What are the chances of 2nd Baby coming early?

[Anonymous]

Our first baby was born at 38 weeks. I am trying to determine how much time I should save up to take off prior to the birth. With my first it was in December and
I had a week at home before the birth to get last minute stuff done because it was the week of Christmas and our company was closed. I had planned to return to work the next week but the baby came on Friday of the week I had off. However this time I am delivering in October and trying to plan leave time. I haven't been able to find percentages or much information about 2nd babies coming early if your first came early. Most of it is related to premature births. My midwife does not consider 38 weeks premature and said that she believes that I should deliver around the same time. I know everyone's body is different, but I am interested in hearing other's experiences with the second delivery if their first baby came slightly early. Our DD came at week 38 and was a healthy 8lbs, no complications.

[Anonymous]

My doctor told me to expect my 2nd earlier than my first (who arrived 10 days early), but admitted she had no statistics on this. I did a literature search on PubMed but came up with little (though it turns out the standard deviation on the gestation length is a week or 10 days, so you should expect that two week early babies are fairly common and that natural variation probably swamps the difference between first and second babies). In the end, my 2nd came 3 days after his nominal due date.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand....I only get the FMLA (12 weeks off) so I worked up until the day I went into labor. Which started in my cubicle at the office. The reason I did this is because I did not want to waste any of my leave before the baby came, so I could have every day of the 12 weeks with my newborn.

Are you trying to plan your leave?

[Anonymous]

My 1st came 4 days early. My 2nd came 1 day late.

[Anonymous]

OP here: I will receive 16 weeks of leave, only part of it paid. That is not the issue. I just wanted to know other's experience with having a second baby if their first came early. Yes, I can work up until the baby comes to get maximum time as home...however I found that there were last minute things that I was able to complete in that week prior to the birth. Additionally with having a 1st child that is going to be almost two at that point I wanted to take some time with her prior to birth...so I was thinking of stopping work at the beginning of my 38th week if the baby wasn't here. However there is always the possiblity that the baby might come late as well. I just wanted to know others experiences. I am concerned about trying to have as much time home with the baby as possible, but I also would like a few days to rest before the labour. It was nice having the time off before I was relaxed, not thinking about what I needed to wrap up at work.

[Anonymous]

I wondered the same thing when I was pregnant w/#2. My first came 3 weeks early (36w 6 d). I was told that there was a better chance I'd go early w/#2 - but no guarantees (since it wasn't clear why my water broke before my due date). Not exactly reliable advice. However, I was exactly 36w 6d when I went into labor w/#2.

I was convinced I would go after my due date w/#2. I thought I'd play it safe and packed my bag the night I went into labor-- good thing I did!

Good luck

[Anonymous]

1st came 2 weeks early.

2nd came 3 weeks early.

Both came within hours of my OB saying it would be weeks. Both came when I had exactly 1 week of work left before leave.

[Anonymous]

Ist one came at 39w5d
second was induced at 39w- super healthy stats (boy vs girl but he was heavier)

[Anonymous]

PP here-
first a 39W6D
second still induced at 39w- wasn;t sure if we'd make it since i was just nervous- but he came out at 75% everything! And due to conception issues- we knew w/ EACH pregnancy dates since we had more u/s than most.

[Anonymous]

I love this question, because it's been on my mind for MONTHS. My first (dd) was born healthy - 6 lbs, 13 oz - at 38 weeks. I am now expecting dd#2, and am at 36 weeks + 4 days. I had a second ultrasound last week that showed dd2 weighing in the 78%, which is good if she comes early like her big sis. I started cramping a little this weekend, which didn't happen with #1, so who knows what that means (this pregnancy has been very different than my first). I had my weekly appt yesterday, and the doc didn't see anything exciting. When people ask me when I'm due, I tell them my official date, but keep thinking it might be sooner....maybe that's just wishful thinking!