Determine the approximate due date of your baby with a handy due date calculator you can use online.

Our new friends at baby information site The National Women's Health Information Center have provided us with some valuable tips on how to calculate your approximate due date. For a more precise calculation, visit Ovulation Calculator and their online due date calculator.

An average pregancy lasts approximately 280 days from the first day of your last menstrual period. Most obstetricians give a two-week buffer on either side of the due date to still consider the baby on time.

To figure an estimated due date, you can count 280 days from your last period - assuming your periods run on a 28-day cycle. If your periods are irregular, then your physician will be better at helping you determine an exact due date.

If you're trying to conceive, there are several ways to calculate when you are ovulating (exactly when the ovary is releasing the egg). Check with your physician about doing one of the following:

• Monitoring your cervical mucus
• Keeping track of basal (when you get up in the morning) body temperature
• Charting your menstrual calendar
• Taking an over-the-counter urine test