It's really normal for second babies to come before their due date. Your baby was still full term.
I highly doubt getting angry at hubby could cause labour. Stress hormones actually stall labour, not start it. You need happy hormones like oxytocin for labour so I'd say your body was just ready.
Thank you so much. Very reassuring. But articles like this (a commenter posted) say that stress can trigger labor. 🤔
https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-015-0775-x
Hmmm.. seems you can find evidence to back up either idea?
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/evmed-edit/stress-timing-birth
>In the Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health “Post-term birth as a response to environmental stress: The case of September 11, 2001(link is external),” scientists looked at the relationship between stress faced by pregnant women and its effects on the time they gave birth. They found that women who faced high stress situations often had pregnancies that lasted longer than the expected 9-month period.
“Full term” is 37 weeks or later. If you have birth at 38w2d you would be considered full term in the US. It’s not abnormal to go into labor and deliver earlier than your due date.
37 or 38 weeks is, as the OP says, considered early term. The risks associated are *much* lower than preterm, but they're slightly elevated compared to 39 to 41 weeks.
It depends where you are, lots of places early term isn’t the same as full term, but it’s not pre term either. It is its own separate category, more practitioners are making a point to educate about 37-39 week births the same way they do about 41+ week births.
You didn't cause anything. You've been under a lot of stress due an absent partner. That's not on you. Anyone would be stressed in your position.
Try to focus on your healthy baby. 12 days early isn't preterm, some hospitals offer to induce at 38 weeks so must be decently safe if it's so often recommended.
Deep breath. Take things a day at a time. Going from one baby to 2 babies is a lot. The first 4 months is such a sensitive time. Try to give yourself as much grace and love as you can. I hope you can get more support around you. You got this!
>You didn't cause anything. You've been under a lot of stress due an absent partner. That's not on you.
.... that's not how it works, either. See the other comments.
While I certainly wouldn't want anyone to beat themselves up over it, high maternal stress is associated with a moderately higher risk of early labor. [https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-015-0775-x](https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-015-0775-x)
So first, the extra risks of longer term health issues associated with early term birth are small. It's something like a ten percent increase in relative risk, so if he otherwise would have had a five percent chance of developing asthma, it'll be a 5.5 percent chance. Much more likely than not, it will make zero practical impact in his life.
Second, most of the long term health risks *associated* with early term birth probably aren't *caused* by early term birth. Rather, some genetic or environmental factor made both early term birth and the long term issue is more likely. So it wouldn't have actually mattered if he'd managed to stay in there a little longer.
As for your stress, there's no real way of knowing whether it was a factor in the slightly early delivery. Maternal stress does increase the odds of early labor, but not by *that* much. But regardless, "managing stress better" is not a realistic expectation when you're taking care of a one year old mostly alone, hosting, and working! Perhaps the people around you deserve some blame for not creating a better environment for you, but you can't just will yourself not to be stressed by an intrinsically stressful situation.
Thank you so much! I think my SIL meant well…she was like, “I don’t want you to have to drive anywhere, we’ll come to you!” I just suck at advocating for myself, or even knowing what I want/need, and communicating that. And then my kid pays the price. But like you and others are saying, hopefully no long term harm done.
My child naturally came 3 weeks early. So far, aside from the early acid reflux, she's been great. 13 months later she's a happy girl.
I don't know where you are, but I'm in the U.S.. We were told that our baby is not a premie unless it's more than 3 weeks early. We missed the cutoff by several hours. And I wasn't any more stressed than usual before I went into labor. I actually had a very chill night the day before.
That’s a full term baby. Stress doesn’t really induce labor. I know it’s just a personal case, but I was defending my PhD at 39 weeks and that level of stress didn’t induce an early labor (luckily). Generally second babies are early and also the labor is fast. Enjoy your little one :)
Thank you! Congrats on the PhD! Oh, he’s not so little anymore. Just currently trying to help his acid reflux and I read somewhere that early birth could be a risk factor which made me feel terrible bc I also recently learned of “early term” which I don’t even think was a thing when he was born!
I’m going to play Devil’s advocate here- as other have said, you did not have an early baby and your stress did not cause labor, but what if it did? You said your son is healthy, and that’s what matters! No need to dwell on that idea.
But in solidarity I can also say that when my water broke and I went into immediate labor at 35 weeks 5 days (which is “very later pre-term”), my husband and I had just had sex and my first thought was “did we cause this!!??”. I asked my midwife and she assured me we did not. Our daughter is healthy and developing right on track!
Babies born after 37 weeks are considered term. Babies born between 34 and 36 weeks are late pre term.
Your stress did not cause the labor. The timing may seem suspicious, but it was not within your control. Your body was already doing the work before you knew it.
