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  1. #1
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    Default Delivering before due date

    I hope someone can give me a clue about this! My mother didn't carry most of us (five kids!) to our due dates - we were all between five and two weeks early, with the exception of the last one, but by then my mother had been diagnosed with MS for ten years, and her OB was pretty sure she wouldn't go into labor anyway. Back to the real subject... My sister had her first child a year ago and was just over a month early. I'm wondering how likely it is that *I* will carry to term. We all have cycles between 23-25 days, and I've talked with three OBs in my MD's office, and they've given me three different answers. One said it's more likely due to cycle length, one says it's hereditary, and the other says it just depends on the baby. I'm hoping it has to do with the baby, because I have a very good friend who is getting married during my eighth month, but I'm worried about going into labor early! I would REALLY appreciate any real-life experience and insight before I buy my plane tickets!
    Jennifer
    Momma to Aidan 01/03
    New addition coming 10/08

  2. #2
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    Default RE: Delivering before due date

    Statistically speaking, I just saw on the Discovery Channel that first time pregnancies are more likely to go long. However, my mother had all four of hers early (three to one week early), my first was three weeks early and my sisters kids were both about two weeks early. One of my good friends just had a baby at 34 weeks. I know MANY MANY people who had their first early. Long distance travel in the eighth month is just not a good idea. While many people do so safely, the possibility of early delivery is very real.

    I was SO SURE I was going to be late. We moved cross country when I was 32 weeks (one of the WORST things I have ever done, but we didn't really have any choice). My DH's job involves a LOT of travel. He returned on a Friday from what was to be his last business trip before the baby and my water broke on Monday! In retrospect, that was also really stupid, but we were naive.

    Can you tell I am encouraging you not to go? You will also probably be pretty miserable flying at 8 months. If this is a good friends, they will understand, especially when she has her own kids!

    HTH,
    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

  3. #3
    jojo2324 Guest

    Default RE: Delivering before due date

    I have also heard that you go later with your first, but I have also heard that going early is a hereditary thing. I have a question kind of along the same lines: If both of the parents were early, is the baby more likely to arrive early too? I was ten days early and DH was a month early. However, in my case, my mother was very petite and I was 8lbs 6oz. I think she had to deliver me then because I would have popped her! As for DH, his mother had several problematic pregnancies before him (none of which went to term), so I'm sure that has something to do with it. We were both firsts. I don't think I would want to get on a plane in my eighth month, it's just too risky. Also, I think that some airlines don't allow women to fly once in their third trimester, due to the high risk factor.

  4. #4
    suzska Guest

    Default RE: Delivering before due date

    Okay, I was born a month early, but that's because my mother was induced because of concerns over RH factor stuff (long story). I don't know about DH.

    My son was born 16 days early. I thought I would go late because he was my first. I was at like 1 cm and nothing when my water broke.

    My cousin had her first on her due date (her 30th birthday, BTW).

    A former coworker went past her due date by 10 days with her first (and he was 9 lbs 15 oz). I believe she was induced, and no c-section.

    Another former coworker was convinced she would go early because she and her sisters were all born weeks early--she had her first the day before she was due.

    I know another woman who thought (along with her doctors) that she would deliver early. And she delived 13 days late by c-section, after going through about 28 hours of labor and still no baby. And if I remember he was also a big baby.

    For the most part I would say it depends on the baby. But that doesn't mean you won't deliver early. Personally, I wouldn't be flying anywhere in my 8th month.

  5. #5
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    Default RE: Delivering before due date

    Okay, I'm convinced not to fly - it's a very short flight, but it IS better to be safe than sorry. I'm still worried about delivering early and having to deal with my company's maternity leave policies (and the fact that the last TEN women in my department to have babies all had C-sections!), but there are those things I can control, and others I can't. I'll just have to make sure we have everything ready just in case! Thank you for all of your insight.

    JMarie
    Jennifer
    Momma to Aidan 01/03
    New addition coming 10/08

  6. #6
    spu Guest

    Default RE: Delivering before due date

    Hi there,

    I can totally relate to you.

