How to Make an Overdue Pregnant Mom Crazy

on May 3, 2011 at 4:32 PM

overdue pregnancy We've all seen her. Maybe walking down the street or sitting in the OBGYN's office. The overdue mama-to-be. Chances are she's not a happy-camper, as there is no way to get comfortable when you are over 40 weeks pregnant. Near impossible to find a position that is even halfway decent. She is beyond ready to get her baby out of her body and into this world.

Aside from offering a place for her to sit down, what do we, as a society, do when we see an overdue pregnant lady? We ask her a bunch of questions that, really, she doesn't want to answer. We pester her with unwanted advice. Basically, we drive her crazy. And remember, she can't move very fast, so she's trapped.

I was that overdue mama-to-be. I went past my due date by 5 days, in a perpetual state of semi-labor (had minor contractions at night for those days). When people saw me, it was as if my belly had some tractor beam on it, pulling them to me, the whole time yabbering on and on. I know it all came from a good place, from a kind place, from people who cared, but it drove me cra-zy.

If I had to answer when my due date was one more time, I thought I would have pummeled the waitress at the local diner. At least 83 random women offered advice, helpful hints on how to get labor going: eat spicy food, walk around, have sex. Seriously, when you can barely breathe because the kiddo is nestled up under your rib cage, the last thing you want to do is tell the mail lady, yes, I have tried shtupping my hubby twice a day to get this baby out, but it hasn't worked (not that I tried that -- the last thing I felt like doing was the hanky-panky).

The best part about being overdue (yes, that's sarcastic)? Once you are past your due date, it seems that all elements of social etiquette are dropped -- strangers feel it is okay, for some reason beyond comprehension, to ask how much weight you have gained. I knew I was big, I knew I could barely move, but that was still none of their business. I had more folks ask me just how many pounds I had gained in those 5 days I was overdue than in all of the other days combined.

So what should you do if you encounter an overdue pregnant lady? Stop, take a deep breath, tell her to "hang in there" ... and move on. Yup, keep on walking. There's nothing to see there, folks, just move along.

Was your baby overdue?

Image via futurestreet/Flickr

Filed Under: 3rd trimester, labor & delivery, pregnancy calendar

Comments (8)

Nonmember comment from molly

on May 3, 2011 at 5:39 PM

I loved telling people when my EDD was when they asked. I was due on Feb 28th and I birthed on March 23rd. One lady had a really hard time figuring that one out. I swear she was questioning her understanding of the calendar. I finally threw her a bone and said, "yes, three weeks ago". I also enjoyed getting to enlighten people about babies coming when they're ready and that my doctor wasn't "letting" me go "overdue" - I make the decisions about my body, not a doctor. It did bug me when people assumed that I was miserable. Yeah, sleeping sucked and I walked slower than a turtle and I was often uncomfortable and nothing covered my belly and it messed up my knees, but my postdates pregnancy was sooooo much easier than my 37 week pregnancy. I *was* miserable by 35 weeks with my first, but even at 43 weeks with my second it wasn't all that bad. The birth was better too - my 6lb 12oz baby HURT BAD but my 10lb 3oz baby just hurt.

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jpfsmom

on May 3, 2011 at 8:53 PM

9 days overdue and I received all sorts of silly Advice from suggesting that I eat noodles with A1 sauce to my nephew (age 16 at the time) saying he "heard" sex expedites it (I'm still going to therapy for that!!)I'm hoping my current pregnancy, my nds makes an early appearance. ;)

angevil53

on May 3, 2011 at 9:50 PM

no but i do feel a sorry for those that go past a couple of weeks. i think so many people put WAY too much emphasis on that magic number. they don't necessary realize it's an estimate. i am in a couple of ttc/pregnancy groups and women freak out when they are given two different dates like those three or four days are going to make a huge difference. people that ask my edd i tell them nov. my son was due in mid dec and came mid nov, so i don't like to give out that magic number bc i know a couple of weeks either way doesn't always make a difference.

yayheadstart

on May 3, 2011 at 10:02 PM

43 weeks! Are you kidding me?

tyrelsmom

on May 3, 2011 at 11:09 PM

I went a week over with my first, and a week and a half with my third. I was fine. A little uncomfortable, for sure, but fine. But people drove me nuts. How to make an overdue pregnant mom crazy? Ask her "haven't you had that baby yet?". DOES IT LOOK LIKE I DID!!!!!! Morons.

CoolRelax

on May 4, 2011 at 9:45 AM

I wasn't overdue, but by 35 weeks with twins I was pretty darn big, uncomfortable and slow. The unwanted questions and advice were a pain, but usually it was coming from the same folks who were waiting on me hand and foot. My best defense was to close my eyes and pretend to be asleep. Worked like a charm.

bdflykisses

on May 5, 2011 at 10:26 PM

I was 2 days late with the first two and a week late with my youngest ds. I'm hoping this one comes when they said. lol

rerratron

on May 9, 2011 at 2:58 PM

I went nine days "overdue" and had to be induced. The biggest complaint I had was the constant barrage of "Where's that baby???" from my in-laws. Where the hell do you THINK the baby is?!