Will I be early..?

[legallyblond]

My Mum had me and my sister 3 weeks early and 1 week early respectively;

My maternal aunt had my cousin (only child) 2 weeks early;

My maternal grandmother had both my Mum and my aunt 2/2 and a half weeks early...

I am physically very similar to all three - i.e. we all share the same health niggles (spookily so, at the same age the same thing hits us etc) and physical attributes (height, build, ease of conception!) etc.

Is this a reliable pattern? Do you think I will have an early baby too? I am just thinking of planning for maternity leave. I was thinking of stopping work 2 or maybe 3 weeks before due date but am a little worried as I can't think of anything worse than going into labour/waters breaking in work!!! (I work in a very male, very conservative with a small "c" law firm!)

Thanks! x

ps - I am 18 weeks at the mo, so I do need to decide when I am going relatively soonish...

ithink family history does come into it to some degree.

having said that my mother had 4 of us late. my 2 were late, Dsis1 was late but Dsis2 was 4 weeks early.

Both my sis had their babies 3/4 weeks early.
I had both my DSs 3 weeks early.
But my mum had me and my sis's reasonably on time (to a greater or lesser degree).
If I were you, I'd stop at least 3 weeks early.

I worked until 39 weeks as both older DC came a little late. It never occured to me that DS2 could come early!!!! I work for very conservative firm of stockbrokers...

DS2 came (last week) day after I finished work!!!!!! My last day at work was Thursday, went into labour within 24 hours of finishing work! Lucky I didn't work on the friday LOL!

I would say though that even if I had gone into labour at work it wouldn't have mattered - esp with a first likely that you'd have several hours of warning (ie contractions not much stronger than BH) - loads of time to get a taxi home etc.

I think it depends on how you feel about maybe having 5 weeks sitting around waiting for the baby (if its late) - I didn't want that hence working until 39 weeks. I ended up packing hospital bag between contractions.

don't assume it will take ages to get going just because its your first.

I was 1 day late, my sister was 2 weeks late (I think)

DS1 was 1 day early
DS2 4 days late
DS3 2 weeks early