# Tell me your labor story with your second!



## DJMooMoo79

Hello all! 
This will be my second child, and I plan to go drug free again just like my first. Ive been looking online for somesort of idea what to expect the second natural time around. But everything is "Well my first was induced" and "The second epidural did this".

So im hoping this thread will answer my questions!

I would love to hear the birth stories of your second natural, compared to your first natural labor!

Thanks in advance for sharing!


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## NDH

I did have an augmented labour with my first so mine wont be the comparison you are after (but it was a drug free birth, 8.5 hours after induction started, induction was due to 30 hours since my water broke and I was in early labour at that point. 6.5 hour active stage, of which 2 hours was being told not to push, an a further 2.5 hours pushing. Even before my other births, but especially since, I am convinced I could have shaved 3-4 hours off that labour time if I had listened to my body rather than the midwife)

My second birth was night and day from the first. Wheras with my first my water broke first and was ruptured for 30 hours, with my second contractions started 5 minutes apart in the middle of the night and my water didn't break until I was pushing.
The second time my active labour was around an hour; just over 7 hours from first contraction but I still felt like I was in really easy early labour until under an hour before she was born. 
Pushing was under 10 minutes versus 2.5 hours with my first. Oh and she was breech (known - I travelled 3 hours in labour to be able to have her vaginally) So ya, very different from eachother


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## c.m.c

For me the second labour was sooooo much easier. I used a type of hypnonirthing (I didnt realise I did but looking back it's exactly what I did)

My first labour I was terrified... I wanted a water birth but ended up with epidural and forceps! I was drug free and felt elated the second time around. The pain was so much easier to control and honestly only got full on intense during the last hour. The first 16 hrs I kind of stopped and started with contractions and walked around the house for a long time.


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## Boozlebub

My first labour started with waters breaking first and then contractions started a few hours later and DS was born after 50 mins of pushing 8 hours after the first contractions. Only used gas and air from 8cms on. No other pain relief

DD's labour was 3.5 hours from start to finish and as we live 2 hours from hospital was almost born in the ambulance. Contractions started full on from the get go and when we arrived at the hospital I was 9 cm dilated and she arrived 15 mins later after 10 mins of pushing. No pain relief except for gas and air just before pushing. 

My second labour was a lot more painful than the first but I think a bit of that was from the fear of being in the ambulance and what if she was born in it. We even had an emergency doctor meet us halfway as they were so sure she'd be born in the ambulance!


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## Sommerfugl

I had natural water births with both of my children.

With my first my waters broke in bed at 2am on my due date, my contractions started straight away and she was born at 2.38pm.

With my second I was 17 days overdue! Though closer to two weeks by my dates. 
I had been woken with intense contractions, that continued for several hours, in the early hours of the two morning before the real thing. 

So when it happened again on the third morning I decided to stay in bed and was actually able to fall half asleep in between contractions. 
I think it was about 3am when I got out of bed as I couldn't get comfortable in between contractions any more.
At about 5.15am I texted my mum to see if she was awake, I still didn't really think it was proper labour, the contractions were intense but nowhere near as bad as they were with my first when we knew things were really getting going. 

I had planned a home birth and had got the birthing pool ready a couple of days before when I thought I was in labour, so I topped it up with hot water. I still didn't think I was close so didn't think there was any point in calling the midwife, I just wanted to be left alone for as long as possible after being lectured and patronised for two weeks.
I was tired and achy so decided to get in the pool, expecting it to slow things down but provide a bit of relief.
It was lovely and relaxing. 
My contractions stopped for five or 10 minutes, then started up again in full force. 

After a short while in the pool the intensity changed and I knew she was coming soon. It was a really funny ordeal that followed, my mum struggled to call the midwife at first as she dialled incorrectly, and every time she left to call I would have another contractions and so scream for her to pour hot water on my back. She then dropped her mobile phone in the pool! She managed to get through to them just as the baby was crowning, she then dropped the home phone in the pool!

