of us just get extra practice with patience thanks to our pregnancies


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## gwen's mom (Aug 1, 2003)

My mom has told me I was born at 44 weeks. Aside from being 10lbs, 2oz, I was fine; born naturally and drug free.

My own children have been 19, 14 and 5 days overdue. All were born naturally, drug free (one in a hosp, 2 at home)and all completely heathy. Birthweights were 8.15, 9.2, and 8.8.

Stay strong mama. Babies know when they are ready!


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## major_mama11 (Apr 13, 2008)

DD was born at 41.5 wks, healthy w/ vernix still visible, no mec in water, apgars 8 and 9.

I was born at 42 wks exactly, after a failed augmentation 2 wks earlier, doc sent my mom home and she walked around at 5 cm for 2 wks before having a 6-hr labor and delivery of healthy me.

My mom was a 10 pound vaginal breech, born at 43 wks!


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## MiaMama (Jul 21, 2007)

NAK
DD2 was born at 40+6, perfectly fine, wonderfully strong and healthy.

However, I do not consider her overdue or late. Just like I would not consider a 39 or 38 weeker early.

To me, overdue means 42+ and still may not be a reason for intervention if the babe was doing well.


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## emmalizz (Apr 14, 2009)

My first was 41+4, my sister's were all over 42, and my mom's all between 40 and 42. Not a single health issue in the bunch (10 babes total







)


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## MamaFern (Dec 13, 2003)

my last 2 babies were both born after 42 weeks.. 16 + 15 days overdue.. they were both born at home with a midwife and healthy as can be. you can do it!


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## chambom (Dec 11, 2007)

My DD was born at 42 weeks and 1 day. We did end up using a little Pitocin, but all went well.

She was born healthy with an APgar of 9 and breastfed like a champ.


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## jsh7809 (Aug 7, 2009)

Yay, thanks ladies!!
I too would consider her to be not yet "late" until at least 42 weeks, but the hospital I'm with unfortunately has an "induce between 41 and 42 weeks" policy, which I've known since the start, and have always planned to refuse - but somehow now it feels a lot more upsetting to me. I still don't want to be induced but I am so emotional and ready that their attempts at striking fear into me are working more effectively than I thought








So, this helps! I wish I had always trusted my gut and my knowledge of all of the long pregnancies in my family and planned on a later due date all around. DH would hate it when I'd say "I probably will be 2 weeks late", he thought I was psyching myself out - I think he gets it now that I was just saying, "if I'm 2 weeks late, I don't want to have been sitting there for 2 weeks waiting!".
Great stories, very helpful.


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## meganlisbeth (Apr 15, 2008)

my son was born at 41+4 and he is amazing, happy, and healthy.
i was apparently 3 weeks "late" and am also doing quite well!









i know it's hard to take sometimes but they DO come when they are ready!

xoxo


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## apmama07 (Nov 22, 2009)

I was is very much the same situation with the midwives policy causing pressure - if I went to 42 I would have to be in the hospital rather than birth center. I was stressed and terrified of the hospital and interventions that I might be up against.

As it was, the night before my scheduled induction I went into labor on my own and had the med-free peaceful birth in the center that I'd wanted. DD was 41+5 and 7lb 14 oz, apgars of 9 and 10 and absolutely perfect and healthy. Both her position and I believe my anxiety held her in for a while. When I *really* let go of some things, I magically went into labor. It was a really big learning experience for me, the first huge letting go of many that is motherhood.









I know it's so hard, but keep your faith that it will all unfold as it should and do your best to get/stay in a peaceful place.


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## jsh7809 (Aug 7, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *apmama07* 







I was is very much the same situation with the midwives policy causing pressure - if I went to 42 I would have to be in the hospital rather than birth center. I was stressed and terrified of the hospital and interventions that I might be up against.

As it was, the night before my scheduled induction I went into labor on my own and had the med-free peaceful birth in the center that I'd wanted. DD was 41+5 and 7lb 14 oz, apgars of 9 and 10 and absolutely perfect and healthy. Both her position and I believe my anxiety held her in for a while. When I *really* let go of some things, I magically went into labor. It was a really big learning experience for me, the first huge letting go of many that is motherhood.