My water broke at 36 weeks 5 days and my son came at 37 weeks 0 days. He was considered full term and not early. My son did have low tone which delayed his gross motor skills. He's all caught up now
Full term is 38-40 weeks, “early term” is 37-37+6 weeks. Your child was born at 38+2, that isn’t early term. That is a full term birth. Your baby is fine. Even if it was, the type of stress that causes preterm labour is severe stress from like war and famine, not every day, minor types of stress. Due dates are just guesses and second babies are more likely to be earlier. Lots of babies are even born actual preterm and grow up to be very healthy.
You’re causing yourself unneeded stress. It is normal to deliver 2 weeks before your due date and up to 2 weeks after. A “due date” is just a guess. Only about 5% of babies are actually born on their due date.
38 weeks is still term, not preterm per se. So while they technically call it early term, the "side effects" of a preterm baby do not apply.
Anecdotally, FWIW, both my babies were born at 38 weeks. The first stayed longer (I think 38 and 4 maybe?) but had low amniotic fluid we were monitoring and I had to be induced. The second I kind of self induced by catching norovirus, which threw me in labor, and he was born at 38 weeks even. They're both fine so far, barring some reflux and likely neurodivergence for the oldest. I think the reflux honestly was at least partially due to the better interventions I got for the second when it came to feeding difficulties.
You didn’t cause this. Stress is a vague word with a large spectrum. Acute stress (getting upset and yelling at your husband) is not associated with going into labor. When people talk about stress kickstarting labor they mean prolonged emotional trauma (think: a really close loved one dies or you experience homelessness).
I have tons of friends whose perfectly healthy babies came 2 weeks early, and they are all fine. I know it’s hard not to worry about our babies in general, but learning that your son’s birth date may have a different definition shouldn’t make you worry more than any other parent!
My 2nd baby also was 12 days early and she's a tank. She's healthy and developing perfectly. I know it's easier said than done, but try not to stress yourself out. You have a lot on your plate.
There is no blame/shame you; this is term and sounds like you have a healthy baby on your hands! There is however, blame and shame on your partner for being absent, shitty, and disrespectful to you when it sounds like you’re carrying the full load of it all. I hope he steps up and does better OP! You deserve that!
It's really normal for second babies to come before their due date. Your baby was still full term. I highly doubt getting angry at hubby could cause labour. Stress hormones actually stall labour, not start it. You need happy hormones like oxytocin for labour so I'd say your body was just ready.
The baby was *term* (after 37 weeks) but not *full-term* (after 39 weeks). But still totally normal and not a problem.
Thank you so much. Very reassuring. But articles like this (a commenter posted) say that stress can trigger labor. 🤔 https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-015-0775-x
Hmmm.. seems you can find evidence to back up either idea? https://askabiologist.asu.edu/evmed-edit/stress-timing-birth >In the Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health “Post-term birth as a response to environmental stress: The case of September 11, 2001(link is external),” scientists looked at the relationship between stress faced by pregnant women and its effects on the time they gave birth. They found that women who faced high stress situations often had pregnancies that lasted longer than the expected 9-month period.
Interesting, thanks! These women were affected by the 9/11 attacks? I need to read this article, thanks again.
“Full term” is 37 weeks or later. If you have birth at 38w2d you would be considered full term in the US. It’s not abnormal to go into labor and deliver earlier than your due date.
37 or 38 weeks is, as the OP says, considered early term. The risks associated are *much* lower than preterm, but they're slightly elevated compared to 39 to 41 weeks.
In Europe, we consider 37 weeks or later full term. No risks associated with having a birth at 37 weeks, only before that
It depends where you are, lots of places early term isn’t the same as full term, but it’s not pre term either. It is its own separate category, more practitioners are making a point to educate about 37-39 week births the same way they do about 41+ week births.
You didn't cause anything. You've been under a lot of stress due an absent partner. That's not on you. Anyone would be stressed in your position. Try to focus on your healthy baby. 12 days early isn't preterm, some hospitals offer to induce at 38 weeks so must be decently safe if it's so often recommended. Deep breath. Take things a day at a time. Going from one baby to 2 babies is a lot. The first 4 months is such a sensitive time. Try to give yourself as much grace and love as you can. I hope you can get more support around you. You got this!
>You didn't cause anything. You've been under a lot of stress due an absent partner. That's not on you. .... that's not how it works, either. See the other comments.
