Third baby- tales of easyish spontaneous labours please!

[SicknSpan]

Dc is due in 4 weeks. I was blindly assuming that he or she would arrive the same way as the other two, a week or so early/ spontaneous labour/ relatively short and straightforward labour and birth (5 ish hours each).

But now I've read a few threads which suggest that this one could (of course, dur) be different- and that I was very lucky with the first two! I am panicking a little- have been quite unwell with hyperemesis and had sort of hoped that a fuss free end to pregnancy was my pay off for a shitty time in the previous 40 weeks.

I know that a more complicated labour or overdue baby isn't guaranteed, but it's all I'm hearing about and it would be good to get some tales of babies who stuck to their mother's birth plans!
Please?

[slightlyinsane]

I'd say no3 wasn't that different to my others. The contractions took awhile to get going throughout the day but once they really kicked in around 4.30 ish it didn't take long for him to arrive, 6.40. Labour was probably the best of the 3, more likely due to having had some practice before. Don't read all the horror stories and focus on what you've been through before. Have faith in your body to know what it's doing. All easy to say I know, especially seen as I'm sat here with reality slowly kicking in wondering what the hell it's going to be like having twins.

[slightlyinsane]

Oh and dd1 was 1 day early, dd2 was 11 days early and ds was 3 days early.

[Wildhorses123]

Number 3 was my easiest birth by far. DS arrived 2 weeks early, whereas my 2 DD's were a week and 2 weeks late. With DS, I didn't even believe I was in labour. My husband was in London - a 2 hour train ride away- and it was only because of my mum insisting that I call him to come home that he arrived in time for the birth- an hour and a half later! Had an EMCS with DD2 so was anticipating possible complications, but this time round it went like a dream! All the best for your remaining pregnancy and birth.

[Kantha]

My mw told me that 3rd babies are often a bit stop-start in pre/v.early labour but once labour gets going they tend to come fairly quickly and easily.

Does that make you feel better or worse?

[KCAMum]

All 3 of my births were different although the 1st and 3rd probably most similar. I was induced for my 2nd so a different ball game altogether. Both 1st and 3rd labours I went overdue by about 5 days and then they lasted 5-6 hours from start to finish. However 1st time my waters broke at the last minute, whereas 3rd time they went right at the start of labour. It is probably best not to try and think about how it will happen, but best of luck for your imminent arrival - having 3 is great!

[MamaVikki]

Hi,
My third shot out!! No.3 was by far the easiest & best delivery. Everyone is different & every birth different. Wishing you lots of luck. Enjoy!

[crankypants]

My midwife gave me the same advice as Kantha said above and that's exactly what my third labour was like - start/stop for a few days, then contractions started very slowly (like, one every 20 minutes) at 1pm one day, then slowly built up over the afternoon. We went to the birth centre at 8 and she was born at 11pm.

Once labour started it all happened quite quickly and the contractions did get very intense seemingly all of a sudden. But it still a fairly "easy" birth - water birth with no complications - and I recovered quickly and easily.

She's also been my easiest and most calm baby (11 weeks in). Good luck, you'll be fine!

[ZingWatermelon]

we call DS3 RocketBoy. he was out with 3 pushes and

[MrsMonkeyBear]

I'm only on dc1 but my mum said with dd3, (my lovely and amazing 21 year old sis) labour was a delight compared to the other 2, (I'm dc2 and she was in labour with me for 3 days) Mum was already in hospital as they were due to induce her the next day due to other issues, labour started spontaneously at 10pm ish and baby was out bang on midnight.

[Tangoandcreditcards]

I've also got one, but I am a dc3.

DM had her first contraction with me in the shower at 5am, I was lying on the bed waiting for the ambulance by twenty past. Easy enough for you?

[SicknSpan]

slightlyinsane I had just sort of been expecting my body to know what to do, as it has before- then got spooked by the stories about troublesome 3rd dc. I shouldn't have read them should I!

kantha it does make me feel a bit better, thanks! My biggest worry is that I'll go horribly overdue- I've hated being pregnant each time and the thought of being pregnant for another 6 weeks (I'll be 36 weeks tomorrow) is giving me the heeby jeebies.

[SicknSpan]

Bloody hell tango! You were in a bit of a hurry to be born then!

[drivenfromdistraction]

no 3 was very similar to the others - but came a month early, while the others were very close to the due date. I partly think the dates were wrong since DC3 was a similar size to the others too.

First sign was waters breaking around 7pm (as happened with previous births). Because it was only 36 weeks, DM wasn't in the area (she was planned to look after other DC) so I dashed down to ring round for cover while DH tried to get DCs1 and 2 to sleep

I found someone to come in and dashed round to pack a hospital bag (hadn't yet done that and all the baby clothes were still in the loft...)

It took an hour for DH to get DCs to sleep, and we didn't want to leave before that because they didn't know the neighbour who'd come in to babysit. I was striding round with a towel between my legs, but no contractions.

The moment he came downstairs, we leapt into the car and contractions started immediately (think I'd been suppressing them by sheer force of will). By the end of the ten minute drive to the hospital they were v. strong, and I could barely walk in to the hospital. It was a different one from previous births (we'd moved) and we couldn't find the entrance to the labour ward - everything was shut up (different entrance at nights)

Eventually managed to find someone to show us the way. I was doubled over - luckily it was a quiet night and they sent me straight into a delivery room. DH and I just flipped into 'routine delivery mode' - the midwife was a bit surprised as I stripped off, leapt on to the bed into 'kneeling, holding headboard' position. Because of my advanced age, they had a roomful of people dashing in, but they were all completely unnecessary. DC3 shot out (no 'head first, then shoulders' business - one seamless 'pop' and there she was) shortly afterwards.

Apparently I said to DH 'I've really got the hang of this now, we'd better do it again'

[Bowlersarm]

My no 3 was the easiest by far. I spent most of the labour not realising I was actually in labour, and only just got to the hospital in time to give birth.

It wasnt 'easy' as such, but the easiest of the three.

[MoonHare]

I can oblige your request.

DC3 was a lovely straight forward planned home birth. Had niggles on and off for a few days. First sign of labour was waters breaking while I was asleep in bed at 1am. DD3 arrived at 5.15am.

Contractions were the same as with DD2, some strong followed by less strong lasting varied amounts of time, not the gradual ramping up that I'd experienced with DD1. I've got to say though she was by far and away the most painful as she emerged though!

You won't want to hear that she was 12 days overdue though!

[Forago]

I can tell you that my third was by far the least painful, almost pain-free. First was bloody painful, Second was excruciating agony.