Pregnant with no. 3 / 4 / 5...?!

[LimeLeafLizard]

Just wondering if anyone else is pg with their 3rd, 4th, 5th, or more?!

I am newly pg with baby number 4 and finding it a bit different this time.

Yesterday I flicked through a couple of magazines but the content didn't seem that relevant to me. I am quietly happy but not nearly as excited or nervous as I was before, especially the first time.

I know what kind of birth I want (same as the last two times) and I don't need to buy any stuff, so there doesn't seem so much to think about, at least until the scan.

I am also a bit worried about how other people are going to react when we tell them. There seems to be a general view that wanting 4 children must make us mad.

Hope I am not alone?!

Hi lime, thank you :) , in first pregnancy I had gest. Diabetes, SPD, high blood pressure, anemia, colatasis and finally pre- eclampsia, with no 2 I had ME all through and lasted for about a year afterwards, finally was recovered for about 6ish months and bang, pg again, unplanned but wanted...also with both pregnancies I had really bad sickness, vomiting and nausea all through...this time have started off with pains everywhere, nausea, vertigo and only at 9 weeks...I did however check with all my consultants and gps after no 2 to make sure it would be safe for me to be pg again and they said yes ... Just I suppose I don't react well to the hormones...babies both were ok though so I hope this time too...

Hello, I can't believe this thread has passed me by. Is it ok if I lurk for a bit as I think it will help with the occasional random panics I have at dealing with 3 DC's! My two DS's are 6 and 4 and I am expecting DS3.

This pregnancy has been the hardest due to PGP which I haven't had before. Off work and with 9 weeks to go I am starting to feel a little stir crazy although going back to work after my sick note ends next week is scaring me too!Has anyone had jealousy issues with older children? At the mo they are both excited but I don't know what to expect this time around.

Hi Shirley - congratulations .

Brockle - DD1 is 6y 6m and DD2 is 4y 10m (and DD3 is 2y 11m ) and I'm due tomorrow with DD4. I have found mine are all very excited about the new baby, I have involved them in things like helping fold the baby clothes, choosing baby toys (and testing them out too), getting the pram and cot ready and it does seem to have helped.

They know the baby will be very dependant on me for milk, that she won't eat food for a long while, that she will need me to hold her a lot - just like I did for them - that I will need them to behave and do more for themselves (e.g. not rely on me to get school kit ready or find them clothes etc), but that I will still be looking after them and be there for them.

DD1 is very keen in particular, for me to rest up and she tells me off for 'doing too much' and asks me to sit down while saying things like 'Baby's getting heavy now mummy, have something to eat to keep you going'! She's like a nagging, fussing mum herself

Congrats Shirley I had really bad nausea and vertigo at the start of this pregnancy. The sickness wore off at 16 weeks. I had shocked reactions from family too, I was shaking when I broke the news.... Despite being a happily married grown up!

Welcome brockle I've also got 2 DCs aged 6 and 4. DS won't be at school until Feb 2014 (we're in Australia) and I'm pretty worried about how I'm going to manage!

truth how are you feeling? Will you get a sweep if you go over due?

Hi Shirley and congratulations. I was worried about people's reactions to number 4 as well - I'm 26 and have been asked before if I feel I've wasted my younger years (I had my first at 18). Honestly, I've learnt over the past 9 months that people's opinions do not matter. I cried when I told my mum and she just turned around and said to me that she brought me up to live my own life, as I want to, not to anyone else's standards. I have had a couple of bad reactions, and I simply learned that those people... They don't matter. The people who do matter and care, are just happy that I'm happy.

Hi Brockle :) my youngest (3) hated the thought of me having a baby at first, so I've tried to involve her as much as possible. I've shown her pictures every week of how baby is looking, and let her choose an outfit for her as well. She's now really excited, tells everyone who'll listen she's having a baby sister and she'll get to help mummy give her a bath and change her nappies. My boys (7 and 5) are not remotely interested, but find my bump moving absolutely hilarious lol.

I have three appointments today, first one was with my own MW this morning. Sample's now clear of protein but she's not measuring any growth at all over 2 weeks, have another scan and CTG this afternoon but it's being suggested now if there's no growth or I've lost more fluid (I think I may have leaked more over Sunday night) I'll have to be induced. I'm 38+1 now so more than happy for them to do that if needs be, just have to see how scans go this afternoon!