    All the women on my maternal side (except for my mother) delivered early too. (between 7-8 mos!) I'm currently pg. with twins and was diagnosed with an incopetent cervix at 18 wks. (they did a cerclage to prevent losing the pregnancy and bedrest ever since). Perhaps this was why all my aunts and grandmother delivered early - but now we have the technology to detect things a little better. Have your dr. keep a close eye on your cervix length. We're seeing a perinatologist and he said the only sure statistic he knows of is if a woman's cervix is less than 1.5 cm, she's 90% likely to deliver before 32 weeks. Between 20 and 32 weeks, he measured my cervix with a vaginal ultrasound every 2 weeks. It did indeed shorten over the duration from 4 cm. to 1.6 cm. I did alot of research in medical journals and papers out there (my hubby is a scientist) and the cervix is definitely a factor in preterm delivery. High b.p. (preeclampsia) and other variable risk factors can come into play too. But if you're generally healthy, don't drink or smoke, you should be safe by watching the cervix very closely and preventative measures can be taken. I guess there's no guarantee, but with our histories, it's better to be proactive than reactive.

    I was supposed to fly out with my husband for a wedding in California last weekend when I was 32 weeks, but with the bedrest and statistics, there was no way I was going. We were petrified that he'd be in CA and I'd be on the east coast and he'd miss the birth. If anything were to happen, we wanted to be in close proximity to our own hospitals and doctors who knew our history.

    As far as your company's maternity leave policy, FMLA is the law. Check with your state for actual details. Your company can't deny you FMLA for any reason. If you have short term disability, that may cover your pay for a certain amount of time determined by the policy. And, it's none of their business if you 'think' you might deliver early. I'd say nothing about it to them or they could deny you projects, reviews, etc. Just continue working as you normally do and let nature and the baby take it's course.

    The important thing is to focus on you, your health and happiness, and your new baby-2-be. Try not to worry about work. It can really eat you up (as it did me in the beginning!) Nothing is more important than bringing this new beautiful life into the world.

    Best wishes to you!

    susan

  7. #7
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    Default RE: Delivering before due date

    Unfortunately, not all companies must follow FMLA. It only applies to companies with more than 50 employees. Depending on the state you live in, your right to a maternity leave varies. Sad but true. :(
    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

  8. #8
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    Default RE: Delivering before due date

    I am fortunate enough to work for a Fortune 500 company, so we do have specific leave policies. Unfortunately, it's also a bank, so they're really sticklers. My concern is this - if I go into labor unexpectedly, my first 'week' of leave is either unpaid or I have to use a week of vacation (I only qualify for two weeks for the next two years). Otherwise, I get six weeks paid (eight for a c-section), and then I can use up to 12 weeks unpaid FMLA time. I know I have a ton of time to figure all this out - I'm not too far along - but I'm one of those people who likes to be prepared. I guess I should just plan for anything!

    JMarie
    Jennifer
    Momma to Aidan 01/03
    New addition coming 10/08

  9. #9
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    Default RE: Delivering before due date

    That's a rather curious leave policy to penalize you for having an early delivery. I also worked for a Fortune 500, and my leave started the day I checked into the hospital, regardless. In my company, all maternity leave was short term disability, and was handled by a third party insurance company. Their policy was that they started your "leave" on your EDD, and if you delivered early or late, you had to notify them, which I also thought was pretty weird. Since I ended up delivering 3 weeks early, I had to notify them that I had delivered early. But other than that there was no big deal.

    Our policy USED to be 8 weeks for a C section, but of course they changed that policy WHILE I WAS PREGNANT! Grrr.


    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

  10. #10
    sntm's Avatar
    sntm is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Default RE: Delivering before due date

    The current recommendation about flying is not after 30-34 weeks (depends on OB). It's just too risky. I also wouldn't advise being too far from home during that time unless you have identified a "just in case" hospital.

    Dr. shannon
    not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
    shannon
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