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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask about your third labour?

52 replies

DobbyIsAGoodElf · 21/12/2018 13:45

It seems everyone I talk too has a horror story about their third labour. Either going overdue, needing inducing, long labours or horrific births Confused
My first 2 were quite straight forward, 2 days late and 5 hours from first pain for my first and 3 days early with just over an hour from first pain for my second.
I'm expecting my third any time now and I wasn't worried at all before but is it really going to be that awful?!

OP posts:
Dreamingofkfc · 21/12/2018 14:31

Planned homebirth, went from zero to pushing....midwife just made it

Hotpinkangel19 · 21/12/2018 14:37

3rd was a lovely waterbirth - worst was my 4th 😩

chillandrelax · 21/12/2018 14:38

3rd was my worse. Big baby, who came very quickly resulting in a third degree tear. But he is a joy! 1st was pretty straightforward, 2nd easiest.

Noteverythingisabingthing · 21/12/2018 14:39

I am reading this as I have 2 and will be trying for number 3 soon. I kept thinking you were all very brave saying you had 'no tears', although thought it was a strange thing to keep saying.
Just realised I am reading tears (like torn) as tears/crying... like agonising labour but I didn't cry! Blush

ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 21/12/2018 14:40

3rd was my worst- longest labour, biggest baby, back to back. After my nice 4 hour then 3.5 hour labours with the first 2, I wasn't impressed! He was also the last...

NutellaFitzgerald · 21/12/2018 15:16

Third was my easiest. 7 hour labour from first mild twinge to holding baby.

Easy exit, easiest labour and I didn't get the horrific after pains either. She was the birth i wish every woman could have.

MaidenMotherCrone · 21/12/2018 15:19

3rd baby.... 10 days early, 4 hrs. Easiest by a long shot. Biggest baby too at 8 1/2lb.

Kitkatmonster · 21/12/2018 15:20

Quickest, easiest. Planned Home birth with my 3rd - my favourite birth out of the 3.

takemebacktoLondon2012 · 21/12/2018 15:20

My third was brilliant- no stitches and just gas and air
First was awful back to back and multiple stitches
2nd wasn’t great but I also had flu ( and the worst constipation ever)
3rd was easily the best so I decided to retire on a high

grumpy4squash · 21/12/2018 15:33

My 3rd was 8 days early and arrived in 2 hours. No hanging about!

florentina1 · 21/12/2018 15:55

My 3rd was amazing. Woke up with pains at 7am, water broke at 7.30, DS born at 8.30..

hopingforhappiness · 21/12/2018 15:57

Third labour and birth was a breeze.
No tears or stitches.
No pain relief as baby arrived so quickly, 2 hours from first pain to delivery.
Third DD is, however, a force of nature, such a determined character. I've heard this often about third children, particularly girls. So, hold on to your hats.

theymademejoin · 21/12/2018 16:14

First, 6 hours, induced and bloody painful. Second, 5 hours, copeable in terms of pain. Third, 3 hours, very easy. Fourth, 2.5 hours and only 2 or 3 painful contractions.

No pain relief needed on any of them. So progressively quicker and easier.

bakebakebake · 21/12/2018 16:19

Third was the best, quickest and least painful!

I only used around 4 drags of gas and air.

Sixgeese · 21/12/2018 16:23

I was induced at 37 weeks (needed to be off clexane during labour, so planned induction)

Waters broken 6 hours post induction, no pains at all during those 6 hours, but 90 minutes of active labour on gas and air and DC3 was born. No stitches no tears, altogether the easiest of the 3 Labours

RagingWhoreBag · 21/12/2018 16:56

3rd practically fell out a week before due date. So easy that I didn't even call the midwife until my waters broke, thinking I'd have plenty of time. Luckily she was on her way out and was passing the end of my road.
She walked in the door, had a look and told me to push, DD popped out. All done and dusted in time for her to get to her Xmas party!

fleshmarketclose · 21/12/2018 17:06

My third labour and birth was my quickest and easiest even though I was overdue, induced and a back to back baby and VBAC. Had epidural in from the start (in case of CS being needed) so felt not a single pain, and dd was born after three pushes unassisted after five hours.

goldengummybear · 21/12/2018 17:06

My first and second were 6 hours and straight forward.
#3 was 30 minutes from first contraction to holding him.

DeathyMcDeathStarFace · 21/12/2018 17:32

From very beginning to end, for my four boys:

1st was 8 hours (5 days early),
2nd was 4 hours (6 days late),
3rd was 2 hours 55 minutes (1 day early)

So they got quicker each time, but the babies got heavier each time - 1st was 7lb 9oz, 2nd was 8lb 4oz and 3rd was 8lb 12oz.

(4th took over the three hours though, but he was also lighter than 2nd and 3rd at 7lb 9oz and he was one day late, meaning he started school a year later than he would have had he been born the day before, which is what I wanted.)

Ds3 and ds4 were both planned home births, it is a good job they were as I wouldn't have made it to hospital for either of them!

So, for the majority, the heavier they were the less time labour took. But that isn't indicative of what will happen with anyone else!

All in all I had it easy with all four labours and births and they all came close to their due dates, so no, third babies do not have to be harder labours or arrive late, as others have already witnessed to on here.

MaverickSnoopy · 21/12/2018 17:33

Third labour was by far the easiest. Far less painful and was able to use breathing techniques that didn't work in my first two. Labour was 4 hours, same as second. Recovery was by far the worst. Never known pain and misery like it.

Neolara · 21/12/2018 17:35

Very quick. Under 30 mins from first twinge to baby. Delivered by DH.

Almostfifty · 21/12/2018 17:35

My third was my easiest, quickest, (just got to hospital in time) and the best to recover from. I was home six hours after he was born.

minisoksmakehardwork · 21/12/2018 17:40

I had twins for my third pregnancy so probably not relevant. But twin one was by far and away the easiest delivery. She was ready to come, I actually knew what I was doing to deliver her and mine did the alleged expectation of halving each time as she was 2 hours start to finish. Twin son however had a party in the space she left and ended in a crash section.

That said, I found recovery from the whole experience physically a lot better than the first two. I didn't tear either.

Original poster
DobbyIsAGoodElf · 21/12/2018 18:49

Seems like it's not all doom and gloom then! I'm going to keep my fingers crossed it's as straight forward as my other 2!

OP posts:
BirthdayKake · 21/12/2018 18:52

She was born on her due date, at home, before the midwives arrived. No complications. It fucking hurt though!