2nd labour questionss

[krystalemery]

Heard a lot of people saying all sorts of different things about 2nd labours so just wondered what your thoughts/experiences are?

I'm due a baby girl on 22nd April (4days woop woop) and my first labour with my little boy Aiden was a 2hr 50min drug-free labour. He was 8 days late and he weighed 8lb 3oz.

I've heard many people saying baby number 2 will probably go overdue too, and will be roughly same size maybe few ounces heavier and the birth will be shorter. But on the other hand I've heard plenty of people saying something completely different!

Not that it bothers me either way, am just curious to know what your experiences were.. Is the 2nd time shorter? And what about pain relief - more or less 2nd time round? I'm hoping this baby turns up sooner than Aiden did, and yet again I would love a drug-free quick labour :-D

xx

 

[Blah11]

2nd time was shorter by more than half and was a lot easier. He weighed more but was also cooking for much longer and was a boy. I had less pain relief (none) but it was different circumstances as I had a home birth 2nd time and felt much more relaxed.

 

[Guppy051708]

The average first time mother goes 41+1. A lot of second time moms go earlier than their first (not always true, but typically so). Personally, I went 41+5 with DS1. So when i went 38+3 with DS2 i was honestly surprised! I knew that statistically i could go earlier, but i was just banking on going so far "overdue" again.

For me, my water breaks before labor starts. With DS1 contractions started about 3 minutes apart as soon as my water broke (which was just a little leak while peeing so i wasn't for sure until it just wouldn't stop). My water broke around 3:45am at 41+4. I had a lot of painful back labor with him. I threw up at 5CM, was in transition for 9 hours and pushed for 6 hours, the placenta was well over 30 minutes before it detached. I was severely anemic and reached the max blood loss amount, so they gave me the pit shot and that expelled everything. At no point during my labor did EVER experience regularly timed contractions. I started pushing at 8CM (which apparently is common with posterior-face up- presentations). 30.5 hours after my water broke (9:17am at 41+5), baby boy #1 was born. I had an intervention free water birth, in the hospital. it was a very long and painful labor, but again that was mostly due to him being face up (back labor is very common with that as is a longer labor).

With DS2 my water broke first at 38+2 (7:30am), when i rolled over to wake up. GUSH! it was a serious gush (like movie style!). I never even experienced one contraction until about 3:30 that day. Then i had very irregular contractions (no back labor this time though- THANK GOD!). I would get them at 7 min apart, then 13 minutes, then 4 minutes, then whatever (im seriously not convinced i will ever have "normal" contractions ). When i would use the pump, i would get more contractions. When i stopped using the pump, my contractions would die out. Even the MWs said it was the strangest thing they have ever seen. I even took black cohash to get them going and that didn't work. Finally, i got to active labor (4cm) around 2pm on 38+3. It took a long time to get there, but once i got to active labor, i went from 4cm to placenta in under 1 hour and 15 minutes. I threw up again around 5CM. My contractions (once active hit) were double peaking. they would last around 2 minutes (very intense!) and then i would get about a 15 second break and another 2 minute contraction would come along. Obviously why my active labor, pushing stage, and 3rd stage were so fast! I pushed for 23 minutes, according to notes. I delivered DS2 @ 3:03PM on 38+3. The placenta delivered in 7 minutes (physiological 3rd stage, no issues with blood loss this time). I had shoulder dyscotia, but even with that pushing was still super fast. I also started pushing around 8CM this time too. He was also a water birth, but a HB. Intervention free.

I drank RRLT throughout my entire pregnancy with DS2 (1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester). I believe that is why, once active labor actually started, it was so fast. I do not believe it had anything to do with going early (it doesnt which is fact), but it does help tone the uterus and make it work more effieciently. I totally think it had everything to do with how quick, intense, and ongoing my contractions were. But honestly i would take double peaking intense contractions for a fast birth, any day over a long back labor hellish birth. I didn't start RRLT until 34 weeks with DS1. Even though i had a long labor with DS1, i was told that is still pretty fast for birthing a persistant posterior.

So there were a lot of similarities (especially with my water breaking first, both arrived around 30-32 hours after that happened) and it taking forever to get into active labor, and never having "regular contractions"). But it was also very different at the same time.

I really hope my third birth goes something like my second...though i would love it if it didn't take forever to get into active!

 

[krystalemery]

WOW. You're very brave haha!

With Aiden I went to hosp they checked me and I was only 1cm but in a hell of a lot of pain, can't remember contraction times, but they sent me home telling me to try get in the bath etc so I did that.. But the minute I got into the bath I was screwing at my partner to get me out or I said I was going to give birth in there haha. Sure enough when I got back up the hosp (about 45mins after being sent home) they checked me and I was 8cm so I was rushed straight into delivery room and starting pushing!

My labour with Aiden was 2hr 50min from start to finish, which I guess is very lucky! I drunk RRLT with him but not a lot and not consistently so I don't really know if that had any sort of impact on my labour? I wanted to drink it with this one too, consistently this time hoping it would work but read on the internet not to drink it if your labour(s) have been less than 3hrs long - so that counts me out lol.

Fingers x'd you get the labour and birth you want, I'm hoping I have a similar labour/birth to Aiden's but only time will tell!

xx

 

[Mel_jj]

My first labour was around 8 hours from first contraction to DS1 being born and then my second was 3 hours long from first contraction to DS2 being born so my second labour was less than half the time of my first and I was fully dilated when I got to the birth unit! DS1 weighed 7lbs 13 1/2ozs and DS2 weighed 7lbs 8ozs.

Im starting to worry about how quick this one will be!!

