Supporting 40+ Weeks Pregnancy

So for me, the clients that book with me are already in a choice space.

decision in their body that they don't see induction as a natural pathway for them.

They believe that they are connected to their body, their baby, and they want to give their baby time to be born in their own time.

It really isn't about throwing all of the research, the evidence and so on at somebody because actually they are already inside them.

They feel this is really important to give their baby time to be born.

What's important is through the whole of pregnancy, we work together to strengthen that inner wisdom, to strengthen that connection, of course there is such an immense pressure there is an immense pressure from our culture our medicalized way of pregnancy and birthing we have been like this for decades pregnancies at 42 weeks it's now common to end a pregnancy at 41 weeks many women are having their pregnancies ended much sooner than that because of a risk that is being spoken about to them so what do we do I remind somebody to connect back in with their body, with their baby, that this is precious time together.

And that to be able to raise the oxytocin, so things like being creative, resting, sleeping, nourishing yourself, going for walks, obviously, that's always a thing, isn't it? A bath as well.

Having a massage, but it's not just those things.

It's it's recognizing what is coming up, what's coming up for you and how are you connecting to your baby and your body about that thing? It's something coming up that's making you feel that there is judgment, observation around you.

I mean, if we don't labour being observed, how must that impact on us? Constant messages and pressure and so on to make us feel like we're on a clock of some sort.

By the end of pregnancy, clients... have got really clear boundaries, not only with their family and friends, but also with their care team as well, midwives and obstetricians, which were established earlier on in pregnancy because they are connected to themselves, their body, their inner wisdom.

They're not doubting themselves.

I'm not saying it's perfect.

Of course, this is human.

And that's the thing, creating space for that human experience, which is we're in a world where the pressure is on to get your baby out.

And it's unusual to be in a situation, especially now, past 42 weeks with your baby still growing inside you.

As a former midwife, I remember being heavily involved in inductions, assessing people, doing vagina examinations, checking cervixes on women at nearly 42 weeks.

And so many of those first pregnancies, their cervix is nowhere near ready to have a baby.

Of course, that's just my anecdotal experience.

But if we are continuing to end pregnancy at 42 weeks, which we have been for the past few decades, and now it's 41 weeks, we just don't know how many pregnancies would have naturally lasted longer.

Whether a client chooses to continue with their pregnancy or have an induction is is not my decision and I don't intend to influence that decision.

I work with people who are already making the choice that induction is not for them unless there is good reason to and I've had clients make that decision and either they have chosen to be induced or they have chosen to not go through induction and have a caesarean instead.

So all of the options are there.

You can wait, you can take gentle induction such as complementary therapies, reflexology acupuncture, you can have an actual induction, you can have a sweep, you can have the drugs or you can skip the whole thing and have a caesarean.

All of those are on the spectrum of possibility.