AIBU to ask you to share your positive third birth stories?

[BoneWithTheWind]

Hi, posting here for traffic, hope you don't mind :-)

I'm currently 36 weeks into my third pregnancy and feeling more anxious about childbirth than both times before... Both previous deliveries were relatively uncomplicated and quick (especially the second one), so I guess I'm thinking that statistically it's more likely something will go wrong this time...

How did it go for you? In comparison to your previous two? And if you want to add in any tips for combatting anxiety at this stage, that'd be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks xx

@BoneWithTheWind statistically op if you've had 2 easy fast births your 3rd should be the same unless you now a lot older maybe?

As others have said the body knows what it is doing. The midwives knew this was my third and trusted that I knew how my body managed labour. It was all a bit routine after the drama of my second labour when the baby was fielded rather than born. Three hours from start to finish and job done.

Third was easy, waters broke at 8ish, dh got the others off to school and we got to hospital at a bit after 9 having called ahead and requested the pool.
Straight into thepool , bit of pushing, born soon after ten (not even g&a, wasn't really time to think about pain relief, but in a chilled way). Was home again by 3 just as the others got home from school.

They got gradually easier, first was hardest.
You are not stastically more likely to get a tricky birth. The only relevant stats in this situation are your previous two births.
💐

3rd was pretty good. Contractions started on due date, 2 days later went to hospital and was 5cm. Was fine pottering about room with g&a if I wanted it, after 5 hours on delivery pain was getting bad and I asked for an epidural. Midwife broke my waters and went off to sort epidural, not long after she left I felt the urge to push. I said to dh "get the midwife the head is there", he looked down there and said "you're right" like I'd be imagining it. A couple more pushes after midwife returned and she was out (11 mins after waters broken), tore me from v to a with her 37.7cm head. The pain completely stopped once she was crowning, it was so weird.

My third was the easiest. 9lb 12pz baby, no pain relief and no complications

Loved my 3rd birth.

I was due to have a sweep on the Tuesday and be induced on the Wednesday due to GD so I went for a monster power walk on Sunday.

Woke up on Monday and has a few pains. Me and DC1&2 cleaned the whole of downstairs whilst DH had a poo and a bath

I phoned the hospital and they wouldn’t let me go in even though I was high risk, said no way was I in labour. Spent a lovely morning with the DC preparing baby stuff and packing my bag. Phoned the hospital several more times but they refused for me to go in. I was happy to be at home but was told by the MW I’d need to go in due to being high risk.
Got to the hospital at 2ish and didn’t even have time to get undressed.
Was lovely, no drugs or internals. Hospital MW said she’d not believed me as I wasn’t screaming whilst on the phone .

My third was an induction and not my best but from drip going in to birth was 20 minutes she came out so quickly husband actually caught her No pain relief, no time. My first and second labours were spontaneous and very quick too. However as it was my third I was confident in my decisions, feelings and vocal about my choices, not sure I would of been with my first.

DC1 = horror show of an induction and 24hr hospital stay that followed. An experience never to be repeated.
DC2 = Textbook home birth. Couldn’t have gone any smoother.
DC3 = Lightening fast home birth. 1hr from first contraction to baby being born. A bit of a shock to the system compared to DC2’s very chilled, calm and controlled entrance to the world - but once she decided it was time, she was waiting for no man The midwife arrived 6 mins before she did

Dc1 was 18days overdue when I was induced. Took 24 hours, all the drugs they could throw at me to keep things moving and also pain relief , but not a bad experience.

Dc2+3 (twins) waters broke but they were both head down and got stuck. Contractions slowed because of the sticking and they used the thing that ramps them up and put in an epidural. Epidural was the worst bit - she had to try several times and it was not pleasant. Had to have emcs in the end but didn't feel like an emergency and it was overall a fine birth.

Dc4 (birth 3) was vbac, went into labour naturally, most of labour at home, only 2 hrs in the hospital and no pain relief. Was the fastest and easiest by far.

DC1 and 2 were a similar pattern - waters broke and baby arrived 12 hours later. Both just with g&a, with dd1 when I said I thought I needed to push, I was told that I wasn't due to be examined, but checked anyway - and an 'oh yeah I can see the head' DS I was only 36 weeks, so was being monitored, I don't have standard contractions so was told I wasn't in labour - hmm he came a few hours later.

DD2 - it went on for hours and hours, I had group b strep in pregnancy so needed to be on anti-b's. Just nothing was happening. Eventually went home, went to bed, waters broke, back to hospital, from that point she was the quickest and easiest - to the point where I remember saying 'is the head out then?'

So it some ways very different, but still a straight forward birth.

Their births reflect their personalities.
DD1 - chilled and laid back.
DS - Came out screaming. And hasn't stopped since. (ASD)
DD2 - Was a stubborn old fool coming out, and continues to be a stubborn so and so.

@bumpertobumper and @1namechanged - I see what you mean by my perhaps incorrect use of 'statistically'. I guess I'm thinking along the lines of - well, I've been lucky twice, there's no way I'll be this lucky again.. And things have to balance themselves out. But maybe indeed I should think about logical statistics and just trust in myself ;-) I'm 35 by the way, my last birth was only just over 2 years ago so not a huge difference hopefully.

This has been a great read, thank you all again for your contributions xx

My 3rd birth (at the age of 37) was amazing! Honestly I've become one of those annoying people who say that they'd happily give birth again, it was one of the best experiences of my life so far.

First was a horror show induction, failure to progress and shocking 25 hours in active labour. Second was still a slow 13 hours in active labour and was a very tiring experience. I spend the whole of my 3rd pregnancy petrified of giving birth, did the positive birth company course though which helped a bit.

Anyway, 3rd birth came along. I went from ooh these braxton hicks might be the real thing to having a baby in my arms in 29 minutes. My husband had only been awake for 10 mins and had to be chief midwife (everyone still congratulates him on the birth more than me ) Intense, but no pain like before just calm and breathing and no tearing so really easy recovery. I was buzzing (once the initial shock had worn off!)

Fingers crossed you have a fab 3rd birth experience too.

3rd was an induction, waters broken at midnight, started contractions, had gas and air, baby born three hours later. No tears.

All my babies were quick births though, the first was the quickest. Thirds generally seem unpredictable either super quick and easy or more complex than you’d expect.

You don't want to hear it!!! Second was lovely though!