What was your SECOND birth like?

[XJessicaX]

I can answer this now!! First labour horrific 22 hour persistent back to back. Agony. Failed epidural. Baby got stuck, 1hr 15 mins pushing and then i needed ventouse delivery, 3rd degree cut, 2nd degree tear. 14 weeks healing.

Just given birth, 2.5 hour labour!! Contractions for 2 hours were very manageable. Used TENS and then G&A. Then 30 mins of the most excruciating ghastly god awful contractions overlapping and I asked for an epidural but too late, 10cm and ready to push and out she flew in maybe 2 contractions. Barely needed to push. Body did it for me. Small labial tear requiring 3 stitches.

 

[Eleanor ace]

I can answer this now!! First labour horrific 22 hour persistent back to back. Agony. Failed epidural. Baby got stuck, 1hr 15 mins pushing and then i needed ventouse delivery, 3rd degree cut, 2nd degree tear. 14 weeks healing.

Just given birth, 2.5 hour labour!! Contractions for 2 hours were very manageable. Used TENS and then G&A. Then 30 mins of the most excruciating ghastly god awful contractions overlapping and I asked for an epidural but too late, 10cm and ready to push and out she flew in maybe 2 contractions. Barely needed to push. Body did it for me. Small labial tear requiring 3 stitches.

Congratulations!! Lovely to read that you got a better experience this time

 

[LockandKey]

I can answer this now!! First labour horrific 22 hour persistent back to back. Agony. Failed epidural. Baby got stuck, 1hr 15 mins pushing and then i needed ventouse delivery, 3rd degree cut, 2nd degree tear. 14 weeks healing.

Just given birth, 2.5 hour labour!! Contractions for 2 hours were very manageable. Used TENS and then G&A. Then 30 mins of the most excruciating ghastly god awful contractions overlapping and I asked for an epidural but too late, 10cm and ready to push and out she flew in maybe 2 contractions. Barely needed to push. Body did it for me. Small labial tear requiring 3 stitches.

really hoping I am just as lucky the 2nd time as you were

 

[XJessicaX]

I can answer this now!! First labour horrific 22 hour persistent back to back. Agony. Failed epidural. Baby got stuck, 1hr 15 mins pushing and then i needed ventouse delivery, 3rd degree cut, 2nd degree tear. 14 weeks healing.

Just given birth, 2.5 hour labour!! Contractions for 2 hours were very manageable. Used TENS and then G&A. Then 30 mins of the most excruciating ghastly god awful contractions overlapping and I asked for an epidural but too late, 10cm and ready to push and out she flew in maybe 2 contractions. Barely needed to push. Body did it for me. Small labial tear requiring 3 stitches.

really hoping I am just as lucky the 2nd time as you were

4 of my friends were pregnant at the same time as me. All 4 of us had pretty ghastly 1st labour experiences and all over 20 hours (one girl 38 hours!) and all of us this time round had labours under 5 hours and barely needed to push. In fact, most people I know say their 2nd labour was very quick with a lot barely making it to the hospital!
I spent most of my pregnancy fretting slightly over a repeat and I shouldn't have, was a complete waste of time worrying!

 

[LockandKey]

I can answer this now!! First labour horrific 22 hour persistent back to back. Agony. Failed epidural. Baby got stuck, 1hr 15 mins pushing and then i needed ventouse delivery, 3rd degree cut, 2nd degree tear. 14 weeks healing.

Just given birth, 2.5 hour labour!! Contractions for 2 hours were very manageable. Used TENS and then G&A. Then 30 mins of the most excruciating ghastly god awful contractions overlapping and I asked for an epidural but too late, 10cm and ready to push and out she flew in maybe 2 contractions. Barely needed to push. Body did it for me. Small labial tear requiring 3 stitches.

really hoping I am just as lucky the 2nd time as you were

4 of my friends were pregnant at the same time as me. All 4 of us had pretty ghastly 1st labour experiences and all over 20 hours (one girl 38 hours!) and all of us this time round had labours under 5 hours and barely needed to push. In fact, most people I know say their 2nd labour was very quick with a lot barely making it to the hospital!
I spent most of my pregnancy fretting slightly over a repeat and I shouldn't have, was a complete waste of time worrying!

thanks so much for the reassurance, and glad your second little princess has arrived safety

 

[andyjewell]

#1 - 18.5 hrs, slow progression(according to the midwife), waters artificially broken, epidural, syntocin, baby malpositioned, pushed for 4 hours, episiotomy and venthouse. narrowly escaped a c-section.
#2 - 2hr 17minutes, gas and air, shot of pethidene, 7 minute second stage. didn't even actively push - he just came out, 5 minutes after my water broke. lol

 

[Amygdala]

Seeing as the question has come up again, I thought I'd bump. This has been so useful to me and hopefully it'll help others, too. Keep your experiences coming!

 

[Leinzlove]

DD #1: Induction at (39+1), Cervadil put me into labor on its own. (Inserted 4pm). Water broke on its own at 2cm (8am). She was here at 11:44am. I had no cervical changes prior to induction.

DD #2: Induction at (39+1), Cervadil (4pm), Pitocin started (5am) turned up gradually and landed on 13, Dr. broke my water (11am) at 4cm... And she arrived at 12:15pm. Labor wasn't at long, but labor was more painful.

