Feeling better...thanks

[L.A.]

Hi all...

Thanks to all who answered my earlier post about feeling rushed into
interventions because I'm a post-dates VBAC candidate. I saw the OB
yesterday, who checked my cervix and proclaimed it slightly posterior,
about 25% effaced and not dilated. Baby is still not engaged, although
is head down. Yesterday I was eight days late, and the OB first
mentioned bringing me in on Wednesday and trying me on the drip. I
said I'd rather not, if the baby's not in any distress. So, we
eventually agreed on a non-stress test yesterday, which baby passed
with flying colours, and a biophysical profile and another non-stress
test on Wednesday. If baby passes both of those tests, they will leave
me alone until at least Friday, and maybe Monday. On Monday, however,
they say all bets are off...I'll be fifteen days late and they will
want baby out. At that time, if we get there, I will agree to the
stripping of the membranes and if that doesn't work, I'll agree to the
drip, to be turned off if active labour starts. Hopefully, we'll have
a baby by then so it won't be a worry. I'm wondering a couple of
things though...first, what's the record for the longest known
pregnancy? Anyone know? (I'm curious). And the other things is, does
baby continue to grow at a steady pace after it reaches term. I'm a
little concerned about this baby getting huge while it's waiting to
come out. Thanks again to everyone who offered encouragement after my
earlier post. Now, let's all cross everything that labour will start
in the next few days on its own and we'll have a healthy, normal-sized,
naturally-delivered baby!

L.A.

[Ericka Kammerer]

L.A. wrote:

> And the other things is, does
> baby continue to grow at a steady pace after it reaches term. I'm a
> little concerned about this baby getting huge while it's waiting to
> come out.

Many do slow down in growth toward the end, and most
of what they're putting on is fat anyway (and fat squishes ;-)
Good luck, and stay optimistic!

Best wishes,
Ericka

[Mary W.]

L.A. wrote:

> Hi all...
>
> Thanks to all who answered my earlier post about feeling rushed into
> interventions because I'm a post-dates VBAC candidate. I saw the OB
> yesterday, who checked my cervix and proclaimed it slightly posterior,
> about 25% effaced and not dilated. Baby is still not engaged, although
> is head down. Yesterday I was eight days late, and the OB first
> mentioned bringing me in on Wednesday and trying me on the drip. I
> said I'd rather not, if the baby's not in any distress. So, we
> eventually agreed on a non-stress test yesterday, which baby passed
> with flying colours, and a biophysical profile and another non-stress
> test on Wednesday. If baby passes both of those tests, they will leave
> me alone until at least Friday, and maybe Monday. On Monday, however,
> they say all bets are off...I'll be fifteen days late and they will
> want baby out. At that time, if we get there, I will agree to the
> stripping of the membranes and if that doesn't work, I'll agree to the
> drip, to be turned off if active labour starts. Hopefully, we'll have
> a baby by then so it won't be a worry. I'm wondering a couple of
> things though...first, what's the record for the longest known
> pregnancy? Anyone know? (I'm curious). And the other things is, does
> baby continue to grow at a steady pace after it reaches term. I'm a
> little concerned about this baby getting huge while it's waiting to
> come out. Thanks again to everyone who offered encouragement after my
> earlier post. Now, let's all cross everything that labour will start
> in the next few days on its own and we'll have a healthy, normal-sized,
> naturally-delivered baby!
>

This sounds good LA. Best of luck. Come on out, baby!

Mary W.

[Circe]

"L.A." > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Baby is still not engaged, although
> is head down.

Just FWIW, it's quite normal in subsequent pregnancies for babies not to
engage at all until after labor starts.

> I'm wondering a couple of
> things though...first, what's the record for the longest known
> pregnancy? Anyone know? (I'm curious).

I seem to recall having heard of a 45-week pregnancy, but I'm not sure if
that's a firm date because it may have happened before early ultrasound
allowed really accurate dating of pregnancies.

> And the other things is, does
> baby continue to grow at a steady pace after it reaches term. I'm a
> little concerned about this baby getting huge while it's waiting to
> come out.