Hope everyone is ok x

If I get to 42w I might consider a sweep. I'm not confident of my dates so not treating them as cast in stone (19/09 is my 3rd due date as they kept bringing it forward).

Nearly babies on the thread, yay!!!!!

A sweep did it for me last time. It'll only work if you're ready to give birth anyway so you've nothing to lose Truth, I'll be mithering for them from 38 weeks :)

Seems things have been quite eventful over the last week especially with people not feeling well.

Hope everyone is feeling much better.

Sympathy to you Brockle I've had PGP this time (and last time) too - not fun. If you can afford it I'd reccommend seeing a chiropractor, I've had about 6 sessions with mine and am sure I'm loads better than if I hadn't seen her.

Had MW home visit today to plan for home birth. DD2 was a lovely planned home birth so I'm really hoping for a repeat performance. The MW said that 3rd labours are unpredictable and suggested it might take a lot longer to really get into active labour. Last time around was straightforward and fairly quick 6 hours from first proper contraction to baby arriving.

What's everyone else's experiences of baby no.3?

hello Brockle! nice to have your company...

Ood - I feel excited about having babies on the thread, too! I have a long time to go so it is a great distraction cheering everyone else on!

A sweep (followed by sex ) did it for me when I was last overdue, too.

Truth your DD1 sounds lovely - hope she continues to be so attentive when baby arrives, you have certainly prepared them all well.

Good luck with the scans this avo, Hetty.

Shirley that is a long list of things to put up with! I really hope this pg is easier for you. At least MN can help you get in touch with others suffering the same things, so you can get advice etc. I love it for that.

Forgot to welcome brockle

Fluid levels have stabilised so baby is being left to her own devices for now. Operation evict baby is well and truly on though, MW reckons it won't be long and that I contract daily is a good sign. Still got to go back weekly but hoping she'll be here by next appointment anyway.

My third followed the same pattern as the others - contractions start 6 minutes apart and speed up very quickly. Very short second stage as well - nothing different from the other two!

Moon My experience of baby number 3 was, twinges straight to full on labour and giving birth. All within 55 minutes. My midwife said that this labour is more than likely to either be the same or quicker and this is a pattern with women who have babies with the same fathers.

Moon - my experience was the complete opposite to Shelly's. I went into labour (proper contractions not BH) 21st Sept, DD3 was born 11th October! I had contractions every afternoon for 3 or so hours but they were just effacing not dilating contractions.

When it really kicked off and the contractions didn't stop after a few hours it took about 25 hours but my 2nd stage was only 17 mins .

She would have been born at home but the week before she did turn up I had 3 hours of contractions every min and she must have got into distress (very, very active that evening which I took to be a good sign ) so when my waters went they were very green and we transferred in. Still a 'normal' delivery though, just on a hospital bed rather than in my front room.....

Hello everyone.

Welcome Shirley and Brockle

Looking forward to baby news on the thread soon.

Moon I was also told that 3rd labours are unpredictable the mw told me this while I was in labour begging for gas and air. DH was with her she scared me I am a wimp. My contractions started at around 5am and I spent the whole day with them starting and stopping, took 2 trips to the hospital none of the mw believed I was in labour even though I was 40+7. In the end they sent me home telling me I had flu. DS2 was born at 11.35pm that night. Compared to my other labours it was very different.

Today I am 28+1 had a growth scan yesterday and dd is growing well and it was lovely to see her again.

Hope everyone else is feeling well.

Hi all, can I join in pls? 9+3 with dc3, already have 2 dd's 5 and 3. Not told many ppl yet but fully expect 'trying for a boy?' comments! It wasn't planned but is very much wanted now the shock has sunk in

Had such straight forward pregnancies with dd's, dd1 born term +1 7lb and dd2 born bang on edd 6lb 13oz. Dd1 was bk to bk and even in birth pool was very painful, labour was about 13hrs start to finish but only 8ish hrs from established labour. Dd2 was so much easier, 8 hrs start to finish, bout 2 and half hrs from established labour.

I'm secretly hoping tht this is goin to be a boy as would be lovely with 2dd's already but wldnt know what to do with a boy all the same!

I wld love a HB but Dh not keen on the mess. Plenty of time to work on him tho! Can anyone give me any pointers to pursuade him?

So glad I found this thread as the due date group are mostly on dc1 or 2 so feel a bit out of place iyswim?

