2nd Labour After Bad First One

[honeysuede]

As my due date appraoches I am naturally thinking about labour etc. I had a bad one with my son, 17 hours, first part progressed quick then he got stuck at the pushing stage for hours & I had to be cut & have vontouse which took forever and almost didnt work, then after doing it all on gas & air I had to have a spinal afterwards in order to have the placenta removed as it was retained. I am aware this is mild compared to other stories but it was horrific at the time & although I feel I have mentally prepared myself for labour I just wondered if anyone who has done it more than once could tell me if it's true about the 2nd being quicker / easier? I know I am looking for hope when I should just deal with it but its worth a try
Thanks
xxx

 

[Cattia]

My first labour was 50 hours from start to finish. Back to back, failure to progress at second stage, epidural, episiotmy, almost ended in ECS. My second was six hours start to finish, water birth with no pain relief because by the time I felt like I needed it, it was time to push and he was born! So in my experience, a million times better second time. Hoping the third will be more like the second than the first...

 

[honeysuede]

wow that must have been awful for you first time round so glad your 2nd was better. Were you nervous in your 2nd pregnancy due to your experience? I can't say I am 'scared' but it;s deffo on my mind. xx

 

[Beanonorder]

Sorry can't give advice but I posted a similar thread in the labour and delivery section. I had a traumatic first labour and I'm pretty nervous this time round. I've tried to change/fix everything that I have control over for this time round but there are still so many unknown factors that I have absolutely no control over. I am really hoping this time is fast and easier!

 

[Munchkin30]

Can't give you advice but I had a similar first labour. Stop start contractions for days, reasonable established first stage with gas and air and pethadine then horrific second stage, baby had cord round her neck twice and got totally stuck, wasn't allowed pain relief at that stage and had signed for a c section before I got a second wind and pushed her out with forceps. Then had to go into theatre for an epidural to sew the 3rd degree mess up!! I'm strangely calm about this one although I'm only 28 weeks so I might get scared soon!!
Slightly off topic but Since then i lost a baby at 22 weeks and went through the labour 'process' and although she was only tiny I now understand the pricess much more consciously than after my daughters birth and although it was devastating it was actually quite a beautiful birth experience.

 

[Cattia]

wow that must have been awful for you first time round so glad your 2nd was better. Were you nervous in your 2nd pregnancy due to your experience? I can't say I am 'scared' but it;s deffo on my mind. xx

The funny thing was I never really thought it was that bad because I had nothing to compare it to, it was only after my DS was born that I realised how bad it had been! I think I felt trepidation going into the second one but I also realised that if done it once and survived so I could do it again. This time I'm nervous again. I don't worry much about pain or a bad labour, I worry about something going wrong that could affect the baby. I just want her out in one piece!

 

[Mummy to be x]

My first labour was awful, 45 hours of long back to back labour and I was terrified of my second been the same, with my second baby I ended up been induced and for the first 24 hours nothing happened, I never progressed passed 1cm despite all my contractions.

I don't think my body deals very well with labour and this time I ended up with a c-section.

Every labour is different so don't let your first birth scare you of the second one, although I know it's hard.

 

[Cattia]

My first labour was awful, 45 hours of long back to back labour and I was terrified of my second been the same, with my second baby I ended up been induced and for the first 24 hours nothing happened, I never progressed passed 1cm despite all my contractions.

I don't think my body deals very well with labour and this time I ended up with a c-section.

Every labour is different so don't let your first birth scare you of the second one, although I know it's hard.

Hey Mummy I see you have had your little man
Congratulations! I hope everything went well for you. Lots of love xx

 

[Mummy to be x]

My first labour was awful, 45 hours of long back to back labour and I was terrified of my second been the same, with my second baby I ended up been induced and for the first 24 hours nothing happened, I never progressed passed 1cm despite all my contractions.

I don't think my body deals very well with labour and this time I ended up with a c-section.

Every labour is different so don't let your first birth scare you of the second one, although I know it's hard.

Hey Mummy I see you have had your little man
Congratulations! I hope everything went well for you. Lots of love xx

The section went very smoothly, no complications

Thank you

 

[AMAS86]

None of my labors have been hard but I will say my labors have gotten shorter with each one.
My sister has long, difficult labors as her pelvic bones don't soften and "seperate" during pregnancy. Maybe thats your case? Try getting you a birthing ball and sit on it throughout the day while bouncing and rolling your hips. I've done this through out all my pregnancys so I feel like that is what helps me get prepared and drop baby down.

 

[honeysuede]

Thanks for the replies ladies
I did use a birthing ball last time & it was hard to say if it helped really, I felt like it did to start with.

Mummy to be - congrats!

I guess time will tell and it will be worth it in the end. No amount or worrying or thinking will change the outcome so all we can do is prepare best we can. Good luck everyone xx