Post Due Baby? Is there such thing?

Question from a doula chat-room:

does anyone know of any good sites where a woman can read stories from women who went past due date and how they dealt with the situation emotionally? i think it helps to hear other folks who have been through it and how they worked through it emotionally while feeling anxious/impatient, etc...any ideas?

thanks!

Answer from Morrin Bass:

Dear Helping Doula:


As childbirth educator and a hypnotherapist, I encountered "past due" pregnancies. The common reason for it being past due is a miscalculation of the "due date". Moms do get nervous and forget to relax. Last "past due"mom I saw was trying to avoid artificial induction on Monday, so she called on Wednesday before, and after her hypnosis session on Thursday her husband texted me on Sunday (before the schedule induction date) that "Mom and baby are doing fine." 


Explain to the mom that the baby does not yet "feel" ready, and therefore, for her to wait patiently until the baby is ready, is the best thing to do right now.


The last few days of pregnancy, according to a research from Oxford University, are very important for the baby's development of brain function, and the motor cortex as well as overall immune system, and development of baby's breathing functions. 


It is most important for her now to devote time to relaxation and staying put, during which time the baby can finish up the development, try out the moves, preparing for the decent, which the baby can do more productively if the mom is in a quiet and peaceful mode, so the hormonal input from her brain is correlated to the correct development of the baby. (Otherwise, baby is in a constant state of stress, which impedes development of major functions in the latest stages of development.)


Lastly, Hypnotherapy is a known way to relaxation of mother and baby, and if she needs (and wants) to avoid artificial induction, she needs to see a hypnotherapist specializing in birth related issues. (If you don't know of one to refer her to in your area, let me know.) If she is prepared for birthing at home, let her wait and most importantly enjoy the last few days of her pregnancy, which becomes unforgettable time for her and her baby. 


Best Wishes,
Morrin Bass, PhD
New York Awareness Center