The Real Pregnancy Timeline

The pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum experience is unique for every mother and your pregnancy timeline is too!

Each pregnancy is different and although it’s common to compare our pregnancies to a 9 month timeline, you most likely will be meeting your little one up to 2 weeks sooner or later than that.

Did you know that only 1 in 20 women delivery on their due date?

An estimated due date is just that; estimated. Most doctors come up with this date using a mathematical calculation called Naegele’s rule. However, because cycle length and ovulation vary from woman to woman, your estimated due date still isn’t completely set in stone.

Doctors have observed that the average human gestation lasts for 280 days after the last menstrual period. So, instead of thinking of your estimated due date as an official RSVP for your baby to arrive, think of the date as the estimation of when your baby will be at 40 weeks gestation.

If my estimated due date isn’t an official date to expect my baby, why do they bother?

Because pregnancies are routinely monitored, this date helps your provider synchronize the appropriate tests with a baby’s age. This can also help parents understand where the baby is at developmentally and how to direct their questions for their care providers.

It’s not easy to break free from “months” because we’ve been programmed to refer to our milestones in this way for generations. However, if you want to stay on track with your baby’s progress, using weeks to monitor their growth and development can be a great rule of thumb.

Not to mention, when you measure in weeks there’s so many more opportunities to celebrate!