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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Can anyone explain WHY third labours are more painful?

45 replies

milliemuffin · 14/01/2011 14:38

I'm due with DC3 in June. I had planned a home birth with my first two but due to DS having a big head therefore requiring forceps and no community midwives available with DD I had both my children in hospital.

I'm considering a home birth again with DC3 but after having read LOTS of threads on here about how peoples third labours were the most painful I'm starting to think maybe I should just go to hospital anyway.

OP posts:

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WhyHavePets · 14/01/2011 14:40

Mine wasn't - in fact I have not heard that before at all, how strange!

Personally I would continue witht he HB plan if you have had uncomplicated births in the past.

Pinner35 · 14/01/2011 14:42

Mine wasn't either......in fact, it was the easiest of the lot (and it was an unplanned home birth with no midwife present, but that's another story!)

weegiemum · 14/01/2011 14:44

Mine wasn't - in fact I have also never heard that. In fact, my 3rd was far and away my easiest labour, even though I was induced at 36+6 with a totally unripe cervix due to a medical condition.

bumpybecky · 14/01/2011 14:44

my third wasn't the most painful :)

#1, most painful by miles, in hospital on bed (had transferred in as meconium present when water went, planned HWB)

#2 fastest, easiest (under 2 hours start to finish), HWB

#3 HWB, fairly quick, only around 3 hours from established labour to delivery

#4 accidental unassisted HWB, fairly painful as DH wouldn't let me get in the pool when I wanted to (wanted to wait for MWs) but not screaming so can't have been that bad!

how far are you from the hospital? quite often it's possible to plan a home birth with the option of transferring if you need more pain relief than can be offered at home

jacquiel · 14/01/2011 14:44

i have never heard that either!
I had my 3rd (of 4) as a homebirth and it was the best experience! So so glad i did it. DS3 is the most chilled and loving child out of my lot as well (prob nothing to do with me being more relaxed about the whole birth thing, in a nice environment, but you never know! )
The least painful because i was so much happier at home actually!

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 14/01/2011 14:45

From the stories I have seen on here, the third labours that have been the most painful have also been very quick.

I took note of this because ds3 is due in a few months time!

PrettyCandles · 14/01/2011 14:47

The only times I've ever heard that 3rd labours are worse n any way have been when people have started threads like this one! TBH I've heard far more often that, once you've given birth vaginally, subsequent labours tend to be shorter because your body knows what to do, and easier because your mind knows what to do to support your body.

Certainly each of mine was shorter and easier than the previous one, and the third was by far the best labour of all.

WhyHavePets · 14/01/2011 14:49

Well my third was only 1.5hrs so pretty quick but still not more painful than the previous two!

Hmm, I am going to be looking out for this now!

TrinityMotherOfRhinos · 14/01/2011 14:51

never heard that I had nothing but gas and air and only that from bout 6 cm dilated with gecko, my third

was no different from my others but a little swifter

Original poster

milliemuffin · 14/01/2011 15:10

Wow, I stand corrected.

I tore (sp?) with both D so needed stitches and with DD it took a little while as I burst a blood vessel and I heard the lady say 'I can't tell how bad it is because of all the blood'.

My midwife is lovely but half the time she seems in a world of her own so I'm not sure I'd trust her should anything go wrong or if I needed stitches. Still undecided but you've helped put my mind at ease a little, Thankyou xx

OP posts:

greenbeanie · 15/01/2011 12:46

Just thought I would add that my 3rd labour was the least painful. I ended up being induced by having my waters broken at 12 days overdue (previous babies born at 39 and 40 weeks) which was a bit of a shock. The labour itself was very intense but not anymore painful, lasted 1hr40mins. Baby born weighing 11lb11.5oz!!!

The only thing I had read was that 3rd babies tended to be more "awkward" often with labour stopping and starting, or in my case not starting at all without intervention.

Good luck.

Loopymumsy · 15/01/2011 13:46

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ilovecrisps · 15/01/2011 13:57

My mw told me that thirds are often different so prob the same as unpredictable. Partly no doubt because you think you know what you'reding by number 3!

