Is time in labor inherited?

[Aloros]

I''m not pregnant, nor planning on having babies anytime soon, but I was chatting with my mom about the births of me, my sis, and my brother. Apparently, my brother (eldest) and sister were born very quickly! My brother was born after five hours of labor, and my sister took six. I took a little longer due to some complications, I can''t remember what. I was just wondering if this is something inherited? That would be nice for when/if I have my own kids - I could just be in and out of the hospital. My friend gave birth recently, and she did 26 hours of natural labor for a 9lb baby. Ouch!

Just curious.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I don''t think so (but a doctor would know). I know my mom was in labor with my brother for so long she had to have a c/s (over 24 hours). I had an 8.5 hour labor (which is pretty fast for the first baby). So according to the theory it would not be. There are so many complications and you don''t know how your body is going to react to labor until you do it. Each labor is suppose to be shorter than the last b/c the body remembers. I do remember by OB saying breech babies runs in families which I found really interesting.

 

[somethingshiny]

My mom never had a labor last more than 8 hours from her first contraction until the baby was in her arms. My labor was induced for 39 hours and then I had a c-section. So, my guess would be NO.

 

[curlygirl]

I would assume no, as well. My mother was in labor with my sister for over 24 hours (first child). My first one was about 8 hours from start to finish and much easier than what my mom endured!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

My mom claimed she was in labor for only 8 hours. Me, on the otherhand, was induced and ended up with a c/s.

Not sure if this is applicable, but every woman (except one) on my DH''s side of the family had to have c-sections.

 

[Blackpaw]

its funny you ask, my SIL just gave birth (long labor ending in a c) and a friend commented that her mum probably had a similar one...

id wondered if it was true (as my own mum''s labor was looooong and a C in the end too!)...im heartened to hear its not necessarily the case

 

[upgrade]

I don''t really know... I know a lot of people who''ve had similar labours to their mothers and a lot who''ve been totally different. My first was identical to my mom''s. 6 hours and 20 minutes total with a posterior baby. Her second was 6 hours. Mine was 45 minutes. I win!

 

[Pandora II]

I WISH!

My mother has had four kids and quick and easy labours with all of us. I was the first and was born an hour after they reached the hospital at 7lbs 8oz, my brother and sister were both in the high 8lb range and my youngest sister was 9lbs 4oz.

My sister had a longish labour with her first - but had polyhydramnios due to my niece having a cleft palate so it took ages for the head to engage properly. Once it was then the labour was quick for a 10lb baby. Her son was born in less than 3 hours at over 11lbs...

Mine was 54 hours and ended in emergency forceps in the operating theatre... she was 8lbs 3oz

 

[Jas12]

People say that they are, but i am not sure if it is scientifically proven
My mom was in labor with me for a full 48 hours (home birth, otherwise i am sure she would of ended in a c/s).
I was 23 hours with my son, but it would have been much,much longer since i was induced after my water broke and that really speeds things along.
So ya, we were looking similar (as were our pregnancies and post partum experiences)

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I should have mentioned my 8.5 hour labor was induced. That was the time from the first contraction to her birth.

 

[steph72276]

I don''t know about labor, but I have always wondered about c-sections...my mom, aunts, and myself have all had to have them.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Steph, I wondered about that too. There are lots of c-sections on my mother''s side of my family; aunt, cousins, and I know my grandmother had real problems at childbirth (not sure if she had a section, what did they do in the 1930s?).

I had an emergency section because A was in distress after 17 hours of labour, but my mother had an elective section (I was breech). So, completely different reasons, but I still wonder if there is a link.

 

[Aloros]

Tacori, that is really interesting about the breech babies! I went and looked up some articles on that study. I wonder if it is a behavioral thing or if there is something else that stops the baby from turning around? Fascinating!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 1/8/2010 11:42:05 AM
Author: Aloros
Tacori, that is really interesting about the breech babies! I went and looked up some articles on that study. I wonder if it is a behavioral thing or if there is something else that stops the baby from turning around? Fascinating!

The only reason I know this is that my DD was breech and flipped really late (boy, that was painful) and my OB asked me if I had been breeched and told me it runs in families. Let me know what you find b/c it is interesting.

 

[janinegirly]

I don''t think labors are but do think pregnancy experiences can be. My mother had similar symptoms (or lack of) as I did. But she had a lonnnng labor with me, and mine was quick with my own daughter. However she had no epidural..so maybe that made it worse. My mom was also about 90lbs when she had me! (not anymore..hehe).

 

[Kaleigh]

Not in my case. Mom had easy deliveries, while I labored and never progressed, so had 2 C sections.

 

[Mara]

i hope not...my mom''s last labor with my sis was something like 24+ hours and she was breech and had to be turned externally...apparently not very fun!!

thank god our kid is already in position, now stay there!

 

[waxing lyrical]

My mom''s labor with me was 3 hours. Pretty fast. She had a c-section with my sister due to breech presentation.

DD1 - 3 hours
DD2 - 47 minutes
DS1 - 1 hour 40 minutes
DS2 - 1 hour (though much shorter if going by ''real'' labor - where I didn''t have to second guess.)

 

[yssie]

I sure hope not!

Just as I hope fertility is not inherited - my mum had me at 25 after trying for two year and all future attempts were miscarried.