37 weeks is considered full-term. However, if your midwife wants you to go to the hospital, DO IT! I had a midwife with my first baby, and she was exactly the opposite! I was in ACTIVE, HARD LABOR for 65 hours, and we only went to the hospital against her advice. I was only dilated to 5 when I went in, and my water hadn't broken. The doctor gave me pain meds to relax and so I could get some sleep. She broke my water about 2 1/2 hours before Olivia was born, and it was olive-colored from meconium. When she was finally born, she had an Apgar score of 2. She was blue, had no muscle tone, very slow heart rate, and wasn't breathing. It took 2 hours on oxygen before she even cried. My doctor was ready to care-flight her to the closest Children's Hospital, but Olivia had nothing in her lungs, so she didn't have to. The doctor told me it was a miracle she survived. When the midwife saw that she was starting to respond, she told me "we had the same equipment and would have been able to do the same thing for her at home," I just about smacked her! I know that not all midwives are like her, but I am NEVER going with a midwife again. For one thing, Olivia was FOUR WEEKS overdue before I finally went into labor. Another thing, I have an uncooperative cervix-when I have contractions, the baby's head presses on the side of the cervix, that is why I wasn't dilating. I have had 2 more since her, and my cervix does the same thing every time. I have to be induced at 1-2 weeks past my due date, and my cervix is never even beginning to dilate. Prayers going up for you and your baby, McCord, I hope you have a healthy little one!
