Why is everyone obsessed over due dates? According to my NHS dating scan, I will be 20 week’s pregnant tomorrow. However, this isn’t really the case, given that I know my specific conception date as this was a planned pregnancy. I will in fact be 19weeks and 3 days tomorrow. You might think 5 days is not that much difference, but it is a big deal considering the NHS now recommend all women are induced at 41 weeks. 5 days is almost a week’s difference. These new guidelines seem complete ludicrous to me, given that the average first time mum gives birth at 41 weeks +3 days. Take France for instance, you are not considered full term until you reach 41 weeks, therefore not overdue until you go past 42 weeks. I know the UK have changed their policies to try and reduce the number of stillborn babies, but due dates are nothing more than an estimated date, therefore it is not accurate to say someone is overdue at a certain point. I like to think that babies will come when they are ready and not before. Women spend their entire pregnancy fixed on their given due date, but when that date comes and goes it can be rather upsetting. I’ve now lost count of times I’ve been asked when I’m due. It literally instantly irritates me and now my response is simply, ‘sometime in October’. Do people not realise that we are all different shapes and sizes, no two babies are the same and they all develop at different rates, so for the sonographer to tell you in the first trimester that your baby is due on a specific date going by the size of the gestational sack and measurements from the crown (head) to the rump (pelvis) is nothing more than a complete estimate guess. This is the reason why only 4% of babies arrive on their due date. In my opinion it’s almost as stupid as the NHS using a BMI chart (body mass index) to gauge whether someone is overweight. We are all individuals and different, no one size fits all. To say that someone should be a certain weight if they are a certain height is complete nonsense. I know body builders that have less than 8% body fat, but according to the BMI chart they are considered obese. This is due to their heavy weight on the scales and not considering that muscle tissue actually weighs more than fat. Some people are tall, short, or even muscular, no one is the same, so why should we all have to fit into the same category? I shouldn’t get too wound up with people asking when I’m due as I know it gets a lot worse when you enter the month in which your baby is due. That’s when the barrage of texts from friends and family start, asking if there are any signs of a baby making an appearance soon, asking how you are feeling or telling you to hurry up as they want to meet the baby. Although people mean well and they just want to know how you’re getting on, there’s nothing more upsetting, after spending over 9months pregnant, going past an estimated due date, than to be hounded and constantly reminded that the date has come and gone. Trust me, we are well aware! My advice to people who have family or friends currently pregnant – · Question the due month NOT the specific due date · Don’t pester us in the due month, you will be the first to hear the news when we have something exciting to share Lastly, I thought it would be fun to share all my estimated due dates: NHS Dating Scan Due Date – 29th September (based upon baby measurements and 40weeks) My Own Estimate Due Date – 04th October (based upon conception date and 40weeks) French Due Date – 13th October (based upon first day of last period and 41 weeks) As you can see the difference is a window of 2 weeks. Hence why I will be refusing induction at 41weeks (6th October), as id technically only be 2 days past my own estimate due date. Plus, with planning a home birth, induction is not an option for me if all is going well and to plan. My last pregnancy went 6 days past my estimated NHS scan date, will be interesting to see when our little girl decides to make her grand entrance to the world. One things for sure, I won’t be expecting labour to start spontaneously on my estimated NHS due date. Due dates are nothing more than an estimated guess.
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September 2017
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