Hi enjay, I'm also around 9+ weeks, not sure exactly and also have 2 girls already 18months and 4, so yes have already had the "want a boy then?" comments, truth be told I don't mind and like you wouldn't know what to do with a boy ;)

Welcome, when is your 12 week scan booked?

Ps also thank you so much shellybobs, I suppose I'm so used to worrying what others might think, that as well as having the usual miscarriage worries etc that I'm also thinking what people think of me especially since I tend to need extra support from family during pregnancy. I really want to enjoy this pregnancy as I had a very rough ride with no2 and don't feel I enjoyed the newborn bit at all as I was bedridden with ME... I've bought a lovely second hand double buggy and don't feel guilty at all, I can always sell it on.....

I'm already getting excited to expand my lovely family, feel I shouldn't until things are past 12weeks.....

Also it doesn't help that I was a highly driven career women before and now want to enjoy family life rather than think about what my next project will be, I'm sick of old friends emailing and face booking me and the only thing they can say to me is, "so what are you working on these days?" , I can almost see the pity in their faces when I say I'm a full time mum and housewife ( even though I still do a very small amount of work from home, but I don't concentrate on it or anything and only do it when I can fit it between the girls)

After two straightforward labours I am really hoping for a third straightforward one. Anyone had a DC3 come earlier and than their other DC's? I am doing a lot of wishful thinking!

With two boys I know I am going to get a lot of fascination when I am breastfeeding. They are both definitely boob men! That is a really good idea about getting them involved truth. They are good helpers so in a few weeks I will see if they want to help DH but the crib up and sort the toys out.

Thanks moon but unfortunately I can't afford a chiropractor. I am doing the exercises the physio suggested but I don't think they are helpong that much. 9 weeks to go and lots of daytime tv until then!

Hello enjay. I couldn't convince DH about a HB but hoping for a waterbirth if the consultant signs me off on one.

Brockle about your boys being curious about breastfeeding. Yesterday DS1 (who is nearly 8) said, 'oh Mum, do you remember when DS3 was little and your boob squirted milk all across the room!'... er, yes, I do remember, and would rather you didn't announce it in front of all your friends and their parents!

Hello enjay! Tell your DH HB is not messy - my last two births were at home and there was very little mess. A dust sheet on the floor / sofa, one towel to wash, the MWs cleared up everything and took it all away in a yellow incinerator sack, the MW even cleaned the downstairs loo before she left!

Shirley I still get career related questions, too, e.g. 'when are you going back to work then?'... well with 3 DC aged 7, 4 and 2, and baby due in Feb, not anytime soon I can tell you!

Cherry how lovely to see your DD on the scan. I look forward to each appt... 20wk scan next week.

Ouch with the long drawn out labours, I've not heard anything like that before said about 3rd labours! Blimey, wonder what they say about the 4th !

I don't know why but a long labour doesn't bother me that much provided I it starts around 40 weeks! There seem to be threads about on MN with third babies going over by quite a bit. Really hoping that doesn't happen!

waves Hi All - can I join in?

Found out last week I'm pregnant with number 4 - DS1 5 in Nov DS2 3 in 3 weeks and DS3 15mths. Haven't told anyone other than my DH - feel like I've done something wrong... very surprise pregnancy - had planned on 4 but not to be pregnant this year! Not entirely sure how many weeks - maybe 6/7 as started to feel queasy last week which lead to test digital which said 3+ weeks. But can't remember when my LMP was - maybe even more...

I'm expecting to have a very quick labour - was only in labour with DS3 for just over an hour - was one of the women who has to be collected from the car - I wasn't going to have him in the front seat considering the amount of rubbish there was in there! My water never broke. Joked after he was born that next time I would have to be at the hospital on my due date - all my boys have been born the day after EDD - so not to have to make a mad rush.

Having 4 means some new baby kit - and a new car! Been looking at double and tandem buggies and there is nothing that fits what I want for a reasonable amount of money.

DS1 started school last week and will be onto full days next week - I'm looking forward to having a bit of down time rather than clock watching.

My third was born at 38+4 in just under 2 hours, so I'm either an exception to the rule or it just varies a hell of a lot!

38+2 here and majorly fed up, I have contractions that don't appear to be doing anything and for some reason my boobs ache like buggery. I'm such a moaner lately :o

Hope everyone is well x

Fingers crossed that this is it for your captain and your contractions start to get a move on