Why I Stopped Telling People My Due Date

By week 38, the "any day now" texts were relentless. By week 41, I was getting anxiety every time my phone buzzed. So I stopped telling people...

By week 38, the "any day now" texts were relentless. By week 41, I was getting anxiety every time my phone buzzed. So I stopped telling people my due date.

It started innocently. "When are you due?" people would ask. "December 15th," I'd say. And then the countdown began.

December 1st: "Getting close!" December 10th: "Any day now!" December 15th: "Today's the day!" December 16th: "Still nothing?" December 20th: "Have you tried walking?" December 25th: "Maybe they'll induce you?"

The Pressure Is Real

Every text felt like a judgment. Like I was failing at pregnancy because my baby hadn't arrived "on time." But here's the thing: due dates are estimates. Only 4-5% of babies arrive on their exact due date. The normal range is 37-42 weeks. That's a 5-week window.

My baby came at 41 weeks and 3 days. Completely normal. Completely healthy. But by then, I had endured 3 weeks of "helpful" suggestions and anxious inquiries.

What I Do Now

With my second pregnancy, I stopped giving a specific date. "Mid-December," I'd say. "Around the holidays." "Sometime in the third week of December."

The texts stopped. The pressure lifted. And when my baby came on December 20th, nobody was surprised — because nobody had been counting down to a specific day.

If you're pregnant, I recommend trying it. Give a window, not a date. Your mental health will thank you.

— Sophie Miller

Sophie Miller is a Certified Nurse-Midwife in Portland, Oregon. This article reflects personal experience and clinical observations. For medical advice, consult your healthcare provider.