Worried about going overdue

[charley39]

Need some advice! My due date is soon approaching and I have a massive fear of going overdue! I work as a neonatal Nurse and I know first hand how many things can go wrong and so the whole pregnancy has been quite stressful. I understand that you can be offered a sweep once at 40 weeks but I know how uncomfortable I will feel if they let me carry on until 41. I know in most cases healthy babies are born all the time past their due date but I can’t help how I feel. Has anyone had any experience in getting more done before they go overdue? TIA

Hi op, I always go overdue (14 days , 10 days , 14 days) and all I've ever been offered are sweeps.

Is this your first?

I went 11 days overdue with my first, all was fine.

But I totally get where you are coming from. My second was born at 39 weeks with an undiagnosed TOF and was in NICU for almost a month. I had no idea how much can go wrong until we started talking to other families. You're bound to be more anxious than other mums to be

Sweeps don't really work unless your nearly ready to go anyways.
I had 5, and then was induced. My DS was 16 days late, covered in vernix and with a very healthy placenta.
I'm medical too so I get the anxiety, but some babies do just take a bit longer.
Being overdue is the pits though

First baby. I’m sure I’m stressing over nothing but it’s just hard not to! Just having a wobbly moment I guess!

@charley39 , everyone is allowed a wobble, going overdue is really tough.

I hope you deliver close to your due date. Good luck

I was almost 41 when my son (first child) was born and I demanded to be induced at 41 weeks as I wasn't prepared to go over that.

Your baby isn’t overdue until T+15. 42 weeks is still a normal gestation. I understand that you are anxious but I’m sure you’ve also looked after plenty of early term and term babies who were surprisingly compromised so this fixation on your EDD isn’t logical or helpful.

I was induced at 41 weeks because I asked to be and they weren’t overly keen on me going over 41weeks anyway (I make big babies)

I'm terrified of going overdue and having to have a medical induction. I want a natural birth in the nice new midwife centre with ensuite rooms, not a medicalised birth on a ward. Plus I can barely walk and I'm at my wits end with the pain and discomfort! Booked in for a sweep this week but worried it won't work as everyone is saying you have to be pretty much ready anyway for it to have any effect.

I had a natural birth after being induced. You have no way of knowing in advance how the birth will go; being induced doesn't mean you have a difficult birth.