As others have said, weight gain does tend to slow a bit at term. It's
usually a half a pound a week for a good portion of the third trimester, but
in my experience, that can slow significantly after 38-39 weeks or so. (My
third was estimated by u/s to be 7lbs., 3oz. at 37 weeks, and I would have
estimated he was about 7 lbs--and they say experienced moms actually are
better at estimating fetal weight than either ultrasound or palpation. He
was born 40w2d weighing 7lbs., 15oz., so he clearly didn't put on a half a
pound a week between 37 and 40 weeks!)

> Now, let's all cross everything that labour will start
> in the next few days on its own and we'll have a healthy, normal-sized,
> naturally-delivered baby!
>
I think chances are very good you'll go on your own within the next few
days. Good luck!
--
Be well, Barbara

[Joybelle]

"L.A." > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi all...
>

>On Monday, however,
> they say all bets are off...I'll be fifteen days late and they will
> want baby out. At that time, if we get there, I will agree to the
> stripping of the membranes and if that doesn't work, I'll agree to the
> drip, to be turned off if active labour starts. Hopefully, we'll have
> a baby by then so it won't be a worry. I'm wondering a couple of
> things though...first, what's the record for the longest known
> pregnancy? Anyone know? (I'm curious). And the other things is, does
> baby continue to grow at a steady pace after it reaches term. I'm a
> little concerned about this baby getting huge while it's waiting to
> come out. Thanks again to everyone who offered encouragement after my
> earlier post. Now, let's all cross everything that labour will start
> in the next few days on its own and we'll have a healthy, normal-sized,
> naturally-delivered baby!

I think there's a website out there called ten month mamas or something like
that. I'm not sure of the longest someone has gone, but if you think of it
in terms of you aren't late until you go past 42 weeks, perhaps that will
help. :) A normal pregnancy lasts 38-42 weeks, so you're technically not
late. Of course, the doctors don't think this way. They latch onto that
magic due date way too much, IMO. I think babies tend to slow down in
growth at the end. I don't know if this will be reassuring or not, but I've
had my three babies at essentially the same gestation. The 10-pounder
wasn't harder to push out than the 8-pounder. I bet you'll be having this
baby anytime, though!

Joy

[Kmom]

My mother's first baby was due September 28 and was born November 4.
The doctor did think she had miscalculated her LMP but she knew she had
it right and when my brother was born it was obvious he was extremely
postdates. He survived 20 hours-aspiration pneumonia. He had been
sitting in the mec so long his skin had been stained with it. His
autopsy lists postmaturity syndrome as cause of death.
They had tried to induce her once with pit and for 16 hours she was on
the pit without 1 contraction. When he was born it was a textbook,
easy, SVD-mom's water broke, she got up, took a shower, went to vote
and then went to the hospital.
They also took X-rays when she was 42 weeks and the radiologist said he
was 36 weeks but after he died and they were re-read they said that he
was a full 40 weeks at least.
Needless to say as soon as Mom passed her due date with me her BP shot
through the roof. I was born via scheduled C-section 7 days after my
due date, exactly 1 year after my brother's due date.
This all took place in 70-71.

It was very stressful when my first went 42 weeks without a sign of
coming. She ended up being a c-section after failed induction and fetal
distress but was just fine. Very cathartic for my mom.

[Unadulterated Me]

Kmom wrote:

Are you the kmom from ican?

Andrea...the Andrea from ican

[Chookie]

In article . com>,
"L.A." > wrote:

> And the other things is, does
> baby continue to grow at a steady pace after it reaches term. I'm a
> little concerned about this baby getting huge while it's waiting to
> come out.

It will put on fat.

Trust me, fat is fine... it's the head circ that's the problem, and that won't
alter much at this point!

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.

[arachne]

"L.A." > wrote in message
oups.com...

> a baby by then so it won't be a worry. I'm wondering a couple of
> things though...first, what's the record for the longest known
> pregnancy? Anyone know? (I'm curious).

my mother said i was exactly 1 month overdue. due 11th feb, born 11th march,
so 28 days. but i can't say if her lmp & dating was reliable or not.

--
elizabeth (in australia)
DS 20th august 2002
#2 due 14th october 2005 (currently: 27 weeks)

"I always find that statistics are hard to swallow and impossible to digest.
The only one I can ever remember is that if all the people who go to sleep
in church were laid end to end they would be a lot more comfortable." --
Mrs. Robert A. Taft