A question for midwifes or anyone with a big age gap between pregnancys

[loganberry12]

Im 39 weeks and expecting my 5th baby. My youngest is now 14 years old so have had a big age gap. I was wondering will it be like a first birth as its been so long or will my body just go into auto mod and remember what to do? My 4th child was born very quickly within 45 minutes of my waters breaking and contractions starting, so will this one be the same or will it be like my first again 18 hours. Also whats the likely hood of going over due this is a big baby according to scans she is already 9 1/2 lb my last child was 8lb and 3 weeks early.

I don't know exactly but me and my only sister have 13 year age gap and my mum was told the labor would be like a first but as you have had more kids I don't know maybe that would effect it to.

Hopefully someone who knows more will be along now.

I have a 12 year gap (38 weeks now). My midwife says it's a subsequent birth, regardless of the gap.

The womb and cervix can never return to their pre-birth state, apparently. They are expecting mine (as far as it is possible to predict - every birth is different etc) to be quicker than last time.

I'd prepare for another quick one if I were you !

hi,
I'm a midwife due to have my second baby soon after a 12.5 year gap. In my experience, ladies who have had a baby before, no matter what the age gap, don't tend to labour like it's the first . There are no guarentees of course, but i'm hoping for a quicker, easier second birth.
Lou xx

I have a 17 year gap between my 2 DC.

I was told that during labour, the cervix thins and dilates. During a first labour, the cervix thins first, then dilates. In all subsequent labours, no matter what the gap, the cervix thins and dilates at the same time, thus making it quicker.

It shouldn't make any difference whether its been 14 months or 14 years. My midwife told me that.

DC1 was born after 36.5 hrs of labour.
DC2 was born after 48 minutes of labour.

I was worried about my 2nd labour being much like the first after so long, and was bricking it tbh, but it was much much quicker and easier. My body definitely remembered or knew what to do, or both. A much easier labour than 1st time.

HTH