Question for any mom's who have had 3+ babies or L&D nurses

balibaby · May 2012

I was just wondering if anyone knows how 3rd births compare in terms of length of labor to second births in particular. I had an 8 hour first labor, a < 3 hour second labor and barely made it to the hospital and am anxious about how long this labor will be. I am actually hoping for a slightly longer labor than with my second because it was very intense and wild/slightly out of control feeling.

My plan is to leave for the hospital ASAP, after leaving the kids with someone and having DH come home from work if it's a workday (he works about 30 min. away.) I would way rather labor at the hospital or even outside but nearby if it means not having a car baby! Thanks for sharing your stories/experience in advance!

gimmietimmies · May 2012

I threatened my doc that I'd camp out at the hospital this last time. In terms of total labour time; DS 48+ hours, DD1 7 hours, DD2 45mins (no, not kidding. I was at the hospital already though for a NST), DD3 4 hours, and DD4 3 hours. DD2 was the scariest, I was not having contractions when I went in, they started rather quickly, very intense, and I had the doctor check me about 30 minutes in because I was having lots of pressure, only dilated about 2cm.

15 minutes later I tell her to check me again, she said there's no way....and boom, 10 cm. Her face was priceless. Even more so when she turned to grab some gloves, put them on, and turn back just it time to catch dd who shot out like a rocket. I swear I didn't push!

Celyn · May 2012

In my experience, the only time the 3rd baby isn't faster than the first is when there's something going on anatomically, like a cord issue or a posterior presentation. That doesn't mean it's always significantly faster than the second though.

Sounds like your plan is a good one.

xnbride · May 2012

I am wondering this myself! We have a very similar history. DS1=4 hours (pitocin induced though). .Ds2=3 hours spontaneous and we barely made it to the hospital. I am anxious and excited to see how this labor is going to play out. I am ready for both scenarios. I even bought an emergency L&D kit on Amazon, just in case (mostly for peace of mind).

KateLouise · May 2012

I asked my midwife about this because we had an unplanned homebirth with DH delivering DD2 on our bathroom floor.

So naturally I'm concerned we could have a similar circumstance with another baby.

She said that 3+ babies are completely unpredictable, and that labour can be short or long and meandering.

rebbieW · May 2012

I wish I could help you, but my birthing patterns don't sound very similar to yours. DS1 was about 22 hours, DD around 20 hours and I was induced (just gel) with DS2 at 8 days overdue...his birth was 4 hours! I figure his birth would have been much longer without the induction as my body - under normal circumstances - spends FOREVER in early labor. Number 4 is due June 25th and I'm hoping the process starts spontaneously...am hoping for a birth like #3.

MawrtyrB · May 2012

If your second was that short then you should go right to the hospital. That was our fear. My first 2 looked like yours except my second was an induction with the twins. Done in less than 3 hours. Never made it to the delivery room. I had the first twin just pop on out without anyway catching him. We called him cannonball for a few months. With our 3rd pregenancy. our hospital was 40 mins away so after 3 solid contractions 5 min apart we took right off for the hospital. Ended up being a 6 hour labor but the baby was 10 lb. Still only pushed for 3 minutes or so. If you had a fast baby, don't wait to go to the hospital. You never know what could happen. My DH is an EMT but he was determined not to have to catch a kid in the car.

Sawyerplus1 · May 2012

I asked my MW about this recently because DS was 30 hours, DD was 8, and I've heard the 3rd labour can be a 'wild card' and sometimes go longer. She assured me 3rd labors can be less predictable (ie. not always shorter than #2), but they're very very rarely longer than #1. I still wouldn't mind it being a bit shorter than 8 hours, but am glad to know it shouldn't be as long as 30 again!

MrsLifeofReilly · May 2012

I've heard the '3rd babies are a wildcard' a lot. I think it can be true. For me my 1st was about 21 hours, 2nd was 3 hours, 3rd was 1hr 15min.

Smurphette · May 2012

My first was 28 hours, second was a week late so started with my MW breaking my water and was three hours, third started spontaneously and was six hours maybe (2.5 hours from the time my water broke).

jellybeanjean · May 2012

Sawyerplus1:
I asked my MW about this recently because DS was 30 hours, DD was 8, and I've heard the 3rd labour can be a 'wild card' and sometimes go longer. She assured me 3rd labors can be less predictable (ie. not always shorter than #2), but they're very very rarely longer than #1. I still wouldn't mind it being a bit shorter than 8 hours, but am glad to know it shouldn't be as long as 30 again!

