Second Births

[Lily Dust]

What are the chances of having a relatively hard and fast labour with your first and then a long and slow labour second time around? What is your experience?

[Trillian]

Mine was the opposite, nice 12hr labour for the first one that was absolutely text book in terms of how it progressed and the second one was a hard and fast 8 hours that nearly saw her born on the loo because she crowned that fast. But it's one of those things you can't predict until it happens. I know women who've had the quick first birth and then the second one took a lot longer and others have had super fast births etc.

[tippytoes]

1st was 5.5 hours from waters breaking... Intense nearly right away. Very very close contractions whole way through. Went into labour naturally.

2nd I had my waters broken at 38 weeks as I was really unwell and been throughout pg. as soon as they broke my water it was on!!!! Intense very very close contractions just like he first birth. Felt just the same only less shock factor. Dd was born in under 2 hours.
2nd time round felt way easier for me. I knew what was coming and it was shorter but same intensity.

The next day I felt back to normal again; full of energy and revived!!!

Xx

[MummyNaomi]

DS was induced after my waters broke, was born 3 hrs later

DD was born 1hr and 25 mins after my waters broke, I didn't have any contractions until they broke, so was a very quick labour, but not hard. I think I had all of 10 contractions. Loads of pre labour in the three weeks before hand though. I was up and about straight away

[raffy]

First was 1 hr 45 minutes from the first 'niggle' to giving birth second was 2 hours 25 minutes from 'niggle' to birth. Both spontaneous labours

First was very traumatic and I had a lot of damage inside and out and was surgery straight after giving birth and in hospital for days, second I had him at 9.26am and was home in time for dinner that night

[Taurean]

9 hours from start to finish with DD1 (first niggle and waters breaking to DD being born). Active labour was recorded as 6ish hrs though.

DD2 was 3.5 hrs (roughly) from my waters breaking to her arrival. Active labour was only 37 minutes though 47 on my watch. She was fast, crazy fast.

Both girls were SROM at home. With DD1, I had steady contractions immediately but DD2's contractions didn't start until about 50 minutes before she was born.

[Kazzo]

DD1 I was induced after srom. from start of drip to birth was 6hrs. At 2pm I was only 1cm and she was borm at 4:36pm so 2.5hrs.

DD2 was a long slow labour but very easy. 22hours from first contraction.

[jellybean88]

Number 1 was induced after srom ds was born 5hrs after they started the synto drip very hard and fast delivery

Number 2 labour was 1hr! Lucky I was at the hospital just as labour was starting

Although I do have a friend who's had 5 and each time labour got longer

[~Hestia~]

Mine was also the opposite. My first was very long and difficult. The entire labour was 22 hours with 2 hours of pushing. My second was just under 2.5 hours and was not very painful at all.

[Arimeh]

Mine was the opposite - 13 hours with 4 hours active with dd2 and 7 hours with 2 hours active with dd3.

I think typically they get shorter for most people but who knows - its so unpredictable!

[Tinks]

My labour times halved each time.

[ladybirdflies]

My first was 1hr 50 minutes from first contraction to baby. My second was 50 minutes from first contraction to baby.

I always thought the hard fast first labour was a fluke until I had my second one!

[luna moth]

10 hours first, 4 hours second.

[PumpkinZulu]

6 hours first, 6.5 hours second

[Jellyfish]

Both my labours were so similar they kind of blur into each other lol. Followed the same exact pattern although the second was half as long (12hrs vs 6hrs) it didn't feel any different in intensity.

[TeniBear]

Mine were both induced, but they couldn't be any more different. BUT I attribute most of that to the massive differences in circumstance, and not my body/babies at all. I believe when #3 is born, I will finally find out how my body is *supposed to* labour.

Ianto (six-ish hours):
32 weeks/able to move around freely/laid down and moved around on the bed when I wanted to/was in the same room start to finish/gas and warm water as the only pain relief/pushed at will for about five minutes/only bad point was the obvious fact that he had died, otherwise a mostly enjoyable birth in itself.

Amelia (20ish hours)
38 weeks/strapped to the bed/not allowed to move at all once on the bed/moved to at least three different parts of the hospital during labour (including the POST natal ward for about seven hours)/epidural for last few hours of labour/coached pushing for around an hour/felt completely out of control the whole time, became distressed very early on which built as time dragged by.

[Tinks]

They strapped you to a bed??? Is that even allowed?

[Dansta]

Dj - 31hrs and hour and twenty of pushing him out. (11days over natural labour)
Vic 1hr 43mins - 10days over.