40 weeks

[kuulani]

So, here I was grumbling about having to be pregnant for 40 weeks ... you see, a woman's due date is estimated to be 40 weeks after her last menstruation.

40 weeks, that would mean that a woman is pregnant for 10 months, wouldn't it?

So there I was, grumbling because isn't it common knowledge that a woman is pregnant for 9 months?

Then, a friend mentioned that a year has 52 weeks,
52 weeks - 40 weeks=12 weeks, or 3 months
And since there are 12 months in a year
12 months - 3 months=9 months.
So a women is pregnant for 9 months.

But 9 months is only 36 weeks, where did the extra 4 weeks go?

 

[Inkara1]

A month is actually closer to 4 1/2 weeks. Try dividing 7 into 30 or 31; you don't get an even four. Someone who conceived on January 1, 2003 would have been due on October 8, which is 9 months and one week later.

I had a hell of a time getting Brandi to understand this, too.

 

[unclehobart]

Only February is 4 weeks long ... and then not all of the time. Its all about the little castoff days:
jan:3, feb:variable, march:3, april:2, May:3, etc...

 

[unclehobart]

Gotta love that tricky math. Just be glad you're not an elephant. Thats a gazillion month gestation.

 

[leslie]

i just went with the 10 months...any birth happening before that was just a pleasant surprise

 

[Inkara1]

It's better to plan for nine months and have a crib in your possession a few weeks early. That way, you don't end up making your baby sleep in a drawer for the first week.

 

[leslie]

mine just slept with me, so it wasn't an issue...all I really needed was a car seat, diapers and blankies and a couple sleepers/hats to start out *shrug*

 

[Gato_Solo]

mine just slept with me, so it wasn't an issue...all I really needed was a car seat, diapers and blankies and a couple sleepers/hats to start out *shrug*

That is a scary thought for me. My ex used to bring my daughters into the bed while I was asleep...not before. Not a problem if I knew they were there, but I tend to roll around in my sleep...

 

[leslie]

he usually wasn't around at night anyway...but I just slept between them as a rule...it was never an issue.

 

[Gato_Solo]

but I just slept between them as a rule...it was never an issue.

Sounds nice. I'd rather roll over and find the wife, than roll over the kids...

 

[Nixy]

When they were infants they slept in your bed?!

 

[leslie]

right from day one...avery still climbs in here and there

 

[unclehobart]

When they were infants they slept in your bed?!

Its not unusual. It was fairly standard practice until the 40s. Its been falling in and out of favor for decades. Its all just a matter of personal tastes. Its amazing how your subconscious 'spidy-sense' kicks in when you have someone or a tiny pet with you. I used to be a rolling kickboxer in my sleep... but now that my cat sleeps with me, I remain perfectly still.

 

[kuulani]

Personally, if I had a bigger bed, I would love to have my daughter sleep with us.

The other night, my husband had to work on the other side of the island, and I had to sleep alone on my bed. I couldn't do it ... I had to bring the baby in with me. That got me thinking, forcing a little baby to sleep alone is unnatural.

... and back to the original question, I don't believe in due dates anyway. I don't know of any woman who gave birth on their "due" date. Nature still kicks science's ass

 

[PuterTutor]

My kids all used to crawl into bed with me. The youngest daughter will still come down and sneak in if we have a bad thunderstorm in the middle of the night. Have to wear boxers to bed if the weather might get bad...

 

[unclehobart]

Nature still kicks science's ass

All too true up until the point where most women scream for an epidural or people howl for morphine when setting broken bones. Thats when people say 'screw nature! Gimmie dat science! That sweet sweet morphine based candy that washes away stupid reality!'

 

[Huge]

 

[kuulani]

[bragging]I didn't need an epidural[/bragging]

but I did beg for gas when they pulled my wisdom teeth ... but that brings up another point of nature put it in there and it was stupid science that wanted to pull it out

 

[nalani]

I've had natural childbirths with all three of my babies ... and they all slept with me too ... and, so far, they're pretty normal .. well, as normal as any of my spawn could hope to be

by the way - it doesn't really matter what ku'u decides to do with the baby .. she's only carrying it for me ..

 

[Gonzo]

13 weeks per quarter

We KNEW when my wife got pregnant (due to my job & limited home time) & the docs date was almost 42 weeks from that date...actual date is/was a long story