How far can you go?

No one likes being overdue: it's incredibly tedious and pregnancy gets seriously uncomfortable in the last few weeks, which is nature's way of helping you feel that labour is a small price to pay to put an end to it. But it can be a bit more serious than just an inconvenience:

Hard labour

Late babies tend to be bigger,and the bones in the skull can be harder, so you may end up having a longer and more difficult labour if you do go overdue.

Food for thought

The placenta is vital for keeping your baby alive and well inside you, as it provides oxygen and food for the growing foetus. But it does have a limited 'shelf life'.

After the 40th week of pregnancy, it starts to function less effectively, and can even fail altogether if you're left to go too overdue.