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I have the opportunity to meet with a lovely Doula( we are currently on the search for one for
October and are narrowing down the list).
This lovely Doula is very experienced but will be away until 2 weeks before our EDD.
For your first child, how close to your EDD did you give birth? Were you in labour before or after your EDD?
I'm trying to work out if we should consider this Doula as an option....
It's pretty hard to predict, and others experiences wont necessarily give you any indication of what will happen for you
First bub was born at 36w3d for me!
I would be choosing a Doula who is available earlier, IMO no point building the bond to rely on the Doula as your support person only to have them not available at the crucial moment.
41 weeks for me, both times.
Statistically speaking, it is unlikely that you will go into labour more than 2 weeks before your due date, however it's certainly not out of the question.
Is there another option?
It's very very unlikely that you would go more than 2 weeks before your EDD. It does happen, but it is statistically a very remote chance for you. I'd take the risk :) I went into labour on my EDD.
I was induced 14 days after my due date with DS, and heard many first time bubs are overdue. In fact, my DH was deployed overseas until 5 days before the due date!! Then I have a friend who went in to labour with her first at 31 weeks, so you don't know I guess...
If I was hiring a doula, I would probably want the security of them being there no matter what....
I went into labour night of 37 +5.... I think if u have another option ur comfortable with go with that. How do u think dh will handle it all? If he's very supportive & even a little informed u way not need a doula, tho I'm sure it could be nice. Are u seeing an OB or public if u don't mind me asking? Only because if its private u can likely meet a few of the MWs before then ull 'probably' have at least one there I've met on the day???
Around 3-5% of babies are born on the guess date and I believe something around 40% are born within the two weeks before that, and 40% in the two weeks after that... but not sure of finer details like if they were left to birth naturally, induced etc. Gestation for first time babies is often longer than subsequent too. So if you really like her as a doula, I wouldn't worry too much. If it was closer maybe so, but like the others have said, not many, especially first time mothers, go two weeks or more earlier. Pre-labour and labour in general is often longer too.
My first was 3 days over his EDD.
There is really no way to know unfortunately, statistics don't mean much when you're that one individual. How would you feel if you went with this doula and you went early? How would it effect the price?
Most say first time mothers gestate longer than subsequent births but for example, I went into labour at 38w with my first and then my second was almost 2 and a half weeks past that at 40w+3.
Its not that often you get 100% of people getting xx result from something, but studies from universities and all sorts of places have shown that human gestation tends to be longer for first pregnancies - not just heresay. Of course all sorts of things come into play with births, situations, health of the mother, health of the baby - so there will never be 100% of women who have first time pregnancies longer than the others.
For the record, my first was 3 days early, my second 9 - but I tend to have shorter cycles and thats just what my body does. I had an induction massage with my second and was in labour very soon after. My sister has the opposite end of the scale and they tend to come around 42 weeks. We're all different. :)
Hi there,
I went 9 days past my EDD and I was induced, so who knows how long my DD was going to stay in there for??!!
With this one I have no clue but think I will give birth closer to my EDD only b/c I did IVF (first pg was natural) so the dates are spot on.
From memory only 5% give birth on their EDD and it is really difficult to detect when you will give birth.
I'd consider speaking to another Doula/support person that will definitely be around b/c it sounds like this is a really big concern for you & you don't want to be feeling like that leading up to your birth. GL
I'm glad you have posted this question love. My DH doesn't fly home from work until the day after i'm due :rolleyes:
We are trying to decide if he should come home earlier but i'm worried if he does and then I go 10 days overdue, he has wasted 2 weeks of holidays!
So hard to decide :shakehead:
I went into labour on a Thursday, due the Friday, had dd Saturday (so I was close)
I'd personally find a doula that can be there the whole time in the lead up to your due date just in case
I went over and DS came on 41+3 by c/s as there was no sign of him coming any time soon. (had c/s as my body wasn't even starting to get ready and being induced was unlikely to have worked. )
My first child was IVF and I went into labour exactly 39+6 and birthed the next day 40 weeks exactly. :)
I was induced at around 12 days over, but had been having contractions beforehand.
Can you arrange with your doula to have a team/backup system? Our chosen doula offers this.
Gosh, it's very hard to know. Term is 37-42 weeks so that gives you a 80% chance she'll make it, I guess.
My labours started at 39+5, 38+2 ( second baby induced) and 39 weeks for my third.
It's really anyone's guess. If you really like her maybe organise a back up for the time she is away?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk so forgive spelling mistakes :)
Also, I have read that averaged out the gestation of natural labour is 41+1 for first time mums.Don't know if that's true though.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk so forgive spelling mistakes :)
Thanks guys,
My gut says its probably a no with this doula. In the meantime we've met another doula who DP liked and so did I but I don't think she's 'it'.
Spoke with doula #4 yesterday and felt a connection but she is away for 1 week up until 12 days before my edd!! Still want to meet her, she will have backup in place.
Does in utero size make a difference as to when babies are born?
Bubs is measuring 2 weeks ahead and is on the 80th percentile. Does that mean she'll more than likely be born early?
My DD1 was born at 38w1d...
I would probably in your case think also about finding a doula that will be there for you and your partner in the lead up to birth as well. So many emotions can and do come up and it is nice to have a strong bond with that person going into labour. if they are not going to be available to you during your pregnancy it might not be quite the relationship that you need ITMS.
But this is just my :twocents:
and as for size of bubs, no. DD1 measured behind and was born 2 weeks early. DD2 always measured ahead and was born on her EDD.
42 weeks for my first after being induced and 41+6 for my second spontaneous. So def over for both of mine!
I'm a whacky statistic as both my girls came before their 'EDD'. My cycles are regular 28-29 days too.
DD1 arrived at 38+5 and DD2 at 38+4.
I had SROM at home with both girls and quick labours. DD1 was 7.5 hours of established labour (I had about 1.5 hours of dull period type pain before my waters broke). I had a dull back ache with DD2 but only a couple of contractions before established labour and then it was only 37 minutes before she arrived!
It's very hard to predict, dd1 was 34 weeks, and dd2 labour started at 35, ds was the only one I got to term with. I would be looking at another Doula if it was me.
1 week early to the day :) Good luck.
Started at 39+2.
Born at 39+5.
DD1 - 40+4 days... Syntocinon after 12 hours of labour and only dialated 1cm... (waters broke when labour started so bub out within 24 hours)...
DS1 - 41 weeks ... Syntocinon right away, waters broke when labour started (AGAIN LOL), poopies in waters but bub not in distress... 9 hours after drip emergency c section because he was TRANSVERSE GRRR!
DD2 - C section.... will be my first "early" bub haha!
An update- Well we decided on the Doula that's away for a week until 12 days before our EDD.
Really clicked with her. We are now in the process of thinking through the backup doula options.
Have done the calmbirth course too. So even if we birth in the week our Doula is away, with all the reading etc we've been doing, we'll be fine.
It's just hard not knowing if we'll need the backup or not!
First bub was born 40w1d, but it's so hard to tell, if it were me I'd be planning on having a fairly 'normal' pregnancy and could expect to birth from 37/38 weeks, If I really wanted one particular person there I don't think I'd hire a midwfe or doula who wasn't going to be available during that 5 week period from 37-42 weeks.
Exactly :):
My first two were born 2.5 weeks early. Third came at 38w6d.