Birth Predictions

[2+twins]

I saw this on the March DDC and thought it was a cute idea. We make predictions for what we think our labor/birth will be like. I'll go first:

Birthdate: 4/8
Length of labor: 12 minutes for the first baby, 23 minutes (from the start) for the 2nd baby
Baby's gender (if you don't already know!): a girl born first then a boy
Baby's weight: 8 lb 3 oz & 8 lb 4 oz
Baby's length: 20 inches long (each)

I think my labor will go so quick that I'll either be entirely alone, or home alone with just my kids. I feel that my dh will miss it, as will the mw's. I *hope* for a waterbirth but I can envision myself on my knees in sort of a squat on the floor in my bathroom giving birth (but that might be b/c I've seen that UC twin homebirth video too many times ).

[aprilushka]

Since I ended up with an unwanted c/s the first time around I have to admit I'm really scared to predict anything. I predict I will be able to make decisions for myself better this time and that's about it.

[JefsJen]

OOH fun idea!

Okay, my prediction that I have had for a while was for:

Day~ Either the 19th or the 21st, but I am hoping for alot sooner. I have to be in this wedding Saturday and wanted to have her the day before so I could bow out...but now I'm not really wanting to.
Length of labor~ about 3 hrs from water breaking.
Gender~ girl YIPPEE!
Length~ 20 inches
Weight~ prob 7 lbs 3 oz. Hoping for smaller. hehehe

[FreeSpiritMama]

Fun idea

Birthdate: 16th April (I have 14 & 22 in my head aswell )
Length of labor: 6hrs from first contraction
Baby's gender (if you don't already know!): I have girl vibes
Baby's weight: 8 lb 10oz
Baby's length: 21inches

I think I will labour and birth at night, we have a skylight in the 'birth room' where the pool will be.

[aweynsayl]

Oooh, ok..... basing this entirely on "gut"....

~March 26th in the evening... I think I'll go into labor while DH is at his church job that morning, but I'll not tell him til he gets home.....
~I think I'll make it to the Center as I hit transition, and birth will be fairly soon after that (this bugs me, cause I kinda wanna be there longer, but oh, well)
~I have NO sense of boy or girl.... I've only dreamed girl, but everyone started calling Babe a boy a while back..... I guess gut says Boy, which makes me think Girl.
~9 lbs 3 oz, 21 inches

[duckat]

Date: I have March 22 in my head b/c that's the gestation point at which ds arrived. Sometimes I think April 2. (actuall EDD is 4/8)
Length of Labor: 6 hrs
Gender: u/s said boy. DH still thinks it's a girl.
Weight: 8lb 2oz
Length: 21 inches

[hairpin]

First time mom here so I really have no clue how it's going to go. I'm thinking:

Birthdate: 4/10
Length of labor: 10 hours or more
Baby's weight: 7 lb 4 oz
Baby's length: 18 inches long

How I picture the birth:

I picture myself sweating A LOT, most likely puking and dizzy, making my husband tell me jokes and then being nasty to him for it. I picture sitting in a tub, getting out cause I don't feel well, and then realizing it's better in the tub and getting back in. I imagine not remembering a lot about the actual end of the labor process, about the pushing, but I imagine looking into the baby's big eyes just after he is born. I think the baby will have big eyes and lips.

This was fun! We need more fun, with all the uncomfortableness of the last month.

[celestialdreamer]

Date: Right now I'm thinking labor will start on March 14th (next tuesday) which is the day I'm 37 weeks and also a full moon. DH kept accidently telling people my due date was April 7th, so I think that is what he is thinking. MIL is "absolutely sure" the baby will be born 3/19 in the middle of the night
Length of Labor: 6 hrs- last 2 hours more intense and midwife only there for the last hour.
Gender: boy (what the u/s said)
Weight: if next week I think: 6lbs 4oz, if born on 4/7 I think 7lbs 12oz
Length: 21 inches

I was actually just thinking about this all last night! I really wouldn't mind if he came early....

[hannahi]

Here's mine:
Birthdate: 4/11
Length of labor: 8 hours
Baby's gender: boy (which we are pretty sure about from the u/s)
Baby's weight: 7 lbs 5 oz
Length: I don't know, how long are they usually? I'll say 20 inches.

