Past Your Due Date? 7 Things to Know

40 weeks pregnant sign, going past your due date

Going past your due date can bring on a mixture of emotions. You’re ready to meet your baby and you’re tired. You have to wait…… and ….wait some more. Bending down to tie your shoe is out of the question. Getting up from the couch is a sporting event. 

You find yourself flashing glares of jealousy and pulsating anger at people who say…

“I gave birth at 37 weeks!” 

“Any news on the baby?”

“You look like you’re about to pop!” 

Well, the good news is…

Despite what you may be feeling, or what unsolicited, unwelcome comments people say to you…

You will meet your baby soon. I promise! 

In the meantime, there are a few things to know about going past your due date. 

How Is Your Due Date Determined?

At your first appointment with your care provider you will typically get to hear the baby’s heartbeat and learn what your estimated due date is. Often your provider will do an ultrasound at this appointment too.

Your care provider looks at the data obtained from your ultrasound, when your last menstrual period was and will determine what your estimated due date is. This gives you a rough idea of when your baby will arrive. On average, the length of a pregnancy is 280 days or 40 weeks.

However, babies come when they are good and ready. As doulas we always use the phrase “estimated due date” because there is no way to be 100% sure. Taking it even further, we like to help our clients think of it as a “due month” or a “due window.”  Your baby could arrive any time from two weeks earlier or two weeks later than your estimated due date (giving you about a 4 week window). So, it’s a good idea to be mentally flexible about your due date and keep it as a loose estimate in your mind, not at a strict deadline by which your baby must be evicted or else. 

Let’s talk more about what it means to go past your due date. 

What Does it Mean To Have a Postdated Pregnancy?

First off there’s a difference between a “late-term” pregnancy and a postdated pregnancy. A late-term pregnancy means you are anywhere between 41 to 42 weeks pregnant. A postdated or post-term pregnancy, by definition, means your pregnancy has extended beyond 42 weeks. 

Going a little past your due date isn’t cause for concern because your due date was an estimate. But, as you go farther and farther past your due date your doctor or midwife may begin to talk with you about trying a few things to kick-start labor or scheduling an induction. 

Depending on their style of practice your care provider may encourage an induction as early as 39 weeks, and most likely at 40 – 41 weeks. 

Why? 

Most babies are born healthy, regardless of whether they arrive at term or later. However, there are certain risks that begin to increase after about 41 weeks of pregnancy, rising higher after 42 weeks. 

Risks Associated With Late-Term or Post-Term Pregnancy

Depending on your personal health you may have more or fewer risk factors. We recommend that you speak with your care provider about this to understand your particular circumstances. 

The placenta is the link between you and your baby. As you go further and further beyond your due date your placenta may not work as well as previously. This can lessen the amount of oxygen and nutrients the baby gets from you. 

Generally the factors that your care provider will be concerned with are the following: 

  • Your baby shows signs of fetal stress. Meaning their heart rate is not responding normally. This could be determined with a non-stress test (NST). 
  • Low amniotic fluid. Your amniotic fluid may lower as you get later and later in your pregnancy, which can affect your babies’ heart rate and umbilical cord. 
  • Increased risk of stillbirth. The risk of stillbirth rises gradually after 39 weeks and then increases more rapidly starting at 41 weeks. At 41 weeks, out of 10,000 pregnant people, about 17 will have a stillbirth. This means 9,983 won’t have a stillbirth. In comparison, at 42 weeks, out of 10,000 pregnant people, about 32 will have a stillbirth. This means 9,968 won’t have a stillbirth. So an extra 15 people out of 10,000 might avoid a stillbirth by being induced at 41 weeks. For the other 9,985 women, it won’t make a difference. You can learn more about this here: Evidence on Inducing for Due Dates
  • Risk of meconium aspiration. Your baby may pass meconium, their first bowel movement in the womb. Meconium usually isn’t a problem, but if your baby breathes meconium into their lungs they can develop serious breathing problem.
  • Larger than average birth size. When your baby is a larger size, it can make delivery a little harder. This may increase the likelihood of a c-section, or the use of other devices to get your baby out. However, when predicting a big baby, ultrasounds are only right about half the time. While it’s true that 7 – 15% of big babies have difficulty with the birth of their shoulders (called shoulder dystocia), the majority of these cases are handled successfully by the care provider with no harmful consequences to the baby. Read more about this here: Evidence on Suspected Big Babies

Sharing this is not meant to stress you out. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Knowing the risks will allow you to make informed decisions about your pregnancy. Knowledge gives you more power. 

