Waiting for Baby

Waiting for Baby

When you find out you're pregnant one of the first things you'll want to know is when is my baby due? It's natural to want to know and part of the fun of pregnancy is imaging your baby growing. This is an important time.

Your Dr. will tell you an "Expected Date of Confinement" or EDC... you are given a specific date and you want to mark it in your date book. You tell your relatives and everyone starts planning. But what does this "date" really mean? Your baby will come sometime between the 38-42 week of your pregnancy. It's a guess with 2 weeks on either side of the date Dr. gives you. Does it matter. Nature offers your baby time to mature and each day gives your baby more strength and maturity. Each day the brain grows and matures. The entire body gets stronger. Your body also is getting ready for birth. You will notice that the baby gets heavy and your pelvic bones may feel achy, like everything is getting ready for birth, which it is! Plan for your baby but let the baby tell you when he/she is ready. Many scientists believe the baby has a major part in labor starting. It seems to be a combination of many factors. In nature a baby is born when it is ready. Interfering with the time of birth can cause problems. The baby may be sleepy, unable to nurse effectively, he may have trouble breathing. The baby born even a few week early may be less mature and less ready for life outside the womb.

There is no way to predict exactly when someone will go into labor. It's one of life little mysteries. Your body will give you some hints though. In the last weeks of pregnancy you'll find braxton hicks contractions may come more often, your hips hurt more, you're just more tired. The early signs of labor are usually subtle and mostly you won't notice much, but you're body is preparing for the wonderful work of birth.

When labor begins to get more noticeable; your contractions start getting closer together, they last longer then and hurt more. You start thinking this might be the real thing. Stay where you are most comfortable. Your own home is the perfect place to be in early labor. At home you can make yourself comfortable in your own surroundings. If you want to go for a walk, sleep, or have a snack you can.

During pregnancy the hormone oxytocin is produced. It rises naturally during your pregnancy and is responsible for the uterine contractions of labor. It is also called the love hormone. This hormone is responsible for many body responses including the strong contractions of labor but also the feelings and contractions you feel when you make love, or the warm loving connection you feel around family or dear friends. It is a complex system but simple in its responses.

When your labor is started artificially you are in the hospital. The nurse will start an IV . The medication used is often pitocin , an artificial oxytocin. It works on the uterine muscle and stimulates uterine contractions. You'll have to be on the fetal monitor continuously. You'll be in a strange environment. Both you and your partner will be spending a lot of your time just waiting. The contractions during an induction are noticeably more uncomfortable then normal labor. The nurses will be turning up the induction medication regularly in order to get strong contractions. Your more likely to need pain medication earlier which will mean being confined to bed and more monitoring.

Lamaze has written about letting labor begins on it's own.

There are times when an induction is needed. If a woman's blood pressure is dangerously high, or an infection or if you are too far past your due date. Talk to your Dr. during your pregnancy visits about his/her feelings about inductions. Educate yourself about the problems with inductions. Try not to focus on a specific date. Read some tips for avoiding an induction at the Lamaze website. Plan something special to do for the week of your due date. Being a parent is learning how to be patient. Relax and remain confident that your baby will be born when both he/she and your body are ready.


Great Resources while you wait:
Birth Stories to read

A video clip: