# Are subsequent labours really quicker???



## Jaysmummy

I'm trying to figure out whether to invest in a tens machine again.

I used one with DS but only for around an hour as things quickly progressed at home and then I had to take it off to get in the pool at hospital. It did help whilst I had it on though.

I was probably in labour for around 3 hours at home and an hour and half at hospital so not sure whether to get one or not??

xx


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## Boony

well my first labour was hours! My second was 36minutes and my last was 44 minutes! so i would say yes. I think my last would've been quicker than 44 minutes but the midwife didn't believe i was ready to push lol


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## vikirose

My first was posterior and a 32 hr quite intense labour..number 2 was about 16 hr...but quite relaxed, I even drifted off during contractions...hope no3 is quicker still :)


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## hellohefalump

My second labour I was told would have been a lot quicker (like, 20 minutes from arriving at the hospital the midwife said!!!) had my son not been back to back. As it was, he took eight hours, same as my daughter, because it took a loooong time for him to turn around.


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## bbforme

My first was 7-hours and my second was 6-hours.


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## Statik

My first was 4 hrs and my 2nd was 12 hours. I think it depends on how you carry your baby in each pregnancy. Only my guess though. Idk.


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## mum22ttc#3

My subsequent labours were all quicker but only by 10 minutes each time, the longest though was under 4 hours. :)


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## amerikiwi

First: 15 hours
Second: 45 minutes

I think the "general" rule of thumb is they expect second births to be about half the time as the first but there are obviously other factors and outliers to this rule. 3rd births are known to be the wildcards--statistically they don't trend. I have had several conversations over the last week with midwifes and paramedics as they tried to rationalize why I laboured so quickly compared to the first.


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## BleedingBlack

First: 10 hours
Second: 9 hours 
Third: 1 hour


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## moomin_troll

first was 7 hours induced 
second was 4 hours start to finish and i used tens machine till i had to rip it off and jump in the pool cuz corey was coming lol

most second labours are quicker, if u like using tens machine id get one


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## Lawhra

I think most second labours are quicker.

My first 7 hrs 7 mins
Second 48 mins


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## lynnikins

first , several days
second, under 8 hours
third , well hopefully no more than 12 hours lol


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## NaturalMomma

Generally yes, but not always. ds1 was 27 hours and ds2 was 10 minutes shy of 25 hours.


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## tannembaum

wow DD was just over 4 hours not including pushing as I had an emcs. I hope this one isn't quicker!!


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## Komatsu

My first was about 23 hours and my second was just under 3 hours , so much quicker .


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## Odd Socks

bella was 22 1/2 hours.
i think i need another long labour to get my head around having a second one ;)
xx


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## goddess25

My first was 12 hours and my second was 3.5 hours so yes for me anyway.


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## poppy

I think usually. Mine certainly was:

First son: nearly 30 hours active labour, pushed for and hour and a half and forceps delivery with epidural
Second son: from first contraction to delivery - 5 hours, pushed for 12 minutes and delivered only on gas and air.

Good luck, I hope your birth goes well.

xxx


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## lesleyann

4hours for my son
2hours for my daughter


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## Mary Jo

active labour - my first was 8 hours 20 mins, induced with pessary and waters broken manually, second was 1 hour 40 mins, all natural.


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## Mynx

My first labour was 10 hours, 2nd labour was 2.5 :)


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## Nimbus

my second labour was half the length of the first. not sure if its normal though


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## 2ndtimer

i think they are, 
ds1 - 3hour
ds2 - 2hour
ds3 - 59mins

heres to baby4 being 30 mins x


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## loverguts

I am truly amazed at the difference between first births and second. It does seem like there definitely is a trend of having a quite normal ish labour time to having a ridiculously fast one second time round.

I was in labour for 7 hours with first LO, but mainly took so long as he was back to back and refused to budge for a good couple of hours when i needed to push.
Now im pooing myself that im gonna have a stupidly fast second labour......arrrghhhhhhh!!!! :wacko:

At least i have quite a few months left to prepare myself mentally for the possibility, hehe.


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## Guppy051708

generally speaking, second time labors are faster (though thats not always the case).
I will update (if i remember :blush:) when i have #2. My first was a whopping 30 hour labor, but he was born face up and i think thats why it was so long. And it was 100% back labor so it made it that much more challenging.


