Has your body been consistent with each birth?

[Justus22]

Hi, I am on my 4th pregnancy and it seems my body has followed the same pattern (besides 1st birth being much longer than the last two.) I've never had my waters break on their own and non of my children have come early (discounting the last as was induced at 38 wks but they had to try for a few days to prep me as my cervix was pretty closed still.) they've all been similar birth weights (well they seemingly would've had they been born at exact gestation) and again discounting the last as he was induced much earlier (3 and 4 weeks), I've needed forceps and ventouse with them to deliver, even my last they got the ventouse cap in place but I pushed last minute to not need it. Anyway, my question is, has anyone experienced a similar pattern to their births/babies and has gender had any impact. I have all boys so far but bump is a girl and I am carrying differently but wondering.... Could my waters go on their own this time? Could she come early? Could she be smaller? Is it possible I can avoid assisted delivery and an episiotomy this time or should I just expect it'll all be as it has been previously? I know they say every pregnancy is different but so interested to know if anyone had a pattern that ended up being broken by a 3rd/4th child? X

I have 4 dc and currently expecting number 5

My waters have never broken on their own
All were born between 38 and 40 weeks

My 3 boys i went in to labour late at night. My dd (dc3) i went in to labour in the morning

Dc1 and 2 were days of slow labour then 12 hours established
Dc3 and 4 were 5 hours from start to finish

Each baby weighed a few oz more than the last
All unassisted deliveries

I would be surprised if i had this baby outside of 38-40 weeks, if they weighed less than 8lb, if my waters went before contractions but you never bloody know!

I have 4 DC. Last one was ELCS so different.

DC1 and 3 were back to back deliveries, horrible. Contractions seemed to flow continuously with little to no breaks and I found it exhausting and difficult to cope with. DC1 resulted in shoulder dystocia with emergency forceps but DC3’s delivery was perfect despite her being the largest of my four (10 lbs 3oz).

DC2 was not back to back so I coped much better, had no pain relief and only went to hospital half an hour before she was born. She came out perfectly and it would have been textbook however the placenta retained, I haemorrhaged and needed emergency surgery and blood transfusions.

My waters only broke just before they were all delivered, I remember pushing them out with DC3 which was particularly painful and horrific.

Oh and my largest baby was a girl, smallest was a boy so I don’t think gender always means very much.

I think specifically wrt assisted labour this is something you need to ask medical professionals - esp. if you think you’d rather plan C sec than have another assisted delivery.

But fwiw - 3dcs; waters went right at the end of pushing stage with all three (ie waters only broke as baby came out), all fast labours within 2 days of due date, each labour gave me tears but no assistance needed, all larger babies (8lb-10lb range). The differences were in the length of labour and type of pain (first was unbearable; third was not painful at all until crowning).

@ivegotthedecaf I'm thinking the same as you, I'd be amazed if my waters went and I went before 42 weeks unless I'm induced. Once they break my waters I don't even need the hormone drip going by the past two experiences, they both came in less than 4 hours, the last was an early induction at 38 weeks and was still quick despite being forced out (induced). I actually went a dangerous 16 days over with polyhydramnios with ds2 and despite me being so full of baby and excess fluid those waters stayed intact until broken for me so I seriously doubt I'll have a different story this time too. Fingers crossed for both of us xxx

I will be watching this thread, as I'm currently pregnant with DC3 and my previous two have been very similar too.

Hmm, I think mine was.

My midwife told me that she looked after a lady with 5 children and for each she laboured at 41 weeks and all followed the same pattern. There must be something to it for some people.

For me, DD arrived at 36 weeks after waters breaking in the morning. All very straightforward during labour, 8 hours from the first contraction to vaginal birth. No preemie issues, and weighed almost 7lbs.

DS arrived at 37 weeks, also after waters breaking in the morning. He was Franks breach, but laboured quickly and he arrived (also) vaginally, 3 hours after first pains. 7lbs 6oz.

Good luck with your impending births everyone.

Thanks @outpinked & @tofslan for your replies. @outpinked were your babies early/on time/late out of interest? I've had differences in position of baby and pain (but then I did have an epidural with two of them at different stages.)
@tofslan I don't ideally want a c section but it's crossed my mind given the pattern and assisted deliveries I've had. I'll chat to the consultant when I next see him. It seems unlikely I'll go into labour earlier than with the others or avoid induction which makes me think it might be worth considering a c section this time... But recovery does concern me having 4 children to care for. X

*breech

@alwaysalittlebittired sounds like you have a pattern too. X

@mummab3ar lots of luck to you. Update us with how things go x

@Justus22 I definitely will keep you all updated! Hopefully not too long left!!

My two were both born two years apart at 1320, one boy, one girl. Labour started at different times but ended at the same time. Waters break just prior to baby entering the world.
Both were breach at the last midwife check prior to birth but turned before I arrived at the hospital.
I’m very keen to see if this one also likes to arrive just after lunch.

