Second labours...

[mummyruston]

Those who've just had baby number 2 - were your labours quicker and more straightforward than the first?

I've been told second time I'm less likely to need "assistance" - episiotomy and forceps first time after baby got stuck.

Otherwise I'd have had baby pretty quickly as I went in 8-9cm after labouring at home.

Did you find baby was born much quicker? Less assistance etc?

 

[ourturnnext]

My first baby was stuck too, back to back and needed episiotomy and ventouse after three days of contractions and every drug going. Not nice.

Baby number two was a wonderful birth. Didn't even realise I was in labour til the last minute. Went from 4cm to delivery in 15mins, not even time for pain relief to kick in! Needed a couple of stitches afterwards and was fully healed within a week.

So hopefully your second labour will be straightforward too xx

 

[Leeny]

I had a well over 36hr induction/epidural/episiotomy/forceps with my first-as she did NOT want to come out haha! Second one was a total breeze in comparison, and I was really dreading it thinking I'd have a similar experience. I was in labour less than 5 hours and only had to push twice,no tearing or stitches. I made good Use of the gas and air too. the difference in the two experiences still kind of amazes me. Good luck to you x

 

[RaspberryK]

Yes although I had an uncomplicated first, it was long and ds was 2 weeks overdue.
Second came a week early, halved the labour time and was pretty text book second delivery.
Xx

 

[Reidfidleir]

It was shorter yes. Just as easy as first.
My first was a wonderful home water birth. 36+1 spontaneous labor Started with water breaking and 17 hours later I had him. (3 hours pushing)
My second my water broke and then....nothing. I waited a full two days before going in and agreeing to try cervadil. Didn't do anything. Finally the third day (38+1) midwife did a membrane sweep and started pitocin. That spurred a 3.5 hour total labor from barely 1cm and thick to birth. Pushed 20 minutes.
Second was faster and easier but labor didn't start for who knows what reason.

 

[bdb84]

My second was quicker than my first, but my third was much longer than the previous two. All three were complication free, though, and the pushing time was less for each birth (7min for first, 4min for second, 1min for third).

 

[shinona]

2nd was much easier and shorter than my first. I also had forceps and episiotomy with my first and missed a section by the skin of my teeth thanks to an amazing midwife. It was not a pleasant experience. I was very worried about the same thing happening again but my midwife when pregnant assured me that in her experience, if you had assistance the first time then you were very unlikely to need help the second time. She was absolutely right. #2 was a much shorter labour and I pushed about 3times. That was it! A really lovely experience. So was #3 too x

 

[BrittRashel]

Stalking this tread. The posts so far have made me feel a lot better. I had a very long, very difficult labor with my son so I am hoping to go without any meds with this baby.

 

[SarahBear]

Both were 3 hour labors. Both were home births. I had 2 tears with my first and 1 with my second.

 

[zebbed89]

My second labour was alot easier than my first. Both labours were induced first was 8 hours with an hour and twenty pushing vert close to a forceps delivery but managed to escape it and had a few stitches. Second was 2 hours 49 mins with 4 mins pushing and no stitches xx

 

[Button#]

My first ended up with ventouse and an episiotamy. My second was a home birth and it was shorter and easier, much shorter pushing time and no tears.

 

[Googiepie]

With my first, I had a 16 hour labour, 2 hours pushing. I had forceps and an episiotomy. My daughter had nerve damage in her lip from the forceps which is getting a lot better. This time I advised my doctor that I refuse the use of forceps. She agreed and said that if anything, I can have a c section if I can't get her out. With my second, my labour was 7 hours with an hour of pushing. She ended up getting stuck to the point where the doctor and nurse had to do this weird push and pull manouver. She came out blue and wasn't breathing. They had to call the special baby nurses as they like to call them. They worked on her for 5 minutes and she started crying and turning pink. Most traumatic experience in my life. However, my second was 9 pounds 2 ounces. My doctor already told me if I have a third that she'll recommend a c section. I guess I just can't push em out lol.

 

[mummyruston]

Thanks for all your responses!

Sounds like the body is more experienced and knows what to do second time...

Maybe I shouldn't labour at home so long this time then just in case!

Thanks x

 

[Rhio92]

First - no urge to push, resulting in ventouse delivery
Second - more painful, but half the time of the first, and pushing was a dream

 

[StaceyKor]

My second labour was a breeze compared to my first.

Granted, my first labour was 14 hrs long, back to back, pushing for 1.5 hrs, needed an episiotomy, had retained placenta and a post partum haemorrhage of 1.5litres....so yeah, i was absolutely bricking it second time round.

I was prepared when i got into the hospital (had a canula put in) in case i haemorrhaged again and needed urgent medication or a transfusion. However, it was as smooth as can be. It was 4 hrs long, i honestly slept through 3.5 hrs of that. Midwife broke my waters 3.5 hrs into it and she was born less than 30 mins later...not back to back, no episiotomy, tears or anything. She was out in 3 pushes. No retained placenta, no haemorrhage. I had zero pain after it, was happily walking around the hospital ward right after it with no swelling, got released to go home the next morning and went out to the shops the following day for a few hrs. Honestly didnt feel like i'd just given birth. After first labour i was in pain for weeks due to swelling and stitches at episiotomy site. I assumed that was the norm post labour....it definitely wasnt lol xx

 

[MumToEva]

Mine was quicker and easier. Got to fully dilated much the same as first time, but without the same anxiety as I knew what it would be like, and I only had to push for 10 minutes rather than 4 hours. Didn't need an episiotomy 2nd time round, though I did tear naturally. Recovery was a lot easier too.

 

[Tattoo]

I had two quick, easy deliveries with mine.
The first was ten days past EDD, waters broke before labour was established, I had four hours of active labour, and twenty minutes of pushing.
Second was four days over EDD, labour started the evening before (latent labour, manageable), five hours of active labour, three minutes pushing. I think the second one was more painful, but I put that down to the fact that my waters were still intact until her head was born.
I had second degree tears with both girls, but needed fewer stitches with the second. I felt a million times better after the second birth than I did after the first.

 

[ClairAye]

My first was 38 hours in total, 13 hours established labour, 1 hour 5 minutes pushing and ended in forceps and an episiotomy and my second was 9 hours total, 8 minutes of pushing with no assistance whatsoever and a tiny 1st degree tear that only needed one stitch.

 

[smurff]

My first was a 51 hour labour ending in forceps and epiosositmy, second was 9 hour labour, I was only 4cm dilated and he started coming out on his own. I remember the mw warning the other mw to get ready to catch him, by the time she had finished that sentence he was out and I didn't even feel him come out. Luckily enough I didn't even tear, just a few tiny little cuts. I was allowed to take him home an hour later

 

[k4th]

Stalking!!