When am I considered full term?

Or, more practically, when is the baby considered full term. Last time I was
worried about being induced at 40 weeks (which was a threat from the
midwives). This time, I'm so big and so tired and the baby dropped two weeks
ago so now I'm worried about going into labor even earlier than with E (37
weeks). I'm at 34.5 as of today (according both to me and my OB) so when can
I stop worrying about being 'early' and having all sorts of things done to
the new baby since he/she'll be preemie instead of just early?

--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03
and one due early 3/05

"Beach Mum" wrote in message
news:EydJd.19748$c%6.3421@trnddc03...
Or, more practically, when is the baby considered full term. Last time I
was
worried about being induced at 40 weeks (which was a threat from the
midwives). This time, I'm so big and so tired and the baby dropped two
weeks
ago so now I'm worried about going into labor even earlier than with E (37
weeks). I'm at 34.5 as of today (according both to me and my OB) so when
can
I stop worrying about being 'early' and having all sorts of things done to
the new baby since he/she'll be preemie instead of just early?

Isn't full term 37 weeks?

JennP.

In message EydJd.19748$c%6.3421@trnddc03, Beach Mum
writes
Or, more practically, when is the baby considered full term. Last time I was
worried about being induced at 40 weeks (which was a threat from the
midwives). This time, I'm so big and so tired and the baby dropped two weeks
ago so now I'm worried about going into labor even earlier than with E (37
weeks). I'm at 34.5 as of today (according both to me and my OB) so when can
I stop worrying about being 'early' and having all sorts of things done to
the new baby since he/she'll be preemie instead of just early?

37 completed weeks.

BTW, baby dropping means nothing. Mine had dropped by 33+4 & I
delivered at 3 days after my due date.


All the best,

Sarah

--
"I once requested an urgent admission for a homeopath who had become depressed
and taken a massive underdose" - Phil Peverley

Beach Mum wrote:

Or, more practically, when is the baby considered full term. Last time I was
worried about being induced at 40 weeks (which was a threat from the
midwives). This time, I'm so big and so tired and the baby dropped two weeks
ago so now I'm worried about going into labor even earlier than with E (37
weeks). I'm at 34.5 as of today (according both to me and my OB) so when can
I stop worrying about being 'early' and having all sorts of things done to
the new baby since he/she'll be preemie instead of just early?


There are different standards in different areas, but 37
weeks seems the most commmon. All three times, I'd have been eligible
for a homebirth at 37 weeks.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Beach Mum wrote:

Or, more practically, when is the baby considered full term. Last time
I was worried about being induced at 40 weeks (which was a threat from
the midwives). This time, I'm so big and so tired and the baby dropped
two weeks ago so now I'm worried about going into labor even earlier
than with E (37 weeks). I'm at 34.5 as of today (according both to me
and my OB) so when can I stop worrying about being 'early' and having
all sorts of things done to the new baby since he/she'll be preemie
instead of just early?


There are different standards in different areas, but 37
weeks seems the most commmon. All three times, I'd have been eligible
for a homebirth at 37 weeks.


Is this a US thing? I've always been taught 38-42 weeks was term, but in
the US they seem to push that back to 37 weeks. Anyone know when and how
this started?
That being said I'd stay at home from 35/36 weeks to birth, but just
from textbook point of view I had thought term was the period between
38-37 weeks. What is the WHO definition of term?

Andrea

Unadulterated Me wrote:

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

There are different standards in different areas, but 37
weeks seems the most commmon. All three times, I'd have been eligible
for a homebirth at 37 weeks.


Is this a US thing?

Could well be. I don't really know.

I've always been taught 38-42 weeks was term, but in
the US they seem to push that back to 37 weeks. Anyone know when and how
this started?

Sorry, don't know that either. It seems very common--I haven't
seen anything in the US that uses a different number (I'm sure it's
out there, but I haven't encountered it).

