Are 3rd babies really more difficult/stop start??

[scarlotti]

Please share your experiences with me before I lose my sanity completely!!

Am few days off due date with DC3.
DC1 born 36+3, waters broke and easy labour - total about 11 hours.
DC2 born 40+5, waters broke and easy labour - total about 4 hours.

So far this time I have had 3 false alarms, 2 of which has resulted in going into hospital and then being sent home again
Apparently the midwife says 3rd babies can be difficult and have a long latent phase. My first false alarm was 2 weeks ago, the second (1st hosp) was 9 days ago and the last was this morning.
The contractions I get are regular but not that strong and both internals have shown that I'm not even dilating for my efforts.
The Braxton Hicks are sore when they happen and can last for ages.

To say I'm slowly losing the will to live is probably an understatement ...!

It was true for me. My DS1 was 33 wks 36 hour difficult birth (prem), DD was 39 wks 4 hours and DS2 was two weeks of false labour every other night but then another 4 hour labour.

Thank God it was reasonably quick as I was so knackered I don't think I could have handled a long labour!

Nope, labour with DS3 was a dream !
It was only on MN that I have heard about the "difficult 3rd labour" thing.

Good luck to you .

i had a thread like this recently have trawl through as it re assured me!

good luck!

yes I had a stop/start latent phase with my third-including going to birthing centre and being sent home again. Found it very frustrating and tiring as it did not happen with the other two. My Ds was 13 days late in the end! However, once things got going it was all very straightforward and pretty quick. Good luck

My 3rd labour was a bit stop-start, or more accurately start-stop, and stopped completely for a couple of hrs, but when did get going properly was very quick (1.5 hrs). I found it much much easier to cope with as I kinda knew what I was doing this time around.

Best of luck !

Not for me it wasn't. Didn't even really get into heavy labour until 45 minutes before DD3 was born. I was posting on here an hour and half before dithering whether I was really in labour!

Think it is a Mumsnet Myth to be honest, never heard a third labour being a problem before. I would guess that usually each labour (obviously uncomplicated and natural) gets easier as your body has done it before.

Hmm, thanks ladies for all your posts. Looks like the jury is still out then.
The midwives at the hospital have commented on it hence my confusion I think, also am use to waters popping before any hint of contractions so this way around is very strange to me!!

Let's hope he's just difficult in utero and not a sign of things to come!!

Hi - no words of wisdom to offer but am in similar situation so can identify with impending loss of will to live... DS born @ 37w after waters broke, manageable contractions, no drugs, total about 6 hours. (DD was CS but also early.) And now have been in 'false labour' (baby fully engaged, lower backache, cramps, lots of tightenings, had a show) for nearly 2 weeks with no. 3 - due date is today but because I convinced myself it was coming early I feel like I've gone 2 weeks overdue already! Had sweep yesterday followed by contractions at 10min intervals all evening, but then they stopped during the night. Argh: so frustrating! I hadn't heard about the 3rd-baby-long-latent-phase thing before, but it's definitely true in my case! Good luck - hope you get some action soon...

maniac fingers crossed it happens for you soon too then! Can understand the feeling that you're already over, my due date is Friday but I already feel like I'm waiting too long. Very frustrating.
Let me know how you get on