Unusual to be induced on a third child?

[Mollyfloss]

I'm 40+2 and went for an appt today and cervix was not really co-operable for a sweep although the OBdid his best to stretch it a bit. It basically was exactly as it was last week. I'm pencilled in for an induction at exactly 41 wks if nothing happens before then. I'm having lots of strong braxton hicks but the baby feels more like it is pushing forward than down.

My first child was 3 days late and the 2nd 2 days early, neither induced. Is this ususual? I though third babies were supposed to pop out and fly across the room.

[Mollyfloss]

Bump

[Hassled]

My third was induced at ten days. But then all four of them have been between 7 and 14 days over.

I don't think there's any pattern to it really - fingers crossed for you that something happens in the next few days. A game of football with DC3 is what got DC4 moving :o.

[Mollyfloss]

Thanks Hassled. I'm dying to get things going but was so exhausted going into labour the last two times that I am taking it very easy this time so I have some energy. I suppose that is not really helping matters!

[Bunbaker]

A friend of mine has three children and had to be induced for all of them.

[NickettyNacketty]

Induced for first two at 40+2 weeks and due to have induced labour for third when midwife gave me a sweep and contractions started that weekend.
Baby did then fly out across the room!
Sort of

[Linnet]

My friend has 4 children and was induced with every one of them.

[issynoko]

My 3 were all born at 40+7 after sweeps. Now pregnant with DC4 so we'll see what happens. In France the accepted norm is 41 weeks, not 40 so if I'd been French all my babies would have been born on their due date. As far as I know French women are the same species as UK women - so its all in the usual span of a healthy pregnancy - don't worry yet!

[glasscompletelybroken]

I was induced with my 4th at 16 days late.

[cazzybabs]

Normal births for 1st 2 dc induction and then ecs for 3rd dc normal birth for 4th (basically because I hid from all medical people)

[Catsu]

My dc1 was 2 weeks early. Dc2 was born the day after his due date.
I'm now 40+1 with dc3 and no sign whatsoever!

[Mollyfloss]

Catsu, you are pretty much like me. Not even a mention of induction on the first two as showed every sign they were ready to come. This little one must be too comfortable. I've had two sweeps in the past couple of weeks at my request. Well they were attempted sweeps because my cervix did not negotiate at all which apparently is a little unusual for a third baby!

[juuule]

Induced on 1st @ 41+6
Induced on 9th @ 42w

Mine were all later than 40w.

[moosemama]

I wasn't induced for the first two, who were both a week-ish past their due dates.

No 3 was induced at 12 days past her date because she kept turning breech and I had a Cephalic Version the day before.

She did indeed pop out and and (almost) fly across the room. I had a hour of contractions after having the pessary, including half an hour of trying not to push because they refused to agree that I was ready and wouldn't check, then she flew out rocket stylee, complete with the amniotic sac and shot across the bed where she landed and her waters exploded!

[Tonksforthememories]

I was induced with all 3 of mine too, I even said to the consultant that if i have a 4th i'll book in the induction at my 20w scan! :o

DD1 42w
DD2 39+5 after waters went and i didn't go into labour after 72h. I then ended up on syntocin 4 days later as she still didn't want to come out!
DS 41+6 syntocin again as nothing else worked. Extremely fast labour and only pushed for 4 mins

[Chicksy]

After I had my 3rd baby the midwife said to me that 3rd labours are the least predictable of all. In my case I was overdue with DS1 and DS2 so I thought my waters breaking a week early 3rd time round was a sure sign of baby going to pop out. Didnt work. Pessaries and the drip were needed as DD1 just didnt want to come out. I hope it all goes quickly for you though.

[Mollyfloss]

Juule: 9th? you have 9 kids?

Moosemama; I'v been told that if my cervix os favourable they will just break my waters, if not they will use the gel. It could take anything from 12 to 24 hours or could be shorter. Fingers crossed she will just pop out!

[moosemama]

Mollyfloss, I would hope for something a little slower and more controlled if I had to go through it again.

I wasn't in a labour room, so no pain relief - not even G&A and the contractions were the worst I've ever experienced (and both ds1 and ds2 were back to back with ds1 stuck back to back for 3 days with regular close contractions). The, er .... embroidery afterwards was extensive with dd as well.

Fingers crossed for a quick-ish easy labour for you.

[duchesse]

I have 4 children and they have all come past 40 weeks (40+10, 40+11, 40+13 and 40+10). The last one was induced after I failed to go into labour after waters breaking. It was an extremely unusual situation that I won't go into but there was a reason I didn't and couldn't go into labour naturally with her and I had a CS.

The strong BH could be turning to baby to optimal position ready for you to labour beautifully of your own accord.

[ImBrian]

DD1 &2 were natural starts born 40+1
DD3 my waters went and I didnt go into labour so they induced me. She was born at 39 +5 (40+1 by my dates though :) )
My first 2 were very similar, with the 2nd just having a much shorter 2nd stage. So she was the 'typical' difficult 3rd baby. Midwifes all told me she'd either be fast of difficult. Now pregnant with number 4, apparently I'm going to sneze and this one will fall out but we'll see!

[Mollyfloss]

I'm hearing more and more about these unpredictable third babies! My expectations were all wrong. I had very slow build ups with my first two, very strong contractions before even dilating at all, impossible to rest and was exhausted by the time 'real labour' came along. I was hoping this one would be a bit faster but at least for now I am not in any pain so maybe with induction it might be fairly quick but hopefully not so quick that it's excruciatingly painful!

[Debs75]

dd1 waters broken at 40+3
ds1 natural at 39+6
dd2 full induction at 39+2 for diabetes
dd3 full induction at 36+4 for diabetes and lack of growth.

[issynoko]

My third was the easier by far - now pregnant with 4th so will see if the trend continues or if all hell breaks loose!

[issynoko]

By the way - my midwife says in her experience labours tend to get shorter and easier. She says thirds are no more unpredictable than any others and usually quicker for each. She's been a midwife for over 30 years so I guess has some knowledge of trends but still - all anecdotal really isn't it?

[airborne]

You sound like me Mollyfloss and I have been wondering the same thing. I am 41 weeks and no sign of DC3 at all, I was so sure DC3 would turn up early and certainly not go past the lateness of the other 2. I presumed it would be quicker in every way with the route having been 'tried and tested' before so to speak! perhaps its just quicker for the labour part then eh?

DC1 - 6 days late,
DC2 - 2 days late

Neither needed inducing or any intervention and both were born fairly quickly. I had a sweep today but the midwife said it was barely open so she tried to prod around a bit but I don't feel any different really. Just lots of movement and braxton hicks. I'm also down for induction next week (sigh).