My three pregnancies & labours all followed a similar pattern. Sickness until 20 weeks, spontaneous labour within a few days of the due date, waters broke each time just before delivery, all arrived during the night, all babies a similar weight, all of them boys... The only difference is that each labour was half as long as the one before.

I have 5DC, currently pregnant with my 6th, mine have got earlier each time.

1st- induced- pessary and waters being broken. 4 hours long, minutes pushing, a bad tear and 6lb 11oz just short of 42 weeks born at 15.31

2nd- spontaneous, early labour signs from about 35 weeks, contractions started on due date kept stopping at night born 40+5 at 13.52 via assisted delivery after 2 hour pushing. 9lb and back to back waters were broken at 7cm for me.

3rd- spontaneous, early labour signs from 33 weeks, 6 days of stop start, born at 38 weeks, 6lb 13oz, 7 mins of pushing born at 13.56. Waters were broken at 6cm due to slow progression.

4th labour signs from 28 weeks, spontaneous delivery at 34 weeks, waters were left due to preterm and ruptured whilst pushing. Back to back. Born at 13.01 after about 10 minutes of pushing. 5lb15oz

5th labour signs from 24 weeks, labour stopped by medication at 30+4, born at 31 weeks by crash EMCS at 8cm at 23.52am 3lb 14oz. Waters were broken for me at 5cm to try and get her out faster.

Slow labour seems to be consistent with dc2 onwards but they was all so different apart from waters are a pain to go on their own. Now 26+3 and no idea what to expect this time..

23.52pm 🙈 that meant

@Middledistancerunner Do you mind me asking if they were planning a C section if you were showing as breech so late on? I'm still breech at the moment and praying she turns in time. Didn't know how long they'll let me wait to see if she turns naturally. My first two were a week late, but head down from about 30 weeks.

@Kennebunkport I don’t mind you asking at all. No c-section was planned, the midwives mentioned they were breech (spontaneous births at 41 and 39 weeks) and I just kept saying ‘there’s still time to turn’, they agreed and the babies did.
I was very lucky. Good luck to you

Wow @beckanne90 that's given me hope I won't definitely go over. Do you mind me asking do they all have the same father? I only ask as my former midwife told me there was a theory that the father determines the length of the pregnancy, she likened to bulls sperm (apparently it gets dated so they have exact due dates for their offspring??? 😂) x

@Middledistancerunner thanks so much for the info. Fingers crossed she turns soon, but good to know they can't force a section without giving her time!

@Justus22 yes they do. I think it’s more to do with my dodgy body though more than anything else.

Dc1 boy induced at 38 weeks, laboured unsuccessfully, waters broken by dr. Had c section and he was 8lb 9oz
Dc2 boy, breech for most of pregnancy. Went into labour the day I turned 39 weeks, started in early hours of saturday morning, had c section monday afternoon. Waters broken by dr, he was 10lb 9oz.
Dc3 girl elective c section at 40 weeks, 9lb 13oz.
Dc4 boy, unstable lie. My waters broke like niagra falls 2am 38wk 4days. Thankfully csection in afternoon as they didnt realise he was transverse and stuck. 9lb 3oz. Waters breaking totally took me by surprise.
Hope you have a good birth OP

I hope so
My waters broke at 38 weeks with ds so if love if this one came at the same time!

I'm pregnant with number 4 all mine so far have been overdue and big.

Dd1 - 42wks induced by pessary and drip. Waters broke during labour, she was back-to-back and ventoused out. I had a 3rd degree extended to an episiotomy. Labour took 13hrs

Dd2 - spontaneous at 9 days overdue. Waters broke during labour at hospital. Back to back.but turned herself. Born 6hrs after waters went.

Dd3 was induced by my waters being broken at 42wks. 2hr labour.

Expecting a boy in August. Presuming my waters won't go at home and I'll likely be induced again at 42weeks. Dd3 was 9lb10 so assume he will be the same or bigger.

I’m pregnant with number3 and have no idea when this one will turn up (apart from around lunchtime!)
Waters went spontaneously with dd1 at 37+1 and contractions started a few hours later. She was born at 37+2 at 12.25pm, 21 hours after waters first broke.
Dd2 was born at 40+1. Contractions started slowly on due date evening, then got stronger at 7 in the morning. Waters didn’t go until I was pushing and 45 minutes later, at 12.11pm, she arrived.
So in the dark with this one!

First baby perfect pregnancy, went into labour on due date, bit of a traumatic birth but didn't need intervention, but HUGE (scary level) PPH after. Tiny but healthy baby. 2nd pregnancy reasonable but baby dicked about being transverse until the last week. 2 weeks late. Textbook birth, tiny tear that didn't need stitches. 3rd pregnancy dire, tons of sickness, felt awful, baby dicked about near birth and prelabour for nearly a week. Nearly 3 weeks late. 'Easy' home birth, big baby. My body shape was entirely different with all 3. Waters went at the end with all 3. They are as different in life (looks and personalities) as they were in stages of pregnancy and birth!