If your pregnancy is healthy, wait for labor to start on its own. It takes at least 39 weeks for babies to fully develop.
Scheduling an early birth can harm your baby. Talk to your doctor to make sure an early birth is safe. Don't schedule an early birth for a non-medical reason. Babies born too early have more health problems later in life.
Lots of important things happen in the final weeks of pregnancy. Organs such as the brain, heart and lungs need time to develop. Children need time to gain weight in the womb. Early births can harm vision and hearing. Babies born too early have trouble sucking and swallowing, which are essential for breastfeeding.
Keep in mind that your due date may not be exactly right. Even with an ultrasound, a due date can be off by up to two weeks.
Inducing labor may cause problems for you and your baby. Inducing can cause longer and stronger contractions. Other possible problems include infection and uterine ruptures.
A c-section is a major surgery. It takes moms longer to recover from a c-section. Moms usually stay two to four days in the hospital. It can take up to six weeks of home recovery after a c-section. Having a c-section can also result in complications with future births.
It is important to ask your doctor or midwife these questions. Why should I have an early birth? Why should I have a c-section? Can't I wait until my baby is closer to 39 weeks?
