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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Third baby = shorter less painful labour?!

22 replies

chloemack · 07/10/2010 13:22

My 3rd baby is due in a few weeks, I have heard from 2 midwives that the third is usually longer than the 2nd birth Confused... With my first two I was in established labour for around 14 hours!!! Anyone have and 3rd baby birth stories they'd like to share? Thanks :)

OP posts:
notnowbernard · 07/10/2010 13:23

my 3rd was shorter labour but the most painful

Hope all goes well for you! Smile

sanfairyann · 07/10/2010 13:26

Grin shorter less painful?? nah! but I was told that third is 'anything can happen' and it's second that's usually the shorter one. so going by your labours obviously all those sayings can be taken with a pinch of salt.

jinnyandshantih · 07/10/2010 13:26

My third was stop start for a couple of weeks - but once it started properly it was 20 minutes, but also the most intense of the three!

Good luck! Smile

pagwatch · 07/10/2010 13:27

3rd was shorter (an hour or so [yikes]) but more painful. BUT that was partly because it was so fast and so intense. And I receovered very quickly.

mosschops30 · 07/10/2010 13:28

sorry no mine was hell on earth Sad

I wont share my story until after youve delivered Hmm Wink

However, I think that a third baby is just as unpredicatble as a 1st, 2nd or 7th.

notnowbernard · 07/10/2010 13:32

To add - mine wasn't more painful because it was fast and furious or anything (was about 5-6hrs), more that he was over 10lb

peppapighastakenovermylife · 07/10/2010 13:34

Agree with the others - shorter but more intense and therefore more painful.

Less than two hours from start to finish and a couple of pushes. Home two hours later. However there was virtually no break between contractions. Recovered really quickly though!

3plusbump · 07/10/2010 13:35

My 3rd was labour was longer than my second but then my second was 48mins from waters breaking to baby in arms! 3rd labour was a bit stop - start. Had a few strong contractions in the morning, a few in the afternoon and early evening then they started properly at 11pm and DS3 was born at 1.20am...

It's impossible to guess these things (although DC4 is due in 4 weeks and I'm still trying to guess how it will be Blush)

WelcometotheJungle · 07/10/2010 13:38

I was told the time for second labour is roughly half that of the first and the third half of the second.

Mine were 12hours, 6hours, 4and a half hours.

Third labour, shorter therefore less pain. :)

PadmeHum · 07/10/2010 13:43

12, 4 and 5 hours of active labour.

The difference with number three is that I was in pre-labour for 2 days. DD's birth was the most painful and most physically demanding of all three.

susiey · 07/10/2010 14:06

for dc3 it was my 3rd induction
dc1 was 22 hours
dc2 was 18 hours
dc3 was 7 hours

but all inductions I too was told 3rd babies are unpredictable and this was true. I went from 4 cm to baby in arms in 10 minutes I was very shocked and it did hurt but would take that over long slow labour anytime

moogalicious · 07/10/2010 14:08

Longer, but could cope with the pain. Nowhere near as painful as my first.

dc1 22 hours
dc2 2 hours Grin
dc3 10 hours

wigglesrock · 07/10/2010 14:12

Oh God I hope so Smile, I am due 3rd in Feb and am already Shock that midwife told me afterpains were much worse with your 3rd!!!

tortoisefairy · 07/10/2010 14:16

Afterpains were really really awful and they take the gas and air away...demand strong painkillers the minute you give birth!
ds1 - 18 hours
ds2 - 12 hours
ds3 - 5 hours

Thought I was going into labour constantly the month before I gave birth...

It was no more painful than the other two.

ds3 is 9 weeks old and look at me - time to post on mumsnet, get me!!!

It will be hard but easier than you fear xxxx

Franup · 07/10/2010 14:18

Hmmn. Going on the hours I considered myself to be in labour - ie it was painful, progressing and the focus of my attention:

first was 12 hours of agony
second was 5 and 3/4 hours -but pain more manageable
Third was also around 5 hours, but only intense for about 3 hours when MWs confirmed I was 6cm and in labour - I'd hardly had any contractions to get to that point, with the first I was having loads.

So shorter than first and much more manageable. But the afterpains were bad, I felt like I had been socked in the stomach for a week after.

superparty · 07/10/2010 14:19

I was told odd numbers are worst, but no 3 was definately worst for me, but she is the most loving and caring out of the lot so....

No1 long but not bad 8lb
No2 3 hours 1 push 8lb 4
No3 completely lost plot vv painful 8lb
No4 waterbirth bliss 8lb
No5 4hrs 22 painful nearly lost plot 8lb13
No6 due jan11 - hoping absolutely painless 20mins and a small grunt will be goodSmile

Good luck with your birth hope all goes well and just think of lovely baby snuggles at the end

notnowbernard · 07/10/2010 14:20

Afterpains were a hell of a lot worse with DC2 than DC3

sanfairyann · 07/10/2010 21:23

ahh at least I got that part right! necked a whole load of painkillers almost immediately after delivery Grin and barely felt a thing

DanJARMouse · 07/10/2010 21:27

1st birth - 10hrs - epidural!

2nd birth - 7hrs - gas and air - not too bad!

3rd birth - 13hrs, gas and air and absolute HELL ON EARTH. I will NEVER EVER have another baby again!

thisisyesterday · 07/10/2010 21:28

ooh lots of third baby threads here tonight!

my 1st was 18 hours. ventouse, tore badly etc etc

2nd was a homebirth, back to back baby. 6 hours.

3rd was another homebirth, 45 mins! BUT, the pain was unbearable. it was quick, but it was far, far, far more intense than ds2's. if i had the choice i would have them all like ds2!!!

beautifulgirls · 07/10/2010 21:31

DD#1 14hours - not the greatest experience
DD#2 13 hours and hellish labour and horrendous afterpains
DD#3 5 hours labour, but I was in denial I could even be in labour for 2 hours of it! Very easy birth, not as painful as #2 though will not pretend it was pain free! Was expecting afterpains from hell too and whilst they were there to a point they were not as bad either. Definately a FAR better experience than the first two births.

TruthSweet · 08/10/2010 12:13

DD1 - 4 day induction, 2 1/2 hours pushing then ventouse
DD2 - 25 hour labour, 4 mins pushing
DD3 - pro-dromal labour for 3 weeks, established labour for about 6 hours, 17 mins pushing

DD2 was my favourite birth as she was born at home (and nearly on the toilet!) I have honestly had more painful periods. DD3 was going to be a home birth but when my waters went there was mec. staining so I went in. The labour pains were manageable with DD3 but the after pains were unreal far worse than the contractions.

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