A labour question

[NaeNae]

I am not quite sure how to ask this, so if its a bit confuddled please excuse me.

I was wondering how peoples laboured differed between their kids?

I don't know whether to consider this my second labour or my third. I spose I did go into labour with Niki I had contractions sporadically for a few days before I had a show. I was already 2cm dilated when I was admitted to hospital BUT because we were focussed on preventing labour it took 3 weeks to go from cm to 6-7cm and ended up E-C-Sect because she was so early.

Shae - well I silent laboured up to a certain point and started my contractions at 5 min apart and lasting quite a bit of time. From contraction to birth it was 2hrs 19min.

I have been told your second is much faster than your first and your third is usually longer than your second.

I am worried about having another really fast labour as I went into shock and so did Shae.

What were your experiences?

Nae x

[~clover~]

They are all so, so different.

For me:
DD1 waters breaking - birth 18.5 hours (First contraction to birth about 16 hours)
DD2 first ctx - birth 30 hours, regular contractions about 9 hours
DS first ctx - birth 5 hours
DD3 first ctx - birth 12 hours

It all depends on so many different things its hard to tell. Babies position is a big factor (DD2 & DD3 were in odd positions, DD3 born posterior).
I have a friend who felt ctx from the start first time around, but second time didn't feel anything til 4cm.
Its all pretty unpredictable, but tradition does say they get quicker with each birth & that is often true

ETA - My mum: me - 18 hours; my bro - 9 hours; my sis - 2.5 hours

[NaeNae]

Its all pretty unpredictable, but tradition does say they get quicker with each birth & that is often true

ETA - My mum: me - 18 hours; my bro - 9 hours; my sis - 2.5 hours

crap ....... maybe I should camp out at the hospital??

[~Trish~]

It is all so unpredictable!

Mine did all get quicker, but that wasn't hard, my first labour was 37 hours - I'm glad they got quicker

DS1 - 37 hours
DS2 - 16 hours
DD - 4.5 hours

I hope things don't go TOO quick for you this time .

[deletedit]

First, 24 hours from water breaking to baby. Long, slow, boring.
Second, 5 hours from being woken up in the middle of the night with ctx to baby. They only broke my waters cos the baby was stuck, very glad they did that or I could have been there another 5 hours pushing and that aint worth it just to have a baby in the caul. Waters of steel, that one.
Third, hrm, was a bit twingey for the afternoon and it was about 2 hours from when it actually started to hurt and 3/4 hour from water breaking to baby. And about 2 minutes from the midwife turning up to baby.

Edit: #2 was apparently "textbook" (despite being at 41 weeks) and #3 certainly wasn't. Ctx never got closer than 10 minutes except when they were basically continuous. I think the 10 minute thing is why the nurse wandered off very leisurely to find a midwife when we turned up at the hospital. Half an hour before having the baby ...

[~Raven~]

My last 3 have been pretty quick averaging 2 hours. I think you should just plan for another quick one so that you aren't so shocked by the speed of it IYKWIM. Your body may go into that state of shock but I think that being mentally prepared helps a great deal. I remember looking at the clock after R was born and thinking Woo Hoo less than 2 hours lol. I was on a huge high and texting people instead of being exhausted like after the first and longer one

[black_rose]

With dd1 not to sure, didn't realize it was labour. I think I may have gone into pre labour the day before while shopping. But from the time my waters broke at 7.30pm until my c sect at 11.30pm I went from 2cm dilated at my first check to 8cm 45min later, never felt the urge to push as she was breech, bum first but the ctx were intense.

With dd2 on bed rest and nefidipine for two weeks in early stage labour, on the day she was born I got to the hospital at 9.30pm and once my waters were broken she was here 40min later. Hard to judge how long it was maybe two hours at most?

With Ds was on bed rest as he was engaged at 35 weeks and I had a lot of pre labour. My waters broke at home there was no pattern to the ctx before that and the hospital had sent me home that morning. His labour was an hour all up, would have been faster but his shoulder was stuck.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I think they all differ hun some have longer 2nd or 3rd others shorter.
Mine were as follows:

DD1 - natural, drug free, 9hrs total labour, born 20min after waters broke - back ache for a couple of days before but put that down to moving house
DD2 - natural, drug free, 5hrs total labour, born 8min after waters broke - no real indication until the day, started nesting REALLY bad

I'm not going back for a 3rd so i can't answer any further than that, part of me is scared that if it DID happen bubs would just FALL OUT

[Jaycee]

My first was a very quick 2 hour labour so I was expecting the same with DS2, I couldn't of been more wrong!

He was posterior and wouldn't descend properly into the birth canal. After 10 hours of labour, fully dilated and pushing for over an hour I was sent for an emergency caesarean.

My advice to you would be to be prepared for a quick labour but expect the unexpected aswell!

[NaeNae]

Thanks so much for your replies ladies,

I met my new Ob (having transfered fromt he other) and I asked him what he thought and he asked me if I knew anyone in town I could stay with and said it was highly likely I will have another fast delivery. I asked if camping on the grounds was allowed and he laughed it off ... um no I was serious!

OK so I think I will go in with the mentality that it possibly will be fast BUT knowing that it may very well be longer too.

Nae x

[ladybirdflies]

I have really quick labours with no signs that labour is about to begin. My first was 1hr 50min from first contraction to baby. My second baby was 50 minutes after my first contraction. The Dr said that I dilate without contraction and then wham straight into a few contractions, then quickly transition and then birth. My third baby was after a 6 year break, so we really did not know what to expect, the third can be longer, or quicker no one ever knows ( as with any birth) I decided to have a homebirth and not get in the car in labour ever again. We decided that I would lay down for as long as I could to allow the midwife the time to arrive. She lived an hour and a half away. We rang her whilst I was having my first contraction, she arrived and baby was here withing 20minutes. This labour my longest yet was 2hours! And it was so because I laid down for a while and used the pool to slow it down a little too. Each baby i went into shock and then proceeded to have full on after pains with each baby. Goodluck with it all. I would suggest packing the car full of towels and blankets, I did this with my second, but my partner would not stop to let me give birth. So it was head down, bottom up till we got to the hospital and she arrived pretty much on the front doorstep. I left for the hospital after about 3 contractions!

[Jewel]

My first was 12hrs, my second was 4hrs. Very different labours.

Here's to hoping yours isn't too fast this time around.

[Khaleesi]

My 1st was around 17hrs from waters breaking but only 6hrs active.
My 2nd was 2hrs.

[Trac73]

Hi naenae

All three of mine have been induced but as far as the labour mine are as follows
DD1 2 hrs 20 mins
DS 1 hours 10m mins
DD2 54 mins
We are now pregnant with number 4 so it could be very interesting how quick this one is as my OB has said that i am more than likely to have another quick one due to my previous labours..
My only advice is that remember you know you body and don't let anyone tell you that you are not ready to puch when you actually are..this is what happened with DD2 and nect thing she was out and the midwife was completely shocked lol
Gooduck with everything

[LMS]

I thought my second would be faster.. but it was 2hrs longer with an emerg c-section to end it.
Scared @#$%^& about this next one. So much so I am seriously contemplating a c-sec but know how wonderful it was to experience it all like the first time round.
But reading all these stories, there really doesn't seam to be a 'norm' to the 1st 2nd or 3rd. I guess it really depends on how you are emotional and how prepared you are, the help you receive and the 'problems' you may face due to circumstances beyond your control.
.