TT or 99 in BB in a raised multi-way pot

[captain_swing]

I was wondering what line people like to take given this situation with good medium pairs in the Big Blind:

Assume 2/4 limit. 3 or 4 limpers, button raises, flop gives hero an overpair or secondpair (with say a Queen).

I've been calling preflop and often betting out the flop--definately betting out with second pair, maybe checkraising with the overpair. I find that betting out does put pressure on the limpers because of a fear of a raising war, so it does some of the work of the check raise. But do you feel a check raise is mandatory if table conditions are right (passive limpers and aggressive raiser)? Anybody 3 bet pre-flop?