That being said I'd stay at home from 35/36 weeks to birth, but just
from textbook point of view I had thought term was the period between
38-37 weeks. What is the WHO definition of term?

Well, I've seen two things--I've seen one place that
claimed that the WHO definition of premature labor was labor
before 37 weeks, and another that said WHO definied full
term as 38 weeks. If those were accurate, I'm wondering
what the heck that means for babies born between 37 and 38
weeks? ;-)

Beset wishes,
Ericka

"Beach Mum" wrote in message
news:EydJd.19748$c%6.3421@trnddc03...
Or, more practically, when is the baby considered full term. Last time I
was worried about being induced at 40 weeks (which was a threat from the
midwives). This time, I'm so big and so tired and the baby dropped two
weeks ago so now I'm worried about going into labor even earlier than with
E (37 weeks). I'm at 34.5 as of today (according both to me and my OB) so
when can I stop worrying about being 'early' and having all sorts of
things done to the new baby since he/she'll be preemie instead of just
early?

My midwives with my first baby said 37w -- before that, it meant automatic
hospital birth, but after that, I was cleared for the birth center (until
42w). The midwives this time said 36w4d -- before that, it meant automatic
hospital, but after that, I was cleared for homebirth.


--
-Sara, 38w2d by my count and the sono, 38w by the midwives' wheel, ready
to meet this baby
Mommy to DD, 2 3/4
And Someone Due 2/05

"Beach Mum" wrote in message
news:EydJd.19748$c%6.3421@trnddc03...
Or, more practically, when is the baby considered full term. Last time I
was worried about being induced at 40 weeks (which was a threat from the
midwives). This time, I'm so big and so tired and the baby dropped two
weeks ago so now I'm worried about going into labor even earlier than with
E (37 weeks). I'm at 34.5 as of today (according both to me and my OB) so
when can I stop worrying about being 'early' and having all sorts of
things done to the new baby since he/she'll be preemie instead of just
early?



Well, 35 weeks is my cutoff for "automatically going to the hospital because
of likely respiratory issues", but I'm considerably more relaxed about it
than many might be.

36 weeks is my personal cutoff for "automatically calling the midwife just
in case there *might* be respiratory issues." I think that's also the cutoff
for "automatic NICU overnight stay" at the local hospital.

And 37 weeks is "no big deal".

So I get to stop stressing, oh, Saturday. But baby is instructed to wait
until February at the earliest.

Jenrose (also 34 1/2-ish weeks.)

Well, I've seen two things--I've seen one place that
claimed that the WHO definition of premature labor was labor
before 37 weeks, and another that said WHO definied full
term as 38 weeks. If those were accurate, I'm wondering
what the heck that means for babies born between 37 and 38
weeks? ;-)

Silly Ericka. Babies don't read the WHO guidelines. And don't really care.

Jenrose

Oooh, finally an EDC from you we are one day shy of being exactly a week
apart. hang in there-

Kelly
#4 2/12/05

"NotMyRealName" wrote in message
...

"Beach Mum" wrote in message
news:EydJd.19748$c%6.3421@trnddc03...
Or, more practically, when is the baby considered full term. Last time I
was worried about being induced at 40 weeks (which was a threat from the
midwives). This time, I'm so big and so tired and the baby dropped two
weeks ago so now I'm worried about going into labor even earlier than
with E (37 weeks). I'm at 34.5 as of today (according both to me and my
OB) so when can I stop worrying about being 'early' and having all sorts
of things done to the new baby since he/she'll be preemie instead of just
early?

My midwives with my first baby said 37w -- before that, it meant automatic
hospital birth, but after that, I was cleared for the birth center (until
42w). The midwives this time said 36w4d -- before that, it meant
automatic hospital, but after that, I was cleared for homebirth.


--
-Sara, 38w2d by my count and the sono, 38w by the midwives' wheel, ready
to meet this baby
Mommy to DD, 2 3/4
And Someone Due 2/05