Calling all mums of 3 or more - is the third delivery easier /faster than babies 1 and 2?

[annieapple7]

I am having baby no 3 very soon and was starting to think that it will be easier and faster after already having 2. But I read on another thread that baby no 2 is the easiest, and no 3 not always so simple. Would welcome your experiences please!!

My 3rd birth was my best birth!

But each birthing experience is a different one so don't count on it being easier or harder.

I hope you have a good birth.

Afraid to say, my third was my hardest in some ways. It wasn't my longest - no. one was longest - 40 odd hours from start to finish. No. 2 was my easiest, 8 hours, straightforward homebirth. No. 3 was also 8 hours, but was much harder. It was another homebirth, but it was just much harder work and was more painful. It would have been much longer than 8 hours too, if the MW hadn't broken my waters for me. I just found it tougher, and had to work a lot harder than with no. 2. Sorry, probably not what you are hoping to hear!

No. 1 didn't seem so hard, even though it was much longer, probably because much of that time was latent labour, and I had an epidural for the last few hours.

That's just my experience. I'm sure some no. 3's just pop out!

Number one was a section so 2 and 3 were really 1 and 2 in terms of labour.

24 hours from first contraction to baby being born. 20 mins of pushing. 3 1/2 hours after waters broke.

12 3/4 hours from start to finish. 10 mins of pushing. Too quick for baby. 1cm for hours both times then up to 10cm instantly.

I'd heard that 2nd births are the easiest, and that was the case for me.

1st birth - 12 days over, induced labour, about 10 hours start to finish, epidural, 2nd degree tear, stitched.

2nd birth - 14 days over, home birth, 4 hours start to finish (first twinge to baby), no pain relief, bit of a tear, but no stitches.

3rd birth - 8 days over, home birth, about 10 hours start to finish, but a day or so of back ache type contractions before things got going, again no pain relief, small tear, no stitches.

Each baby got bigger - 1 was 9lb 12, 2 10lb 0 and 3 was 10lb2.

my third was the fastest and probably the easiest, but tbh all three were fast and quite easy (sorry!)

like celery- my third was quicker but more painful than number two, labour was only 8 hours though!

my 1st was quickest, dd was 10 minutes longer
Both were under an hour
I hope that the 3rd one is just as easy...

My third was the fastest, the easiest and the least damaging (to me) - and he was the biggest as well.

I didn't like having a fast labour (just over 2h) as I felt we hadn't had the chance to get into the rythm, to find out what I needed/liked from dh to help me through the contractions. It was a bit overwhelming really. But I think the reason it was the easiest was that I had complete confidence in myself and was able to listen to my body and do what felt right. It was a waterbirth, which I think was also very helpful.

I'm sure there is no way a general rule like that can be applied.

My first was easy, second a crash cs (also not fitting in with the second is easiest rule), third vbac ventouse.

It worked out that way for me..

Dd1 10 hours
Ds 4 hours
Dd2 15 minutes

Dd2 took two pushes and she was out! (almost had her in the car!)

Dd1 was the most painfree as I had an epidural...
Ds was not painfree!!!!!!! (I was feeling brave)
Dd2...I wanted an epidural after the pain of ds! But she was too quick...luckily!!!

3rd was the worst, all 4 have been inductions, this was nearly a failed induction but I think it was because I was term rather than 14 days over. Was fast once it got going though!

Thanks everyone. So it seems faster but not easier....I can't decide which is better! I had an epidural on DS1, and with DS2 I had just gas and air and a HB, and the worst bit was pushing the head out I think. So now I know what to expect (fear and pain) at that point, I think I am starting to get a bit anxious! But i did not tear, which is my greatest fear, so hopefully that bodes well for no3. Not much I can do about it now!

My 3rd was by far the easiest:
No 1 - 9 days over, had sweep, fast delivery with rogue arm in raised position causing second degree tear.
No 2 - 6 days over, had sweep, baby flipped into posterior position, forceps delivery and episiotomy.
No 3 - 5 days early, after 2 horrid births had asked for epidural, but no time to fix one up as ds swiftly emerged like a dream! Home by teatime
All the best with your no. 3!

i shall be watching this thread closely asim due no 3 in aug and if past history is anything to go by..1st was 26 hous from start to finish and ventouse..he just didnt want to come out plus he was 19 days overdue..2nd was quick as in a few twinges throughout the day then a t 10.30 pm the contractions suddenly started constantly and i could nt move and i only just made it to hospital and within 40 mins of being in hopital she was born and shot out and almost came off the end of the bed literally!! so im hoping another fast one although im worried as since weve moved the hospital is a lot further away and i really do wonder whether i would make it in time if last time is anything to go by!!

First was fast and furious but can't find baby record book for No. 1 so can't check times.

I know I went into hospital at 9:30 pm (no pains, but fresh bleeding), midwives argued whether I would give birth that night or not, given pethadine at 11:25, baby born at 11:35 (not good giving birth within 4 hours of having pethidine as it makes baby drowsy).

Second - first stage = 2 hours 45 minutes (dilation)
Second stage = 4 minutes (pushing)
Third stage = 9 minutes (afterbirth)
Had to have waters broken - so from membrane to birth 24 minutes

Third - first stage = 2 hours 45 minutes (same as number 2)
Second stage - 22 minutes (pushing)
Third stage = 4 minutes
Waters broke naturally so from membrane to birth 3 hours 7 minutes

So for me, first was fast and furious, second fastest and third only slightly longer.

Got bigger each time though -
6 lbs 10 oz
7 lbs 4 oz
7 lbs 15 oz

bambi06 - have you thought about a home birth?

I had quick births and ds2 was an unplanned homebirth (dh delivered) so I had a home birth for ds3.

third was the nicest and least painful (at home in a pool) but not the quickest (dd2 was about 1 hour 45 mins from first contraction to birth)

Watching with interest as my 3rd is due on Sunday. My first birth was fast, about 4 and a half hours in total with 19 mins of pushing. Second birth was about 4 hours total but only 1 and a half hours was going from 1-10cm and then 2 and a bit hours of pushing. Both were normal deliveries with jus gas and air, barely anything with 2nd and no assistance, no tears either. Hoping for similar!

Third was my easiest too.
About 4 hours start to finish although I wasn't even sure I was in labour for the first couple of hours because initial contractions really weren't very painful at all - obviously were towards the end though! The lovely midwife at the maternity unit persuaded me to have a waterbirth when I turned up - hadn't even considered one before (don't know why - would highly recommend one).

All the best with the birth, annieapple

glad i have seen this i am expecting number 3 in july... however it will only be my second labour as first was an elective csection at 36weeks...

Yes.

DD1 - 72 hours labour in hospital, emergency c/s under GA
DD2 - 18 hours once I got to hospital, with epidural
DD3 - 2 and a half hours once I got to hospital, bouncy ball thing plus gas and air.

The second birth was by far the shortest and least painful for me (4hrs). Everyone told me I'd have No 3 in the car park so I was disappointed when she took nine hrs or so to arrive, likewise no4.

My 3rd was slightly longer than the 2nd (around 10hrs for dd compared to about 8hrs for ds2) but both much less than the 40hrs for ds1.

Dd's birth was the most straighforward and would have been the easiest if the bldy MW had believed that I was having more than just twinges before dd's head appeared on the bed.