When is a Pregnancy Overdue?
A normal pregnancy usually will last for about 40 weeks from the first day of your last period. However many women go into labor within a week before or after their estimated due date.
Once a pregnant mom has reached her 40th week of pregnancy she has met her due date. And any day after that is considered overdue.
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How Long Can You Go Past Your Due Date?
Since a due date is really just a rough estimate of when your baby should come, labor can start before or even after your given due date. Depending on each pregnancy and healthcare provider some moms are encouraged to allow their pregnancy to go past their due dates by up to 1-2 weeks.
However, there are some risks at times with waiting depending on each individual situation.
My Overdue Pregnancy
Pregnancy is certainly not easy in any way, shape, or form. But once you have waited all that time to meet your baby and you pass right past your due date, it can seem like your baby is never coming.
This is one reason that many overdue pregnant moms can get a little cranky by the end of their pregnancy.
I was certainly one of those moms.
My first baby was due on October 31, 2011. Yep, that’s right on Halloween! I was absolutely huge before I even made it to my due date and everyone was sure that I would go into labor just before I was due. That didn’t happen.
I watched as my due date came and passed by and I was still pregnant. Believe me, I was so ready for my baby to come. And through all of that, I had so many different people coming up to me saying really annoying things about me being overdue. And that only made me more cranky.
So if you want to stay out of the wrath of on overdue pregnant woman here are a few things you don’t want to say.
1. “When is Your Due Date Again?”
I cannot tell you how many times I was asked this question after I passed my due date, or even on my due date. I wanted to yell “My due date WAS on October 31st.”
And once it’s already passed you honestly just want people to stop asking because the countdown is not fun anymore.
Since due dates are really just an educated guess they really don’t mean anything. That date is just a rough estimated of when your baby could come – give or take a week or so.
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2. “Are You Having Twins?”
Just because I am filled to the brim with baby, amniotic fluid, and the placenta does not mean I am having another baby. Sometimes you just want to say “Well maybe with all of the ultrasounds we missed one. I’ll let you know if I ever go into labor.”
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3. “Oh, Still No Baby Then?”
This question really made me think people were absolutely losing their minds. And now thinking about it I am laughing.
When they are looking at you with this huge belly asking, “Oh still no baby yet?”, part of you wants to say “Well do you see any baby around here yet?”
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4. “Have You Tried This?”
If you have ever been overdue then I am sure you have heard other moms who were past their due date trying to give you different tips for getting your labor started. Let me tell you that I tried so many different tricks and she still did not come.
“Yes, I’ve tried –
- Going for a Walk
- Having sex with my husband
- Driving over a bumpy road
- Eating spicy food
and guess what – I am still pregnant!”
5. “When Are You Being Induced?”
Being induced is when a pregnant mother is given Pitocin (a medication that induces labor).
With modern medicine and doctors feeling the need to get a baby out immediately on the due date being induced is one of those “normal” occurrences now. And since it’s so common many people will ask an overdue mom when she is being induced before it’s even been considered.
6. “Being Overdue Is Not That Bad”
“Being overdue is not that bad”, said no pregnant woman ever!
After morning sickness, aches and pains, and not being able to get comfortable in months, pregnant moms are just ready for their pregnancy to be over.
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7. “Did They Get Your Due Date Wrong?”
Calculating a due date is most accurate when a pregnant mom knows the first day of her last period. From that date, the approximate due date is estimated.
Of course, a due date can be off, but when you’ve been counting down to that specific date for months you really don’t want to hear that it may be a later date.
8. “Are You Having A C-Section?”
Since some moms who are overdue end up being induced and then ultimately having a c-section people seem to think that it’s inevitable to have a c-section if you are past your due date.
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9. “It Feels Like You’ve Been Pregnant Forever”
Pregnancy truly feels like it lasts a lifetime. And since it takes almost a year there is no wonder why. But really saying this may not be the best way to greet a pregnant mom who’s overdue.
“You feel like I’ve been pregnant forever. How do you think I feel?”
10. “Get Some Sleep Now”
I was told over and over again after I passed my due date to get some sleep now before my baby gets here, because once she’s here I’ll never get sleep.
Well, that’s really great advice but I think that the people that are giving it don’t remember being pregnant because in the last few weeks of pregnancy getting comfortable to sleep is impossible. Between getting up to pee every hour and constantly being woken up by a kicking baby sleeping is not easy.
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Yes! I particularly love the get sleep now comments. As if we get any sleep during pregnancy in the first place ???♀️