Fiddling your due date... bit sceptical... anyone done it?

[HatonHatoff]

My old boss (a man by the way) suggested telling your doctor your period started a bit later than it did so as to give your baby a slightly (lets say couple of days) later due date. My first baby did come 10 days late and just in time before being induced... I can see his logic but I wonder if this is a bad thing to do - afterall the baby's health and ones own is tantamount and if they aren't coming and and should be it's best everyone knows surely?? Interesting to know if anyone else has done this. I'm thinking it's a bit dodgy but then being induced doesn't sound like a bundle of laughs...

Starlight, your experience just shows how important it is that the woman and her knowledge of her cycle is respected.

In your case LMP was not enough. Knowledge of when you ovulate would have been more important, as you have long cycles. We don't all work to a 28 day cycle and the Rules they use to determine gestation are based on that. There are some Rules that factor in the cycle length as well, is it Naegele's? Not that up on my ovulation knowledge, sorry, as both conceptions happened very fast!

Also some people ovulate very late or very early in cycle or even twice. I never knew there was so much to ovulation till recently!

What the doctor meant, but didn't put it very well, was that you could have been busy on, say, Sunday, but egg was only released on Wed/Thurs and the sperm with good stamina were there to do the business. Can make a difference

It does seem ridiculous Starlight... this thread is making for interesting reading. I will give the right date but it also seems vital that I tell them that my cycle is longer (by 4 days) than the 28. I certainly have learnt a bit more about the scientific basis (or not!) of how they work out dates and whether or not to induce. Mine of info, thanks!

Have to say that I would never trust a dating scan, especially after they brought forward the edd of ds1 by 10 days. I pointed out that as ds1 was the product of IVF there really wasn't any doubt whatsoever about the date of conception. Thankfully the consultant agreed with me - I was just having a big baby.

total rot fiddle da dates, omg

Starlight - according to the dating scans my daughter was born at 39 + 6. According to me and I was there at the conception and the period beforehand, she was born at 42+6.

I have 31-32 day cycles (when I have them) and my DD also grew in an unexpected pattern (ie one week she gained nearly two and a half pounds (in utero) according to their scanners.

The correct answer to 'how do you know you conceived on that date' question (which I was also asked) is: 'well (a) I know when I had sex because it's a rarity and I wrote it down; (b) If your dates are correct my DHs sperm managed to survive over three weeks in my body and (c) you aren't infallable you silly little man'

Next time try: "but that wasn't the week to pay the milkman...." while grinning Starlight.