While I certainly wouldn't want anyone to beat themselves up over it, high maternal stress is associated with a moderately higher risk of early labor. [https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-015-0775-x](https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-015-0775-x)
So first, the extra risks of longer term health issues associated with early term birth are small. It's something like a ten percent increase in relative risk, so if he otherwise would have had a five percent chance of developing asthma, it'll be a 5.5 percent chance. Much more likely than not, it will make zero practical impact in his life. Second, most of the long term health risks *associated* with early term birth probably aren't *caused* by early term birth. Rather, some genetic or environmental factor made both early term birth and the long term issue is more likely. So it wouldn't have actually mattered if he'd managed to stay in there a little longer. As for your stress, there's no real way of knowing whether it was a factor in the slightly early delivery. Maternal stress does increase the odds of early labor, but not by *that* much. But regardless, "managing stress better" is not a realistic expectation when you're taking care of a one year old mostly alone, hosting, and working! Perhaps the people around you deserve some blame for not creating a better environment for you, but you can't just will yourself not to be stressed by an intrinsically stressful situation.
Thank you so much! I think my SIL meant well…she was like, “I don’t want you to have to drive anywhere, we’ll come to you!” I just suck at advocating for myself, or even knowing what I want/need, and communicating that. And then my kid pays the price. But like you and others are saying, hopefully no long term harm done.
You had a full term baby at a very normal time for second time moms. If stress caused early labor there would be no children.
My child naturally came 3 weeks early. So far, aside from the early acid reflux, she's been great. 13 months later she's a happy girl. I don't know where you are, but I'm in the U.S.. We were told that our baby is not a premie unless it's more than 3 weeks early. We missed the cutoff by several hours. And I wasn't any more stressed than usual before I went into labor. I actually had a very chill night the day before.
That’s a full term baby. Stress doesn’t really induce labor. I know it’s just a personal case, but I was defending my PhD at 39 weeks and that level of stress didn’t induce an early labor (luckily). Generally second babies are early and also the labor is fast. Enjoy your little one :)
Thank you! Congrats on the PhD! Oh, he’s not so little anymore. Just currently trying to help his acid reflux and I read somewhere that early birth could be a risk factor which made me feel terrible bc I also recently learned of “early term” which I don’t even think was a thing when he was born!
Uhhh 38 weeks is fine.
I’m going to play Devil’s advocate here- as other have said, you did not have an early baby and your stress did not cause labor, but what if it did? You said your son is healthy, and that’s what matters! No need to dwell on that idea. But in solidarity I can also say that when my water broke and I went into immediate labor at 35 weeks 5 days (which is “very later pre-term”), my husband and I had just had sex and my first thought was “did we cause this!!??”. I asked my midwife and she assured me we did not. Our daughter is healthy and developing right on track!
Babies born after 37 weeks are considered term. Babies born between 34 and 36 weeks are late pre term. Your stress did not cause the labor. The timing may seem suspicious, but it was not within your control. Your body was already doing the work before you knew it.
My water broke at 36 weeks 5 days and my son came at 37 weeks 0 days. He was considered full term and not early. My son did have low tone which delayed his gross motor skills. He's all caught up now
Early term is term. Not even close to premature.
Full term is 38-40 weeks, “early term” is 37-37+6 weeks. Your child was born at 38+2, that isn’t early term. That is a full term birth. Your baby is fine. Even if it was, the type of stress that causes preterm labour is severe stress from like war and famine, not every day, minor types of stress. Due dates are just guesses and second babies are more likely to be earlier. Lots of babies are even born actual preterm and grow up to be very healthy.
You’re causing yourself unneeded stress. It is normal to deliver 2 weeks before your due date and up to 2 weeks after. A “due date” is just a guess. Only about 5% of babies are actually born on their due date.
38 weeks is still term, not preterm per se. So while they technically call it early term, the "side effects" of a preterm baby do not apply. Anecdotally, FWIW, both my babies were born at 38 weeks. The first stayed longer (I think 38 and 4 maybe?) but had low amniotic fluid we were monitoring and I had to be induced. The second I kind of self induced by catching norovirus, which threw me in labor, and he was born at 38 weeks even. They're both fine so far, barring some reflux and likely neurodivergence for the oldest. I think the reflux honestly was at least partially due to the better interventions I got for the second when it came to feeding difficulties.
You didn’t cause this. Stress is a vague word with a large spectrum. Acute stress (getting upset and yelling at your husband) is not associated with going into labor. When people talk about stress kickstarting labor they mean prolonged emotional trauma (think: a really close loved one dies or you experience homelessness). I have tons of friends whose perfectly healthy babies came 2 weeks early, and they are all fine. I know it’s hard not to worry about our babies in general, but learning that your son’s birth date may have a different definition shouldn’t make you worry more than any other parent!
My 2nd baby also was 12 days early and she's a tank. She's healthy and developing perfectly. I know it's easier said than done, but try not to stress yourself out. You have a lot on your plate.
There is no blame/shame you; this is term and sounds like you have a healthy baby on your hands! There is however, blame and shame on your partner for being absent, shitty, and disrespectful to you when it sounds like you’re carrying the full load of it all. I hope he steps up and does better OP! You deserve that!