make it to 40 weeks!

[smittenbyu]

I am grateful that I made it to 40 weeks of pregnancy and am grateful that the practice I went/go to does not induce until 41st week (unless there's some medical urgency) and I am glad that D came the night/morning/afternoon that the doctor I preferred was on duty.

People began looking tired and frustrated on my behalf when I hit 37 weeks. Their questions often were, "oh you must be so ready to get the little one out!?" or "she/he is taking her/his time in there, huh?!" But really I enjoyed my pregnancy. Of course, mine had absolutely no complications. There were days/nights of discomfort. But I never expected it to be easy.

I am/was fortunate and so I enjoyed a smooth pregnancy. But even amongst friends who had relatively smooth pregnancy, they were in such a rush.

All this came up because of this article on NPR: 

Doctors To Pregnant Women: Wait At Least 39 Weeks

by Gretchen Cuda Kroen

Comments

[spacefem.livejournal.com]

I'm with you, I was totally ready to go past my due date... mostly because everyone told me they were sure I would (I had her two days early).

But anyway my big crazy due date survey (http://spacefem.com/pregnant/charts/duedate13.php) has taught me two things:

1) half the women go past 40 weeks. it's normal.
2) if you can hold off induction until a few days past 41 weeks, your odds are VERY GOOD that you'll go into labor naturally!

People act like you'll just be pregnant forever... not true. Figuring out when to evict the fetus really is something our bodies are pretty darn good at.