Born too late?

Since most of us know what can happen if a child is born prematurely, can anything happen if a child is born too late? I was supposed to be born near the start of September, but I was born on October 14. I had really dry, flaky skin.
Sooo.. what can happen if a baby is born too late? [as in my case, almost a month and two weeks]

Originally Posted by Moz

Since most of us know what can happen if a child is born prematurely, can anything happen if a child is born too late? I was supposed to be born near the start of September, but I was born on October 14. I had really dry, flaky skin.
Sooo.. what can happen if a baby is born too late? [as in my case, almost a month and two weeks]

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I was born two weeks late. Other than being a fairly big baby (and questionably insane, but that would've probably happened anyway), and having to be chemically induced into the world, (which wasn't all that it was cracked up to be) by my mother (who wasn't a very mothery person) I feel I've turned out okay.

In terms of a pregnancy, two weeks before or after a due date is considered full term. Over two weeks after due date is of concern for a number of reasons...but once a child is born safely, I'm not aware of any significance with how overdue they were.

(I was yanked out by forceps - my mom was I think two weeks late, and needed assitance in delivering me. Why I don't know, since I was under 7 lbs.)

My understanding is that it's just as dangerous to be born too late and/or too big as too early and/or too small. The difference is that as long as the actual approximate due date is known, it's totally possible to prevent a dangerously post-term delivery by inducing labor or scheduling a c-section. With preterm deliveries, obviously you don't have that luxury.

My first son was 2 weeks late and I had induced labor. Richard weighed 10 lb 1 oz and grew into a 6 ft+, 210 lb man, with huge feet. Other than a mild learning disability (his father is dyslexic), Richard has been problem-free.

Deciding due dates is not a very exact sort of thing. They just count 9 months from two weeks after the end of your last menstrual cycle. It might be more exact now if you go to the doctor right away they can gauge your hormone levels and whatnot, but most people don't and certainly when we were all born they didn't really either. So, if your mom missed hers the month before you were born, you may have been totally on time. I was two weeks "late" too, so not really. I turned out fine, even though my mom was 40. I was over 9 lbs though.

My OB/GYN stuck to the concept of the "due month." Two weeks before or two weeks after the due date is within normal ranges. Both of my children were induced a week or so early.

The risks of being overdue are being too big to deliver naturally, meconium (poop) in the amniotic fluid which can lead to respiratory infections if the child is not properly suctioned at birth, and the dry, flaky skin the OP described.

Originally Posted by AnnasMom

My OB/GYN stuck to the concept of the "due moth." Two weeks before or two weeks after the due date is within normal ranges. Both of my children were induced a week or so early.

The risks of being overdue are being too big to deliver naturally, meconium (poop) in the amniotic fluid which can lead to respiratory infections if the child is not properly suctioned at birth, and the dry, flaky skin the OP described.

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Well I wasn't going to get specific in my reply but since others are to me, one of the top 3 concerns of a truly overdue baby is the status of the placenta...if that is not functioning as it should you will get fetal distress in labor, and may have a baby with lousy apgar scores at birth to say the least. The other top two in my opinion would be becoming too large for a non-surgical birth, and the increased chance of meconimum in the amniotic fluid.

As I said, if all goes well with the delivery, no fetal distress, good apgar scores, I wouldnt be concerned at being born "late".