I know it's so hard, but keep your faith that it will all unfold as it should and do your best to get/stay in a peaceful place.

Good advice! A few times a day I really start overthinking and getting stressed out, and worrying that I should be doing MORE to make something happen... But then I always come back to needing to be restful, calm, low stress. I know that my friends who birthed early recently were on their feet working almost up until they went into labor - but I am someone who needs more down time anyway, so maybe the baby and I are on just the right track.

Now... I just need to remember all of this when I wake up at 5am STILL not in labor every day, doing "where the heck is this baby?!"


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## texasfarmom (Sep 24, 2009)

You might already know this, but apparently the ACOG doesn't officially call you "overdue" until you are 42+ weeks. Interesting how that guideline sometimes gets ignored...


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## blessedwithboys (Dec 8, 2004)

mine were 42wks and 42+3. both were born the picture of health. no jaundice, no NICU.

however... (i know you asked for happy stories, plz dont be mad!)...

with ds1 i was only 17yo and i allowed myself to be pressured to induce and after the cascade did its work i had a c-birth. ds2 was spontaneous labor but was an unplanned csec, not related to fetal age (long story, it wasnt necessary, but the on call OB threatened legal action if i kept going for vag.)

point being...dont let them pressure you. it could happen that your mw will have to transfer care at 42 wks, but no one can make you go to the hospital for induction. no one will come to your home with a warrant. we arent there yet, though i strongly believe that will happen in the future if we dont change our birth culture asap. but once you check in, all bets are off. they will not hesitate to get a court order to force surgical birth.

so, stay strong, get plenty of rest, talk to your LO, and try to just wait. after ds1 went to 42 wks i felt sure my body didnt know how to go into labor, and with ds2 i really thought so, but of course my labor started eventually. yours will too!


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## Joyster (Oct 26, 2007)

My second was 10 days late. I was absolutely miserable, but when he arrived, he was a happy bouncing baby boy and had absolutely no problems related to the pregnancy or birth. I never felt so happy and relieved that I wasn't carrying that little turkey around anymore, well in my belly anyhow. *G*


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

My ds was 43 weeks 5 days. Same size as his sister 4 years earlier who was 41 weeks 3 days.









Babies come when ready.

-Angela


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## honeybee (Mar 12, 2004)

Ds1 was born at 41 weeks, 6 days, and 23.5 hours. He was my first, and I had a 4 hour labor, with about 5 minutes of pushing. He had a tiny bit of wrinkling on his ankles and wrists, but otherwise was great.

Ds2 was born at 41 weeks, 5 days. I know his due date was accurate because I was charting. Less than a 2 hour labor... very intense, but good. Still, he was born covered in vernix, and was assessed as being "term," not overdue. Very healthy!


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## womenswisdom (Jan 5, 2008)

My dd was 41+1, 3 hr labor and 1.5 hr pushing - perfect baby. Also, it might help you to remember the large (almost 10,000 women) study that showed the average first pregnancy is 41+1, so that means, when not interfered with, half of women go before 41+1 and *half go more than 41+1*. You just happen to be in the half that goes more. Hang in there!


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## emnic77 (Sep 12, 2009)

My first was 41+3. My second was 41+1. Both completely health and happy and normal. With this one, I carried the knowledge through the entire pregnancy that my body takes 41 weeks to bake a baby. I'm good with that. I got threatened with induction upon hitting 40 weeks both time, this time (homebirth) I don't have that looming and am SO much more calm and relaxed about it, that I wouldn't be surprised if I went right around 40 weeks this time, just because I won't be stressed about an induction!


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## Shazer (Oct 6, 2006)

Hugs to you. I understand the pressure you are under.

My first was born by c/s at 42 weeks 4 days after a cascade of "natural" induction methods. There are lots of women who are "overdue" or they are told their babies are gigantic and need to be born, only to have the induction methods make labor and birth difficult. If you feel like your baby should be out by now, then maybe see a chiropractor to make sure your baby is lined up. Otherwise, if you feel like it isn't time yet, then go for walks, shut off your phone so relatives and friends don't pester you, get a massage, watch all of your favorite movies, journal. Be good to yourself and try not to let everyone's pressure make you nervous or upset.


