Should I expect my 3rd labour to be very similar to my first two?

As you can see, I'm 39+ weeks pregnant and waiting to pop LOL! I was just wondering if anyone who has given birth a few times (or know someone who has) might be able to answer my question!

Both my previous labours started at 4am (weird?) and they both started off very gently and worked their way slowly into active labour. Neither labour was particularly quick (DS1 was 37 hours from first gentle contraction to birth. DS2 was 16.5 hours from first gentle contraction to birth). I can only hope that this labour will be quicker again!

Do you think I will have a similar experience again? Did anyone else have a set formula for their labours? LOL! I keep waking up each morning after 4am thinking "I guess it's not going to happen today" :lol:.

Any thoughts would be appreciated :D

All 3 of my full term bubs and my little angel Faith were born between 12.20 midday and 1.10pm....really really spooky. In fact DD Natalya was the only one born later then 12.30 at 1.10 (all the others were born between 12.20-12.30).

I also had really short labours with all babies too...around 3-4 hours each time. So in that regards they were all similar....BUT the last one was the most painful which was something I wasnt expecting at all!:rolleyes:Thought they got easier as they went along, obvioulsy not!:D

Thanks for your reply Ang :D. Wow, that is spooky that they were all born at similar times! I'm not liking hearing that your last labour was more painful :o. You're so lucky that you had quick labours!

Tell me about it re the pain factor! I think it may have been because it was the shortest that it was therefore more intense...well thats my reasoning anyway. Have to agree about being very lucky with short labours.

Oh the only differing scenario with all my labours were that the first 2 were on time (exact dd which I hear is pretty rare) or overdue and the last one came 2 weeks early so she took me by surprise.

Both my boys arrived overdue, I'm hoping this little Miss will be different, but we're edging too close to her EDD now :lol:.

Oooh, Trish, how exciting that your little one is nearly here! I know I've only had two births, but FWIW my labours were really quite different.
With Natty I had my first contraction around midnight and she was born at 8:45 the following night. The contractions got lots longer as they got closer together and once they started they didn't stop.
With Phoebe I had two nights of pre-labour, where the contractions disappeared in the morning, then finally went into active labour around 10am, and she was born at 5:15 that evening. Interestingly, the contractions didn't increase too much in duration - I kept thinking I wasn't really in proper labour, LOL! Then arrived @ hospy in transition. So they were really quite different.
I think there's something to be said for labours that start gently and gradually increase - it is certainly my preference, having spoken to a couple of friends who've had fast & furious labours of 2-3 hours.
All the best anyway! Looking forward to reading your BA :)

Thanks Snacks! Your labours were definitely different to each other! My two were so similar in formula that I'm wondering if I should expect the same. I guess only someone with a crystal ball could tell me LOL! A gentle build up is good for sure, but my first labour was soooo long and the last few hours were excrutiatingly painful, I think I would have preferred a fast labour then!

True. And I imagine by the end you are just so exhausted that the pain is magnified. I was lucky that mine didn't go for longer than a day. (Except for the stupid prelabour with Phoebs that kept me up two nights in a row :rolleyes:)
Will be interested to hear if your third fits the formula!

In my experience - don't expect anything. All three of mine were completely different. It surprised me how different.

The first was a week before my EDD, was quick (4hrs) but quite traumatic. (something I would never wish to repeat).
The second was on my EDD, about 5hrs, but simple and straight forward, not a bad experience.
This last one was 8days overdue, followed weeks of prelabour with alot of false starts, was less then 3hrs from start of actual labour to birth - but was different in a way I am not sure i can describe. There was no 'pushing' stage with this one as such, but rather the baby just sort of came out on his own (that sounds alot less painful then reality though :lol: )

Good luck with it, hope you get to meet your bubs soon.

Thanks Misty :D Wow at your third coming out on his own!

I'm feeling jealous of those who have had short labours!

Weird double post :lol:

No idea love but COME OUT Miss B! :) I want to meet you :) Good luck hunny :hug: xxxxxx

LOL she can't read yet Amber :rofl:.

Thanks lovely :hug:.

Well get Joel to yell it at her :P :rofl: xx

I don't know Trish but I tend to be up most days at 4am so I'll send some major labour vibes to you!
I have this weird thing of needing to use the toilet at the same times during the night and unfortunately 4am is one of them :(

Best of luck, thinking of you xoxo

Mine was very different!

It was quicker and more intense with a lot more prelabour. I was also overdue 8 days which was the longest for me.

Reading another post of yours somewhere, you mention she is posterior so that may have some bearing on how you go this time too.

LOL Sangie, thanks for the 4am vibes! I'm always awake at 11:30pm, 1:30am, 3:30am, etc...:rolleyes:

Raven - Thanks for sharing your experience :D. I have no idea if this bub is still "slightly posterior" (as the midwife described) because I can feel her constantly in different positions. I think my boys stretched me out too much :lol:. I'm really hoping it won't be an issue with this labour :pray:.