It’s very rare for a pregnant woman to not know her due date. Most of the time, you have a particular date in your mind when you thinks your baby will set foot into this world. You are constantly dreaming of the day when you get to hold your little bundle of joy. Doctors give the expecting parents an approximate due date according to when the mother conceived. But due dates are funny things and are never accurate. Babies are almost never born when they are due.
Studies show that about 80% of babies are actually born 2 weeks before or 2 weeks after the day they are predicted to. This means as your due date inches closer the parents have to be ever ready two weeks before anticipating the moment when it’s finally time. The due date is generally predicted as the date 40 weeks from the first date of the last menstrual period you had.
The due date gives you so many things to plan and execute for your baby and yourself. Starting from choosing the name, nursery and deciding where to give birth a due date gives you a definite timeline. Furthermore, you are anxious enough to know when your morning sickness will come to an end and when you can finally snap out of all your mood swings and midnight cravings.
The days leading up to your due date can be very frustrating and extremely anxious. Especially if it’s your first baby, you don’t know what to expect and every twinge and ache keeps you alert. Sometimes, you may have pre-labors when you feel pains and think that you’re finally giving birth. But these are false signals and can occur both in the days and nights. There are a list of signs that will help you differentiate pre-labor pains from actual labor pains.
Everyone in the family is waiting and more than anyone, you are almost on the edge to give birth and get done with it. You are tired of the muscle cramps and false labor pains. not to forget how you can barely make to the washroom without getting tired. Finally one day which is most probably not the given due date, your baby decides to step out and end the 40 long weeks of pregnancy. It is best for you to not have too many hopes on your due date to be your baby’s birthday for sure. After all, only 3-5% of babies are actually born on their due dates.
Research shows that first time mothers generally go into labor during the 41st week of their pregnancy. Whereas, women who have already given birth go into labor approximately about 40 weeks and 3 days. The fault in the current method of calculating the due date is assuming that all women have a 28 day menstrual cycle. Fact is, some women may have longer or shorter cycles. Also, some women may not ovulate mid cycle on day 14 exactly.
Experts say that even if you are late beyond your due date, it is best for labor to take course naturally rather than induce it medically. In most cases women undergo 40+ weeks of pregnancy and frankly, these extra weeks are as important as your months of pregnancy for your baby.
However, many hospitals induce labor once the woman has passed 41 weeks of pregnancy. While it is best to avoid medically induced labor, it is best to take extra care and monitor your baby more frequently in case you cross 41 weeks of pregnancy. This is to avoid any complications or sudden down-slide in your pregnancy. Unless your doctor provides you with a medical emergency which call for an immediate labor, you can wait it out.
On the whole, it really doesn’t matter if you give birth exactly on your due date or two weeks later, it is still a moment of bliss and immense joy.
