Experiences of pregnancy going beyond 42 weeks?

[WhatIsPink]

Anyone who have gone over 42 weeks? I’m currently 41+4, while first child was born 41+6 and then second 41+4. Although very likely this one will come out in the next few days, but if not, wanted to hear anyone’s experience who actually went over 42 weeks, both how to discuss either the hospital and also research on the safety. Hospital is big on induction which I’m not too keen but 42 weeks is a mark which does get me a bit worried.

I haven’t worked in perinatal care but from reading I totally agree with you!

Ps i mean reading around the subject when pregnant not what I’ve read today!

My placenta was degrading at 39+2 weeks. It caused undetected IUGR. Luckily, my DD let me know something was wrong by not moving and not regenerating her amino fluid. I was induced, and my midwife could not believe I was only 39 weeks, and/or a non-smoker. She said had we left it nay longer, I might well have lost her.

I cannot believe anyone would willingly go over their dates.

It’s vile. I can’t believe some people!

I suppose my healthcare providers were 'vile' then, as they didn't arrange induction until 42 weeks (and the first day available was 42+2). Happily, everything was perfectly fine - and the placenta was in brilliant shape.

Sometimes they do get the dates wrong, I suppose - I know they did with my second as I know when I conceived, but they kept insisting the pregnancy was a week further ahead than it was, which worried me as due to being breech they pushed for a c section at 38 weeks, which was really 37.

This is different though to someone going overdue. Most placentas don’t cause IUGR.

No. They CAN cause intervention and problems. It's not inevitable. At 40 weeks, baby is safer our than in.

Not different - the placenta was degrading, same as what happens when you overdue. Read my post. My MIDWIFE (i.e. the expert) could not believe the placenta was only 39 weeks old.

https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l6131/rr

IIRC, one of the criticisms at the time of this study is that none of the babies who died were postdates. They were just in the expectatant management group.

There are some (imho) bat shit scary Facebook pages which encourages this sort of shit. I have just been reading a post who had a 44 week wild birth. On them pages it's like midwife is a rude word.

Much better to go by the Daily Mail

If you have to consult mumsnet for reassuring stories, you know you’re taking an unnecessary risk.

I would not take the risk - small as it is, it is there.

I had dd at 37 weeks out of choice. I cannot fathom going beyond 40.

Back in 2002, i was told it was very risky to go beyond 42 weeks. I was booked in for a c-section against my will. Luckily, I went into labour a few hours before my c-section appointment. It was something like 41+4. Labour was quick and straightforward. I was mid thirties.

A family relative is a midwife. I would 100% agree with this.

I've had 3 babies all past 42 weeks, 2 inductions, one spontaneous, 2 hospital one home, I've don't lots of research and reading, so I'd say I have some experience past 42 weeks which is what the poster was asking, have u any experience going past 42 weeks?

What do you mean they won't let you continue your pregnancy? No one can end your pregnancy without your informed consent, doctors do t control your body or pregnancy, you have autonomy and authority over your own body and pregnancy, no one can end your pregnancy for you, does the health and wellbeing and safety of the mother not matter then? Anything can be done to you/your body as long as baby lives

No sometimes they want to Intervene to make u give birth when they aren't short staffed,or they intervene to speed up your labour to free up the room for the next person

But she's a midwife who is qualified to support birthing women ,would you not have a midwife support your birth then/listen to their advice?

Unfortunately I feel like a lot of people know someone who this doesn’t end well with. In my case my family friend was actually booked in for an induction at 41+5 but there was an issue with the beds and all checks looked fine and by the time they got her a bed at 42+2 the baby was stillborn, she swears she could still feel him moving but I think it’s more just the size at that point.
However if it helps. I had a huge fear of induction. I had a due date baby the first time round so was shocked when I went overdue with my second and tried everything to get her out but in the end got induced at 41+4 and honestly I do think if you’ve had a vaginal birth before it self and your body sort of remembers. From the balloon falling out to be 10cm dilated was about 3 hours and she came out in 2 pushes with 0 tears. Was intense but so quick and soo much easier than my natural labour

So you had a problem with your placenta not all placenta fail and they dont just fail cause they've hit 42 weeks,they don't have. Best before date

Honestly no, I would not take advice from a midwife over a doctor and no, I absolutely didn’t want midwives supporting my birth which is part of the reason I had two elective c sections, but that was my personal preference and I’m definitely not saying all midwives don’t know what they are talking about, just that her view is particularly biased and the fact she calls herself doctor (as she has a PhD) may lead people to rely too heavily on her views rather than listening to actual medical doctors. I think many if not most midwives would actually recommend induction before 42 weeks in any case.

When I was pregnant with my son I had a scan at 40+1 and the placenta appeared to be functioning well from what could be seen on the scan, and my son was predicted to be around the 50th centile. Despite no concerns, I was booked to have an induction at 40+5 but my labour started naturally a couple of days before and I had a natural birth without any pain relief in the early hours of the morning on the same day that I would have been induced had I not gone into spontaneous labour.

My son was thankfully born healthy but he was lower birth weight than they expected, especially considering he was overdue by 5 days. They sent my placenta for testing but I never heard anymore of it until I became pregnant with second child - they told me that it appeared that my placenta had started to fail with my son and so I would have extra scans in this pregnancy.

I’m currently 33 weeks but what worries me is that I never experienced any reduced movement, they never detected any dip in growth and no cause for concern was identified with baby or my placenta at my scan at 40+1, yet just days later my placenta was starting to fail. I’m so thankful that other than his low birth weight my son was born healthy, but given this experience I’m reluctant to go overdue again and will readily accept an induction as soon as it’s recommended.

My midwife had 2 Homebirths after 42 weeks!