What gestation did you give birth?

[Madden21]

Curious to know! For those of you who are 100% sure on the date of conception, what gestation did you give birth?

I’m sure on my due date, however the NHS have put me a week earlier which is obviously impossible. I imagine baby is just measuring bigger than expected. I’m sure I’ll be encouraged to induce or book a c section if baby is ‘overdue’.

When I’m ‘40 weeks’, I’ll actually be 39 weeks based off when I know we conceived.

So, did your baby come on the due date you calculated or were they early/late?!

Yeah I am. I have a long cycle also, 42-45 days. They don’t care though and I’m pretty sure the date they’ve given would be based off a shorter cycle.

40+6 for DD, although her original due date was the 10th (which made sense), then because of her measurements at the 20wk scan they put it back to the 5th. We were sure the 10th was the right one, and she was born on the 11th. On the 50th percentile for everything too so I'm not sure how she was measuring so big at 20wks! They made it sound like we had some gigantic baby on the way...

38+5 for DS. His due date also got changed but only from the 17th to the 18th, but obviously either of those made sense. He was in a hurry to be born though!

Thank you for sharing!

37+1 with DC1, induction. I believe I was only 36+1
38+1 with DC2, waters broke naturally, I believe I was bang on dates
Currently pregnant with our final DC and I’m 26+2 according to NHS dates - we conceived on fireworks night 100% - we only know for sure because DC2 was 7 months old and in his own room for the first time 🫣

in your shoes I would explain ASAP that you know the date of conception and get the due date changed in your notes.

Being insistent many years ago almost certainly spared me being induced as I went well over even by my own (very precise) date. As it was I had a quick labour and a straightforward delivery.

And the baby was huge - which might have been why the sonographer's dates were out!

It's frustrating OP, isn't it? I knew exactly the one day we had unprotected sex. From my period to the day prior, I had been on holiday with my parents, so absolutely no chance of "accidents" earlier that month. First scan put my dates forwards, and then second scan sent them forwards again. I kept raising this with the midwives, as I'd been moved forwards by about 10 days, but they really didn't care. I had an ELCS at 38w 6d, but I think I was closer to 36w, which did scare me. DD was fine, but on the small side. Long though, always has been.

Part of me does understand that many women either don't know, don't understand or have reasons to lie about conception, so medics need to be careful BUT I don't understand why they do not listen at all to concerns and insist you are mistaken. Surely it is a risk to the baby's health?

I’ve tried, unfortunately they won’t change the due date. I believe I’m due on the 10th but they say the 3rd

Hm. Can you get a midwife onside?

Good luck whatever happens.

It is so frustrating. I mean luckily, the pregnancy isn’t high risk. But it’s well known they don’t like women to go over due anymore due to the increase risk of stillborn and other complications but I won’t actually be overdue when they think I am. We shall see what they want to do if and when I reach 40 weeks!

With my first I had been using bbt to track ovulation. I ovulated on day 26. So when we went for our first midwife appointment she asked for my lmp. Instead I showed her my tracker and we worked out when I’d ovulated so we used that as a guide to decide on my due date. When we went for my scans, the dates matched perfectly to my adjusted cycle. My waters broke in the early hours of my due date and he was born the next day.

With my second, she was an ivf baby so you’d think the dates would be super accurate. But the nhs 12 week scan changed my due date by a week (said I was 13 weeks when I knew I was only 12 weeks). From this point on, my baby always measured small for dates and I was induced at 38weeks as she’d slowed down growing (I had GD so this complicated matters). She was only 5lb 6oz, which matches with my original dates (so she was actually 37 weeks). But despite this, she caught up easily and is now 50th percentile in everything.

I was in this exact situation. Due date moved forward by a week at the 12 week scan. I was 100% sure on conception date as there was only one option that month and I’d had early scans due to previous issues at 5 weeks and 6 weeks and all was on track at those, measuring behind at 5 weeks if anything. Like you, I was a bit concerned I’d be induced when they think I’m overdue but I’m not by my dates which I was 100% sure of.

