Tell me about your third labour and birth

[PissPotPourri]

I'm 37+4 with ds3. My first two births have been relatively straight forward, water births at midwife lead units, and I'm hoping for the same this time. But I'm getting nervous as the birth approaches and people keep telling me that third labours are often different...either stop start or very quick. Would you mind telling me briefly about your experiences third time around? I'm particularly interested in signs of labour (I've read that baby may not engage and labour is sometimes a little more out of the blue), speed of labour and general comparisons really. I know there are no hard and fast rules, but I think it would help to hear some stories please!
As an aside, having suffered severely with after pains with the previous two, I'm under no illusions that this birth will be any better so I'm going to put in a clear request for strong pain killers asap!

[fusionconfusion]

I really enjoyed my second and third births. I would do them again tomorrow. They hurt like hell but it was so worth it for the experience of it al. The first is a different story as it is for so many but of course still completely worth even the really hard stuff. I just wouldn't have laid on my back!

[PissPotPourri]

It's so nice when people say "a lovely birth". I don't think many ever say it was enjoyable, but to be able to look back and call the experience "lovely" is pretty great.

[ChipInTheSugar]

First took ages. Second was epidural all the way so quite nice

Third was late - started at 1am, eventually got to hospital around 9,45am, insisted I didn't transition very quickly, and DD was born 20mins later. She could have been a home birth if (now ex) H had faffed about any longer ....

[sharonthewaspandthewineywall]

With number three was in slow painful niggly labour for a few days before waters broke. However then went from 1cm to fully dilated in an houralthough I ended up needing a section

[alltouchedout]

It was a bit of an odd one. Ds1&2 took 2.5 hours (1.25 hours pushing) and 2.75 hours (4 minutes pushing) respectively, both labours starting suddenly and going straight info full on active. With ds3 I woke up about 4:30 am with leaking waters. Had early labour for a while. When midwives arrived at 6 am and I was starting real full on labour I was insistent that it was nothing of the sort. He was born at 8:26 but I was fairly psycho for the latter part of it (he had both his hands on his head and it really, really hurt to deliver him and it took so much more effort to get him out than I was ready for and I was generally ragey and fed up and shouty and I had taken against one of the midwives in a totally irrational and intense fashion) so am not sure how long I had to push for although I am guessing 15-20 minutes. It was definitely my wildcard birth. The nice midwife said it was a classic third birth and told me she'd been through a similarly emotionally strange and physically right experience with her third. I frightened her student, apparently, which I feel bad for and I hope I didn't turn her against home birth.
I was fine, ds3 was fine (although we were sent to hospital a couple of hours post birth as his temp was a bit low, just like his brother before him and like me at birth and my brother and birth and many of our cousins at birth- that was the one thing I was and am cross about, the totally unnecessary disruption of our home birth experience and first 24 hours, when I new from experience that if they just let me feed him under a blanket his temps would go up nicely and stay up. And ooh look that is exactly what happened when we were stuck in the fecking hospital but ooh no we couldn't go home until 24 hours were up because procedures...). But it was my strangest birth.

[Mishaps]

No problems! - easiest labour I had.

[Annabrooke90]

Ds1- induced at almost 2 weeks over. Fast, four hours from start to finish APH PPH and a third degree tear. He was a small 6ib 11.

Ds2- labour begun on my due date after weeks of niggles (plug loss, D&v, stop and start contractions etc) it was very long, my contractions would stop on a night. I was finally admitted into hospital at 40+4 where I had only progressed to 3cm and ds heart was fast. They then really ramped up - but still 9 hour later I was stuck on 3cm. He was finally born 7 hours after that but almost 2 hours pushing. When they eventually assisted with ds's delivery and got his head out it turned out he was back to back facing up and had been in a bad position all along. He also had a large had and was 9ib so quite abit bigger from ds1.

Ds3- lovely birth and labour even though again it was very slow and stop start, similar process to ds2. Regular contractions started at 37+1 he was born at 38 weeks. Once they broke my waters at 5-6cm he was born within the hour using tens up until the last 15 minutes where I had gas and air. Pushing stage around 13 minutes. Ds was 6ib 13. But overall great experience.

Ds4- again very slow stop and start, went up to labour ward twice in the last couple of day being told I wasn't in labour. Ds4 was born at 34 weeks, went in that morning again being told no nothing is happening (upon a visual examination) despite contracting every two mins, to the doctor then examining me the usual way and saying Oh you are 5cm. He was born 4 hours later using a tens machine and was pushing for around 10 mins...waters only went whilst I was pushing him out. Had delayed cord clamping once he was here and he was a lovely weight for a 34 weeker 5ib 15.

[PissPotPourri]

For all the positive ones, why is it the difficult ones that stick in my mind?!

[Pollyputhtekettleon]

My second was excellent, fast, uncomplicated, water birth. #3 was very very tough. Back to back and came out face up. Very long pushing stage.

[Outnumb3red]

DC1 was late. Induced, epidural and back to back and needed forceps delivery. Think it was recorded as 23hrs. Episiotomy, don't know how many stiches

DC2 spontaneous labour 7 days past due date. Labour was around 90mins. Baby delivered by me in car. 3 stitches I think. No pain relief

DC3 waters started leaking about 8am but no pains. Continued throughout the day. Went to hosp about 5.30 to be checked. They decided to keep me in rather than send me home and have a repeat of DC2 delivery. Rest of waters broke about 9pm. Contractions began about 21.30. Baby born at 23.06. Think it was 3 pushes and baby was out. 2 small stiches. Gas and air for pain relief .