[clynnr]

Oooh, I love this! Just in case anyone is interested, I went back and found my prediction for DD that I made in the November 2004 DDC:

Originally Posted by clynnr

Here are my predictions: I will go into labor on a beautiful fall day! It will happen during the day, maybe mid-morning, somewhere between October 20th-25th (I'm due November 2nd.) I'm basing this on the fact that my mom had all her children a month early, but hopefully mine won't be a month! It will be a longer labor than most of you are predicting, maybe 12-15 hours, slow in the beginning, since I am a first-timer. It will start with contractions, not with spontaneous water breakage. DH and I will make it to the hospital just in time for transition (no transitioning during the 45 minute car ride please!) and babe will be here a few hours later, weighing in around 8-9 pounds! I cannot bring myself to predict the baby's gender, because I honestly have no idea, and I'm looking forward to a wonderful surprise!!

And the actual stats: October 27th, went into labor at 2:30am, arrived at the hosptial at 7am (transition lasted about thirty seconds--I felt one wave of naseau while walking into the hosptial), and after about eight hours of active labor, baby girl born at 10:24am, 22" and 9 pounds, 1.6 ounces. Not bad for a prediction!


And now my prediction for this time:
Actual Due Date: April 12th
Date of birth: April 20th, 6:30am
Length of labor: 4-5 hours active labor
Gender of baby: BOY! (Just a guess!)
Weight of baby: 9 pounds, 6 ounces
Length of baby: 22.5"

We'll make it to the hospital to meet the midwife around 5am, and I'll hop straight into the tub!! Baby will arrive among murmurs and dim lights, and will nurse as Daddy tells me the gender. Ahhhh...I love predictions!

[aweynsayl]

Originally Posted by celestialdrmrmama

Date: Right now I'm thinking labor will start on March 14th (next tuesday) which is the day I'm 37 weeks and also a full moon.

I wondered if you were thinking the full moon! I will sooo be thinking of you that night.....

[lmonter]

Birthdate: 4/29 or 5/2 if boy, 5/1 or 5/3 if girl
Length of labor: 2.5-3 hours
Baby's gender (if you don't already know!): I'm thinking girl, but still not sure - a few weeks ago ds kept saying I had a boy in there, lately he's been saying girl. We figured he'd be as accurate as anybody.
Baby's weight: 8 lb 8 oz
Baby's length: 21 inches long

I'm kinda hoping for a waterbirth because it sounds like a neat experience, but am concerned I might not be in labor long enough for it to be ready. And the reason for my different dates - my bday is May 5, aunt's is May 7, grandma's was May 9 (and just for kicks - we all got married in May, and were/still all happily married). So if it's a girl, it'll be May 1 or 3.

Lanna

[pique]

Oh, oh, me too!!

Actual Due Date: April 24th
Date of birth: April 24th, 3:30am - It simply will be the 24th. I'm born on the 24th of the month, so is DS#1, and so is DS #2! DH thinks I'm crazy to be so confident about it

Length of labor: I'll be happy with 2-3 hours active labor
Gender of baby: Girl (Just a guess!)
Weight of baby: 7 pounds, 8 ounces
Length of baby: 20.5"

I'm picturing a calmer, slower birth than last time (2.5 hours) laboring at home, deep in the night in the bath & shower with awesome support and quiet strength of my DH.

[hairpin]

Wow. Everybody is predicting their labor as pretty short. Am I crazy to think my labor will take 10 hours? What's the typical?

[KKmama]

Birthdate: I'm getting a feel for either 4/30 or 5/3
Length of labor: If it could be 20 hrs or under, I'd be very pleased.
Length of pushing: If it could be under an hour, I'd be very pleased.
I'm expecting a girl.
Weight: I'm thinking between 9 even and 9 lbs, 3 oz.
Length: Probably ~21 1/2".

The baby's edd is 4/23. My 1st was born at 42 wks 4 days (emergency C). 9lbs 5 oz, 22 1/2". My 2nd was born at 41 wks 5 days, VBAC, 40 hr labor (with some "nudging" so I could avoid an automatic repeat C at 42 wks). 9 lbs, 4 oz, 22".

(I might have a better idea than most, since this is my 3rd... but I'm prepared to be surprised!)

[aweynsayl]

Originally Posted by hairpin

Wow. Everybody is predicting their labor as pretty short. Am I crazy to think my labor will take 10 hours? What's the typical?

I think our birth class teacher said 7 hours for the first time mom.....

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by hairpin

Wow. Everybody is predicting their labor as pretty short. Am I crazy to think my labor will take 10 hours? What's the typical?

