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Happy due date to me! Is it weird that I'm sad that he didn't come by now?
How your baby's growing: It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs in at a little over 7 pounds and is about 20 inches long. Your baby will continue to grow with every passing day (her nails and hair will continue to get longer, too). Your baby's skull bones are still separated and they'll stay that way to allow the bones to compress enough to fit through the birth canal during labor (you'll notice soft spots or "fontanels" on your baby's head for a year or more after birth).
Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing: Despite medical advances, there's still no way to know for sure when a woman will go into labor. You may not be as late as you think, especially if your baby wasn't conceived exactly when you thought (this happens more frequently when your due date is based only on the date of your last menstrual period and you haven't had an ultrasound in the first half of your pregnancy). But even with reliable dating, some women still have prolonged pregnancies, and experts don't really understand why.
You still have a couple of weeks before you'll be considered "post-term." But to be sure your baby is still thriving, this week — or by the start of 41 weeks at the latest — your practitioner will want to begin special testing to monitor your baby. (If you have any pregnancy complications, you've likely started this testing already.)
A biophysical profile (BPP) consists of a detailed ultrasound to look at your baby's overall movements, breathing, and muscle tone (whether she opens and closes her hand or extends and then flexes her limbs), and the amount of amniotic fluid that surrounds her (important because it's a reflection of how well the placenta is supporting the baby). It may also include 20 minutes or more of heart rate monitoring. Alternatively, you may have what's sometimes called a modified BPP, which includes monitoring your baby's heart rate with a fetal monitor, and an ultrasound evaluation of the amount of amniotic fluid. These tests are usually done twice a week.
If the fetal testing isn't reassuring — the amniotic fluid level is too low, for example — you'll be scheduled for an induction as soon as possible. If there's a serious problem, you may have an immediate c-section.
Your practitioner will also check your cervix to see how it 's "ripening." Its position, how soft it is, how effaced (thinned out) it is, and how dilated (open) it is can all affect when and how your labor is induced. If you don't go into labor on your own, you'll be induced sometime between 41 and 42 weeks.
Use caution if you're tempted to try some techniques at home to get labor started. None of the following methods have been proven to be consistently effective, and some aren't safe to try on your own:
• Having sex won't induce labor, but the prostaglandin in semen and having an orgasm may stimulate some contractions.
• Stimulating your nipples releases oxytocin, which may start labor but can also result in long contractions that put stress on your baby — so don't attempt this at home.
• Castor oil is a strong laxative that can stimulate your bowels. There's no proof that it helps induce labor though plenty of women can attest to its unpleasant effects! Talk about the pros and cons with your practitioner.
• Herbal remedies for labor haven't been proved safe and effective, and a few are known to be downright dangerous. Ask your doctor or midwife before doing or taking anything to stimulate labor contractions.
Meanwhile — while you're waiting for labor to begin — be sure to pay close attention to your baby's movements and let your practitioner know right away if there's a decrease in activity.
3 Questions About...Inducing labor
Q1. What does it mean to induce labor?
If you and your practitioner have decided that it's not a good idea to wait any longer for your labor to begin on its own, your practitioner can use certain techniques to "induce" your labor to start, including administering a drug called Pitocin (also known as oxytocin). Pitocin, which is given through an IV, will cause contractions that dilate your cervix in a timely way and help your baby descend. Another technique to kickstart labor is called "stripping the membranes," or manually separating your amniotic sac from the lower part of your uterus, which releases prostaglandin hormones that can help get your contractions going.
Because the placenta is less effective at delivering nutrients after about 42 weeks, and other serious complications also become more likely as you pass your due date, most doctors will induce labor if it hasn't started on its own by two weeks after your due date.
Q2. What are the risks associated with inducing labor?
Pitocin — the primary drug used to stimulate contractions — carries some risk of hyperstimulating the uterus if the dose is too high. But the primary risk is that the induction won't work and you'll need a cesarean. The process of ripening the cervix and then inducing labor can take a long time. If you still haven't gone into labor after 24 to 48 hours, your practitioner may consider it a failed attempt and you'll have to deliver by c-section. This process can be very hard on you and your partner psychologically. Having a c-section after a failed induction is also associated with higher rates of complications, especially infection, and longer hospital stays.
Because of these risks, you'll need to have continuous electronic monitoring during an induced labor to assess both the frequency and length of your contractions as well as your baby's heart rate. In most cases you have to lie on your side or back or sit while being monitored, but some hospitals offer telemetry, which lets you walk around during the process.
Q3. Are there natural ways to kickstart labor?
If you're past your due date and want to try to start labor without Pitocin, there are natural methods that have varying rates of success. Nipple stimulation is one of the most well-established natural labor inducers, but don't try it without your caregiver's approval because it can bring on powerful contractions that cause your baby stress. Other natural methods of boosting contractions are less reliable, but it doesn't hurt to give them a try (of course, it's always best to talk to your caregiver first). Eating spicy foods or pineapple, having sex, taking long walks, acupuncture, and aromatherapy are all reputed labor starters. While you may have heard that drinking castor oil can help, it's best to steer clear of this one. It's unlikely to help get labor moving but it's guaranteed to have unpleasant effects on your digestive tract.