It's absolutely true, in my experience. With my patients, I can just about guarantee them that labor #2 will be faster than labor #1 (barring any weird circumstances, induction vs. natural labor, etc), but #3 I've seen take much longer than #2 or no time at all. Threes are a curve ball indeed.

Also, a really good friend of mine (another L&D nurse) is pregnant with #4. For #1, she had a loooong induction, #2 sounds just like your #2. She left for the hospital when she wasn't even very uncomfortable, and he was born minutes after they arrived. She begged #3 to be somewhere in between, and he was. Stick out tongue Who knows abt number four!

Mrs.Greeko · May 2012

3rd babies are a wildcard. I hated hearing that when pregnant with my third though!

My first was a 4 hour labor, my second was a 2.5 hour labor. I was terrified of #3 being faster than 2.5 hours and not making it to the birth center. The plan was to leave as soon as I thought I might be in labor. That didn't exactly happen.

My third labor ended up being just about 3 hours, but he was posterior (first posterior baby) so that probably made it longer. The contractions were definitely a lot different and harder to really grasp when they were starting and stopping exactly. Anyway, I suspected I was going into labor, but was about to go grocery shopping so I went to the grocery store instead of going to the birth center. Grocery shopping was pretty miserable, but I finished in 30 minutes and then went home and 15 minutes after that we were headed to the birth center. I got to the birth center about 1.5 hours before DS was born. Had he not been posterior I think my contractions would have been different and urged me to not delay at all and likely he would have been born sooner.

dmhrn13 · May 2012

I'm a CNM. 3rd babies have a reputation for doing their own thing! the pushing is always shorter- like with 2nd babies. but the length of labor is totally up in the air. of course, since you have a history of fast labors it will probably be fast again. if your water breaks, you need to get to the hospital asap!

NewzieMom · May 2012

DS1 Induced first labor 12+hours

DS2 4 hours (woke up in labor)

DS3 around 4 hours (from when I decided it was labor to when he was born)

DS4 9 hours (woke up in labor) He just wasn't dropping and turning once we got him to engage he was born within minutes.

balibaby · May 2012

dmhrn13:
I'm a CNM. 3rd babies have a reputation for doing their own thing! the pushing is always shorter- like with 2nd babies. but the length of labor is totally up in the air. of course, since you have a history of fast labors it will probably be fast again. if your water breaks, you need to get to the hospital asap!

Interesting! Thanks for sharing! I especially push for a very short time, I guess you would say, I think less than 5 minutes for #1 and #2 I had to refrain from pushing and I would say 1.5 pushes and he was out! I'm wondering if I will get away with that this time though because at my 37 week appt they measured baby to be at 9lbs already... Baby #2 was 8lbs 15 oz at almost 40 weeks so I'm not shocked that this one is measuring big, but I'm wondering if it will help slow him down at all? If they are measuring on target, I'm thinking he could be close to 10 + lbs if I go 40 weeks...

balibaby · May 2012

xnbride:
I am wondering this myself! We have a very similar history. DS1=4 hours (pitocin induced though). .Ds2=3 hours spontaneous and we barely made it to the hospital. I am anxious and excited to see how this labor is going to play out. I am ready for both scenarios. I even bought an emergency L&D kit on Amazon, just in case (mostly for peace of mind).

We do have similar histories! I will be watching closely to see how yours go, if you deliver before me!

balibaby · May 2012

MawrtyrB:
If your second was that short then you should go right to the hospital. That was our fear. My first 2 looked like yours except my second was an induction with the twins. Done in less than 3 hours. Never made it to the delivery room. I had the first twin just pop on out without anyway catching him. We called him cannonball for a few months. With our 3rd pregenancy. our hospital was 40 mins away so after 3 solid contractions 5 min apart we took right off for the hospital. Ended up being a 6 hour labor but the baby was 10 lb. Still only pushed for 3 minutes or so. If you had a fast baby, don't wait to go to the hospital. You never know what could happen. My DH is an EMT but he was determined not to have to catch a kid in the car.

That's crazy how fast you delivered your twins! I am looking at a close to 10 lbs baby if I go 40 weeks (I did go 40 with my first two) as well. This baby was measuring 9lbs on the u/s at 37 weeks, the bonus I can see is it possibly slowing him down?!

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