Just how common are premature births?

[TeacupTempest]

I had always heard that it was very common for first pregnancies to do over the due date but I have been reading a few threads about premature births that have freaked me out a bit.

How common is it? Are there any warning signs?

I am due on the 13th Dec and was mostly concerned with being late and being in hospital for Christmas but I am now panicking about baby coming early and not being prepared!

I know there isn't a lot I could do anyway........guess pregnancy is making me over think these things a bit!

Mine we both early, 5 weeks and 3 weeks, not sure why, but I was definately the unusual one in my ante natal groups to be so early with both, most we much nearer the due date or later. Had my first baby in hospital with nothing but my husband and my handbag as my waters had poppoed it was fine, the staff and hospital were brilliant (St Georges Tooting), and family and friends got all the stuff from home I needed. With baby number two my back was packed and ready to roll six weeks before my due date so when my waters popped it was game on! No warning signs with either, just possing and semi gushing waters. It made me realise that you can give birth without a bag full of stuff and everything will be OK, you are in good hands in the hospital.

The funny thing was that I had only painted one set of toe nails the night before I went into labour and it really bugged me during the birth so with baby number two I have a pedicure at 6.5 weeks to go, just to make sure and I really loved looking at my shiny toes whilst I was in labour!

popping not possing!