Did you have an idea at how many weeks you would give birth?

[moomin35]

I'm a bit slow(!) and it only just dawned on me yesterday that my due date is based on me going full term to 40 weeks. My question though is many people give birth earlier (I don't mean premarturely) but do you get an idea from your midwife at any stage how long they expect before you give birth?

I gave birth to both of mine at 39 weeks, no warning from the midwife. Thou I felt like a whale, completely fed up dragging weight in my bits and completely ready...so maybe I knew??

You might get some indication from your MW with a first about how engaged the head is in your pelvis, with subsequent babies they often don't engage until you are in labour. But quite apart from unexpectedly premature births they can arrive fully cooked at any time from 37-42 weeks and there is not a thing you can do about it (other than occupy yourself eating pineapple, curry, attempting sex, driving over speed bumps etc)
Both mine arrived bang on their due dates and hoping DC3 will be similarly punctual so I can plan childcare, but it doesn't often happen like that.

40+1 both times, so fully expecting that this time.

Apparently most births happen after 40 weeks, which makes a bit of a mockery of the idea of a due date!

The midwife can tell you how engaged the baby is but they don't really have any more of an idea than you do ime. Babies come when they're ready.

i was led to believe you could get a good idea from your mother's experiences. my mum was 2 weeks late with all 3 of us, and i was 2 weeks late with my dd.
i also understand 41weeks is considered term in some european countries, so expecting an arrival at 40 weeks can mean a lot of "late" babies in the uk.

At my 38 week appointment the midwife thought I wouldn't need my 40 week appointment. I gave birth at 39 weeks. No family history of babies coming early-the opposite in fact.

I was told I may deliver early for a few reasons and my mum and sisters all had prems or a few weeks early babies. I was induced at 40 +5, so completely bucked the trend. Made the wait seem much longer though as I was waiting pretty much from 34 weeks!

At the NCT course we just did the woman said that the average for a first baby is 41+3 ...

I was so convinced I'd be early ... and he was 9 days late! I wasn't given any indication by my midwife either way, just booked in for a sweep when I got to a week past my due date.

Only because my waters broke a week before a few times.

Ds1 43+
Ds2 35
DS3 32
Ds4 38

I'm still in denial after DC1 came, suddenly and pretty much no warning, at 36+6.. I told anyone who would listen at the time "But it's not supposed to be like on EastEnders.." and "I have ages left!"

DC2 was 35+5, DC3 38+2 (ELCS). Currently 36+3 with DC4 and it is hard not to think "any time now.." although I have an ELCS booked, a little early for medical reasons, two weeks from today.

TBH (and this is just the ranting of a bitter, fed-up full-term woman) I've never met a MW who knew or cared when I was about to drop. They simply aren't that interested in when the baby's due.

If you're high-risk and seeing various consultants tho, then you can get a much clearer idea of how dilated you are or if the head is engaged yadda yadda.

Mine was head down early so I was a bit disappointed to go over my due date. At 40.3 I resogned myself to an induction in a fornight. Cntractions started in the early hours of 40.4

Ds1 - 40weeks
ds2 - 38weeks
dd - 39 weeks

No.4 will be 38/39 weeks consultants haven't decided if ill have a c section or be induced yet :s

No idea.

DS1 - 41+4 (I thought he'd be 38 weeks as I'd been niggling for ages)
DS2 - 40+6 (I thought he'd be later)
DS3 - 40+2 (I thought he'd be later)
DS4 - 35+3 (massive shock as I thought he'd be born at around his due date)

I had my 38 week midwife appointment at 38+4. The midwife told me baby was still far too high and not engaged at all, and as he was my first, I should expect to 'see my due date and possibly beyond'. I had a feeling I was going to go overdue as well.
My waters broke the next morning and DS was born at 7 pm that night. It completely took me by surprise and even after my waters had gone and I was having strong contractions, on my way to the hospital I was convinced they were just going to tell me that I'd weed myself and that I wasn't in labour!

I had all three of mine at 37/38 weeks, the midwives never indicated when they thought things might happen.

Annoyingly I'm 40+1 today, my little girl arrived at 39+6 so I just assumed I would have another timely baby