Mine was very different, induced early as opposed to non induced late.

EdgarAleNPie · 15/01/2011 14:01

thirds can start and stop.
but my third was the easiest and least painful. it helps that she was smaller than the previous two.

angie85 · 15/01/2011 19:17

im 8 days late with my 3rd and this pregnancy has been completely different to my 2 previous ive been in slow labour since 13dec and becoz baby is lying with his back against my spine his head keeps slipping in and out of my pelvis hence why it keeps stopping and starting ive now had 4 membrane sweeps and still nothing im booked in for monday to be induced rather scared by tht as im not sure wat will happen and mw has told me tht i stand quite highly of having c section i dont understand how i had 2 normal deliveries on time and now this have many of u been induced and is it more painfull than natural

QueeferSutherland · 15/01/2011 19:22

Third pregnancies are always problematic.

True fact.

(Not really, but if you ask a MW they will say tis so anecdotally.)

5th pregnancies are often dodgy too.
(Sometimes.)

Hope this clears it up!

poolet · 15/01/2011 19:27

My first was the most painful & the longest.

My second was very quick and a lot less painful - I felt in control all the time.

My third felt more painful because I refused pethidine which makes me groggy, so I managed on gas & air. It was short - only about 3 hours established labour which took midwives by surprise. They couldn't understand why I felt such pain as the contractions "weren't very strong". Hah! - when I told them I was about to start pushing, they didn't believe me and fetched a bedpan. I surprised them - instead of pooing, I pushed out DD!

PrettyCandles · 16/01/2011 08:09

Angie, when your body is ready, you will go into labour and stay in labour. The only thing ATM that increases your chances of CS is the midwife saying so. She should not undermine your confidence! Plenty of labours are stop-start like this.

Whether you go into labour naturally or are induced, have confidence in yourself. As you said, you have given birth twice before: your body knows what to do, and so does your mind.

I don't know what induction is like. I was put under pressure to have a medicalised birth with my third because, in the doctor's opinion, I was going to have problems . You could start a thread asking about induction. I'm sure there will be plenty of positive storries.

MadMissy · 16/01/2011 08:13

my 3rd was a monkey too, not literally of course! but tough

mamadiva · 16/01/2011 08:21

I only hae one child so don't know but I have'nt heard this before.

My mums third labour at the age of 35 was twins born 17 minutes apart and lasted a whopping total of 2 hours 8 minutes start to finish she said it was nothing compared to her first (me).

Incidently though she is a freak of nature and has not even had a puff of G&A in the 2 labours since I was born

miacat · 16/01/2011 17:29

Thank you SO MUCH milliemuffin-this is the exact position i am in atm. I have 4 weeks to go tomorrow and i have heard from loads and loads of people that labour number 3 is the worst or, as mentioned before, 'unpredictable' was the word i have heard the most.

This has really knocked my confidence, as i had such a bad time with my first (like yours) he had a huge head and ended up as forceps delivery, huge episiotomy scar. Number 2 was easier as, all though she was heavier, she was long, rather than fat!

Now this time i felt very inspired and strong until i heard all these scare stories! I was planning for tens, gas and air and then water pool in the birthing centre. This is also good because it's attached to the delivery unit, so i can be whisked pstairs if i freak out! Now i am tempted to just have an epidural and be done with it.

I would like to say tho, thanks to everyone for the comments above. I feel like i can do it again now! I am a nightmare. Every person i talk to makes me change my mind! :(

midori1999 · 16/01/2011 18:15

All of my labours (4 of them) have been progressively quicker and easier/less painful. Established labour with DC3 was just under 3 hours and he took two pushes for his head, one push for his body to come out. I was a little euphoric after that and kept saying 'is that it, is that it?' to the midwife. (also, DS3 was just under 7lb compared to 10lb DS2, so I suspect that helped a little)

I am actually really looking forward to this labour.

nowonthepill · 16/01/2011 18:17

my third was really fast, home delivery in birthing pool. Don't let what other people say put you off.

cat64 · 16/01/2011 19:34

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LeroyJethroGibbs · 16/01/2011 19:39

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