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## lesleyann

This is the reason I will not be having a #3 lol an hour labour if it cut in half again :haha: Took an hour for me to decide I was in labour with Lexi!


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## Mynx

If I was ever to have a third one, I'd be having it at home! :haha:


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## Blah11

1st - waters broke followed by 12 hours of really bad back contractions after 3 hours, pushing was 27 mins.

2nd - on and off contractions for 21 hours (but not bad or even that painful, just niggly), niggly but regular contractions for another 4 hours and more painful contractions for 3 hours. Pushing was less than 10 mins. Pain relief was gas and air and diamorphine.


2nd labour was waaaaaaaaaay better. I have a similar story to lesleyann but not as dramatic. I decided I should phone to MW to 'check' me to make sure I was in proper labour at 5.45ish, she arrived at 7ish, baby was born at 8.48 haha. No pain relief.


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## Mynx

Blah11 said:


> 1st - waters broke followed by 12 hours of really bad back contractions after 3 hours, pushing was 27 mins.
> 
> 2nd - on and off contractions for 21 hours (but not bad or even that painful, just niggly), niggly but regular contractions for another 4 hours and more painful contractions for 3 hours. Pushing was less than 10 mins. Pain relief was gas and air and diamorphine.
> 
> 
> *2nd labour was waaaaaaaaaay better*. I have a similar story to lesleyann but not as dramatic. I decided I should phone to MW to 'check' me to make sure I was in proper labour at 5.45ish, she arrived at 7ish, baby was born at 8.48 haha. *No pain relief*.

Same here.. my 2nd labour was much more bearable.. with my first I had pethidine, which made me feel really crappy and sleepy, so I vowed I wasnt ever going to have that again :haha: 
With my second, my waters broke while I was waiting for my routine MW appointment. Scared the crap out of a couple of the ladies also waiting :rofl: MW came out and saw me soaking wet and went into a bit of a panic lol! Asking if we needed her to call the hospital, or arrange a cab (we have no car) to which I replied, tis ok we'll walk back home, I'll get cleaned up and away I'll go.. I have loads of time! 
By the time I got home (20 minute walk) I'd had a couple of contractions but then they got really painful, really quickly and very close together. So then we called a cab, didnt tell the driver that I was in labour tho but I had 4 contractions on the 10 minute drive to the hospital :rofl: Luckily I was sat on a towel and a bin bag so I didnt get his seats wet :haha: I was then made to wait in the waiting area, with full blown contractions, which by then were pretty much back to back .. they told me they wanted to make sure I was actually in labour :grr: WTF??!?!?!? I could've punched someone then :rofl: 
I was examined, and they found I was 6cm dilated so was whisked up to the delivery suite.... just under 2 hours later I had Evie. No pain relief, which I was very proud of! Afterwards I said to the MW that had examined me on arrival... "Told you I was in labour!"


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## tannembaum

Lol Mynx thats great!! 
I really hope my waters go somewhere funny!


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## lesleyann

I would love to experience random water breakage! Kyle the mw's broke his waters and Lexis broke once she was born.


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## Mynx

It was so strange.. I'd felt a pop in my belly before my MW appointment but nothing happened after that so I thought maybe it was a pop of wind :haha: By the time I got to the MW office, I'd trickled a little but then when I stood up to go into her office, Woooooosh!! They went with some gusto!! :rofl:


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## Guppy051708

my waterbroke at 3:30 in the morning when i went to the loo :blush: i actually wasn't sure if it was my water or not because i was peeing, and i stopped peeing...but there was still water dripping out! ...it def was NOT a big gush :nope: it was just constant small streams/drops of water....i liked having the heads up because then i had time to shower and shave my legs :haha:
Although i did enjoy the "warning sign" (contractions started within 5 minutes of that happening and 4 minutes apart), i would have much rather had my waters for as long as possible. The water acts as a pillow coushin. So when its there it actually makes labor less painful. but when it goes there isn't as much cushioning in there, so labor can hurt a bit more....so its actually a good thing for you waters not to break from the start, otherwise you start labor in more pain than those with it intacted.


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## Blah11

i have no idea where romans waters went :rofl: lost sometime between thurs and sun LOL


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## Guppy051708

:haha:


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## emilyjade

my second labour was quicker 1st 2hr 5 2nd 43 mins x


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## Mynx

Blah11 said:


> i have no idea where romans waters went :rofl: lost sometime between thurs and sun LOL

Congratulations to you all hun :hugs:


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