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## MamaMonica (Sep 22, 2002)

Moved to Birth and Beyond. My first was born a few days past 42 weeks with no complications







Be kind to yourself


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## cappuccinosmom (Dec 28, 2003)

I've had two 42+ weekers.

Both *big*.

But both were around 4 hours labors, minimal tearing. With the "smaller" of those two, I had excess bleeding after he was born, remedied with Pit, and prevented the next time with Pit. That "smaller" one (he was 9 lb 15 oz) also had sticky shoulders according to the midwives, but it wasn't a major problem and I didn't even hear about that until the first post partum appt. His little brother (10 lb 8 oz) wasn't the least bit "sticky".


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## SunshineJ (Mar 26, 2008)

Um I was born 6 weeks late and was just fine, though my mom said she did get awfully tired of being so pregnant after a while. Keep in mind this was in the 60's. They did do an xray around my due date to make sure I wasn't too big, then sent mom home and basically forgot about her. I was a "big" baby for our family, weighing in at 7lbs, 12 oz.

DS was 3 weeks overdue. LOL I know the exact date he was conceived so there's no question of when he was due. Late babies run in our family. I did end up with a c-section with him, but it was completely unrelated to his gestation time. He weighed 6 lbs 12 oz, so not a huge baby either. They pushed me into a c-section with dd at 39 weeks, and she came out sleeping 5 hrs at a stretch. She just really didn't seem to me like she was "done" yet to be honest (and I'm convinced she was pissed about that and made us "pay" for it for the first 6 months! LOL!).


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## Chula13 (Feb 9, 2008)

I had my vbac baby happily at home at 42wks and a day , no complications other than a bit of dry skin


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## smeep (May 12, 2006)

My mother went into spontaneous labour with all five of us at 41-43 weeks. So I told myself 42 weeks, so if I went into labour before then, no biggie, and I wouldn't feel "overdue" based on a stupid "due date" until after 42 weeks. At 41w3d I went in for an ultrasound to make sure everything looked good (I was going to a freestanding birth center and my uber crunchy cnm sends clients in to a local hospital once a week after 41 weeks for an ultrasound to keep an eye on things). Everything looked fine except he didn't react much when the u/s tech jabbed my stomach (ouch!). She brought in an OB who also found minimal reaction and they flipped and told me to induce immediately. Don't go home, just go straight to the center, and they would call my midwife on our way there. My mom was with me and when we got in the car I said I didn't want to induce. She said that, since we figured I was in early labour (I had been having irregular contractions since about 11pm the night before), that was why he wasn't moving much. She said we all slowed down during her labours, and it didn't concern her at all. We went home and called my midwife, who agreed with us, and said we could consider castor oil in the morning at 6am if I wasn't in active labour yet. My water broke at around 11:30pm, I went into active labour within a few minutes, and he was born at 5:21am, at 41w4d, all on his own time. Fast, uncomplicated, great labour. If we had induced in hospital with pitocin after my 3pm appointment as recommended, I likely would have had a cesarean, all for nothing. He came when he was ready. Your babe will too!!! Of course, having even more information under my belt in the 4 years since, if that happened again I would probably laugh at the tech and OB and tell them over my dead body will I induce. He was fine, and there was still movement...he was just preparing for his journey into the world!


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## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

I was a healthy overdue baby myself. My mom was almost 43 weeks pregnant when she had me.


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## accountclosed3 (Jun 13, 2006)

one of my dear friends was 44 w 4 days, and her brother was 44 w 2 days. they are both healthy adults.









in order to refuse and combat the pressure of the medical establishment, i recommend printing out a copy of the ACOG's assertion about when a person is "overdue" and take it with you.

i also offer you this pulled from an article:

Quote:

A large study done by Weinstein, et al. , compared nearly 1,800 reliably dated post-term pregnancies with a matched group of on-time deliveries ( between 37 and 41 weeks ). The outcomes were surprising. Perinatal mortality was similar in both groups ( 0.56 / 1000 in the post-term and 0.75 / 1000 in the on-time group ). The rates of meconium, shoulder dystocia, and cesarean were almost identical. What was most interesting, however, was that the rates of fetal distress, instrumental delivery and low Apgar scores were actually lower in the post-term group than in the on-time group.
another thing you can look up and take with you--see if you can find the study name. i'm having trouble.









here's the source of the article (author): Christine Fiscer is a Traditional Midwife who blogs at www.midwiferyramblings.blogspot.com and also www.joyfulbirthservices.blogspot.com. She enjoys all things birth, sewing, and spending time with her family.


