# What's the start of second labour like?



## stardust599

Does it build up like a first labour?

I was induced early with my LO so have no idea what to look out for.

I don't want to go into hospital and be only 2/3cm dilated! But I don't want to leave it too late and have to go through transition in the car or anything (30-45mins from hosp)!

What does it start like, does it slowly build up like first time labour with contractions getting stronger and closer together. xx


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## chuck

I think it depends on laods of tings really.

I had 2 days of prelabour with DS1 as he was poterior so it tool forever to get up into proper labour and then made such slow progress I was sent to hospitla to have a synto drip etc.

With DS2 I had no niggles until the day I went into labour. I had a few bad cramps then a massive muscousy show (no blood) and the cramps just grew and got regular until I thought no these really are ctx and they built slowly and steadily through the evening. Thius baby wasnt so naughty though he was anterior!


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## amerikiwi

My experience is definately not the norm, but goes to show that every labour, even to the same woman, can be very different:

There was no build up what-so-ever for my second. Contractions just started hard and fast with no break. Less than 45 minutes later, my son was born in an unplanned, unassisted home-birth on the bathroom floor. My first had a proper buildup and was 18 hours, so the speed and intensity caught me by complete surprise.


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## stardust599

Thanks chuck! I have a "good feeling" about this time and am also preparing with RLT, EPO and lots of daily light exercise, good posture etc. I am hoping baby is in a good position and I get a straightforward-ish textbook labour!
I am 30-45mins from hospital so I'm unsure when to leave for hospital!

amerikiwi. Wow that must have been scary, well done! Do you think anything you did in your second pregnancy contributed towards your really short labour?

Thanks girls xx


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## tmr1234

With my 2nd they started hard and fast as well no slow and steedy and they was blood pain full from the very 1st 1. (why am i wnating to do it againelol)


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## amerikiwi

Nothing different in second pregnancy. They say the body tends to remember labour and become more efficient at it (why 2nd labours are generally half as long). The best we can figure out, my body learned exceptionally well. I thought about taking RLT but never got around to it--probably a good thing. I did get a sweep with the first baby (labour started 3 hours after) and refused it the second baby, so if I had let nature take its course perhaps my first labour would have been quicker-hard to say.

Good luck!


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## Guppy051708

With My second, my water broke first (@ 38+2)...and it took a long time for active labor to start but once it did it was very intense and double peaking contractions. but i went from 4cm to placenta in one hour and 40 minutes (@ 38+3)

with my 1st water broke (@ 41+4), then 30 hrs of labor. contractions (painful back labor) started immediately at 3 min apart agter my waters went. he was back to back. born sunnyside up. (@ 41+5)


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## goddess25

Its so variable for each woman.. with first labour I laboured at home and had 2-3 hours of cramps to begin with.

2nd labour started with contractions 3 minutes apart straight away... and my LO was born 3 hours later.


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## stardust599

Bump for some more stories and replies


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## NaturalMomma

A second can be the same as the first, or completely different. Both my labors built up the same, but with ds2 it started with my water breaking and not with ds1.


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## Guppy051708

both of my birth stories are in my siggy x


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## hellohefalump

My second started the same as my first - my waters broke.

But with my first the contractions started immediately, while with my second my waters broke at 3am, and the contractions started ages later, at 6pm. Both my births were eight hours long, but my second was back to back. I've been told if he'd been the right way round it would have been a lot quicker. 

My daughter was born at 39 weeks, and my son at 38 weeks. They both weighed 7lb 15oz.


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