What are pregnancy patterns vs old wives' tales?

[surprised]

Hi all,

Just curious to know which of the following are true patterns of pregnancy and which are old wives' tales?

- if your symptoms are really different you're having the opposite gender?

- aside from things like premature birth, a woman's babies will keep getting bigger each time?

- it's unlikely that you'll have a good labour if all previous ones have been bad?

- labour gets shorter each time?

Any other pregnancy facts/myths you want to add?

[Tegam]

My babies have not gotten bigger, last was smallest....

My labours got shorter until my last which was longer than the first!!!

Have felt no difference in pregnancies with different genders....

[HotI]

- if your symptoms are really different you're having the opposite gender?
All 3 of my pregnancies were different. I wasn't able to work out the sex of my 3rd based on similarity one of the others.

- aside from things like premature birth, a woman's babies will keep getting bigger each time?
My 2nd was my biggest (a boy). 1st my smallest (a girl). 3rd in between (a girl).

- it's unlikely that you'll have a good labour if all previous ones have been bad?
Support people and if you feel safe are big factors in how your labours play out. Plus baby position, your health......

- labour gets shorter each time?
My first was 12 hours, next two were around 2-4 hours (didn't really time them).

[~clover~]

I blew all of them out of the water! Except the m/s one.

I had severe ms with all 3 girls... just regular with DS.

Babies sizes, in order all due or a few days over due - 7lb5oz, 8lb9oz, 8lb7.5oz & 7lb9oz (all same father)

All my labours were complication free.

Birth lengths - 18 hours, 30 hours, 5 hours & 12 hours. DD2 was in an awkward position, DD3 was posterior

[black_rose]

- if your symptoms are really different you're having the opposite gender?
Yes had bad morning sickness and craved sweet foods with both girls
No symptoms other than wanting savoury and acidic food

- aside from things like premature birth, a woman's babies will keep getting bigger each time?
Even with two premmies I increased each time

- it's unlikely that you'll have a good labour if all previous ones have been bad? With dd2 my first true labour I tore but even though ds got stuck it didn't happen


- labour gets shorter each time?
First was a c sect, then 40 minutes and last one was an hour only because he was stuck otherwise it would have been faster.

Any other pregnancy facts/myths you want to add?
Bad heartburn means lots of hair - dd1 had almost no hair but I had a lot of heartburn

[Lily Dust]

I'm only a beginner with 2 kiddies.....

- if your symptoms are really different you're having the opposite gender?

Suffered Hyperemesis Gravidarum with both, heartburn with both. I had SPD with DS, not so much with DD. Oh DS was lazy as sin and rarely moved, DD was like a Mexican jumping bean


- aside from things like premature birth, a woman's babies will keep getting bigger each time?

For me, yes but as I said, I only have 2. DD 3440g and DS 3575g.


- it's unlikely that you'll have a good labour if all previous ones have been bad?
First birth was beautiful, empowering, calm, relaxed and 'uncomfortable'. 2nd birth was terrifying and hurt like hell! (due to his position


- labour gets shorter each time?
Again, did for me. DD 7.5 hours, DS 2.25 hours and he presented direct OP- it was a bit of a shock to look down into little eyes looking at me!!.


Any other pregnancy facts/myths you want to add?

[HotI]

Oh DS was lazy as sin and rarely moved, DD was like a Mexican jumping bean [/COLOR]

Was DS quieter as a baby/child?

My 3rd was incredibly quiet in utero, and is so far (5 weeks so i know only early days!) so quiet and calm (and sleepy?) compared to the others.

[Cookie36]

My two children were completely different pregnancies.

With DD I hardly slept, maybe 4 hours a night, and was very energetic, I had mild ms which I cured with salt. DS I was sleeping 10-12 hours, woke up exhausted, as the tiredness faded, the ms kicked in, and couldn't be cured by anything.

That being said, my MiL swore her 3rd was a girl as her pregnancy was so different to the first 2, but she ended up with 3 boys.

My cousins two pregnancies have been very similar, and she's had a girl and is having a boy.

My children did get bigger, but I know people who that hasn't been the case for, and the weight difference between my sister and I was 1/4 ounce. Though my 2nd had a smaller head, and that counts for a lot!

My DD (1st) was induced at 41+2, I was throwing up everywhere, I had to be given an anti-nauseant which hit me so hard I wound up having to have an epidural. I remember feeling tender for weeks afterwards.

DS I went into spontaneous labour at 37+4, I took 2 panadol and that was it, I felt great afterwards - 2-3 hours after the fact I felt completely normal, like I hadn't even given birth! So I'd say while labour 1 was not a pleasant experience, I loved my second labour (as much as you can "love" a labour!)

My labours did get shorter, but I know it's not necessarily the case. The only thing I do know for certain is that every pregnancy & every labour is likely to be different - there are no hard and fast rules!

[jellybean88]

My ms was much worse with dd than ds although old wife's tails say the other way round

Chinese gender chart was correct both times

Ds was quiet and hardly moved inside and still is the quiet gentle caring boy dd was crazy and still is loud and bossy and always on the move

Both labours were great ds 5hours(posterior) and dd 1hr

Weights 1 was 6lb and 2 was 7lb so did get bigger

Apparently first baby is meant to go overdue my first was born on due date and second at 39 weeks

I think the heart rate at 8wk scan myth was correct for me

The reflux one wasn't correct I had reflux bad and had little baldies

[surprised]

What is the heart rate at 8 week scan myth?

There's also the idea that pregnancy gets progressively shorter.

Thanks ladies - so really what you're all saying is that there is no rhyme or reason! Lol

[jellybean88]

I think if it's over 150bpm it's a boy and under is girl or something along those lines but it really just depends on how long ago the heart started beating and whether there active or resting

[Tinks]

The heart rate myth was correct for my kids too.

I had terrible heartburn with all 3 pregnancies and all 3 head heaps of hair.

My babies got smaller, not bigger

My labour times halved each time

My 3rd baby was very quiet in utero and was a very calm, quiet baby. She's 11 now and is still pretty cruisy.

[Khaleesi]

My symptoms weren't that different, i had really really horrible morning sickness with my 3rd & i thought for sure she was going to be a boy but nope she was a she.

All my babies have gotten bigger but DS was a prem so he was smaller but he would of been bigger had he baked till he was full term.

My 3rd was my worst labour, it was horrible & i was so scared of going through that again but my 4th labour was fantastic(except for the fact he was early & had to be taken to the SCN right away)

My labours have gotten shorter each time, 6hrs, 2 & half hours, 82mins & 57mins.

My DS was pretty quiet in utero & now he's out he is still a super easy little guy. He rarely cries & is always smiling, laughing & chatting away.

Heart-rate was wrong for 2 of my pregnancies.

I had shocking reflux & all 4 were born with a full head of hair.

[Lily Dust]

Was DS quieter as a baby/child?

My 3rd was incredibly quiet in utero, and is so far (5 weeks so i know only early days!) so quiet and calm (and sleepy?) compared to the others.

Much more placid to date (10 months) than DD has ever been. Very happy go lucky and calm little guy. He crawls around just giggling away. Sleepy? not so much . DD highly strung, anxious and determined. As a baby I was sure if she could pack her bags and move out she would! Not sad and miserable just a very serious (albeit beautiful- of course! ) baby. I am quite surprised that he is meeting most milestones at a very similar age to DD.

[Jellyfish]

There's also the idea that pregnancy gets progressively shorter.

DD1 came at 38w, DD2 40w3d