An unscientific, but interesting, study
"As I prepare for the upcoming labor, delivery, parenting, and nurturing of another human, I thought it would be interesting to learn a little from my friends who have recently gone through this experience. I sent out an email to my new-mom friends containing three questions. The questions, and my friends responses, are listed below.
1. In the womb vs now: Did your baby's activity in the womb give an accurate portrayal of their natural temperament? As in, the baby who kicked a lot is now a very active child, and the baby who only fluttered about is mild mannered...
Dorothy, mother of Katie, July 30, 2004: 'One woman I know who has an absolute whirlwind of a child (girl), reports that her baby was never still in utero. She says it felt as if the baby was doing laps. And now, this child is never still. As for Katie, she didn't move that much, and she is very mild-mannered, easy and sweet. So I think there may be some correlation.'
Cece, mother of Memphis, Apr 1, 2002; Pregnant again due Feb 14 2006: 'Memphis was VERY active in utero and continues to be very active! She also had a tendency to wake up and move around at 2 am while I was pregnant, and this behavior continues. She would wake up every morning at 2 am to nurse (that lasted about a year) and will still (at age three-and-a-half!) get out of her bed and come into our room around the same time. I'm anticipating that Grayson's current in utero activity will be indicative of his post-delivery schedule (mother's intuition).'
Nichole, mother of Sophie, Jan 2004: 'Not sure since I don't have much to compare her to. Sophie was probably pretty laid back in the womb and definitely is now. She would wake me up in the middle of the night with her kicks, which she continues to do!'
Maija, mother of Boden, Sept, 2005: 'Boden was very much like he is now -- very restful sometimes, and then very active. He is never really in the middle.'
2. Are delivery dates hereditary: Did you deliver early, late or on your actual due date? Did this follow the trend your own mother had with her children? Would you suspect if you are/were to have more children that you would again deliver early, late, on time?
Dorothy: 'I can't answer that fully. We were all early. Sean and his sister were both pretty close to their due dates. Katie was nine days late. Our childbirth class teacher says that first pregnancies are typically 41 weeks long. Subsequent ones are a little shorter.'
Cece: 'Memphis was born exactly two weeks before her due date (April 1 vs. April 15). However, when I did my own calculations, I was pretty sure the doctor was off and that she would be born closer to the end of March. I was right (mother's intuition, again). However, I don't think this was hereditary. I was overdue, and I believe Rohrk was right on time. I anticipate that Grayson will be born right on time.'
Nichole: 'We were two weeks early, and our doc had warned us about a month or month and a half before that that we'd probably be early. I'm guessing I'll be early next time too. My mom was right on time or a little late with all three of us, I think. She was induced with my sister Heidi, but Anja and I started the process on our own.'
Maija: 'My sister and mom both delivered before their due dates, not late. I was two weeks late and had to be induced. The next time they won't let me go past my due date because Boden was so big.'
3. Gender trends: Of the people you know who are pregnant now, do you suspect they will have boys or girls (or did you suspect correctly before they found out via ultrasound)? Was your intuition correct about the gender of your own child? Is there a way you can explain what made you think the baby was one gender or another (even if you ended up being wrong)?
Dorothy: 'I had a feeling it would be a boy. It may be because I was hoping ever so slightly for a girl, so I was thinking "boy" so I would be prepared. I know I would have loved a boy just as much. Sean always thought we were having a girl. I've never had much intuition about what other people were having. One [high school] classmate at my reunion told me she was sure I would have a boy, and she said she's never been wrong. A coworker who has also never been wrong thought I would have a girl. Based on how I was carrying, I thought boy. However, my friend who was pregnant at the same time I was, who had her baby two weeks before I did, also had a girl, and we couldn't have looked more different when we were pregnant.'
Cece: 'I have been accurate on all accounts when guessing the gender of other people's babies, as well as my own! I think I even told you that I guessed Britney Spears would have a boy, and she did, and I don't even know her. I get a "vibe" from the pregnant women around me -- and I envision the mother and baby in my head. Honestly, I haven't been wrong yet! (Clare, I always envision you with a boy!) I had dreams about the gender of both my babies. I was convinced and prepared to have a girl with Memphis, and when I found out (at seven months) that she was a girl, I wasn't at all surprised. With this baby, I dreamt right away (even before it was confirmed that I was pregnant) that I had a baby boy, and that was confirmed my ultrasound, too. Mother's intuition, yet again!'
