What to do
when you’re overdue
I thought my first baby would never come. He
was 16 days late and has been late ever since. My last baby was six weeks
early. My second was induced. Only my third baby was born when she was due. On
a meniscal statistical scale, therefore, one in four babies are born on their
‘due’ date.
Waiting for your baby’s birth is like waiting
for your flight that’s repeatedly delayed. Your bags are packed, baby’s cot and
paraphernalia are waiting, you’ve had a few episodes of ‘false labour’ and a
day is a very long ‘t-w-e-n-t-y f-o-u-r’ hours when you’re waiting to go into
labour. By the time your contractions are coming every five minutes, or your
waters have broken, you’ll grab your bags, run out the door and rush to the
hospital. This would never have happened just a few months ago when you were
terrified to go into labour!
In my books, babies come when they’re ready. As
a child, I remember picking ripe peaches off the tree. Sweet, soft and
delicious, they would simply fall into my hand. Unripe peaches, however, were
really difficult to pick, sometimes taking a piece of the branch with them.
These peaches were hard and tangy. When the cervix (mouth of the womb) is soft,
flat and opening, that’s when your baby is ready to come.
If this is your first baby, remember that
everything is ‘new’ and tight. This means that labour often starts later and
takes longer. But don’t stress, your hormones (oxytocin, progesterone and
prostaglandin) are already doing their thing.
What can you do?
Keep busy. Do physical things – don’t worry,
hanging curtains or scrubbing walls and floors won’t twist the cord around your
baby’s neck.
Don’t take castor oil – it will give you the
runs and make birth rather messy.
Go to the shops or meet a friend for coffee –
it’s unlikely that your waters will break. This mostly happens when you’re
having strong, regular contractions. Pregnant women who ‘suddenly’ go into
advanced labour in public places only happens in movies or sitcoms.
Your weight will level off. Your
health-care provider will keep an eye on your blood pressure and look out for
swollen fingers and toes. If your blood pressure goes up, and your fingers and
toes swell, you may be admitted. If this gets worse, you may be induced.
Your baby’s position will be checked. If
you’re 40+ weeks, the head is not ‘down’ and you're not ‘dropped’, the baby may be
too big. If this is the case, you may need a c-section.
You will need to see your health-care
provider at least once a week. Please don’t miss these appointments, or ignore
advice if induction or even a c-section is recommended. Make sure your baby
is moving. If you’re worried, go to the hospital.
Take a deep breath. Don’t panic. Take it easy
getting to the hospital – or calling the midwife. Good luck!
Photograph of labour ward: Aloise Ireland
