Hey All, its ages since i've been on here so i hope everyone is well. Any way the thing is i was wondering how third labours - for those of you in the know compared with the first two. I have a daughter who's almost 3 her birth was ok, about 8 hours but she was back to back so painful and awkward and came out looking up resulting in lots of stitches (seriously i thought the doctor was making a suit he was down there for so long), I also have son who's 14 1/2 months - he was born in under 25 mins on the bedroom floor delivered by my terrified husband - the ambulance got lost (useless bloody sat nav) and didn't arrive till about 20 mins after he was born then they couldn't find any scissors for the cord - its was a total sitcom birth - but thankfully hardly any stitches needed. OK - so i'm now 9 wks pregnant with number 3 and despite having done this twice before i feel quite bewildered by what to expect from the birth (why am i even thinking about it seven months prior to the event??? but i can't get it off my mind!)
- my midwife who i have a fab relationship with having had her during my first two pregnancies hasn't really enlightened me either. Her theory is that generally you can assume that second labours will be easier and quicker than the first, however number three tends to be an oddball - often differing from past labours - great that really helps!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for any advice
Jojo-mummy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My second one was like fifty million times worse than my first so I have ruined the theory of the second being easier than the first. We are ttc our third and I am interested in an answer to this too and it is in the back of my mind. If number two was so much worse than number one which half killed me my worry is will number three be bad enough to go all the way. I am thinking about a C section just to be safe to be honest. I don't want to be as sick as I was after my second that was just not nice.

I have 2 and both my labours were completely different, although to be fair, both were also easy, we are looking at trying again this year, but reading your post I have started to worry slightly, because thinking about it my mum always said her 3rd, was the worst labour of all, he was back to back, late and just didn't want to shift! Same story 20 years on really! she did go on to have another though and he was the quickest and easiest of them all, so maybe it is a third child thing? Sorry probably not what you want to hear! but surely if all third children were bad then women wouldn't keep having them?, my dad was one of 5 and my mum was one of 9, with my nan she found the 7th and eigth the worst ones. Maybe now i'm just trying to convince myself though!

[Modified by: charlijoel on January 05, 2009 12:45 PM]

hi there, i have had 5 babies and always found each labour to be different but for the best. thye have all got easier and quicker. when i was having no 3 everyone enjoyed telling me about their awful 3rd labour horror stories, and i was petrified. but it was all ok, he arrived after 20 mins of labour. it was that fast. so you saying that you have had very fasy labours and deliveries, then i wouldn't worry but do get to the hospital at the first twinge. good luck, xx

Thanks for the replies - i'm still a bit in limbo - i myself am one of 5 and my mum said no3 was worst and i am planning on a big brood so i guess it will just be a case of "whatever will be will be"
Thanks again and more replies very welcome xxxx

My 3rd is due next month & I'm kind of wondering but trying not to think about the same thing if that makes sense. Though I have had great births with my other 2 & am planning a home birth this time I have been told that sometimes the 3rd can be the awkward one but wasnt sure if that was more a bit of an old wives tale. I know at the minute with 6 weeks left to go she is still breech so I suppose that could knock all my plans on the head & result in a c-section wich is the last thing I want with a 3 year old & 1 year old to look after.

Hilary x

MY 3rd was late, 10 days over but the birth was quicker then the first 2. I had to have a ventouse delivery but i put that down to there being a 7 yr gap inbetween pgs. My 2nd labour was the easiest with no intervention or stitches and i was told by my midwives that my 4th would be the easiest of the lot and to get to hospital the minute labour started, baby had other ideas and got so comfy he had to be delivered by cs! so you never know how labour is going to be im on baby no5 now and im not taking any chances this time we are definately going with the planned cs. As your labours have been quick i would not hang around with no3 they can be unpredictable. xxx

My first and second labours were practically a spot on match to yours... My first was 8 hours and the second came in 45 minutes and she was born at home on the bathroom floor. My third was a four hour labour and it really was sort of a nice in between. I started contractions at 12 :30am and got to 7 cm dilated by 2 am... then the contractions stopped. I was so tired and went to sleep. I woke up after a 8 hour solid sleep (best sleep I have ever had) and the contractions picked back up in full force and at 1:10pm I was holding our third little girl. So the labour it's self was really odd, but a good odd, how many women are given a natural break in labour. I should note I didn't have any pain relief, the cat nap was just my body needing to rest up lol. I think this was because my older two had been ill so I hadn't really slept in days and my husband had only just come back from a business trip so I had picked him up at the airport at midnight, a half hour before my contractions started. . Don't worry you will do well, you are practically an expert the third time around

xx

Thanks Hedgie - i like your reply the best hahahaha - thats the scenario i'll hope for. My hubbie has had strict instructions not to plan any trips of any kind too close to the birth - i've told him that if i have to give birth alone while he's swanning round a golf course i'll batter him to death with his own clubs!!!! he thinks its the hormones and maybe it is but i mean it xx

well my third is due in a week - everyone has enjoyed telling me what little buggers 3rd babies are (labour wise) so I am just trying to keep an open mind! there will be 6yr gap between this one & DD2 so who knows what my body will do/how it will react - will let you know though!