( These had better be the last belly shots )
How your baby's growing: It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs in at a little over 7 pounds and is about 20 inches long. Your baby will continue to grow with every passing day (her nails and hair will continue to get longer, too). Your baby's skull bones are still separated and they'll stay that way to allow the bones to compress enough to fit through the birth canal during labor (you'll notice soft spots or "fontanels" on your baby's head for a year or more after birth).
Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing: Despite medical advances, there's still no way to know for sure when a woman will go into labor. You may not be as late as you think, especially if your baby wasn't conceived exactly when you thought (this happens more frequently when your due date is based only on the date of your last menstrual period and you haven't had an ultrasound in the first half of your pregnancy). But even with reliable dating, some women still have prolonged pregnancies, and experts don't really understand why.
You still have a couple of weeks before you'll be considered "post-term." But to be sure your baby is still thriving, this week — or by the start of 41 weeks at the latest — your practitioner will want to begin special testing to monitor your baby. (If you have any pregnancy complications, you've likely started this testing already.)
A biophysical profile (BPP) consists of a detailed ultrasound to look at your baby's overall movements, breathing, and muscle tone (whether she opens and closes her hand or extends and then flexes her limbs), and the amount of amniotic fluid that surrounds her (important because it's a reflection of how well the placenta is supporting the baby). It may also include 20 minutes or more of heart rate monitoring. Alternatively, you may have what's sometimes called a modified BPP, which includes monitoring your baby's heart rate with a fetal monitor, and an ultrasound evaluation of the amount of amniotic fluid. These tests are usually done twice a week.
If the fetal testing isn't reassuring — the amniotic fluid level is too low, for example — you'll be scheduled for an induction as soon as possible. If there's a serious problem, you may have an immediate c-section.
Your practitioner will also check your cervix to see how it 's "ripening." Its position, how soft it is, how effaced (thinned out) it is, and how dilated (open) it is can all affect when and how your labor is induced. If you don't go into labor on your own, you'll be induced sometime between 41 and 42 weeks.
Use caution if you're tempted to try some techniques at home to get labor started. None of the following methods have been proven to be consistently effective, and some aren't safe to try on your own:
• Having sex won't induce labor, but the prostaglandin in semen and having an orgasm may stimulate some contractions.
• Stimulating your nipples releases oxytocin, which may start labor but can also result in long contractions that put stress on your baby — so don't attempt this at home.
• Castor oil is a strong laxative that can stimulate your bowels. There's no proof that it helps induce labor though plenty of women can attest to its unpleasant effects! Talk about the pros and cons with your practitioner.
• Herbal remedies for labor haven't been proved safe and effective, and a few are known to be downright dangerous. Ask your doctor or midwife before doing or taking anything to stimulate labor contractions.
Meanwhile — while you're waiting for labor to begin — be sure to pay close attention to your baby's movements and let your practitioner know right away if there's a decrease in activity.
3 Questions About...Inducing labor
Q1. What does it mean to induce labor?
If you and your practitioner have decided that it's not a good idea to wait any longer for your labor to begin on its own, your practitioner can use certain techniques to "induce" your labor to start, including administering a drug called Pitocin (also known as oxytocin). Pitocin, which is given through an IV, will cause contractions that dilate your cervix in a timely way and help your baby descend. Another technique to kickstart labor is called "stripping the membranes," or manually separating your amniotic sac from the lower part of your uterus, which releases prostaglandin hormones that can help get your contractions going.
Because the placenta is less effective at delivering nutrients after about 42 weeks, and other serious complications also become more likely as you pass your due date, most doctors will induce labor if it hasn't started on its own by two weeks after your due date.
Q2. What are the risks associated with inducing labor?
Pitocin — the primary drug used to stimulate contractions — carries some risk of hyperstimulating the uterus if the dose is too high. But the primary risk is that the induction won't work and you'll need a cesarean. The process of ripening the cervix and then inducing labor can take a long time. If you still haven't gone into labor after 24 to 48 hours, your practitioner may consider it a failed attempt and you'll have to deliver by c-section. This process can be very hard on you and your partner psychologically. Having a c-section after a failed induction is also associated with higher rates of complications, especially infection, and longer hospital stays.
Because of these risks, you'll need to have continuous electronic monitoring during an induced labor to assess both the frequency and length of your contractions as well as your baby's heart rate. In most cases you have to lie on your side or back or sit while being monitored, but some hospitals offer telemetry, which lets you walk around during the process.
Q3. Are there natural ways to kickstart labor?
If you're past your due date and want to try to start labor without Pitocin, there are natural methods that have varying rates of success. Nipple stimulation is one of the most well-established natural labor inducers, but don't try it without your caregiver's approval because it can bring on powerful contractions that cause your baby stress. Other natural methods of boosting contractions are less reliable, but it doesn't hurt to give them a try (of course, it's always best to talk to your caregiver first). Eating spicy foods or pineapple, having sex, taking long walks, acupuncture, and aromatherapy are all reputed labor starters. While you may have heard that drinking castor oil can help, it's best to steer clear of this one. It's unlikely to help get labor moving but it's guaranteed to have unpleasant effects on your digestive tract.
( These had better be the last belly shots )