I haven't figured out which was better yet.

 

[3rdtimelucky]

Second labour was amazing !! Like I actually really enjoyed the whole thing. No pain relief, 40 minute labour. I wish all my labours were like my second !!

My third was hell on earth, worst by far, now I'm on no.4 I'm hoping this one will be like no.2

 

[cupcake23]

1st- 38+ weeks; 2 days of latent phase, finally went to hospital to be told I was 1cm! Admitted due to raised BP.... 16hrs later I was 4-5cm, in total 'active labour' was just over five hours, only used G&A, waters broken (no real reason for it) approx 40mins pushing, 1st degree tear sutured, active 3rd stage. For a first labour not bad but I was absolutely shattered because of the long latent phase, they could have given me a monkey and I wouldn't have cared!

2nd- also at 38+ weeks; booked homebirth, had niggles and show over the weekend (I was able to sleep though) Monday around 1am couldn't really sleep, contractions still irregular, called the midwife at 6am, both her and my mum arrived 7, contractions had stopped but she examined me and I was 4cm, gave me a good s&s to see if my contractions would pick up, 20mins later my contraction were non stop, it was intense, 3 hours into labour I started using g&a, asked for another VE over 4 hours from the last, 8cm (I was distraught)got into my bath tub, contractions picked up in the intensity, I was splashing around like a whale, got out of the bath, standing i could see my waters bulging, screamed at the midwife to break them, slowly breathed my baby out, ds arrived at 1pm on the dot, physiological 3rd stage and only suffered a graze. My second labour was definitely harder but an amazing experience.

 

[Seity]

1st Baby Natural labor started at 38+3. Got 2 hour intrathecal shot for 2nd stage. 100% pain relief, wore off just as it was time to push.
Contractions starting at 5:30 am. Started mild and 10 min apart got more intense and closer together over time.
2nd stage (active labor) shortly after arriving at hospital. 4-10 cm, ~3.5 hours.
6 min pushing stage. Head and body all came out at once on my 3rd push.
Total time from 1st contraction 14 hours Born 7:26 pm
2nd Baby Natural labor started at 39+2. No time for any pain relief
Contractions starting at 5:30 am. Started mild and 5 min apart. Stayed that way for 8 hours. Started to get more intense, but farther apart, but noticed plug start to go. Finally were more intense and 6-7 min apart, so went to hospital.
2nd stage (active labor) 45 min or less (not sure of exact time of arrival at hospital and first check of cervix). Was 4 cm at check. 4-10 cm, at most 30-45 min.
5 min pushing stage. Had to stop pushing twice. Once to unwrap cord from around neck and again because he had his hand/arm up and midwife wanted to help reduce tearing; otherwise, it would have been faster.
Total time from 1st contraction 11 hour 45 min. Born 5:15 pm

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

My first birth was 2hr 10min and second was 55mins. Both natural but preferred the first x

 

[ravenmel]

1st Labour was in a birth centre, approx 6 hours. Had baby 1.5 hours after arriving at the birth centre. Had gas and air which helped for awhile. I asked for something stronger, they checked me and said no it's time to push. I tried the birthing pool but the water just annoyed be. Pushed for 1 hour, hot ring of fire and baby was out and love happened.

2nd labour hmm well, planned a home birth(single mum by this time) with my mum as birth partner and midwives. Doing my hair at a friends house with my LO present. Felt a trickle, went to the bathroom and waters broke. Rushed like a crazy person to get home. Left LO at friends house, called mum and midwives. No PAIN. midwives called to check in and said call back when contractions come. Mum came and went home to change as she raced from work like a mad person. Me alone, pain starts(great) called everyone, they're on their way. PAIN picks up, I feel the need to push, I call 999. Baby is coming. Paramedics arrive within 8 mins but no one to go and answer door. Labour is underway, screw it I'm pushing and pushing and pushing, she's here love happens. Paramedic broke down door everyone arrives seconds after she did. labour time 0.44
Second time wasn't as painful it was only scary coz I was solo.

 

[Amygdala]

Wow, ravenmel, that's quite a story! Well done for coping so well on your own!

 

[lucy_x]

Fipiing amazing! - 58mins active labour. Felt nothing (thankyou tens machine!) until transition, id left to go to the loo, sat down and needed to push, then he was here! no tears, no grazes and no drugs....Thats my ideal labour!! x

 

[Sini]

My first experience was lengthy and not at all what I wanted. This thread is giving me some hope that having one bad experience doesnt mean ill have another bad one

 

[Amygdala]

Lucy, what's your secret? Sounds amazing! Was that a home birth or did you get to the hospital really quickly?

 

[MrsH1980]

My first experience was long and slightly disappointing; first contraction to delivery 25 hours :/ water had been leaking for 48hrs + so had to go on the syn drip to speed up, contractions unbearable at 7cm, epidural, baby girl delivered face up but I felt totally out of it - couldn't move and felt detached from the whole experience, very much did whatever the midwives told me.

Feeling much more relaxed and determined this time round and these stories are definitely helping! Roll on October!

 

[Kimboowee]

Extremely quick compared to my first, and no tearing woohoo!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

My third was best. Link in sig xx