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So who had labours of a similar length of time as their mother? Is it common to have a similar birth?
My mum suggested today that we ask the midwife what we should have on hand in case of an emergency. She said she’d been thinking about it in the night and since we live rurally, and since I might potentially have a quick birth, she wants to be prepared.
I was thinking she just meant in terms of the theory that hypnobirthing births can be a bit quicker. But she said she was also thinking back to her own labours.
I knew I was born fast but thought my older brother took a little longer. I was 1hr & 15mins, he was 2hrs, 15mins.
So when she said that again today I asked her – “That’s active labour right?” She said no – that was from her first contraction!
My mum is teeny & he was over 9.5lb (close to 10lb I think). So if the hypnobirthing also contributes to a short labour…..
Apparently my Nana had my mum in less than 3 hours and her younger brother in under 2 as well.
Better get sewing up a home birth mat and making sure we have some sterilized sharp scissors handy just in case!
Pepibebe | nurturing by nature 
My labor went quickly, I joke about keeping a pack of new shoelaces in the house for the next one just in case (I read stories on forums of women who delivered at home unexpectedly and the emergency dispatcher told them to tie off the umbilical cord with a shoe lace).
Um, neither of my births were anything like my mother’s. My brother and I were both 10 days to 2 weeks late, my two were both born on time. My mom’s labor with me was 8 hours, mine with Juju was 52 hours. Jelly’s was more like 15 hours. My mom’s labor stalled with my brother (he was posterior) and she had a homebirth to hospital transfer, my births were both very straightforward, if long. Oh, and I was 7.5 lbs and my brother was almost 8 lbs, and my kids were both 6.5-7 lbs. So I guess what I’m saying is that you just don’t know.
Oh, and mine were both hypnobirths and definitely not short. I’ve never heard that before, though I have heard that moms using hypnosis are often thought to not be as far along as they are because they’re usually so calm.
Yeah lots of differences there. My mum went 2 weeks & 3 weeks over with us, but also says that she didn’t really know when we were conceived & doubts the doctors had it very accurately either. I figure baby size will have 50% to do with my genetics & 50% to do with donors, so probably won’t be that related to my mums baby’s weights. 🙂
My labor was very similar to my mother’s, except that I was in active labor longer. Baby wouldn’t turn, head acynclitic. I suspect a good deal of labor is dependent on body structure and responsiveness to hormones.
Ahh yes – I just wrote about that in the previous comment. I think I have the same shaped pelvis and hip structure as my mum – so that’s the main reason I thought we might have similar labours.
Our child birth teacher told the class to ask our moms about their births bc it can often be similar.
Yes I thought so, I mean there will be many factors that come into play, but I think I have the same pelvic & hip structure as my mum.
The wife went from zero action to ready to deliver in under an hour both times, but ended up with c-section both times as well as the babies went too fast for her body to react and deliver naturally. I would say get the birth mat and get ready for a big baby 😉
Good to be prepared just in case!
How fun and lucky for your family to have such quick deliveries. Not the 10lb baby however. OUCH !
Keeping positive thoughts for a healthy happy delivery for both mom and baby.
Yep – positive thoughts gladly accepted!!
Elements of my first labor (and second? Less sure as I didn’t get to discuss it with her) were similar to my mother’s. Precipitous labor can reportedly be scary, but as someone with a long first labor, I have to admit I’m always a little jealous.
wow. that would be amazing to have a short labour (although i understand they have their associated risks). my mom always talked about her labours. going into them naturally, lasting no more than 8 hours, getting an epidural and being comfortable. mine was NOWHERE near the same haha. be prepared for anything and everything.
Yes – hypnobirthing philosophy “I am prepared to calmly meet whatever turn my birthing journey may take.”
I haven’t heard about labor lengths being hereditary but gestational length is! My family all go over 40 weeks and many past or close to 42 weeks (totally normal and safe). I would ask your family about that, everyone on your maternal side. As for those sharp scissors, have you read about delayed cord clamping/cutting? It is really beneficial to let the baby stay attached for minimum three minutes, until the cord stops pulsing, or even a few hours. During birth, a large amount of baby’s blood is in the placenta and you want all of it to get to baby. Something to read up on!
Yep yep, onto it with the cord clamping delays 🙂
I did. My mother’s were both fast and 3-4 weeks premature. Knowing this, when my water broke 4.5 weeks early without contractions having started yet, I felt comfortable refusing to be induced. Sure enough, a few hours later I started having light contractions, and after about 5 hours of real labour DW was born.
The thought is both a little daunting and great.
Yeah daunting for yours for sure!