ALL YOUR OVERDUE QUESTIONS ANSWERED

HOW OVERDUE IS TOO LONG? A pregnancy must go a full two weeks past the estimated due date to be considered overdue (or post-term). Your cervix will be ripening, or thinning out, at this stage, and the baby’s head pressing on it may cause you to feel a pain that comes and goes, similar to the one you experience during a pap smear. Keep a written record of your baby’s movements and activities once you’re post-term, and if there’s a significant change (or if it seems that your baby has stopped moving), contact your doctor immediately. Although most babies stay healthy, doctors do tend to be a little concerned because the risk of foetal distress and stillbirth rises after 42 weeks, particularly for women having their first baby – but both risks are still very small. However, says Dr Josh Matambo, a gynaecologist at the Essence Women’s Centre in KwaZuluNatal, there is a risk that your baby will become too big, which could complicate a vaginal delivery. “At times, the placenta fails to work properly, resulting in the baby not getting enough oxygen,” he adds. The amount of amniotic fluid might begin to decrease and this can pinch the umbilical cord as the baby moves or your uterus contracts. Finally, an overdue baby is more likely to inhale fecal matter (meconium), which can cause breathing problems or infection after birth. WHAT ARE MY CHOICES IF I’M OVERDUE? Many women, particularly if it isn’t their first baby and the pregnancy has been problemfree, choose to wait and see. However, you may prefer to have your labour induced at 42 weeks. If you’re not sure, take a day or two to consider your options. HOW OFTEN MUST I BE CHECKED AFTER MY DUE DATE? If there are no risks and you choose not to be induced, you’ll be monitored every two to three days, to check that your baby is well. Your midwife or doctor will listen to the baby’s heartbeat, and may also use an ultrasound scan to check your baby’s movements and look at the levels of amniotic fluid in your womb. DOES BEING OVERDUE HARM THE BABY? WHAT CAN I DO WHILE I WAIT? By 40 weeks, most women are tired of being pregnant, and the waiting can be mentally exhausting. So make sure you keep yourself occupied rather than counting the minutes. Shop for meals to stock up your freezer. Go out for lastminute treats with your partner. Put the finishing touches on the baby’s room. Write draft birth announcements and address thank-you cards. Keep in touch with friends and family via social media to let them know what’s going on. Alternatively, do nothing at all. This is your golden opportunity to relax, rest and sleep, to be ready for the labour when it does begin.