Can't say I've had bad after pains at all

[PissPotPourri]

Wow Fusion, in the caul!
There are some very honest accounts here, thank you. I think there's a trend for third babies to come late...

[hownottofuckup]

Oh and the initial stages were quick and relatively painless, they didn't think I was in active labour until they examined me. But it ended up taking over 12 hours

[hownottofuckup]

Mine was 10 days late. But the labour was so chilled and although they threatened to ventouse (I was scared to push after DC2's delivery) it was all very easy in the end.
10 days late though, seriously, the monkey.

[LifeIsGoodish]

3rd labour much faster than nos1&2, much more intense. The speed was a little overwhelming at first, which didn't actually matter once I got into 2nd stage.

But also by far the easiest and least damaging. Also, it being my third, I had a lot more confidence in my ability to birth a baby.

[fusionconfusion]

Slow, stop start labour over two days. Rang hospital to say that dh had been saying I sounded like I was mooing - had a not-very-nice midwife telling me that "nothing was happening on the inside" if I was only contracting for 2 minutes every 5 minutes. Rang back in floods of tears and they said to come in. When I got in I was 6cms, they gave me a sweep and told me to go for some lunch. I went across the road to the pub, got a beef sandwich and a pint of alcohol free beer and by the time it was on the table, I was having a Harry Met Sally moment and desperately trying not to moan. Got back to the delivery suite and was moaning etc, they had a look and said, ooh, maybe babe is back to back as you are pushing but we are seeing nothing, don't think this baby is as far down as you think. I delivered 13 minutes later, baby born in the caul, no stitches - not even a graze. Brilliant birth :)

[Northernlurker]

My third was very similar to my second in length. Contractions were noticably shorter though just as intense. After pains were a bugger and I bled more heavily. It was by far my 'best' birth though. I really felt like I knew what I was doing that time!

[BeauGlacons]

Gratefully received Pisspot. Love the name. Was many many years ago.

I hope you have a good birth.

[Hawkmoth]

I had no stitches or anything third time round, not even a graze. But after pains were horrible. Even worse than my recent fourth. I had to dump baby on DH and curl up in bed as I was shaking all over. Get codeine, make a plan!

[Iwillorderthefood]

1st was back to back, went on for hours, had the works pain relief wise. Ventouse delivery, third degree tear. 24 hours +. Too many stitches to count.

2nd was loads easier pethidine all over in about 8 hours in Midwife led unit. Had a retained placenta though. No stitches.

3rd waters broke and nothing happened at all. I was 3cm dilated for over 24 hours, and had to be monitored as I needed to be induced but no space.
Once induced I had an epidural in place from the start it was all over in 1 hour and 51 minutes with about three stitches. I did not feel a single contraction and it was great.

[Buttock]

Faster than the first two, but much much much more painful. Painful short contractions that the MW said were good . Painful after pains too. The transition stage was so horrible and painful that I still remember it: I wanted to jump out of my body. I think that's what death feels like. Time slowed down as I pushed dd out. Oddest experience ever.

No stitches like the first 2. Bum's just about recovered after 2.5 years.

I never want another baby ever again.

[PissPotPourri]

Wow, thank you all for your stories. Beau, so sorry to hear of your loss
As I say, I'm under no illusions about the after pains. My health visitor second time around claimed she'd never come across them before and felt my tummy etc for retained placenta. Can't believe how common they are and how little they are mentioned in birth discussions. Completely agree they are worse in ways than labour itself.
Some of you have mentioned stitches - I'm worried about those too. Had a slightly messier birth with ds1 and had a small tear which later got infected. Text book birth with ds2 and mw was most surprised to see how badly I tore. Healed just fine though. Can't believe it's possible after that to not tear!
Any way, thank you for all your well wishes...appreciated.

[NationMcKinley]

DS1 - text book labour, about 6 hours 1st stage, 1.5 hours 2nd stage. Very easy birth, entonox and TENS. 2nd degree tear. Sore after pains but sorted with paracetamol and a hot water bottle. Born in hospital.

DS2 - see above but home water birth. After pains more painful but bearable.

DS3 - stop start at first. Waters went but no contractions. Ended up against the clock in terms of induction. FINALLY started contracting irregularly about 18 hours after membranes ruptured. Once he decided to be born I went from 4cm to baby and placenta in 2 hours. 2nd stage was 2 minutes and 2 pushes. No tear though! Home water birth again. After pains were a bugger but MW gave me co codomol and ibuprofen which worked brilliantly.

Was totally worth it

[DramaAlpaca]

DS1 - 39+5, 21 hours of labour, had an epidural leading to a forceps delivery, loads of stitches.

DS2 - 40+5, a very stop start kind of labour that took three days to actually get going. When it did I had a 12 hour labour, used G&A for pain relief, tore a bit and had lots of stitches.

DS3 - 39+5, home birth, labour was about five hours from regular contractions but I'd had been contracting on & off all the previous day so had plenty of warning. Head engaged a few days before birth. For pain relief I just had G&A, labour was very easy & he flew out after only a couple of pushes. No stitches required. Definitely the easiest of the lot.

With all of them my waters went just before they were born.

Oh, and the afterpains were way worse with my first DC.

[Hawkmoth]

My third was ten days overdue. Had an afternoon of moderately painful contractions but with not much happening in terms of progress. When it actually started it was done in less than an hour but as she was bigger, second stage was more paced than my tiny second born who shot out. I got to touch her head in between pushes which was really special.