42-Week Mindset

I’ve never told this to a mom and not gotten an eye roll 😅

So. I get it. But here’s the deal:

The average first time mom does not go into labor on her own until 40 weeks and 5 days.

You know what I call those last 5 days? MISERABLE.
Not because there’s anything inherently more difficult about them than the 5 days prior to them. But because there’s that mental letdown. You had told yourself, “My baby will arrive BY (my due date).” And guess what? Only 5% of babies actually arrive on their due date. Every baby has a different cook time!
So. The reality is that most babies and pregnancies are completely safe continuing up to 42 weeks. Anywhere from 38-42 weeks is considered the window of normal, full term pregnancy.
So the date I like to have in my head is actually whatever date is 2 weeks after my estimated due date. (Yes, I do always know what my calculated due date is, in order to be able to share it with the birth professionals I’m working with. But. For my own sanity, I am only banking on that 42-week date.)
If baby doesn’t arrive until that date…GREAT! You won’t have felt let down by your baby’s “late” arrival.
And if they arrive sooner? Well, what a pleasant surprise!

Other pro tip: In those final weeks, book yourself with just enough things to keep your mind busy, as opposed to overanalyzing what’s going on (or not going on) with your body, but also not so much that you can’t rest as well!

In my first pregnancy, when the weather was warm, and I didn’t also have a toddler to care for, I was occupied with work during the week, and with fun activities during the weekend! Our last few weekends of my first pregnancy are truly some of my fondest memories with my husband and I: we went strawberry picking, kayaking, laughed so hard I peed…it was truly just such a great time, and left me with not a minute to spare wondering, “IS THIS IT? WAS THAT TINY LITTLE TIGHTNESS IN MY BELLY THE START OF LABOR?!”

And when you do think labor might be starting to begin, my midwife’s wisdom will always be the best I’ve ever encountered:

Eat. Sleep. Drink. Ignore.
You’ll need to eat and drink so that when you do go into labor, you’ll be well-nourished for the marathon your body is about to go through.
Sleep so that you enter labor well-rested for the endurance you’ll need.
Ignore. I stress this one. When it’s real labor, you won’t be able to ignore it anymore. Until then, IGNORE IT. If you hyperfocus on what’s going on, you’ll being to exhaust yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically.