Are we There Yet?- Tips When You are Overdue!
You have filled the fridge with all those ultrasound scan pictures. The nursery is painted with pro- baby fumeless paints. You have stocked the diapers and the SOS baby medicines. You have thrown a baby shower, announced the big date to everyone. That beautiful pregnancy shoot pictures have just come in and you can stop smiling at your beautiful baby bump and can’t cease to imagine the happiness this bundle of joy is going to bring about.
But, the baby isn’t here yet. Isn’t that strange?
It is not. 40%of the babies are born two weeks later than their due week. It is widely considered that it takes 42 weeks for the pregnancy to complete a circle.
But being the anxious mother to be you are, it is only obvious that you have by now turned into a hormonal T-Rex! You might have messed up your last menstrual cycle, or this might be your first Prego time, overdue is your fam thang or you are obese. Nope, your baby has no issues physically.
So please realize that pregnancy is engineered to be maintained only for a certain period. The baby is bound to peep out into the world. So, keep calm and follow these 17 tips while you are in your overdue period,
1. Dial your Doctor
In the previous generation, labor being encountered in the 42nd week is quite common. Owing to the lack of technology and medicinal knowledge the concept of induced pregnancy did not hold much importance. Recently doctors induce the labor in the 41st week if they find your cervix favorable. So, the chances are varied and there is always a choice with induced labor. Contact your doctor runs the tests and let your doctor or midwife take the call.
2. Keep Calm and Rest
It is only obvious that your final month of pregnancy is the most exhaustive and stressful. The anticipation of your approaching labor keeps you up in the night disturbing your peace of mind. Keep taking your prenatal vitamins and continue to rest as much as you can. Nap whenever possible and comfort you while doing so.
3. Finish the Baby Prep
Remember those times when you asked for 5 minutes extra to finish your test? Well here is that spare time. Even though you have your checklist fulfilled, use this extra week to look over everything once more. Remember, once your baby comes out there is no escape to finish the left-over work. Utilize this time well! Get your car seats checked, get child protections on your switch boards and fulfill many other things which you have been procrastinating upon.
4. Time for Meditation
You have more time in your hands and please use it to calm yourself! What is better than few sessions of meditation? Sounds banal, but hands down meditation is the best method to calm your nerves. Purchase those meditation music CDs take slow deep breaths, try to attain trance and feel relaxed than ever!
5. Track of Fetal Movements
Consult your doctor regarding the various movements your baby might make. Keep a track of all of them. For example, the fetal kicks count. If you find an increase or decrease in the count of fetal movements, it is time you called your doctor.
6. Get Creative!
One can easily imagine the frustration, worry, and stress an overdue pregnancy cause. The key is to remain calm and not lose yourself to the depression. Instead keep busy and get creative. Learn to knit, start making your baby scrapbook, put in souvenirs of your pregnancy. Ever heard of a baby cast? Try it out. Google all those fun pregnancy projects and get going!
7. Practice the Art of Saying NO
You now have 50 messages, 10 missed calls and a bajillions voice messages. Please dial to say NO! if you are pregnant, the odds are you have told the society around your due date. And now since it is past the due date, the entire clan wants to know what happened? This is the right time for you to practice the art of saying “No, I am overdue the baby is not here and I am completely fine” and mean it!
8. Not Kidding. HOG
Be a good mother and eat during the time your baby is overdue! Leafy vegetables, greens, and low sugar content food are prescribed. Gobble up proteins in the form of meat. Make sure your blood iron levels are high! Spinach is, therefore, a friend!
9. All you Need is Somebody to Lean On!
Number 1. You are a hormonally loaded mommy bear. Number 2. You baby bear is not smiling at you yet. Conclusion, mamma bear is sad, angry confused, depressed and a whole lot of other emotions all juggled in one brain. The solution, find your person. Let it be your partner, friend, mother or even an unknown online person! Just find someone, use them for emotional support throughout this time.
10. Pamper Yourself!
Did not clean your toenails lately? Time of a pedicure! Maybe a long spa day with other moms. A lovely soothing massage or an elaborate hair wash. Do whatever you can to feel better on the outer. Shop more! Shopping is apparently therapeutic!
11. Sweat it out!
Any physical activity can add a small value of increase to the rate of your contractions. Start working out. Follow small birthing exercises. Consult a yoga instructor and ask for yoga posture suggestion. If you have been following pregnancy yoga, then you are free to continue it. Simple physical exercises will amplify the rate of contractions. Oh, by the way, walking helps too!
12. Far From the Oriental East!
Here is where your sanity ends. You NEED that labor! But you do not want to go for some amateur mom’s suggestion, you would opt for something that is free of side effects and authentic labor inducer. One such option is acupuncture. This ancient art of treatment that has been evolving and gaining popularity in pregnancy circles as a natural and safe labor inducer.
13. Membrane Stripping
This is a procedure that is forbidden to be mimicked by your partner or anyone not trained to be a gynecologist. Because this procedure is where the doctor sticks up a gloved hand into your vagina, separate the amniotic sack from your uterine wall. Prostaglandins are released through this method. No meds required and no pain. This is one of the best ways to induce labor.
14. Evening Primrose Oil
Though EPO may not induce the labor, it will certainly soften your cervix. It can be consumed orally or inserted directly into the vagina for efficient results. This is from the cheat codes of midwives and has proved to be working for a long period now.
15. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Another one from midwife’s cheat sheet. It has been an ancient practice to drink raspberry extracts or chewing on raspberry leaves. A evolved version of it is the raspberry leaf tea. When combined with PMO, raspberry leaf tea has great effects on the uterus helping to organize the irregular fetal movements and make them steady. It also directly affects the contractions and stabilizes them.
16. Acupressure
Studies show that acupressure can start and restart labor when applied. The key is to begin the practice from the early weeks of pregnancy. Starting from the 37th week, certain points are safe to be pressed by acupressure specialists. A recommendation from an acupressure professional is a must and one can increase the pressure as the overdue time is increasing.
17. Heat Things Up, if you Know What I Mean!
This might be placed towards the ending, but it sure is THE BEST WAY to induce labor. Sex is your answer to delayed labor. Numerous things like the prostaglandins which can ripen your cervix, emotional satisfaction of intercourse, the release of happy hormones like dopamine, and oxytocin the love hormone make sex the safest, easiest and the best available option to induce labor.