# Length of first labour vs length of subsequent labours



## wishuwerehere

Hi ladies, just wondering about this as my SIL is in labour with future neice or nephew right now...last baby she was in labour 3 days and everyone's wondering what'll happen this time! :haha:

Soooo....if you've had more than one baby, 
1. how long was your first labour?
2. how long was your second? third? more?

I've heard it gets shorter but just wanted to see what people's experiences were :flower:


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## tmr1234

My 1st was 36hrs my 2nd was 6 hrs


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## amerikiwi

1st: 18 hours
2nd: 45 minutes!

Average rule of thumb according to my midwife is that you can expect the second labour to be half the time of the first. I surprised my midwife (and the paramedics) by going a bit quicker than the 50% rule.


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## Sommerfugl

When they say you can expect second labour to be half the time, is that half the time of established labour, or from the first contractions?


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## loopy loulou

My first was about 12 hours from thinking about going to hospital, (in reality could have stayed home a little longer), to giving birth. Second was 4 hours from getting to hospital to having her! Hoping next one will be even quicker, but not too quick!? 

Congratulations on your new niece/nephew :flower:


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## mum22ttc#3

All 3 of mine were under 3 hours, each one was 20 minutes quicker than the last. :)


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## kpnutt

Oh dear my first was 46 minutes. So would this one be 23 minute then? Eeeek!


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## Jaysmummy

If we're going by established labour then my first was around 7 hours and second was an hour and a half.

If we're going from first twinge/pain/contraction then first was around 21 hours and second 6 hours.

xx


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## NaturalMomma

ds1 27 hours
ds2 24 hours and 50 minutes

On average the subsequent labor shortens. Your SIL was probably experiencing prodomal labor, which is not that uncommon. I had that for 8 days prior to ds2. Prodromal labor can feel like the real thing, but it's not, and it's not really doing anything. Or she was just in pre-labor which can last days, but it's not true or active labor. That is rare to be in true labor for days. True labor doesn't usually last longer than 24 hours.


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## wishuwerehere

You're right NaturalMomma, it's been 5 days since she started having contractions, and baby isn't here, conclusion is prodromal labour. Poor SIL, and poor you! it must've been frustrating!


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## Nix

MMy labours have halved

1st 8 hours
2nd 3 hours 50
3rd 1 hour 58

Now pregnant with my 4th so I guess this one should be around and hour - bet it wont be though x


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## Eleanor ace

wishuwerehere said:


> You're right NaturalMomma, it's been 5 days since she started having contractions, and baby isn't here, conclusion is prodromal labour. Poor SIL, and poor you! it must've been frustrating!

Ooh poor her! Hope she has her Lo soon! :dust:


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## LouLou78

1st: 4hrs

2nd: 2hrs

3rd: approximately 30 minutes :)


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## ellemonkey

My first was 43 hours, my second was 6 and my third was about 22 hours.


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## Stinkerbell

First 6 and a half hours 
Second 3 and a half hours


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## MadameJ

DS 18-19hours from first twinge to giving birth,I was stuck on a bed for the last 4 hours so It could have been quicker.
DD 6-7hours from first twinge to giving birth,moved the whole time and used a tens machine.Left the house at 8.30pm,arrived at hospital 9pm was 9cm dilated and gave birth at 9.51pm.


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## wishuwerehere

Haha this is making me nervous, my labour with DD was 2 and a half hours...could be a super quick one next time!
And my nephew arrived safe and sound this morning :happydance:


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## laura3103

1st was less than 3 hours from having my waters broke to delivering
2nd was 10 hrs from waters breaking hormone drip inserted and then EMCS. my little man wanted to come out arm first


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## miss jayde

1st was 5hrs but with pitocin
2nd 3 day very mild labour and contractions got further apart rather than closer they started at 3 min apart and when it was time to push they were 20 min apart ....weird huh but he was my best lol no pain
3rd was about 8 hrs 
and 4th was about 8-9


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## lizardbreath

Jaymee: 14 hours 
Katherine: 3 hours 36 minutes


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## ClairHawkins

1st 11 hours
2nd 4 1/2 hours
3rd 1hour 3 mins
4th 4 1/2 hours
5th 16hours :growlmad:
6th 4 1/2 hours
Hope no 7 is around 4 - 5 hour mark too!


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## Guppy051708

DS1 was 30 hours. Water broke first. He was persistant posterior (sunnyside up/back to back) so i think thats why it took so long. That included a 9 hour transition :shock: and 6 hours of pushing.

