Does late first baby mean second baby will be late too?

[Viola Payne]

My first baby was born 40+10 and so i'm wondering if this baby will be born late too. Last time the labour was very difficult, basically i was coerced into a number of medical procedures and was treated very badly by my midwife and hospital staff. I'm going to try a home birth this time but i have to travel an hour and a half to get out of this hospital's catchment area. I live in a smaller place so it's somewhat common for women to have to travel a lot longer than that to get to the hospital as some are on remote islands where it takes 4 to 5 hours to get to town. I'm booking a cottage to birth in and money is tight so i'm hoping to book it for only 2 weeks. I'm due February 26, 2014 and am thinking that i'll book it from February 28 to March 16. Does this sound like an insane plan? I'm really counting on the second baby being late since the first one was and from my understanding it's kind of predictable like that. Don't know what i would do if i had to go back to the same hospital where they tortured me for several hours...

 

[Mrs.Mcguin]

There is no guarantee unfortunately that you will go later then 40 weeks regardless of what happened in your last pregnancy. I really hope your home birth works out for you...I wouldn't want you to have to go through what you did last time!

 

[alicecooper]

There are no guarantees about these things.

I've always had overdue babies, but other people differ.

 

[Viola Payne]

No guarantee but do you think it's likely? Thanks so much

 

[wannabubba#4]

I think it is likely, my first was 3 days late, second was 10 days late, third was 3 days early (just to prove the point hat you really never know lmao) and then baby number 4 was 14 days late - I was planning a home birth with him and never got it as I had to be induced

xx

 

[Eleanor ace]

From what I've read it seems more likely that you'll go overdue with your 2nd if your 1st is late. It worked that way for me (my 1st was 42 weeks, induced; 2nd 41 weeks, spontaneous).
I'd be super nervous booking the cottage for just 2 weeks, especially leaving it until you're 2 days overdue. But hopefully it will all work out! .
I'd also work on preparing for a hospital birth and asserting your wishes. I had a mean MW at the start of my labour and I felt unable to stand up for my wishes (water birth, no pethidine). With my second I prepared myself (I'm not a very assertive person) and I'm so glad I did as it meant I got the birth I wanted without intervention I didn't want. Hopefully if you do end up labouring at hospital you'll be able to get a better birth this time

 

[Viola Payne]

I'd also work on preparing for a hospital birth and asserting your wishes. I had a mean MW at the start of my labour and I felt unable to stand up for my wishes (water birth, no pethidine). With my second I prepared myself

How did you prepare yourself? What specific steps did you take? I'd really like to prepare but i have no idea how to start, what that would entail.

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[Eleanor ace]

I'd also work on preparing for a hospital birth and asserting your wishes. I had a mean MW at the start of my labour and I felt unable to stand up for my wishes (water birth, no pethidine). With my second I prepared myself

How did you prepare yourself? What specific steps did you take? I'd really like to prepare but i have no idea how to start, what that would entail.

Thanks for all the feedback!

I wrote down my first birth experience, concentrating on what I felt was positive- what made me feel calm and in control- and what I would have changed. Then I did a bit of research into how I could avoid the same things happening again and wrote myself some brief notes to look at in preparation for number 2. For example I was given pethidine which I didn't want. I was rail roaded into it by the MW who gave it to me mid contraction without telling me what it was. So I made sure I was prepared to tell the MW's that I wanted any decisions (about pain relief, being checked etc) made between contractions while I could think straight! I made sure DH knew this too.

I made sure I knew my rights so that if I was told I had to do something I could confidently decline, and if I wasn't allowed something I could politely insist . In my 1st labour I'd wanted a water birth but I didn't stand up for my wishes and didn't get it. I dislocated my hip in labour which made pushing more painful and I didn't want it to happen again! I was told I couldn't have a water birth with my 2nd as I was under consultant care and GBS+. I researched, found that there was no reason to refuse it. I got myself referred back to the consultant who OK'ed it straight away! It made a world of difference and I was reeeeeeally glad I'd thought about what I wanted and stood firm.

I'd recommend looking into hypno birthing, I know it can be great for keeping you calm which will help you to stay in control if the MW's start trying to push you around! And making sure you have anyone who will be with you during the labour and birth prepped on your wishes and ready to enforce them! Their job is to support you and make sure that you get the birth that's right for you (as long as it's right for baby of course).

Good luck!

 

[Viola Payne]

Thank you so much Eleanor. My first labour i was pressured into having a c-section for 8 hours - all because the MW kept speculating that i wouldn't dilate fully. Thank God i didn't listen to her or now i'd be looking at a VBAC situation. They also made me go 2 days without food - i tried to politely insist, then i screamed and begged for food, nothing worked. It was awful. This time i know that i won't go to the hospital unless there's a life threatening emergency. I hate the hospitals thanks to what happened last time.

But, i like your idea of writing down what i don't want. And i didnt' do hypnobirthing last time but i think i'll try it down this time.

Thank you

 

[Guppy051708]

DS1 was born at 41+5.
DS2 was born at 38+3

Based on research, first time moms are usually more likely to go overdue.
However, there could be something familial with always going later. It so hard to predict. Some women always have late babies. some always have early babies. Some have a huge difference, like mine. There is just no way to know, unfortuantly. BUT just bc you went overdue with your first does not guarantee it will happen with your second.