Can we have a third birth thread please?!

[mamamalt]

I'm 29 weeks with DC3 and just had the pants scared off me by a second birth thread that mentioned how awful third births are!!
I went on the thread because I had a dreamy home second birth after the typical interventions of a first hospital birth.... I was hoping my third would follow suit!!
Any experiences welcome please mums of 3, even if it's bad news! I need to know!

First: week of contractions culminating in a drip-enhanced labour. Back to back until the last minute.

Second: 24 hours of contractions ending in a pool, straightforward (back to back) birth
Third: 12 hours of contractions, regular (every 2 mins) but not hugely painful, went into get checked. Was only 3cm dilated, was swept, baby went from back to back to the right way down during the sweep at that point and was born an hour later. It was… intense. But fine.

Third birth was by far my easiest & quickest. From first contraction to arrival of baby was 21 minutes! Luckily I was in hospital as I wouldn’t have made it there. Second was vbac, about 3 hours & first was a c/section.

@Woody096 woooooah! How come you were already at the hospital?

1st, home birth, 24 hour labour, 6 hours of pushing, 10 days overdue.
2nd, home birth, 12 days overdue, pretty straightforward (if you ignore the early labour at 33 weeks which stopped then stuck)
3rd birth induced in hospital (older mother plus extra fluid plus baby constantly turning including breech often). Ripped off parts of my muscles from the bone. By far the worst (but also quickest). Gas and air only for all 3.

DC1 - 7 hours from first twinge to delivery in pool all positive
DC2 - Less than 2 hours from first twinge born in hospital corridor, very stressful, I thought about it often for the next 2 years and how out of control i felt.
DC3 - My waters broke (luckily) so we went straight in. When contractions started less than an hour till birth, in the pool a great positive experience to end on.

I heard that about third babies too but please don’t worry: My third birth was an absolute dream -waters were manually broken but once labour started it was only 5 hours long and she was out in three pushes. The only annoying things were that due to my age and being Vbac (dS1 was c-section) I had to have constant monitoring and the MW were constantly adjusting the trace as it got lost as I moved about. They also tried to slip in a sneaky pitocin drip about an hour after they broke my waters but DD didn’t like like it and they turned it off after 30 mins. I was so glad as I had a horrible time with a medical induction with DS1

Oh I forgot to say the thing I do think about third births is that you get a lot more braxton hicks. I had so many false alarms in the days leading up to the birth - they were so realistic! I was on a board where all the other heavily pregnant third time ladies were saying the same thing. I also had 3 sweeps without going into labour directly after any of them … I think this sort of thing may account for some of the bad rep third births get.

I've been very fortunate to have shortish Labour with all of mine.
1st 7 hours went naturally.
2nd 6 hours induced via breaking waters. Due to illness. back to back
3rd 1 hour. Induced with pessery was intense but the easiest also my biggest.
Would happily do my 3rd labour again if I had a choice

1st. No signs in advance. Woke with twinges at 3:30am at 40+3. Picked up pace slow and steady, went into hospital at midday and I was 5cm. Didn't progress so had waters manually broken at 5pm. Meconium in waters meant monitoring. Things picked up pace and I had pethidine. At pushing stage DC was getting a stuck so was rolled around into a few different positions (chucked around like a rag doll) which worked, baby born at 10:10pm (20 hours total). Had a post partum heamorrage and needed stiches. In post natal ward 1 night and 1 day.

2nd.No signs in advance. Woke with twinges at 3:30am at 40+1. Picked up pace QUICK, headed into hospital at 8am and nearly gave birth in the corridor, but midwives carried me it into a room for delivery just in time, baby born at 08:20 (5 hours). Didn't even have time for gas and air Had a post partum heamorrage and needed stiches. Discharged next afternoon.

3rd. Had a sweep at 40+1 and was booked in for an induction for 40+3 due to slowed growth, however woke with twinges at 3:30am (spotting a pattern here?) at 40+3. 0-60 in no time at all and set off for hospital ASAP. Got there for 6am. Midwives bit dismissive when I arrived in hospital and left me to "settle" in the room while they got some paperwork and said she would check me in 10 mins. I got DH to buzz while I peeled off my leggings and demanded she looked at me. Head was crowning. Passed me gas and air and talked me through it. From that point it was actually my most controlled birth, I felt totally in control. Baby was born 6:20 (3 hours) no pph or stiches this time. Discharged that afternoon. Whilst super quick, it was actually my best experience.

My 3rd was my best of 5.

1st - induced at 42wks, back to back, pessary, drip, epidural, ventoused out in theatre. 3rd degree tear episiotomy and minor pph. Only about 13hrs.

