Compare your 1st to 2nd Labour/Birth

[Snoopea]

My first labour was a nightmare compared to the second!

I was in Labour for over 30 hours from first contraction around 16 hours later waters broke and contractions stopped so then I was left for 8 hours with no progress before I was put on the drip to bring on contractions. DD took over an hour and a half to push out due to having a sholder in the way and rebounding back in with her fists!

My second I woke to broken waters in bed within 1/2 hour got my first niggle contractions picked up and hit in strong around 2.5 hours later and DS arrived less than four hours after water breakage with 3 pushes he was out!

Totally different and as you can see alot quicker! I was one of the lucky ones and never tore but did have a graze from DD due to her sholder, think it was due to how long she took to get out!

This one who knows but I'll let you know when he arrives the midwifes have been joking that I'll lift my leg and he'll fall out! lol

Snoopea

[Je$$_84]

My 1st i had contractions start about 7pm i think it was, i thought it was nothing but DP was timing. by 9 they were 3 mins appart. By 10 they were a min and a half appart so we went to the hossy. They said although my contractions were close i wasnt dilated. (i was 43 weeks) they decided to break my water) They did the checks and i was put in the room on the bed where they broke my water put the clip on bubs head. My BP went up but not too bad. I had gas and Peth shot. all over by 12.17am. I had bad tearing and took a long time to heal and they told me continuous stitches.

With #2 i was again overdue. Booked in for induction. Had Bubs wasntengaged so i was told i'd need all 3 doses of gel. After 1st dose (2.30pm) i had contractions almost instantly. was confined to bed for an hour and a half. (also being on monitors and on the bed an hour and a half before the gel) got up to go to the toilet had a shower and came out feeling like bubs was going to fall out... They checked me and started yelling for a wheelchair as i was 8cm dilated. Was raced up to delivery got there had a suck on the gas while laying on the bed and dont remember much after that but was told 1 push and DD was out. It was 2 mins after wheeling into delivery. a total of 2hour 16mins from the time they inserted the gel. Very intense contractions. Only issie with bubs was the heamorages (spl) in her eyes from such a quick birth) I has no tearing and but Aweful Afterbirth pains everytime i fed bubs. OMG it was like birth all over again

The Midwives said next bubs 1st sign of labour get my a$$ to the hossy as i could be the bext mum who delivers in the car... They said they had never seen the gel work so fast especially with bubs not engaged (head was down but not engaged)

[Mumma2three]

My first was 12 hours, I had an epi, waters didnt break, they turned epidural off for pushing, it was hell.
Second was 1 hour 54, no drugs, no time. Realise now that I went from waters breaking at 8am, then nothing until 3rd stage at 7pm. Far too intense and too quick...

[-becky-]

My 2 labours couldnt have been more different!

My first, I was induced. Labour was 24 hours, had an epidural (which did not work at all for me), a vaccuum extraction and a third degree tear.

My second, went into labour naturally just after midnight, my daughter was born 4 hours later, no drugs whatsoever and only a very minor tear.

[Freya]

I was induced both times.

#1 was 3hrs I had some gas, no tearing. Was pretty hardcore pain-wise.

#2 was 90min, I was further dialated at the start. No drugs, no tears and I chatted and laughed with everyone until it was time to push. Took me 6 pushes and out he came.

Only real difference between them was that I handled the pain better (or it was less painful, dunno which) and I was more relaxed/focused.

My body is a birth machine and I am eternally grateful for that! Im anticipating that because Im insisting no inducing til 2wks over this time I probably will end up delivering at home after another short labour. Thankgod my middy lives a few streets away!

ETA - just wanted to clarify that although I had my labours induced they turned to drip off once regular cx's were established because my body took over with a mind of its own. The second time round I think they had it on for about 30min on the lowest dose possible and it was all that was needed to get it cracking. Kind of makes me a bit nervous about this baby lol

[chocolatecatty]

Caty was 19 hours from first ctx to birth. No drugs and as labour was 19 hours I had a lot of time to up my pain threshold. Tiny tear but no stitches. No other complications.

Ceri was about 4 hours from first (known) ctx to waterbirth. Natural and no tears at all. Waaay too fast though - I'd much prefer the 19 hour labour. Scares me thinking about the next one (whenever that is).

Both labours started around 3/4am.