Nichole: 'When I was pregnant, there were seven of us [at work] expecting, and one of my co-workers guessed the gender of six of us correctly. She based it on the heartbeat. And the one she got wrong she guessed was a girl, but the heartbeat reading she had was earlier than you usually get those, so that's what she claims threw her off. She said lower than 120 means boy, over 160 means girl and 140 it's anybody's guess. We asked our doc and he said that using that method, you have a 51 percent chance of guessing right. So that's better than 50/50! I thought Sophie was a girl right up until the day we were going in to find out. Then, looking back, I think I might have been trying to prepare myself so I wouldn't be disappointed if it was a boy. I've never really been around little boys, so I was scared of having a boy.'
Maija: 'I felt all along that it was going to be a boy -- I've thought since I was about ten that I would have two boys -- we'll see on the next one. I just felt like I was meant to have a boy. It wasn't necessarily how I felt while I was pregnant -- just what I felt on intuition. If I had to guess what you will have Clare, I would guess that it's going to be a girl.'
I found these replies to be incredibly interesting. If I were to base our future on them I can only confidently say that I know that Bucky will be a very active child.
As I've mentioned before Ross and I think differently about when Bucky will arrive, and I guess we'll just have to wait and see on that one.
And as far as if Bucky will be a boy or girl, I originally thought girl, then decided to think boy so I would be prepared for either. Ross and I refer to Bucky as 'he,' but Ross thinks we're actually going to have a girl.Of our friends and co-workers, it's pretty much split down the middle as to Bucky's gender.
What do you all think, dear readers? We'd love to hear. My proposed due date is January 30, my mom delivered late with all of us (two girls, one boy) and Ross's mom delivered early with all of hers (two boys, one girl). What day you think Bucky will arrive, and will we have a Buck or Buckette?!
Grand Prize will be the glory of knowing you were right... isn't that enough?"
--Clare, 1/3/06
1. In the womb vs now: Did your baby's activity in the womb give an accurate portrayal of their natural temperament? As in, the baby who kicked a lot is now a very active child, and the baby who only fluttered about is mild mannered...
Dorothy, mother of Katie, July 30, 2004: 'One woman I know who has an absolute whirlwind of a child (girl), reports that her baby was never still in utero. She says it felt as if the baby was doing laps. And now, this child is never still. As for Katie, she didn't move that much, and she is very mild-mannered, easy and sweet. So I think there may be some correlation.'
Cece, mother of Memphis, Apr 1, 2002; Pregnant again due Feb 14 2006: 'Memphis was VERY active in utero and continues to be very active! She also had a tendency to wake up and move around at 2 am while I was pregnant, and this behavior continues. She would wake up every morning at 2 am to nurse (that lasted about a year) and will still (at age three-and-a-half!) get out of her bed and come into our room around the same time. I'm anticipating that Grayson's current in utero activity will be indicative of his post-delivery schedule (mother's intuition).'
Nichole, mother of Sophie, Jan 2004: 'Not sure since I don't have much to compare her to. Sophie was probably pretty laid back in the womb and definitely is now. She would wake me up in the middle of the night with her kicks, which she continues to do!'
Maija, mother of Boden, Sept, 2005: 'Boden was very much like he is now -- very restful sometimes, and then very active. He is never really in the middle.'
2. Are delivery dates hereditary: Did you deliver early, late or on your actual due date? Did this follow the trend your own mother had with her children? Would you suspect if you are/were to have more children that you would again deliver early, late, on time?
Dorothy: 'I can't answer that fully. We were all early. Sean and his sister were both pretty close to their due dates. Katie was nine days late. Our childbirth class teacher says that first pregnancies are typically 41 weeks long. Subsequent ones are a little shorter.'
Cece: 'Memphis was born exactly two weeks before her due date (April 1 vs. April 15). However, when I did my own calculations, I was pretty sure the doctor was off and that she would be born closer to the end of March. I was right (mother's intuition, again). However, I don't think this was hereditary. I was overdue, and I believe Rohrk was right on time. I anticipate that Grayson will be born right on time.'