It was brilliant, and I know I was so lucky that everything turned out ok, but it was the perfect birth after the last two weeks of my pregnancy had been so stressful.

An ambulance arrived about 20 minutes after she was born and then the midwife a while after that. The paramedic rudely told me I "might have to go in", I calmly told him I didn't "have" to do anything, and said "yes" when he asked if I'd prefer they wait outside.



Sorry for the essay! It's nice to reminisce.


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## BunnyN

I had two natural home births (hoping for our 3rd any time now). I know this thread was started a while ago but seeing as you haven't had your baby yet I thought I'd share.

My 1st labour was long. A total of about 36 hrs and maybe about 27hrs established labour. It was a bit of an unusual labour though because contractions were all over the place right to the end. They kept slowing down and speeding up both in time between and length of contrations. If I was distracted or stressed by something they would start slowing down. It seemed really important that I have lots of space and peace and quiet with just me and OH there to concentrate on labour. Thankfully we had a HB and our MW was lovely and left us to it most of the time so we were alone most of the labour. Strangely I got really dopey feeling and napped quite a bit between contractions. That seemed to make contractions further apart but more intense when they came. I progressed very slowly. After 30+hrs of labour and several hrs at 6cm the MW was getting a bit worried and I eventually agreed to have my waters broken which seemd to move things along. I had intense back ache during transition and just wanted to be left totally alone and be quiet. I didn't even want OH to be there rubbing my back like in the rest of the labour. I was so quiet that the MW thought my contractions were slowing down. I got a bit discouraged and upset at that point because it was getting stronger and I could hear the MW in the kitchen talking to OH about the possibility of transferring to hospital to have the labour augmented. It was more the feeling of pressure on my back that I struggled with than the actual contractions. I would actually say the contractions themselves were quite bearable the whole labour. After a couple more hrs I felt like I needed sleep and managed to lie down and nap between a few contractions. Finally pushing came and the MW was worried my contractions would not be strong enough to push effectively but after an hr DD was born. I loved pushing and found it very intense but wouldn't even describe it as painful just hard work. It helped that the pressure in my back let up the moment I started pushing. I had a small tear and 4 stitches. The moment of birth was perfect and DD was perfect. I was instantly in love.

My second labour was 'only' 23hrs in total (12hrs active). It started and about the same time of night and really got going about the same time in the morning. My contactions were still a bit mixed up and were never text book regular but progressed more evenly than the 1st time. The biggest difference I found between the two labours was that it was more intense and the second time and felt more unstoppable. I chatted with the MW and DD was there most of the time and it didn't slow down or delay things. I didn't get the same bad back ache as the first during transition but the contractions themselves were much more intense and made me a bit panicky to start with but I realised that was probably a good sign which helped. I got much more vocal rather than less like I had with my 1st. Eventually I was super tired and really wanted to lie down but couldn't work out how to as it was too painful when the contractions came. We worked out if someone held my leg up during contractions while I lay on my side it made them bearable. I think I napped between contractions then. I was a bit out of it and felt drugged, even though I wasnt. The labour hormones seem to have a strong effect on me, lol. After that I was on my feet again for a while. When pushing came I tried the birthing stool but DHs head seemed to be stuck on my pelvis and he wasn't coming down at all. I still loved pushing the second time but did find it somewhat painful unlike the first time. After 30 mins or so the MW suggested I try different positions. After a couple of others I ended up back on my side with my leg being held up. Suddenly he wanted to come flying out! He had a big head and the MW was worried about md tearing so she had me slow things down which was super hard but I didn't tear so I think it worked. In a few pushes he was born. All 11lbs of him! The cord was short and I was stuck in an awkward position (because the MW was concerned about my bleeding) so I couldn't hold him properly and he seemed a little distressed and wimpering. I also admit I was a bit in shock about how huge he seemed! There was a student MW there. DD was also there for the birth which was lovely and I don't regret but there was a lot more going on in the room and the moment didn't feel so intimate and perfect as the first time but it was nice in its own way.

Sorry for such an essay. I hope some of it helps.


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