Anyway I ended up giving birth at 39+5 NHS dates so maybe they were right. Still can’t work out how that would be possible though!

They do say babies can come from 37 weeks! So you were 38+5 according to your own dates?

DD - Due 10 May, gave birth 17th May
DS - Due 9 July, gave birth 4 July
no issues with either birth, labour was approx 5/6 hours both times.

I was given 2 dates as to when my son would be born. My GP told me to prepare the nursery for some time in October, whilst the hospital predicted that I'd give birth on September 8.
He was actually born on September 3, 1991, meaning that, according to the hospital, I was 39 weeks and 5 days when my son was born.

Both of my pregnancies were dated a week later than I thought I was due (a more inexact science in those days but I was fairly certain of ovulation even so). First baby born at 40+13, second at 40+8. Both still had vernix.

My due dates were way off about birth dates.

DD1 due 25th June, born 7th July - induction. Still don’t know when she was conceived.

DD2 due 12th September born 28th September - induction. Was sure of dates and NHS matched ovulation day.

Was disappointed not to ever experience going into labour naturally but I’m convinced my body either doesn’t know how to do it or I have longer than normal pregnancies. My cervix is always high, don’t progress quickly and labour is long and painful.

Felt some pressure to be induced. Held out for longer with my second. There was no hounding though, I had a very calm sensible conversation with a doctor who informed me of the potential dangers of going over 42 weeks. I said I wanted to wait another couple of days but then lost my nerve and went in for induction. Interesting, the doctor I spoke to said she had delivered babies at 43/44 weeks but didn’t recommend it. Think my 2nd would have probably been an October baby but I couldn’t cope with the ‘what ifs’. Incidentally, my placenta with my second was heathy looking and baby coild have stayed in for longer according to midwife.

My dates measured up with size of baby, gave birth at 42weeks after 3 failed inductions

Yes it would have been 38+5 by my own dates although weirdly I haven’t thought about it like that until now.

I think they say babies can come between 37-42 weeks. It’s not one size fits all and it’s a bit frustrating when the NHS make you feel like you’re crazy haha. Also, babies come in different shapes and sizes regardless. Just because the baby was bigger or smaller than expected, doesn’t suddenly mean the due date should jump! My partner is a very tall man so i understand why this baby is measuring a week ahead.

40+5 my first
42+2 my second
Both induced

Both of mine arrived at 41 weeks exactly by my dates (I knew when I had ovulated). The NHS date given to me was 4 days further along in both cases, so they wanted to induce me before I was ready. I told them I knew when I conceived so I wanted to go with my dates, not theirs, and with the first pregnancy they accepted this without much fuss, but the second (which was very slightly higher risk according to them, but not according to any of the research I read about my specific situation) they really did 'hound me', as you put it, culminating in my going in for what they said could be 'just a conversation about induction' but which turned out to be an appointment to begin induction. I said I had been told that this was about helping me to make a choice, not actually starting the process, and they huffed at me and got a consultant to come and tell me that I was risking my baby's life for the sake of a better delivery. I left which felt like escaping, honestly and my baby came a couple of days later in the most straightforward delivery imaginable. If you are sure about your dates and you don't want an induction or sweep then stick to your guns!

42+2 know the date I conceived.
40+9 again, knew date I’d conceived
40+13

Goodness that sounds traumatic. It’s very easy to feel pressurised by them too because they are the professionals at the end of the day but it’s a know fact that they like us to choose inductions. It’s easier for them to know when babies are arriving rather than spontaneous labour! I’m glad you and your baby were okay!

I will consider induction at 41 weeks (42 weeks NHS dates) but I may change my mind closer to the time. We shall see!

41+5 for my first
34+2 for my second

With DD1 I had myself as being due 5 days after the NHS said I was; she was born at 40+5 (so bang on when I thought she was due) but that was following a VERY long labour, augmentation and emergency section.

With DD2, NHS said she was due five days before I thought she was, but she arrived the day before my official due date (six days earlier than I thought). Spontaneous and very quick delivery.