Similar or very different labour second time round?

[ayh78]

Half?! Oh dear - first labour was 8 hours from start of first contraction to DS being born and I've been having BH everyday for a week or so... Hospital is 30 minutes away so we'd better put some emergency towels and blankets in the car

 

[XJessicaX]

Half?! Oh dear - first labour was 8 hours from start of first contraction to DS being born and I've been having BH everyday for a week or so... Hospital is 30 minutes away so we'd better put some emergency towels and blankets in the car

In all seriousness, its probably worth putting an emergency kit in the car consisting of a few towels and a blanket etc..! Its also worth both you and your OH (or birth partner) to read up on unassisted home births and what to do in an emergency. Labour is so unpredictable its just worth having as much knowledge on it as you can!

 

[BettyBoop152]

I'm hoping and praying LO number 2 is faster and easier than number 1.. 43 hour labour.. 1 hour pushing lots of complications and ventouse and cut quite badly! I blame the epidural tbh as the back of movement made everything worse x

 

[x Helen x]

Yikes, I had a 3 hour (start to finish) labour with my first so god knows how long the second would be!

 

[ttc_lolly]

My 2nd labour was actually longer than my 1st, although the 2nd stage (pushing) was shorter by more than half. I found they both hurt like hell even though one was an induction, but they were totally different experiences.

 

[Eleanor ace]

Argh I feel a bit nervous now! My 1st labour was only 6 hours long, would most likely have been shorter but from 7cm I was on my back and things slowed right down. I'm worried I won't get to hospital before LO is ready to come!

 

[00Melmel00]

Hi, my first labor was much longer (by like 15 hrs!) and more painful. Second time round it was much much easier, managed with no pain relief and spent a lot of the time laughing. Craaaazzzyy lady!!

 

[ParisJeTadore]

My labour was 36 hours and words don't even touch on how seriously excruciatingly painful it became as I got closer to transition as I had exclusive back labour from start to finish (didn't feel so much as a cramp in the front of my stomach!)

So this thread gives me hope. I'm scared to go through anything like it again after my last experience but would really like to have two children.

 

[Tasha]

My first labour was 27 hours of established labour. It was horrible.

My second was 90 minutes from the first contraction to holding her, and it was an amazing experience.

My third was forty-five minutes from first contraction to holding her.

My fourth ended in an emergency section but went from 0cm to 7cm in an hour.

Fifth was 12 minutes established.

 

[Eleanor ace]

Tasha when you get your rainbow he/she is just going to fly out!

 

[Tasha]

Tasha when you get your rainbow he/she is just going to fly out!

I now have visions of a newborn with a super hero cape on.

 

[smileyfaces]

With DS from first contraction to having him in my arms was 7 hours. Active labour (4cm to birth) was about 2 and a half hours and that was all spent on my back and so slowed progress down!

Im scared now!

 

[mummytokeelie]

Oh god I hope this isn't true don't think I will get to the hospital! wih my daughter only took 2 hrs was 9cm when I got there! Might end up having a car park baby! x

 

[ttc bubby no2]

I think mine were fairly similar and also followed the halving in time for the 2nd one. The first was 4 hours + 1 hour pushing, 2nd was 2 hours + 25 mins pushing. I think my head was in a different place for both though. First time I obviously didn't know what to expect and I was just trying to reserve my energy for a long labour but before I knew it I was ready to push. Second time I knew what to expect so recall just thinking this hurts way too much, I never want to do it again and then saying I wasn't ready to have the baby because I knew how much it was going to hurt. I had no tearing the 2nd time and recovered much faster so that was good.

 

[Mrs M]

My first labour was 8 hours from start to finish. Just had gas and air. I had a little tear that needed a couple of stitches. My second labour was 2 hours from start to finish. I had a water birth but was only in the water 5-10mins before i needed to push. I didnt tear or need stitches. x