Many expectant mothers have seen their due date come and go, only to still be pregnant and miserable. The only upside to going past that date is freaking out strangers when they ask when you're due. Aside from being admitted to the hospital and undergoing an induction -- a process during which drugs are administered to bring on labor and ultimately delivery -- are there ways you can take matters into your own hands? Keep in mind, that due date is simply an estimate, not a hard and fast day on which your baby absolutely will make his or her way into the world. In fact only about 5 percent of moms deliver on their due dates. But if you're in that unfortunate percentage who is well past that time, then you may feel sad and cheated, particularly with those hormones in overdrive. Take it easy and give a few tactics a try before rushing to your obstetrician and begging for an induction. If your cervix is already slightly effaced (thinning), then that's good news. You may hasten the process with the participation of a willing partner - prostaglandins present in sperm can help soften the cervix further, and orgasms will cause the uterus to contract. Walking has a similar effect for those who are already effaced.