Nichole: 'We were two weeks early, and our doc had warned us about a month or month and a half before that that we'd probably be early. I'm guessing I'll be early next time too. My mom was right on time or a little late with all three of us, I think. She was induced with my sister Heidi, but Anja and I started the process on our own.'
Maija: 'My sister and mom both delivered before their due dates, not late. I was two weeks late and had to be induced. The next time they won't let me go past my due date because Boden was so big.'
3. Gender trends: Of the people you know who are pregnant now, do you suspect they will have boys or girls (or did you suspect correctly before they found out via ultrasound)? Was your intuition correct about the gender of your own child? Is there a way you can explain what made you think the baby was one gender or another (even if you ended up being wrong)?
Dorothy: 'I had a feeling it would be a boy. It may be because I was hoping ever so slightly for a girl, so I was thinking "boy" so I would be prepared. I know I would have loved a boy just as much. Sean always thought we were having a girl. I've never had much intuition about what other people were having. One [high school] classmate at my reunion told me she was sure I would have a boy, and she said she's never been wrong. A coworker who has also never been wrong thought I would have a girl. Based on how I was carrying, I thought boy. However, my friend who was pregnant at the same time I was, who had her baby two weeks before I did, also had a girl, and we couldn't have looked more different when we were pregnant.'
Cece: 'I have been accurate on all accounts when guessing the gender of other people's babies, as well as my own! I think I even told you that I guessed Britney Spears would have a boy, and she did, and I don't even know her. I get a "vibe" from the pregnant women around me -- and I envision the mother and baby in my head. Honestly, I haven't been wrong yet! (Clare, I always envision you with a boy!) I had dreams about the gender of both my babies. I was convinced and prepared to have a girl with Memphis, and when I found out (at seven months) that she was a girl, I wasn't at all surprised. With this baby, I dreamt right away (even before it was confirmed that I was pregnant) that I had a baby boy, and that was confirmed my ultrasound, too. Mother's intuition, yet again!'
Nichole: 'When I was pregnant, there were seven of us [at work] expecting, and one of my co-workers guessed the gender of six of us correctly. She based it on the heartbeat. And the one she got wrong she guessed was a girl, but the heartbeat reading she had was earlier than you usually get those, so that's what she claims threw her off. She said lower than 120 means boy, over 160 means girl and 140 it's anybody's guess. We asked our doc and he said that using that method, you have a 51 percent chance of guessing right. So that's better than 50/50! I thought Sophie was a girl right up until the day we were going in to find out. Then, looking back, I think I might have been trying to prepare myself so I wouldn't be disappointed if it was a boy. I've never really been around little boys, so I was scared of having a boy.'
Maija: 'I felt all along that it was going to be a boy -- I've thought since I was about ten that I would have two boys -- we'll see on the next one. I just felt like I was meant to have a boy. It wasn't necessarily how I felt while I was pregnant -- just what I felt on intuition. If I had to guess what you will have Clare, I would guess that it's going to be a girl.'
I found these replies to be incredibly interesting. If I were to base our future on them I can only confidently say that I know that Bucky will be a very active child.
As I've mentioned before Ross and I think differently about when Bucky will arrive, and I guess we'll just have to wait and see on that one.
And as far as if Bucky will be a boy or girl, I originally thought girl, then decided to think boy so I would be prepared for either. Ross and I refer to Bucky as 'he,' but Ross thinks we're actually going to have a girl.Of our friends and co-workers, it's pretty much split down the middle as to Bucky's gender.
What do you all think, dear readers? We'd love to hear. My proposed due date is January 30, my mom delivered late with all of us (two girls, one boy) and Ross's mom delivered early with all of hers (two boys, one girl). What day you think Bucky will arrive, and will we have a Buck or Buckette?!
Grand Prize will be the glory of knowing you were right... isn't that enough?"
--Clare, 1/3/06
posted by RB at 4:49 PM
4 Comments:
My guess is that Bucky is a boy, and I think he'll come early.
I'm thinking boy, and early. Maybe a week early. Just a guess. :)
I'm seeing boy, too. But maybe that's because Bucky makes me think boy (I knew a guy actually named Bucky in college). Either way, you're prepared. And as for delivery... I'll go with right on time.
I say boy, and he'll be earlier than your due date, but perhaps not by much!
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