The Truth About Due Dates: Why You’re Not 'Overdue'
Sep 05, 2025Are you 40+ weeks pregnant and wondering why nothing’s happening yet?
Maybe people are texting daily asking, “Any signs?” Maybe your midwife is mentioning sweeps or inductions. Maybe you’re just tired and thinking… why isn’t this baby here already?!
You are not alone...and you are not overdue.
Let’s bust some myths and bring some calm to this waiting game.
📆 What Does “Due Date” Actually Mean?
Most people are given an Estimated Due Date (EDD) based on a scan or their last menstrual period. That date is calculated using a standardised formula that assumes:
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A 28-day menstrual cycle
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Ovulation on day 14
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A 280-day pregnancy (40 weeks exactly)
But most of us don’t ovulate on day 14. And most babies don’t arrive on their due date either!
In fact…
🍼 Fewer than 4% of babies are born on their actual due date
🍼 Around 50% are born between 39 and 41+5 weeks
So if you're 40 weeks and still pregnant, you're right on track.
🧠 Why It Matters: Mindset & Pressure
When we treat the due date like a deadline, it creates unnecessary stress.
It can feel like:
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Something is wrong if baby isn’t here yet
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Your body isn’t “doing its job”
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You need to hurry things along
But birth isn’t a to-do list. It’s a physiological process - and your baby and body are working in sync to choose the perfect time.
🌿 Instead of thinking “I’m overdue”, try:
“I’m in my due time and my baby will come when my baby is ready.”
🧪 Is There a Medical Risk After 40 Weeks of Pregnancy?
Despite common myths, there is little evidence of increased risk after 40 weeks. After 42 weeks, some risks (like reduced amniotic fluid or placenta ageing) can slightly increase - but not as much as you might think. Man women go on to birth their babies safely after 42 weeks - every body and every baby is different.
NICE guidelines recommend:
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Extra monitoring from 41 weeks onwards
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A personalised discussion about induction, not a blanket policy
You have options - including declining or delaying intervention while being monitored. (Use your BRAIN: Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, Nothing.)
🌙 Tips for the “Due Time” Window (40–42 Weeks)
This can be an emotional limbo. Here’s how to stay grounded and positive:
- 🧘♀️ Keep practising your breathing & visualisations
- 🎧 Use your Hypnobirthing tracks daily
- 📵 Turn off your phone for a bit (or mute “Any signs?” messages)
- 🚶 Gentle walking, curb stomps and hip circles
- 💆 Book a massage, acupuncture or reflexology if you like
- 🛁 Create a cosy evening routine (lavender bath, relaxing playlist, early night)
You are not “wasting time.” You are preparing your body and mind. Every hour brings you closer.
💛 My Birth Story at 40+3
I’ve been there myself, to some extent. With my third baby, I gave birth naturally at 40+3. This doesn't seem particularly "late", but for me the wait felt like a lifetime as my previous two babies arrived at 34 weeks and 36 weeks!
That extra time gave my body time to get ready… and when labour did start, it was quick, calm and powerful.
Many of my hypnobirthing clients go on to have very positive births after 41 weeks and even 42 weeks.
So trust me when I say: you’ve got this.
📍 If You’re Local to South East London or Kent
My Group Hypnobirthing Courses in Abbey Wood and Bexley are the perfect way to feel supported, even in the later stages of pregnancy. Many clients have joined at 37+ weeks and still had amazing, calm births.
My group courses tend to fill up quickly, so if there are no spaces left, you may be able to book on for last minute Private 1:1 Hypnobirthing Classes instead.
Prefer something even faster? My Complete Online Hypnobirthing Course is self-paced and available instantly - ideal if you’re 40+ weeks and want practical tools to use today.
