When did you go into labour?

[Jessica]

I was just curious when other mums went into labour with their babies. Three of my children were born a few days prior to the due date, but one of mine was born almost three weeks early.

When did you go into labour? Did you have your baby on your due date?

[aussiemidwife]

Great questions Jessica. I will be interested to read everyone's responses. I went into labour with my first baby at 35 weeks after a third attempted and unsuccessful external cephalic version for my first baby (this is where the doctor attempted to turn my breech baby head down - he was born breech). I believe this labour occurred due to the intervention. With baby number two I went into labour at 39 weeks and with baby number three she was born on her due date.

As a midwife I've observed that women who give birth on or before their due date do not appear to set a particular pattern of when they go into labour with their next children. However women who go past their due date - appear to tend to do this with each pregnancy. Is this your experience?

[mom2many]

This is tricky for me because on two of my babies, the due date by my first ultrasound was different than my charting and subsequent ultrasounds indicated. So going by what I believe to be the better estimate, I went into labor at 39+4, 39, 40 (medically necessary induction), and 40+1.

It has also been my experience that women who go past their due date, particularly a week or two past it, seem to always do so.

[Jessica]

aussiemidwife- I have noticed that women who go in labour past their due date tend to do the same with future pregnancies. I have also noticed that women who go in labour before their due date do not seem to have a predictable pattern of when their next labour will start.

[ljmarsden]

Thanks for posting this question - it's something I've been thinking about myself. I went into labour at 40+3 (my baby was eventually born in the early hours of 40+5).

[Lucky120]

Well I was not exactly in labour, I had to get a cesarean and I was like a week over due when they decided to go ahead and do everything. This was with my first child and now with my second they scheduled me for a cesarean. i never really get to feel how all of this feels, but I did get some cramps and that is about it. Thank you for asking this question.