Patience in the Post Term

You are not alone. More than 1 in 4 pregnancies go past their expected due date in the United States. This is even higher for women who are having their first babe and for women who are having a boy.
Going over due can be discouraging and can weigh on our patience, both as a provider but more often as a mother.  It can seem like the babe's birthday is never going to come. But this period of waiting can be a great time for reflection, preparation, and intimacy.  Sometimes we are in such a rush to get everything done, we need to be reminded to stop and take it all in.
I went one week overdue with my son, my second.  I remember it weighing on my patience but I also remember it being a time of joy and rest with my husband and my little daughter, my first.
In Judaism, there is a Yiddish word B'shert, (Yiddish: באַשערט).  It literally means "destiny" and can even mean a destiny that is divine. A baby's timing is b'shert, meant to be, by their very own diving timing.
So take heart, have patience, have hope, and know that you can and will do this most magnificent thing, give birth.

Tips to prevent the Occiput Posterior Baby

The occiput posterior baby is a that is facing the mother's spine. It's also known as sunny-side up. Otherwise known as OP, or the OP position. There are a few tricks to avoid this position at the end of pregnancy.

• Avoid the semi reclined position. Like that lounger you love.
• Do pelvic rocking 10-15 min three times a day
• Cat and cow yoga poses
• Walk on hands and knees 
• Yogic sun salutations and downward facing dog yoga poses
• Walk

Despite positioning, exercising and yoga, some babies persist in the OP position. The majority of these babies will turn in labor.  Those babies that don't turn, may have a very good reason for maintaining the OP position that is unclear to us. It may be the shape of the mother's pelvis or the position of her spine. It could also be the position of the baby's own cord, shoulder, placenta etc, that makes them favor the OP position and makes this is the optimum position for labor and birth.

Heartburn

Heartburn, while not serious, is painful.  In pregnancy, we are more suceptible to a hearburn attack due to an increase in certain hormones (like progesterone) slowing down the gatroiontetaila tract. Fortunatley, there are several home and pharmactolic remedies to this conundrum. 

Modifications

• Avoid large meals
• Eat smaller portions more frequently
• Eliminate foods that are triggers
• Don't eat 1-3 hours before reclining
• Sleep at a 35-45 degree angle
• Avoids spicy foods, fried foods, rich foods, fatty foods, caffeine and carbonate drinks
• Avoid tight clothing around the waist

Home Remedies

• Apples. Eat an apple (it's true an apple a day . . .)
• Baking soda. 1 teaspoon with a glass of water
• Green tea.  This tea coats the esophageous and can decrease heartburn symptom
• Aloe. Drink Aloe juice before meals

Pharmacologic Remedies
*Before taking any medications during pregnancy always consult your health care provider.

• Tums. Tums can be a pregnant gals best friend. Never leave home without them
• Rolaids. Calcium with added magnesum
• Pepcid
• Prevacid
• Some of these medications may interfere with other medications or vitamins. They may also not be recommended for various pregnancy situations. Always consult your provider. 

 
I had once a pain in the chestal area. Now, I was sure it was heartburn, y'know, cause at that time I was married and my wife cooking with her Nazi recipes, y'know, chicken Himmler. I didn't wanna pay 25 bucks to have it reaffirmed by some medic, that I had heartburn. But I was worried 'cause it was in the chestal area. Then it turns out my friend, Eggs Benedict, has a pain in his chestal area, in the same exact spot. I figured if I could get Eggs to go to the doctor, I could figure out what was wrong with me, at no charge, so I con Eggs. He goes. Turns out he's got heartburn. Cost him 25 dollars, and I feel great, cause I figured I beat the medic out of 25 big ones, y'know. Called up Eggs two days later... He died. I check into a hospital immediately, have a battery of test run... x-rays. Turns out I got heartburn. Cost me a 110 dollars. Now I'm furious. I run to Eggs' mother, and I say "Did he suffer much?" And she said: "No, it was quick. Car hit him and that was it.  

- From Eggs Benedict by Woody Allen (1968)