DS2 was much more kind. Water broke first but i didn not get into active labor until many many hours later. (over a day). But i went from 4CM to placental birth in one hour and 40 minutes....so yes VERY different! And much MUCH faster even though there was one nuchal cord, mild shoulder dyscotia, and a semi short cord!

So to summarize:

#1 = 30 hours
#2 = ~1.5 hours


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## XJessicaX

This thread is making me SO happy!


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## Erised

I have to say I highly approve of the general drop in time with the 2nd as well!
My first labour was 45 hours from the first twinges, 23 hours from stronger contractions and 5 and a half hours since my water broke. It wasn't much fun, but I put it down to little miss having her hand on her head and there for getting stuck. 

Really hope this one will be *much* quicker, preferably shorter than the 50% guideline someone posted.


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## Guppy051708

Erised said:


> Really hope this one will be *much* quicker, preferably shorter than the 50% guideline someone posted.

Could be! My second was like 94% less time lol


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## Lizzie K

With my first, I was having twinges all day while DH was getting a tattoo. We got home at around 6pm-ish and my water broke at close to 7pm, things got going then. He was born a little under 10 hours later. 

With my second, it was about 4 hours from my water breaking (the start of my labor) to him being born. 

With my youngest, it was between 6-8 1/2 hours. I put it that way because I went to bed around nine hours before he was born, no contractions and woke up around 5 1/2 hours before he was born due to contractions. I don't know how long it took the contractions to wake me up since I was exhausted when I went to bed, I could have slept through them for the first few hours. That was the only one my water didn't break at the very start with, it broke about three hours before he was born.


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## 3rdtimelucky

1st 3 hours
2nd 40 minutes 
3rd 1 hour


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## emera35

1st - 2 hours 30 mins
2nd - 1 hour 10 mins!

The MW didn't arrive in time and OH had to deliver 2nd baby himself! :wacko: Been told to call the second i get a twinge next time! :lol:


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## mumandco

I was in labour for 8 1/2 hours with ds1 and for 5 1/2 hours with ds3


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## M&S+Bump

XJessicaX said:


> This thread is making me SO happy!

Me too :happydance:

Joe took so long because he was back-to-back and the first three days or so of contractions only got me to 2cm :cry: I noticed a change in them (they got LESS painful and intense!) at about midnight on the fourth day, water broke at 4am and I was 5cm at 5am when we got to hospital. No idea how much longer it would have been after that though since he was born by EMCS at 9.50am (he hadn't liked the four-day labour much either)

Hoping for a more co-operative right way round baby this time round, although even if it's half the length at 40 hours I could handle that!


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## XJessicaX

My first was a 22 hour back to back labour, contractions at 2cm were about the same strength as the 10cm ones. Hoping if my next bubba is in the right position then we could definitely half the labour time, hopefully even more!


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## xx~Lor~xx

First was 7 1/2 hours. Second was 4 1/2 hours


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## Guppy051708

XJessicaX said:


> My first was a 22 hour back to back labour, contractions at 2cm were about the same strength as the 10cm ones. Hoping if my next bubba is in the right position then we could definitely half the labour time, hopefully even more!

I am hopeful for you :D

My first was also back to back (hurt like hell! and as you said strong from the get go). My second, less than 2 hours...he was facing the right direction :D So its very possible. position plays a huge role! 

ps i didnt have ANY back labor this last time :D


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## Maple Leaf

1st was over 24 hours back to back labour resulting in epidural and ventouse delivery.
2nd was 5 hours natural labour - no drugs or intervention required.
3rd was 3 hours!....natural labour, no drugs or intervention required.
Mine certainly got quicker.....


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## mum2jess

First was 33 hours, second was an Hour and a half.


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## fairy1984

first was 24 hours, second was 1 hour 20


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## lovelylisa84

1st (Induced w/epidural) 16 hours
2nd (Induced w/epidural) 13 hours
3rd (surrogate pregnancy natural w/no epidural): 5 hours.


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## Laucu

My first labour was 13 hours, and my second was 7 hours! (No epi or pain relief, first was in a pool but second was on a bed on all fours).


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## zabka78

Maple Leaf said:


> 1st was over 24 hours back to back labour resulting in epidural and ventouse delivery.
> 2nd was 5 hours natural labour - no drugs or intervention required.
> 3rd was 3 hours!....natural labour, no drugs or intervention required.
> Mine certainly got quicker.....

Mine was almost like yours 
1st -back to back labor lasted 14 hours resulting epidural and ventouse 
2nd- fast delivery 2.5 hours -natural no drugs no intervention 
and now I wonder how the 3rd will be hope fast it has been 7 years since my last birth , little nervous :wacko:


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