Is it true that most first babies arrive late?

[MayimBialik]

I'm only 37+4 but I'm desperate to meet my baby ASAP. I'd love it to be in week 39 but it seems, according to everyone I speak to, that ill go past my due date.

Were you late with your first?

[OneOfMyTurnsComingOn]

Sorry, late with all 3 here

Currently 41 weeks with 3rd.

[BionicEmu]

I was 6 weeks early with my first. But out of my NCT group of 8, 5 went overdue and were induced.

But I do know some people who went into labour perfectly naturally at 38-41 weeks with their first . But I know more people who went overdue and were induced

I don't know what the actual statistics are, but unfortunately I don't think there's anything you can do either way. Good luck though!

[MayimBialik]

Yep it's just a waiting game isn't it. A very frustrating one.

I haven't symptom spotted for, ooh about 9 months, but now I am CONSTANTLY looking out for potential labour symptoms. The very end of pregnancy is very similar to the very beginning in that way

[AlCookie]

I had mine a week early....week 39 as u ideally want it a lot of ppl i know have actually been early with their first. When i was in the last month of pregnancy, i so wanted the baby once 37 weeks were over. I was like, now he is medically full term so might as well b out i guess i was being silly but anyway he came when he was ready....

Good luck to u dear

[Pochemuchka]

DD was 37 + 6
DS was bang on 38
DC 3 - looking forward to finding out (38 + 1 if the pattern continues, which will be Christmas!)

All the best! :)

[oddslippers]

Ds1 at 37+6 ds2 on due date, both my sisters went over due, sil 37+2 .... there's a few stats for you to mull over :)

[KentuckyFriedChildren]

8 weeks early with no1. 6 with no 2. Still cooking no3 and got just over 5 wks to go. So no.

[flossy101]

I drove myself mad with trying to spot 'signs' I was going into labour, went 10 days over!

[FranTan]

DS was born on his due date - it does happen!

[BionicEmu]

Right, have had a google and there's really not a lot of data around! Found This paper It refers to births full stop, not just first babies, but it's all I could find. I'm sort of surprised there's no real data/studies done on this TBH. There's a composite graph with data taken from a few different sources that basically shows that for all births:

Before 37 weeks: 4%
37 weeks: 5%
38-39 weeks: 10%
39-40 weeks: 20%
40-41 weeks: 35%
41-42 weeks: 20%
Over 42 weeks: 10%

I've no idea of the scientific integrity of the paper, but thought it was interesting that 35% of all babies appear to be born between 40-41 weeks. Also, the percentages don't add up to 100%, I'm guessing that's due to the data being drawn from multiple sources.

[Pochemuchka]

I recommend Raspberry leaf tea, curry, sex and moving house at 36 weeks (both times) as excellent labour inducers (non-scientific sample of 2 babies to one mother) :)

[Haribojoe]

All 4 of mine were late

[Boomeringue]

Due date here,after a pedant at the scan changed the date by one day

[mrsbugsywugsy]

I know two women who had their first babies at 38 weeks after relatively quick, easy births. They were both very active until the end of their pregnancies so that's what I'm going to try to do.

Although I'm not sure which is the cause and which the effect - perhaps it is just easier to be active at 38 weeks than 42, IYSWIM.

[sweetkitty]

37+5 with my first that was a shock 4 hour labour too

Thought I would be early if not on time with no 2 oh no 41+5

No3 40+5
No4 40 weeks dead on but was an induction cos I couldn't walk

[MrsAceRimmer]

DS 39+3 induced because of pre-eclampsia
DD 39+6 I was that she didn't come as early as her brother

[Marmiteisyummy]

40+13 with DS (escaped induction by 12 hours!). Did a lot of research at the time, average gestation for first time Caucasian mums is 41+3. Bit depressing at your stage but gave me hope when I passed 41 weeks!

[AlisonDB]

Ds1, lost plug on due date, contractions started following day he was born 2 days later! So 40+ 3 days.
31 weeks now, and talk of being induced at wk 39.