Labour with 2nd or 3rd child....or more

penguin83

samtoby wrote: »

That made me laugh. Funny thing is I laboured so fast I didn't even get to a delivery suite - I have never been in one! I remember vivdly the midwife saying I had hours and would probably be 1-2cm and I was 8cm and she could feel the top of the head. I knew I was further than they thought. They took me seriously then and I had DS in a hospital bed at the end of a ward where other ladies who had complications/ waiting for sections were. They said they heard everything lol. :eek:

So when I told my Midwife the story on my first appointment she suggested a homebirth as I had no complications - but that wouldn't be for me. So she said she will label my notes up clearly that I need examined as soon as I turn up to hospital (if I even get there!)

I was just interested to see others stories. Thank you for sharing them with me - it is also funny that 3rd babies come often a lot different to the previous 2 for some. Not sure about having a third baby lol

I was expecting my third to practically fall out but it was by far the most complicated of all my labours. Pregnancy had been uneventful so I really wasn't expecting any difficulties. He had heart decels so I was constantly monitored, then I didn't progress, then he got stuck. All ended well though with a ventouse delivery and he was 12 days late.


After he was born the doctor who delivered him said they always have problems with third babies. Shame no one told me before hand! xx

dizziblonde

First one -
Went in with stomach pains at late 34 weeks - declared not in labour but threatening it... basically didn't dilate at all but then waters went and I went fully within an hour and a half.

Second one -
Threatening stomach pains right at the end of week 34 - again not in labour but a positive FFN test showing it might well be on the cards (the test does give false positives though)... put on drip to hold it all off and get steroids into me, and then in and out with stop-start pains getting progressively more uncomfortable and then stopping until the very start of week 36 when I went in - not in labour - and had a baby 15 minutes later. Doctor got the mickey taken out of her fairly strongly by the labour suite staff and the midwife admitted I caught her completely out on that one for one of the few times in her career!

They'd actually wanted to keep me in from the first time I went in because of my previous history of an early fast labour but having another kid at home I'd taken the risk to go home and just keep going in to get checked out every time things looked like kicking off. NOT going for number 3 to see if I can beat 15 minutes though!

I've concluded my body tries to go into labour around the end of week 33 - and I just, to quote the midwife, "go bang" when the baby makes an appearance - means no blooming pain relief as when they check me I'm not dilated!

Becles

Eldest arrived at 37 weeks after approx 12 hour labour. I'd had niggly pains the evening before and then woke early morning with proper pains, so I'm not sure exactly when it started!

Middle one arrived at 37 weeks too. I had labour pains one evening so I went to hospital and while they were booking me in, the pains stopped! They kept me for a couple of hours and I wasn't even having any twinges so they sent me back home. The following evening, exactly the same thing happened and it was the same midwife at the hospital who didn't believe I was in labour until I insisted she examined me. She did and exclaimed "bloody hell you're 8cm gone" :eek::rotfl: A few minutes later I said I had to push and he arrived within seconds! Just on that evening it was about three hours labour, but don't know if the previous evening counts as being in labour or not!

Youngest was the pregnancy from hell with umpteen complications and problems. On the Thursday I was 36 weeks and getting pains and I had a routine midwife appointment. She examined me and she couldn't tell if it was labour or Braxton Hicks and said just keep an eye on things. The pains continued until the Saturday morning and I was worried so I went to the hospital to see if I was in labour or not. My consultant came saw me and he knew I was extremely tired and said he just wanted the baby out as he was worried about me. They gave me oxytocin(?) to speed things up but it still took until just before midnight before she put in an appearance.

pollypenny

Each of mine arrived on the due date ( I'm so efficient)

I didn't manage to push first out, though. Long labour, left alone, with back to back baby and ended up with forceps and third degree tear!

Easier with number two, back to back again, but a smaller baby, and eight hours labour.

A good day's work!

neneromanova

Everyone I know seems to labour quicker with subsequent labours. As for me:

DD1 4 Days early, 6hr labour, 7lbs 5oz (Tore)
DD2 8 Days late, 4hr Labour, 9lbs 1 1/2oz
DS 7 Days late, 1hr 15mins, 8lbs 4oz (Post Par-tum Hemorrhage)

So it really can vary for when they're born. But I think they definately do get quicker depending on how far apart your pregnancies are (as to how "open" you are down there)

loobylou2

DS: 1997, 13 hour labour, 16 Days early, waters went whilst watching Children in Need ended up with epidural and forceps delivery as 7lb 15oz baby got stuck. Swore never again afterwards which is why 22 months later........


DD1: 1999, 37 Minute labour, 3 days early, Waters went, mad dash to hospital. No pain relief or anything as there was no time, 7lbs 8oz baby was almost born in hospital corridor!!!! I recommend taking older child to a soft play centre and bouncing about on trampolines and play equipment to start things off. I also don't recommend eating Fish and Chips as both my first 2 labours started on Friday evenings after I'd had Fish and Chips for tea.


DD2: 2005, Hour and 20 minutes long labour, 16 days early, Waters went whilst walking older children to school, Realised what was happening and that needed to get to hospital asap as had very short labour with DD1. Hurriedly Delivered older children to their classes, let OH know , got on bus and went to hospital which was on the bus route home as realised this would probably be faster than calling for and waiting for an ambulance in the middle of the morning rush hour !!!! Had shot of pethidine just as 6lb 8oz baby was born, gave her a cuddle and promptly passed out cold for 3 hours afterwards lolxxxx


I definitely found that giving birth the second and third time was much easier compared to the first. My body seemed to know what it had to do and just took over. I was just watching events almost as an outside observer at one stage!!!!

inkie

Oooo, there are so many variables, it is hard to try and guess what is going to happen. One of the problems in calculating length of labour is most ladies take it from start of contractions, when actually, this is not an accurate diagnosis of being in labour, and so the assumed length of the labour may not necessarily be right. When working on labour ward, my experience was that third babies are usually more difficult (labour taking longer, and may be harder to push out). If you gave birth in 2004, that's quite a while ago, and so may be different again in comparison to say, a closer subsequent delivery.

samtoby

I am thinking it might mean nothing I laboured so fast last time. But I will keep it in my mind. I had a bit of tummy ache before my waters went but I had it on and off for days and I don't believe I would 100% take that as a sign this time around. I will take it as it comes, but saying that I will be promptly getting to hospital as soon as possible - it is only about 2 miles from our house for the maternity lead unit but the full maternity hospital is miles away, I doubt I would get there and hope if I did need that I would be on blue lights in an ambulance!

It is really nice of everyone to share their stories thanks

mumcoll

First baby born on due date - 'show' at 4am, went in at 9am (still no pain) born at 11.30. Still no pain.....


Second baby born 20 mins before due date, no signs at all but midwife examined me at antenatal in the afternoon, to find I was 5cm dilated. No pain


Third baby I had to go and wait in hospital at 38 weeks 'just in case' due to quick, painless previous births. They induced him five days early. No pain. My sister delivered her baby in the toilet as she had the same 'condition' (precipitate labour).

fluffnutter

mumcoll wrote: »

First baby born on due date - 'show' at 4am, went in at 9am (still no pain) born at 11.30. Still no pain.....


Second baby born 20 mins before due date, no signs at all but midwife examined me at antenatal in the afternoon, to find I was 5cm dilated. No pain


Third baby I had to go and wait in hospital at 38 weeks 'just in case' due to quick, painless previous births. They induced him five days early. No pain. My sister delivered her baby in the toilet as she had the same 'condition' (precipitate labour).

A million women are incredibly jealous reading this