I was just wondering what's the latest stage of pregnancy anyone has ever known of someone to do a jazz gig? The latest I've known someone to do a gig was at 38 weeks pregnant (2 weeks to go).

I wouldn't PLAN anything for these latter stages. I'm sure it's not impossible. Depends on instrument because breathing could be difficult.

Also anything can happen I didn't have a 38 weeks pregnnt with my daughter gave birth at 36+ And the majority of babies are born in the 2 weeks either side of due date.

Don't want to go ito labour on stage!!!

Remember in about 1 in 10 labours commence with the waters breaking....

you've miss understood the question. I want to know what people have done/ know about not what they would do. The gig in question has been and gone without a problem, so wasn't asking for advice.

OK that's fair enough but I assumed you had a reason for asking..... Maybe thinking of trying it yourself....

So I speculated. If that's not what you want though no matter.

Oh dear, I did a gig at 40 weeks 1 day! It was a gentle duo gig in a cafe, just myself and a guitarist - a weekly thing we used to do. Saturday came - a day after my due date - no contractions - so I thought 'oh why not' and toodled (toddled, more like) off down there. We did the gig and afterwards a woman said: 'blimey, you look like you're about to pop that baby out! When's it due?' I said 'yesterday' and I've never seen anyone back away so fast.

Looking back I must have been a bit mad, but the gig was only 20 minutes walk from my house and if anything had happened I'd have just called an ambulance from the cafe. As it happened, I went to a party the following evening (don't worry, I didn't drink), got home about midnight, went to bed, then woke up at 5.00am with labour in full swing!

Beautiful baby boy born at 6.00pm that evening.

Postscript: a couple of weeks earlier I went to a Latin jazz gig and the baby turned a complete somersault! He did grow up to love music and still does...

wow! 40 weeks +1! I am very impressed at that! It was me who did the gig at 38 weeks by the way, it was at a womens event dinner and we did a few numbers as a jazz quartet with a vocalist and I was on sax, a few instrumentals and solos and some filling in the gaps so not too difficult for me. I did ask my midwife and she told me to go and do it and have fun. I knew in the back of my mind that they'd be fine as a trio if anything happened and it was about 10 mins drive from the hospital which is closer than my home is lol. I knew someone would beat me though!

Thirty-eight weeks is impressive as once you're two weeks from the supposed 'due date' the baby can come at any time in any case!

I'd say to anyone reading this: probably fine for a first-time mother to go and do a gig right up to your due date as long as you could easily be rushed off to hospital/home/wherever at a moment's notice (as easily as you could be from home in other words). But I'd say be much more wary if you're not a first-time mum because subsequent babies can come out much more quickly and you really could be caught on the hop!!! I just sort of knew that my first baby wouldn't pop out quickly and he didn't - he took 12 hours from the beginning of labour. Having said all that there are no rules, and if you're a young mum in your twenties and more supple etc, a baby could conceivably (sic) come out somewhat quicker!



Anyway, glad you were able to enjoy your 'baby gig'! Midwives are wise old birds....

My sister's first born came at home (unplanned home birth) - active labour about 1/2 hr. 2nd child similar but planned home birth.

3rd child breach (but opted for natural delivery) so had to go to hospital about 30-40 mins away on a good day. And she went into labour close to rush hour!!!! Made it just with only about 10 mins to spare. Needless to say she was rather worried about this for weeks ahead of the actual day. Panicked would actually be more accurate.

If the rest of the group can manage without you or you can call the whole thing off at short notice well why not go for it? Can't put your life on hold for what could be a month (if you go 2 weeks over)!!

Maybe a better way of phrasing the question would be "how long before the birth have you known someone do a gig?" Because Violina's 40+1 sounds pretty impressve but depending on actual length of pregnancy i.e. usually between 38 and 42 weeks you may have performed nearer the delivery miss music maker. Say if you gave birth at 38+1 and Violina gave birth at 42 weeks. She may not have beaten you......

Not all labours start with the waters breaking; in my case it did. My waters broke just 12 hours after I finished the gig, so looking back it was pretty daft for me to go and do it - the waters could so easily have broken in the cafe, which would have been a pretty stressful event for all concerned! I can't even use the excuse of being young and silly - I was 38 and - um, still silly!

On the other hand, as Dawn points out, the baby can come at any time in a four week margin so what are you supposed to do in that time - sit at home with the birthing pool full, or with the phone clutched in your hand? Up to a point and within reason life does have to go on... I only had one child but think of mothers with more than one - most mothers, in other words.

Not jazz, but not totally unrelated: I know of an opera singer who was warned by her obstetrician that singing after 36 weeks might induce labour! I asked my midwife about it (I'm currently 21 weeks and whilst I don't do a lot of opera, I have a pretty powerful classical technique) and she said it was nonsense. Phew!

How quickly have you mums out there got back to singing or playing wind instruments after your big event? Did you find the muscles slow or quick to respond?

It wasn't jazz, but I organised, accompanied and performed in a pupils' concert, to raise money for charity last year. This was at 38 weeks pregnant - the concert was on April 27th and my due date was May 11th. She finally arrived on May 18th! Apart from being unable to walk properly, everything went fine for the concert!

As far as you knew, that was sailing pretty close to the wind!

I was out playing the night before I had my son. I was actually planting a hedge when my waters broke the next day! Looking back on it I would have been mortified if that had happened while I was playing...

I was back for the next rehearsal two weeks later, and gigging about three weeks later. At the first gig we had 3/4 hr on, 3/4 hr off all day. My (then) husband refused to bring the baby to the (daytime) gig so I spent every interval rushing home in the car to see if he wanted feeding (baby, not husband!). Then the petrol tank split on the car, so ended up driving a lorry there and back each time...

Must have been mad!!!

I haven't done a gig but I remember that when I was 38 weeks pregnant I started taking things easy ...... by the time I was ten days overdue I didn't care about taking things easy - I just wanted the baby out! I went to a few concerts and took the bus all over the bumpy cobbles in our town - nothing worked though.

Perhaps you should have tried a lively barn dance one evening, followed by a few funfair rides the next day....worked for me - although junior did arrive a week early!

A set list while preggers sounds very interesting

The Lady has Cramps
Cant Get Around Much Anymore
Dinner for Two Please James
No Regrets
Just In Time

The list is endless