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Is it past your due date and your little one still hasn't arrived? The wait is getting pretty exhausting. You were probably hoping to be holding your baby in your arms at this point. You'll have to be patient a little longer, but it certainly won't be long now.
You may also be worried about your child. As a rule, it's not a problem if your little one takes a little longer. Nevertheless, you will now be regularly examined by your gynaecologist or midwife to ensure that your baby is still receiving the best possible care. In this last part of our pregnancy calendar, you can find out what else you should be aware of in weeks 41 and 42 of pregnancy.
Your little lodger feels very comfortable in your belly and doesn't even seem to be thinking about leaving the cosy warmth. During these days, it will build up further reserves, which it can put to good use for the birth and adapting to the world outside your belly. Babies born after the due date usually no longer have lanugo hair and the vernix caseosa has almost completely receded.
Practical help for you:
Emergency service midwife Katharina explains the most important things about the maternity pass online.
You're probably already on pins and needles and can hardly think about anything other than the impending birth. You want to use what you have learnt from the Birth preparation course refresh your knowledge? Then we recommend our Online crash course to your heart. It offers you everything you need to know for this big day in a compact format.
At the same time, as the due date approaches, new worries arise: Is my baby still doing well? Will it still be sufficiently nourished? Many women are faced with a difficult decision at this stage of pregnancy. They desperately want a natural birth and now suddenly suggestions such as an Introduction or even a caesarean section come into play.
In order to be able to make an informed decision, it is important that you attend regular antenatal appointments. If a child is found to be underweight, action must be taken quickly. If everything is in order at the check-ups, you can relax and trust that nature will give the go-ahead at the right time. Let your doctor and midwife inform you about all the pros and cons of induction so that you can choose the best route for you and your baby.
In the meantime, keep calm. Distract yourself with cosy series evenings, meetings with friends and leisurely walks. Gentle exercise in particular is ideal for stimulating labour in a natural way. You can find even more tips to give the start of labour a little push in our article on the 40th week of pregnancy.
A baby is considered to be born on schedule if it is born between the 37th and 42nd week of pregnancy. If it is delivered in the 41st or 42nd week of pregnancy, this is referred to as a late birth or exceeding the due date. A transfer only occurs after the 42nd week of pregnancy. Is exceeding the due date an exception? Not at all! In around 36 % of all deliveries, the baby sees the light of day after the 40th week of pregnancy.
Sometimes the reason is quite simple: the Date of delivery (ET) was not calculated correctly. In purely mathematical terms, this is 266 days after the date of conception or 280 days after the first day of your last menstruation. However, as the length of the cycle can vary and the day of ovulation is not always known, such a calculation is often inaccurate. During the ultrasound examination in the first trimester During pregnancy, the estimated due date is adjusted based on the size of the baby, but even this method is not exact to the day. It is therefore possible that your child is actually a few days younger and the due date has not yet been reached.
At the same time, it is quite normal for babies to spend longer than the aforementioned 266 days in their mother's womb. Only 4 % of all children are born exactly on the calculated date. You should therefore not fixate on this one day, but rather assume a birth period. Two thirds of all babies are born between ten days before and ten days after the due date.
It is often not possible to find an exact cause for the excess or transmission. It is assumed that genetic factors and a familial predisposition play a role. If you already have a child who was born late, there is an increased likelihood that this pregnancy will also be overdue. Factors such as the hormonal balance, diet and lifestyle of the expectant mother may also have an influence.
First of all, you don't need to worry too much. Unless there is a specific risk, the likelihood of complications in weeks 41 and 42 of pregnancy is low. In most cases, you can therefore wait and see if the contractions start on their own before intervening. At the same time, your little belly dweller will be monitored very closely from now on. Possible risks of exceeding the ET or transfer are
As soon as the due date has passed, check-ups will take place at shorter intervals than before. How does your midwife or doctor determine whether your baby is still doing well? Firstly, labour activity and the baby's heartbeat are measured every two to three days by CTG. In addition, ultrasound is used to assess whether the amount of amniotic fluid and the supply from the placenta are still sufficient. If there are still no contractions ten days after the ET, the expectant mother is usually advised to have the birth induced.
It's not an easy decision: you probably want the birth to be as natural as possible, but at the same time you want your baby to be born healthy and safe. If there are no signs of labour after the due date, it is important to decide on a case-by-case basis whether you can wait or whether the birth should be induced. If the baby is doing well and there is no risk factor, there is usually no reason not to wait for labour to start naturally. First of all, there is a good chance that the labour will start on its own. At the end of the 41st week of pregnancy, the probability of labour starting in the next three days is 60 %. The probability that labour will begin by the end of the 42nd week of pregnancy is as high as 90 %.
We only speak of a real transfer if your baby has not made its way 14 days after the due date. It is then strongly recommended to induce labour.
In some cases, however, it is not possible to wait 14 days, for example if the amount of amniotic fluid is too low or the baby is no longer supplied with sufficient oxygen and nutrients. The birth must then be induced with medication (by administering prostaglandins or an oxytocin infusion) or mechanically (for example with an egg pill solution). In very urgent cases, a caesarean section may also be necessary, for example if there is a severe Pre-eclamation or the HELLP syndrome is available.
When making the decision, it should not be forgotten that artificial induction also carries certain risks. After all, it affects the natural course of labour. Among other things, labour storms can occur, which in turn result in increased administration of painkillers. There is also an increased likelihood of interventions such as a caesarean section or the use of forceps or a suction cup.
In our online workshop "Induction of labour" you will receive valuable information about the advantages and disadvantages as well as the process of an artificial induction of labour. In addition, midwife Katharina will give you helpful tips on how you can support the onset of labour in a completely natural way.
Finally getting started? As soon as pregnant women feel the first real contractions or even if their waters have broken, the big question arises: How do I know when I need to go to hospital? The best thing to do is to call your midwife at the first signs of labour. She will support you with her experience and give you a sense of security.
As a general rule, you don't have to go to the hospital immediately when you have your first contractions. The first phase of labour, also known as the latency phase, can last a few hours. During this time, the contractions slowly increase in regularity and intensity. It can have a positive effect on the birth process if women spend this first part of labour in their familiar surroundings. Turn on your favourite music, take a short walk with your partner or shorten the waiting time with a warm bath.
If this is your first child, you can wait until the contractions come every five to seven minutes before travelling to the hospital. Women who already have children usually give birth more quickly. In this case, you should go to the hospital when the interval between contractions is around ten minutes. Whether it's your first, second or third child, you can of course go to the maternity clinic earlier. This is especially true if you feel uncomfortable or unsettled.
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