Sarah
xxxx

Good luck Sarah and do please let us all know how it goes. Why people feel the need to tell you horror stories about labour and birth is always mind boggling to me but for some stupid reason i always listen to them and even ask for details in some cases. Must like scaring myself stupid!!!! xx

Good luck Sarah and do please let us all know how it goes. Why people feel the need to tell you horror stories about labour and birth is always mind boggling to me but for some stupid reason i always listen to them and even ask for details in some cases. Must like scaring myself stupid!!!! xx

Ji, my first labour was long and slow, 45 hrs to be precise, my second was 4 1/2 hours from first contraction to birth and was pretty traumatic as it progressed really quick when it got going and we only just made it to hospital, my third was fantastic, a real text book labour and birth, if it was like that every time I would probably have had 10 children by now, I had mild irregular contractions most of the night so went to hospital in the morning, Alice was born after 4 1/2 hours of active labour and I can honestly say it was by far the best experience, completely different from the first 2, when I had baby no4 labour was pretty much the same as no2, very quick 1hr 50mins with baby nearly born in the car. Good luck and try not to worry xx

Hi I'm nearly 'due' to have baby no 3 and Hayley1 you have made me feel a bit better now, for some reason this time i am petrified!! Lets hope all us ladies on no3 babies have as easy time as we can. Good Luck girls. Are you all more scared this time around ?

I think the varied replies prove one thing which is basically it will happen as it happens. I must say though i am more nervous this time than ever. Especially the whole stitches thing which i still think is the worst bit about giving birth. Although second time i had very few compaired to first time so hopefully i may get away with none this time round xxxxxxxxxx

Hi,
My first labour was 10hrs then my last two(homebirths) were 2 hrs max each so........what will be will be.
I also had stiches 3 times and yes it does have the ouch factor but having said that I am not a "patient, calm pusher" I just go for it completely, the whole hog as my midwife used to say lol, So maybe I wouldnt have needed stiches had I listened to her!!!
Goodluck though xxxxxxxxxxxxx

My 3rd was absolutely fanatastic after 2 hospital forceps deliveries, no 3 was a home water birth which was so wonderful.
Having had an unplanned home birth last time, have you thought about one this time? If you have quick labours it might be worth considering one then at least you will have all the equipment ready at home then if you have time and prefer to go into hospital you can anyway.
My 3rd labour was the best day of my life!! xx

hi, i'm due to have my third. got 3 weeks left. my first was great at 7lbs 2oz the midwife was brilliant and kept me really calm. i hade no stitches and only gas and air and 1/2 shot of diamorphine. it was great. nobody could believe it was my first lol. second baby i thought would be even easier but my god i was wrong. she was 9lbs 9oz and got stuck for a while, they was going to push her back up and give me an emergency c section but the next thing i remember is about four people coming in the room tilting the bed back to take the presure of and basically twisting her to unwedge her shoulders so they could pull her out. it was awfull i didn,t want anymore but my oh desperatly wanted one. i'm living in hope that this one will be easier, my mum had an awfull second and then laughed threw her third with no pain relief at all. we can all hope to have such luck lol. hope all goes well for you, there all different so just do what you can to stay calm and in control. xx

Hi Ya

This is also my third pregnancy. My first was 14years ago and was 7 hours. My second was 11years ago and was 3 hours. No stiches and just gas and air with both. Both babies were over due. I have been told by friends that your 3rd labour is the worst. I asked my doctor and he sort of agreed. GREAT - Thanks for that!

After reading through all the comments though, I agree. I think what will be, will be. So i think i am just not going to worry about it until the time (well at least try!). Nicki

No this scares me - my labours all have been shorter & easier, i was really hoping that this being the 3rd was gonna be the easiest of the lot - oops, ha epidural it is then = he he

hi i am on number 4 shes due in 10 weeksish, i will have a gap of 10yrs from my last baby! my 3rd was my easiest and i am hoping this time will be similar! i was induced however at 38 wks due to high bp and swelling and polyhydramios, but 3 hours start to finish no stiches all done only on gas and air and a healthy 6lb 13oz baby girl! my other 2 labours were long over 2 days both requiring loads of stiches and my 1st was an assisted forceps birth, so in my case 3rd was the best so far and well as they say things can only get better!!! good luck ladies x