2nd spontaneous at 41+3, a longer labour as gradual build up. Established labour only 6hrs. Had an epidural. Home same day.

3rd induced at 42wks again (FFS) but labour was 2hrs from 1st contraction and I was able to stay upright throughout. She was delivered standing up.

4th induced at 40wks, needed drip to get going and so had epidural. 4hrs. It was fine.

5th another induction at 41wks. Another 2hr labour. It was ok (only 3wks ago so no rose tinted glasses yet) the contractions were continuous from about 30/45mins in. They made me get on the bed for monitoring which went against what my body wanted to do. I'm just thankful it was only 2hrs.

So yeah 3rd was the best.

OK!! So mixed a little but over all positive experiences!! 🙂
My first was 20hours ending in ventouse where he was then born v quickly! But I regretted having epidural as ended up with catheter.
My second was a lovely water birth at home, born within around 3 hours, v quick pushing stage.
I am worried a little about getting to hospital on time this time! I don't want the stress of getting to the hospital to ruin my zen that was so helpful last time!

And thank you all for sharing ladies! I know it's a private thing so I appreciate it

My first, I had long latent labour (around 48 hours) but quick actual labour once it started, water birth, no pain relief (40+6 weeks)

Number 2 (also 40+6) very quick, textbook, water birth, no pain relief

Number 3 - waters broke at 39 weeks, labour didn’t start, went into hospital and was admitted for obs as I refused an induction. Contractions were very inconsistent (long gaps but lasting 3-4 mins). Turned out I was fully dilated and had baby very quickly. I was in hospital on my own due to Covid so laboured entirely on my own, husband made the birth by the skin of his teeth.

Good luck!

3rd I'd had no warning at all of labour approaching. Just suddenly couldn't get comfy at all and baby kept moving around, after being relatively relaxed movements as they do when they get bigger, I rang for advice then had to ring again 15.mins later as I suddenly felt ready to push. Midwives arrived just in time. No time for gas and air. So from first sign to being born was about 2 hours.

I've never had stitches but my coccyx was bruised this time, took a couple of weeks to heal but until then couldn't sit/walk comfortably. I never knew that it's apparently common in a quick birth.

1st long, painful, long 2nd stage.
2nd short, intense, 30 min 2nd stage.
3rd 4 hours, 5 min 2nd stage, very chilled compared to 2 previous births. I recommend!

I also remember midwives being all silly and “spooky” about 3rd labours. Take no notice. You know what you’re doing by now!

@crimescenenow
That is good to hear!!! I hope that's the case I certainly feel that way although I feel like I have much less time to 'prepare' like mentally and I feel less fit etc with two other littlies to look after all day

Don't worry,
My 3rd was a home birth, very easy, about 4 hours start to finish. 2nd birth was much faster but I felt less in control. By the 3rd time, I felt I knew what I was doing, could get in the position I wanted, knew what to expect.

I hope yours goes well and that you are able to feel in control.

I’m due my third in two weeks, and also wondering about third births. My anxiety is through the roof worrying if I will get to the hospital in time, and because I’m older now and more aches & pains worried that I won’t even realise that labour is on the horizon 😂🤦🏼‍♀️ Xx

My third and last baby was a home birth, very straightforward and at five hours my quickest labour. It was lovely, a really special experience with no problems whatsoever.

If it helps, my midwife told me second and third babies are the easiest, it's fourth babies than can cause a bit of trouble. Though she might've just said that to reassure me, of course!

1st - induced at +12, forceps in theatre, not particularly nice, but I didn't know any different. 7lb10

2nd - naturally at +10, super easy born 40 mins after arrival at hospital with 20 mins gas and air and 5 pushes. 7lb 5

3rd - naturally at +13, was a meant to be a home water birth. Laboured in the water but wasn't really progressing. Got out for a wee and to be examined and they broke my waters, no-one suggested I get back in the water so I didn't. I wish they had, it might have helped, I don't know but I just didn't understand why baby wasn't coming because 2nd birth had been so easy. I was fed up of pushing and no baby so asked to go to hospital. I was 10cm before we got in the ambulance. At hospital they just told me I wasn't pushing properly and took the gas and air off of me. Head out and he got well and truly stuck with shoulder dystocia. Emergency button pushed, went from 3 people in the room to 17 in 3 minutes, 1st 'tricks' didn't work, ended up with a Wood's screw manoeuvre, still no pain relief, brutal and barbaric but absolutely necessary. Apgar score of 2. 10lb 5 !
He's fine, I'm fine, was absolutely in the right place at the right time, so very thankful for the NHS and their amazing people to really did save his life.