[elle-M]

I have a hx of precipitous labours (3 hours and then 1 hour 20 mins) and I made a comment after DD was born to the midwife about the next one being 'ridiculously quick'. She said with a smile something along the lines of 'third labours are often unpredictable and can be longer'.

Any midwives out there that can comment on this, based on your experience or any medical reason why this may be?

And for everyone else, was your third labour shorter than your previous two?

[Oriental lily]

My second and third labour were nearly Identical.
Second
Induced in the morning by breaking waters, drip in. Dilated fairly quickly using gas as pain relief. Pushed her out in a couple of minutes lying on my side with leg in air.

No tears or damage.
By lunch it was all over.

Third labour.

Induced in the morning by breaking waters. I begged to stay of the drip. Luckily went in to active labour very quickly so no drip needed.
Pain controlled with gas. Dilated quickly and gave birth lying on side with leg in air ( nearly hanging of the bed this time lol)
Pushed her out within a couple of minutes.
No tears or damage.

Once again it was all over by lunch.

Both 'pleasant', quick, manageable labours.

My first labour was the epic one, with a ridiculous amount of intervention due the complications of pre eclampsia.

[bees-knees]

All three of mine were pretty much the same:
Number one:
Started spontaneously with waters breaking
39 weeks
About 14 hours from waters breaking to delivery
Vaginal delivery with a bit of a tear.

Number two:
Started spontaneously with contractions
40+2
About 12 hours from contractions getting serious to delivery
Vaginal delivery with a bit of a tear

Number three:
Started spontaneously with contractions
39+6
About 7 hours from contractions getting serious to delivery
Vaginal delivery with a bit of a tear

All pretty textbook and boring really (except for number three arriving with a bonus chromosome; that was a bit unexpected!)

This post has been edited by bees-knees: 24/11/2012, 05:16 PM

[greatwon2]

number 1 - waters broke after a few hours worth of contractions at home 4 hour labour from the time we rocked upto the hospital, pethadine, normal vaginal delivery, slight tear

number 2 - was about 2 and a half hours once we got to the hospital waters broken by the midwives normal vaginal delivery, gas only despite begging lol was too late for anything else

number 3 - was so far the worst labour I've had , had contractions on top of each other than a contraction that just didn't end , midwives broke my waters telling me it would stop the contraction and get things going right , in the end he came out sideways , i think in hindsight the big contraction may of been trying to turn him so probably should of left things alone lol vaginal delivery ..all up i think it was about 6 hours or so but would of been born within about an hour of rocking up to the hospital if he wasn't being difficult in the pushing stage .. no drugs despite once again begging and they even had the injection in the room , i sadly watched them squirt it down the sink after he was out ...i still could of used it lol

number 4 - was my best labour even tho she was presenting chin first and had to be ventous rotated ... scared the crap out of the junior doctor lol he had them prepping me for a c section before the senior ob stepped in but while the rotation was very painful it was over super fast and i was home a few hours later with my beautiful daughter for the life of me i can't remember how long it was but can't of been more than a few hours all up


I too have heard that 3rd labours are the wild card ...someone even said to me " have 2 or 4 but not 3" lol and in my case it seems to have been right but every persons different - just plan to be at the hospital in plenty of time just in case and you'll be right

[mummygirl]

Labour 1 - Induced, 22 hours from regular contractions, episiotomy
Labour 2 - Natural, 7 hours, tear
Labour 3 - Natural, 50 minutes, major tear requiring surgery.

[Wyn99]

Labour 1: waters broke, no contractions. Induced 24 hrs later. Epidural. Forceps, episiotomy. 33 hrs from waters breaking to delivery.

Labour 2: 8 hours from first pains to delivery - no tear, DD out in 2 pushes

Labour 3: 2 days of period-like pains. Sloooow contractions. Waters broke at 3am, DS born 2 hours later. Very very painful as it felt like the entire labour was condensed.

Midwife also told me 1 & 3 are difficult, 2 & 4 easier. I'm not having a 4th so no idea !

[mumandboys]

my third labour was my longest:

1st - 3 hours
2nd - 1 hour
3rd - 6 hours
4th - 1 hour

[Linds]

I was also told that the third labour could be a bit unpredictable. The main difference for me was that I experienced 24 hours of 'prelabour', or 'spurious' contractions before going into proper labour with no. 3. That wasn't a lot of fun but once my waters broke and true labour began I had DS2 in 2 hours and it was the easiest and most stressfree labour I've had.

So yes, for me the third labour was quite different but definitely the best, despite the prelabour.

First was 6.5 hours, second was 4.5 hours, third was 2 hours. No pain relief except gas with no. 1. Textbook deliveries. I feel very lucky

[princessanarchy]

First and second? Including induced first? Easy peasy. Third, hard as. Despite being fully dilated upon arrival - twice (up until then chilled, I do labour okay, I thought). 4kg baby boy, low Apgar - first ever pain relief, NICU. And I thought it was an old wives' tale designed to scare 'breeders'. Sorry - it sucked. But you'll be okay and they'll be gorgeous (he was most defintely the cutest of the newborns...maybe the morph?). Smiles, best of luck and remember - your body, your birth!

[seepi]

I 'm like you - 4 hours, then 1 hour.

Third was still quick, but took a while to get going - irregular contractions, hours of nothing then a few more.

It was 45 minutes in the end, and contractions never became regular at all - they were regular or increasing in the other two from hours before when they were only like period pain.

with the third they were never regular at all - I have then written down somewhere - it is like 7 mins, 1 min, 2 mins 6 mins, 9 mins....forgot to write the last few - born.