Well, I had ds (my first) in 3.75 hours. First contraction at 4am, he was born at 7:46am. I really had no idea what to expect, but I was hoping I wouldn't have a 3 day labor. Since this time I won't be strapped down to a hospital bed and will be able to labor and eat whatever/whenever, I'm thinking it won't take as long this time.
On top of that, my mom had my sister and I in 3 hours each, my grandma had my mom in 45 minutes and first uncle in 20-30 minutes (the subsequent 4 were induced because she lived 2 hours away from her doctor - each popped out in less than an hour). So I just think the girls in our family were built really well for childbirth.

Lanna

[KittyKat]

Wow, what fun!

OK mine might be kinda rambly... sorry.
EDD 4/8
Actual date: I have this weird funny feeling like it might be earlier, but it would be cool if this one comes on 4/8 because we have 2 kids with 30th b-days, 2 with 1st of the month b-days, and one with an 8th b-day, so this would make two of each date LOL! Silly, yes, but fun.
Labor: all my NATURAL labors have been fairly quick from "active" labor until birth. I do the prodromal labor for WEEKS ahead of time though. Once I am *sure* I am in labor I predict 5 hours or less. My water won't break until I am pushing spontaneously, if it breaks at all. I'd love to have one born "in the caul."
Gender: This is a girl, she has dark hair, and dark eyes (based on a "birth dream" I had a while back, and on gut feelings about gender)
Weight: IF the "early" thing happens, probably around 5-6 pounds, but if she waits until the EDD or past, 7 pound-ish. This baby feels about the same size as my others did at this stage, and they were all 7 pound range. The MW actually told me last time that the mom's guess of the size once she's had several babies is WAY more accurate than either the MW's guess by feel or ultrasound weight estimates!
Length: 20"

She will FINALLY settle down and stop flipping, coming out headfirst. I will push her our easily and gently, lifting her up to my chest. I will look down into her wide dark eyes, and she will be pink and warm and amazing. After a few moments of pure bliss, I will look down to see if my guess about her gender was right. She will be feisty and spirited, very active and bursting with life. She will live up to her name, which is a secret for now, sorry. It came to me in the middle of the night before she was even conceived and took very firm root. If this baby is not a girl I will be shocked, and I will end up hoping someday we have another girl so I can use that name LOL!

Kathryn

[2+twins]

Originally Posted by hairpin

Wow. Everybody is predicting their labor as pretty short. Am I crazy to think my labor will take 10 hours? What's the typical?

Textbook "typical" for a first time mom is 14-16 hours. Of course, I think you have to consider that a lot of places practice active management (more or less) which follows the rule that the mom must dilate a cm per hour and push for no more than 2 hours which would give you a 12 hour labor total. However, that's no fun b/c your labor would then be forced to fit that mold. But I think it's realistic to expect a first labor to be in the 14-16 hour range minimum. My first was just short of 10 hours, but then my 2nd was 90 minutes so I think I'm an exception to the rule. And then there's lots of 20 hour+ moms out there too. So there ya go. No way to know til you do it.

[ktkb]

Originally Posted by moosemommy

I think our birth class teacher said 7 hours for the first time mom.....

This seems SO short to me. Isn't 12-24 hours expected for a first-time mother? With the second labor generally about half the time of the first? (If there were any such rules to be followed, LOL.)

Anyway, if my 2nd labor is only 24 hours it will be a picnic. (First was 3.5 days.)

I know this is going to sound weird (and negative), but along with my whole "I have a feeling this is a boy baby" sense (which seems to be correct--confirmed twice) I also had the feeling that my VBAC was going to go up in smoke. Not anything bad or dangerous, just that something was going to prevent it (not dialating at all, breech baby, etc) and I would wind up with another c/s. Which is not a tragedy, just a huge PITA. If tandem nursing doesn't work out, though, that would upset me infinitely more. That's just me.

I have no idea when this baby is coming. For some reason I've had April 4 in my head, but that's probably because I love the U2 song "Pride (In the Name of Love)." But if I am already dropped and dialated by 37-38 weeks (still March), I am going to do my best to put myself in a situation where I can VBAC this critter, who is already measuring big.

But really I'm just prepared to be surprised. (Although I fully do NOT expect to be caught at home with just my husband and my doula, have an easy labor, etc. Would solve the problem of what to do with dd, though. )