I just about managed to get a water birth with DS2 so had no pain relief and with DS1 I had gas and air and pethidine (which I shouldn't have had as they didn't check my progress beforehand and I was ready to push so it didn't do anything really apart from make me drowsy!!) the only thing I would say was that the after pains were worse after DS2 and according to the midwife that looked after us when DS2 was born the after pains get worse with each baby that you have so im not looking forward to that either!! But its all worth it in the end!

 

[Eleanor ace]

I had my 2nd 2 days ago .
Number one (DS) was born at 42 weeks, I was induced. Labour was about 6 hours long with 2 hours of that pushing. He weighed 9lb 15oz.

Number 2 (DD) was born at 41 weeks, spontaneous labour. I'm not sure how long my labour was as I was 8cm when I got to hospital but I'd been contracting for a few hours before then. I was 3cm for a while before going into labour but from my contractions getting to that I think this is it" stage I'd guess I was in labour for about 6 and a half hours. Pushing took 14 minutes, much quicker than with DS! She weighed 8lb. Even if I'd had her at the same gestation as DS I imagine she'd have been about a lb and a half lighter.

Pain wise, contractions were more manageable with DD I think, I had gas and air for both and both were back to back. Pushing hurt more with DD but she'd turned to the side and got her shoulders stuck so that contributed. And pushing was quicker so it was more manageable .

Good luck!

 

[BettyBoop152]

I was just over with both of mine.. DD1 = 43 hour labour with ventouse delivery and episi.. 7lb 14 oz was 40 + 3 at birth..
DS2 = 6-7 hour labor all natural and pretty normal.. 7lb 4oz had him at 40 + 2 Xxxx

 

[xxema&bumpmjx]

With my dd I went into labour on my due date an was in labour for 23 an account half hours, I petherdine an gas an air with Ella I member my labour wasn't easy an they had to do a small cut to get her out as I was struggling she weighed 7lbs 1oz. With my ds I was 9days over an had a sweep the Wednesday an started having contractions thursday, he was a very long labour as I finally gave birth to him early hours Saturday morning, I had the same pian relief aswith dd but his labour I member was really painfully asmy glucose levels were really low an he was back to back he weighed a healthy 7lbs 9oz, xx

 

[xxema&bumpmjx]

Sorry posted twice

 

[xx~Lor~xx]

My 2nd was faster than my 1st, my 3rd was the fastest.
My 1st was 11 days overdue, my 2nd was bang on his due date, my 3rd was 6 days overdue.
I delivered all three of them using gas and air and a birthing pool (though my 1st was born out of the water - she was the only one I tore with)

 

[krystalemery]

With my son I started having contractions and went to hosp to be examined, was only 1cm so went back home. Had a show, waters leaked but didn't full break on their own, but within 45mins of being sent home from hosp I was pushing in the car on the way back there! When I was examined I was then 8cm! My labour was 2hrs from start - finish, using only gas and air from 8cm onwards. I had to be cut with him, and had ventouse delivery. I bled quite a bit and had to have a blood transfusion, that wasn't very nice but the actual birth and labour was so quick and quite easy considering!

I had a sweep on Tues just gone (40+1) but had no signs yet. No show or waters leaking/breaking like they did with my son. I'm now 4 days over, due another sweep on Tues coming if she hasn't already arrived by then! I'm hoping I don't go right over and have to be induced but only one way to find out!

Knowing my luck the little madam will turn up halfway through my cinema date to see Iron Man 3 tonight!

xx

 

[saraw66]

With my first son i was in painful labour for 24 hours before my water even broke then another 2 days before delivery and ended up getting an epidural, he was 38 weeks and 7lbs, my second was born at exactly 41 weeks was 8lbs14 and my labour start to finish was only 4 hours i was already 8 cm when i got to the hospital and he came so fast he had fluid in his lungs still it was totally drug free and i highly recommend it

 

[Radiance]

My births were both the same amount of time, both around 5 hours.
I also went natural with my 1st, with my 2nd, I couldn't feel any of my contractions or anything. I only found I was in labor- dilated 6, contractions every 2/3 mins. and water already broken because of my weekly appointment!
They also were close in weight.

 

[aimee-lou]

DS1 - 43 hours from start to finish, 13 hours active labour. he was 5 days OD and weighed 9lb6oz. He arrived with his hand up by his face and it took a long time (not really 35 mins) to push him out. No meds, just G&A, used a pool for labour but birthed on land.

DS2 - 5.5hours of labour that counts lol. I had 3 days slow labour before my 1st sweep, then 12 hours of a bit quicker but still nothing really labour before my 2nd sweep, which REALLY got things moving. He arrived eventually, 10 days OD using only G&A again weighing 10lb14oz. By the time I had my sweep I was already 3cm dilated though so I guess I had less to do in the actual labour.

No real RRLT or anything. I just did lots of walking, lots of being active on my feet trying to get things moving.

 

[krystalemery]

Am happy to announce that I gave birth to a beautiful little girl called Ava Grace at 2.23am yesterday morning! Labour and birth was so similar to my sons..

He weighed 8lb 3oz, was 8 days late, and I had ventouse delivery with him and had to be cut. Only had gas and air with him from 8cm onwards and his labour/birth was 2hr 50min from start to finish.
Ava weighed a whopping 9lb 8oz, was 7 days late, no assisted delivery, no cut or tear, no stitches etc, yet again I only had gas and air from 8cm onwards and her labour/birth was 2hr 23min from start to finish!
Am one very very proud mummy xxx

 

[Guppy051708]

Congrats!!!

 

[aimee-lou]

Yay congratulations xxxx