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## beckyand3littlemonsters (Sep 16, 2006)

Caden was born at 40+6 weeks although as another poster has also said i too don't concider this overdue as a normal pregnancy lasts 37-42 weeks.







to you mamma i know it gets hard when you go past that de, but lo won't be in there forever, she's obviously very comfy inside you, you never now you've posted this you may just go in spontaneous labour tonight.


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## wonderfullymade (Oct 19, 2005)

I carried all of mine (except the twins) 'overdue'.

First was 42 weeks.
Second was 41.6 weeks
Fifth was 42.6 weeks


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## lynsage (Jul 13, 2004)

My first was 10 days past her EDD and was tiny, but otherwise perfectly healthy and born safely at home...I'm sure she needed those extra days to grow! Don't worry


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## AutumnAir (Jun 10, 2008)

I had my DD at 43+1 weeks. She was fine - no indications of post-maturity other than a little dry skin on hands and feet. She didn't even pass mec until after the birth.

My mom was induced at 42 weeks with both me and my brother, so it's a safe bet that she would have gone a bit longer. My gran (mom's mom) had my aunt at 46 weeks - a VBAC no less!! So, obviously, longer gestations run in my family too.

OP - how are you getting on? Still baking, or holding your baby now? Hope you're both happy and healthy either way


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## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jsh7809* 
I still don't want to be induced but I am so emotional and ready that their attempts at striking fear into me are working more effectively than I thought









I haven't gone post-dates but I have had to deal with this kind of pressure.
Are you open to ultrasound? You could ask your caregivers about doing a biophysical profile and detailed study of the placenta. I bet it would help set your mind at ease that baby is thriving and your placenta doing its work to grow you a healthy little baby, whenever he or she decides to make an appearance.


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## donutmolly (Jun 9, 2005)

DD3 was born at 42 weeks (both her big sisters arrived almost on their EDD!) I was very surprised to be going so long. She was born healthy at home, 9lbs 10oz, and her enormous size was the only indication that she was "overdue".

My mw did want me to start monitoring baby and placenta at 41+3, which I agreed to -- however, it did nothing for my peace of mind, and if I had the chance to do it again, I would not agree to go in for monitoring. There was no indication that it was necessary besides the number of days past the EDD. I feel the tests were totally unnecessary, and know that they could've used it to force an induction, which is something to consider before consenting to testing.

Everyone in my due date club gave birth before me -- I moved to the next month's group, and it seemed like half of them had given birth before I ever did!

Hope you are already holding your lo!


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## Belia (Dec 22, 2007)

Don't give into the pressure, mama! You're doing great, and when you look back these last few weeks will have been the blink of an eye.

Turn off the phone and don't respond to anyone's panic. Afterwards, when everyone freaks out and asks "Where were you!!! We couldn't get a hold of you!" Tell them you went out of town for a few days. That will really freak them out!


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## coldandsleepy (Aug 5, 2008)

My son was born at 41+1. We actually tried to induce with cervidil at 40+6 (my cervix was quite favorable and had been for some time, so it was worth trying) but the insert fell out after like an hour and a half and I was given the choice of either having a pitocin induction or going home.

So I went home-- this was on the 41+0 day-- and then went into labor naturally and had a totally awesome and problem free birth the next day.









My son's been super healthy since day one.

So yeah, hang in there. I remember the end of pregnancy being SO hard... I was just so impatient and so ready to be done with it. I remember someone telling me "no one is pregnant forever" and that kind of helped me mentally at the end.









Good luck, I hope you have your baby with you on the outside soon!


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