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No Need to Hurry
Monday, February 07, 2011 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
My due date was February 2. In early January of that year, I just *felt* I was going to go early. I knew it was going to be any day.
Boy, was that feeling wrong. The truth of the matter was that on February 2 I was still at work with no signs of going into labor. At 41 weeks, my OB recommended we begin the induction process. After a night in the hospital, that failed too. I decided to give it a few more days and went home to relax. Finally, at 42 weeks, just 19 minutes shy of Valentine's Day, our little girl came into the world.
Where are you in this journey? If you are expecting and getting nearer to the "finish line," you may feel "done." You may even *think* your baby is done.
These days, women are often provided a choice of delivery date. For a multitude of reasons, women decide that it's time and a baby may be born days, or even weeks, before they are technically full-term. No big deal, right? Not necessarily.
Check out the following link.
Don't have time to read the whole article (if you're about to be a mama or are a new mama, chances are you are short on time!)?
Here's a few high points:
- Preterm birth is one of the reasons the infant mortality rate in the U.S. exceeds that of other developed countries.
- Babies born even a little shy of the 39-week mark may still suffer health trouble, including breathing and feeding problems, says Dr. Scott Berns, pediatrician and senior vice president at the March of Dimes.
-
Dr. Berns says "Over 90 percent of women think it's safe to deliver before 39 weeks. Even though technically 'preterm' is considered under 37 weeks, babies aren’t fully developed until 39 weeks."
If you're in those final weeks of pregnancy, chances are you may be feeling anxious and excited to meet your little one.
Take it from a mama who has been there; take this time to sleep.
Research has confirmed it is not only good for you, but it is good for your baby.