At-Home Options For Kick-Starting Labor

There is a lot of talk about natural methods for getting labor started, but unfortunately most of them have little scientific evidence in support. We will discuss a few methods below that have studies to back them and which can’t hurt to try:

  • Try light exercise. Take a walk around the block, by the beach, a park… anything to move your body a little bit. A recent study found that starting light exercise at 38 weeks may help bring on labor. Don’t do anything too strenuous. You still want to keep your energy up for your upcoming labor. 
  • Eat dates. Eating dates starting around 36-37 weeks of pregnancy may help the ripening of your cervix. Not kidding! This snack is not only delicious but also improves your gut and brain health. So, even if it doesn’t bring on labor, it is still a wholesome snack. 
  • Have sex. Doing the “deed” can release the love hormone, oxytocin. Increased levels of this hormone can help you go into labor. Also, the prostaglandin hormones in semen may help ripen your cervix. It’s not a guarantee, but still worth a shot. 
  • Try acupuncture or acupressure. There is some data to suggest this method could help induce labor. Acupuncture involves small needle insertion at pressure points on your body. Acupressure involves putting pressure on certain points on your body without a needle, and just using your hands or fingers to massage or press on that point. 
  • Nipple stimulation. Stimulating your nipples has some decent evidence to back it up. In one study, 37% of women who stimulated their nipples to induce labor went into labor within 3 days. Doing so also increases your oxytocin levels. So, give it a try!

If you want as little in-hospital intervention as possible trying one of these at-home induction methods might do the trick. Always review options with your medical provider before trying anything at home.

Is It Safe to Wait for Labor to Start On Its Own? 

When you go past your due date, we recommend that you and your care provider discuss the benefits and risks of choosing an elective induction or continuing to wait for spontaneous labor. There are benefits and risks to both options. When talking with your care provider take into consideration: your values, goals, preferences, personal birth history, risk factors, chances of a successful induction, the facility’s c-section rate with inductions and other alternatives.

Evidence suggests that inducing labor at 41 weeks and 0-2 days instead of continuing to wait for labor could help reduce stillbirths and poor health outcomes for babies, especially among first-time mothers and those with additional risk factors.

Ultimately, after receiving accurate, evidence-based information and guidance from your health care provider, you have the right to decide whether you prefer to induce labor, or wait for spontaneous labor with appropriate fetal monitoring.

Considering Induction At The Hospital

If you end up going past your due date, your care provider may discuss with you a variety of induction options and steps commonly included in an induction. This includes: 

  • Stripping your membranes, also called membrane sweeping. Many doctors and midwives will suggest this as a first option because it is less invasive. During an office visit, your care provider can easily perform it without the need for hospital admission. With a gloved hand, they will put their finger into your cervix and gently swipe to separate the membranes that connect the amniotic sac to your uterus.Separation of the bag of water from the uterus triggers the release of hormones. These hormones may soften the cervix and prepare the uterus to start contracting
  • Balloon catheter (also called a foley catheter). They will insert a small tube with a balloon into your cervix. After insertion the catheter is filled with saline. The pressure on your cervix can help open it and prepare it for labor.
  • Cervix ripening agents. You may be given medicine orally or it can be placed directly in your vagina to stimulate the effacement or thinning of your cervix.
  • Administering Pitocin. You care provider may administer the synthetic version of oxytocin, called Pitocin, to you through an IV. Its purpose is to either initiate or reinforce your contractions. It can make your contractions longer, stronger and closer together to keep labor moving forward. 
  • Breaking your water. If your cervix is dilated or effaced, your care provider may suggest rupturing your membranes. They will insert a small plastic hook through the cervix to break your amniotic sac. It should be quick and painless.

Except for stripping your membranes, all of these other steps are in-hospital procedures. Your body’s reaction may determine whether you require just one or two of these steps, or all of them, to initiate labor and maintain its progression. Read more details about the induction process here: All About Labor Induction

Staying Occupied While You Wait

Some say the first 8 months of pregnancy go by in a flash, but the last month of pregnancy lasts for what feels like 84 years. You’re not alone in feeling this way. 

Because of this, you may be feeling anxious, exhausted or overwhelmed. So, while you wait, it’s important to keep your mind and body occupied. 

Here are a few ideas to keep you occupied while you wait for labor to start: 

  • Go on walks 
  • Rest, nap (remember, labor will be a marathon!) 
  • Drink plenty of fluids and eat healthy meals
  • Reorganize a drawer or closet (don’t move anything too heavy)
  • Learn a new-to-you relaxing hobby from YouTube 
  • Write in a pregnancy journal
  • Drink calming tea
  • Slow down… your life is about to get much more exciting!

You can always reach out to us. We’re here for you while you wait for the baby to arrive. We promise… it won’t actually take 84 years. 

Looking for more ideas and insight? Take a look at these helpful blog posts:

About Christie Collbran

Christie believes in helping women recognize their own inner wisdom, strength and power. Having served as President of the Tampa Bay Birth Network for six years and with ten years serving families as a birth doula, she has a reputation for leadership, dedication and compassion. A childbirth educator, certified lactation counselor as well as a certified doula, she makes a point of ensuring mothers and their partners understand all their birthing options and what to expect on their journey.> keep reading