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Questions and Answers

Q. I am 4 days past due and my girlfriend told me that some people never go into labor. I am wondereing if that is true or not. How dangerous is it for you to be past due? The baby seems to have slowed down a lot now.

Thanks for your information.

A. I went exactly four days over with my second son and I surely felt that I was going to be pregnant forever! No one has ever been pregnant forever, and sometimes we get too impatient for labor to begin.

You may be in labor by the time I send your answer but don't worry, there are things you can do to help. Most importantly you need to keep track of the baby's movements. It is common for babies to do more "gentle" motions such as rolling or stretching at the end of pregnancy because they are larger and usually have dropped some into the pelvis and just don't have as much room for their early pregnancy "somersaults". Most healthy babies move about ten times in four hours. If you think thhat your baby's movements have slowed very much you would want to talk to your practitioner right away.

Nipple stimulation can put the hormones in action to start your uterus contracting. Sometimes this leads to intercourse which can also be helpful but only if your waters have not broken! Give it a try but remember to rest and get plenty of fluids too as labor is probably just a few days or hours away.

Cyndi Klausing, RN, ACCE, has been a childbirth educator and breastfeeding counselor for over 18 years. She currently works as a newborn nursery nurse and is the mother of four sons.

Cyndi will answer your questions on fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and babies. Her advice does not take the place of your practitioner. Personal answers will not always be possible.