Did you know that due dates are a fallacy, they are not evidence based. There is so much emphasis on the date, it is the first thing we find out when we go for our first appointment. The due date is calculated from the first day of your last period but this assumes all women have a 28 day cycle and a 14 day ovulation which we know is not true. There is no consistency globally. In the UK full term is 40 weeks, in France for example full term is 41 weeks. There is an error margin of +/- 5 days at the early dating scan. It is better to think about your due window or due month. As per WHO (World Health Organisation), full term is between 37 and 42 weeks. It acknowledges that babies come before and after this perfectly healthy, but most come within this time. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Post due date ➡️ Stress ➡️ Emergency response ➡️ Low levels of oxytocin which facilitate the working of the muscles of the uterus in labour ➡️ Adrenaline is released ➡️ Less likely for labour to progress⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Many people go past their due date so it is best to re-frame expectations. Think of it as bonus time with your partner, time to get some sleep, watch movies etc. Pressure from friends and family needs to be managed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Jorja arrived 4 days late. What was your due date for your first baby and did you go past your due date?
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