Is is less common to be overdue with 3rd babies? AKA Am I in labour?

[ASecretLemonadeDrinker]

I barely know my arse from my elbow at the moment so bear with me

Am 40+3, saw GP at 40 who said I'd probably have DS in next 48 hours (he's not trained, all abit Wild West Doctor) but DS wasn't engaged. I went to hospital yesterday because I couldn't get a MW appointment for love nor money and was worried about being breech, and DS was fine and MW said he was engaged. I was engaged for at least a week or two, if not alot more with the others and went +10 (induced) and +13 (induced but labour had started by the time I got there).

I feel all achey and crampy, but then I have had major braxton hicks this time around and been generally sore and crampy anyway. They do feel more period painy, but sometimes the pain from my SPD aches at the front like that, esp. when baby is squashing his head or arse into my pelvis. I have had a rush of energy/nesting, but also my body is proper crying out for me to sleep - nodding off in chairs etc. which I never do (too busy to rest ATM). I have had (mild(!)) migranes for the past 4-5 days which I don't get bar 1 last pregnancy and 2 or 3 this pregnancy about 2 months ago ish. I also have err... needed the loo alot yesterday, but OK now.

Once a 3rd is engaged, is it likely to come flying out? I have an induction date of 5th July so almost am thinking of myself being 38 and abit weeks because I never go into labour, but is it unlikely 3rd babies hang around too much?

I know it's "how long is a piece of string" but someone humour me

O, and when should I go in with 3rd babies? Do you go in abit sooner? As soon as you're pretty sure it's started? I had a long slow labour with both (1st started after some gel about 24 hours before he was born and 2nd started a good 24-30 hours before he was born, but they broke my waters when I went in for induction booking and he flew out in about an hour (from 4cm)).

Thanks for reading

hiya, sounds as though something maybe starting. with second, third and so on babies they can go in and out of been engaged. so not been engaged at one appointment and then you are at another is common.
my labours have gotten quicker with each, dc1 4 hours ish, dc2 1 1/2hrs and then dc3 24 mins. as a rule they say 3rd babies can be unpredictable but in my experience and that of friends etc, they are always quicker, i always say the others have already paved the way! listen to your body, if you feel things are progressing it wont hurt to just go to hospital to get checked out.

good luck xxxx

I don't feel anything definative, seem to be able to ease it... I think Probably just BH - I am all on my lonesome so it better be

they say if its just BH going in bath to stop them, if not it could be labour, defo true in my case. thought i had BH, went in bath didnt ease it, waters went and bubs was born 24 mins later. have a bath and see if it goes. might not hurt to ring hospital and share your thoughts. who is on hand to help if anything does happen?

Probably just stress cramps - H has gone AWOL Mum has DCs until midday tomorrow so am OK 'til then Sitting on a hard chair seems to make it worse though

sounds like something is happening, I would get some sleep if I were you, preferably propped up to encourage labour, my third was longer than my second but as someone else said thirds are unpredictable

thats prop cause head is so low down hun!!! xxx

As long as it's not sticking out! Will get some sleep as soon as I track down H, he should be at work in 25 mins so will give him an ear bashing and get his backside home then Just been googling headaches and impending labour and some people say it's a sign... waters have never gone or anything dramatic before so have no idea

With ds2 i was uncomfortable all day no real conractions, then my waters went around 7.30pm they then started straight away, he was born at 9.30pm

My waters were broken by midwife with dd and with ds1 they went as he came out.

Heyo lolly - it's me! Errr.... we met a few times, don't wanna out my old name, you commented on my FB status the other day (can't reply because my internet keeps dying)

I know who you are how are things?

All right, just hot and bothered - how about yourself?

Yep all ok thanks, do you have a birthing ball? thats what i think got me started with ds2

Can only speak from personal experience and not trained, so def not advice bit I was engaged with dd3 from 35 weeks and she was induced at 40+6 (and not an easy induction so def not ready to come out). I'm a long slow labourer too and dd3 was no different (14 hours). I hope you have a nice smooth time of it; if you need advice about going in I'd ring the labour ward.

my 3rd and 4th labours started lke this. with my 4th i didnt really believe i was in labour till i was examined. felt embarrassed because i felt i should have got the hang of it by then!

i had bh early and they were strong so was hard to tell. bh dont tend to be periody though and not as low as bh.

good luck

I did with DS1, think it's long gone now

Seems to have eased abit now, I remember thinking last two times "I must remember to tell myself next time that I will know when I am in labour" but then all the niggles start and you question them all

did your dh turn up?

Am 37+ weeks with no3, but late with previous two, but unlike before feel very ready to go, head is definitely well engaged, as am walking like John Wayne, and the Braxton Hicks are formidable.

Had a false alarm whilst buying a car last week and the salesman did the paperwork super fast! I do go 0 to stage 2 very quickly and I could see dh mentally calculating we wouldn't make it to the hospital! What made me think it wasn't proper labour was the pain didn't go all the way round. Timed them down to about 3 mins apart and then they stopped.

Will watch with interest for your BA ASecretLemonadeDrinker

If your desperate to move things along, I found that giving myself a silicone suppository really helped. It clears you out and kicks of the contractions. Unlike castor oil it doesnt give loadsa cramps and isnt vile! Good luck.

marking my place too!

Am 34+4 with dc3 and been having very painful contractions since 29 wks.

Was in hospital then and had 3 days and nights of the ctx steroid injections etc.

Since then had 3 separate nights where I've been on verge of calling DH back from work (drives cab) then passed out with exhaustion, woken up to find it had all stopped

1st was on due date 6 hours 2nd was 11 days early 3 hours.

Had so many false alarms now I can see this baby arriving in a surprise fashion at home..

Anyway good luck come back and say lots of positive things about the labour/birth/presence of a dc3

Bugger all happened, rung Dh at work and it all sort of fizzled out, think it's sitting in this hard chair +6 and still here... (and not trying to get things moving because I am very much not ready )