Transition - How Long?

[{sarah}]

Following on from a different thread regarding transition, I have a few questions (didn't want to hijack that thread).

What is the "average" length of time for transition? I know it would vary from labour to labour & person to person, but wondered if there was an average.

Is there anything you can do to make it go faster? Not medically or with intervention so to speak, but naturally?

If labour stalls at transition for a first baby, is it likely to happen again? Is there anything you can do before labour to have a shorter transition? Again, as naturally as possible.


The reason I ask is that I was at 9cm at 7pm Saturday night & still at 1.30am Sunday I hadn't delivered Zander so was whisked off for a c/s. I wasn't having internals all that often at that point, but had been freaking out for around an hour before I was said to be at 9cm. So that said, I was probably in transition for 7 hours. Is that normal????

I do believe though that my labour stalled due to my support giving way at that time. My midwife had to end her shift (she had already done 3hrs overtime for me & wasn't allowed to do anymore) and when the new one came on everything came crashing to a halt. Is it possible that I had a long transition because the changeover just happened to be at that time & if it had happened earlier progression would have stopped earlier?

I know no-one can say for sure, but I want to be as prepared as possible for when I finally have #2

[Trillian]

You know, I have absolutely no idea how long I was in transition for with all three births - I dont even remember feeling any different like some women say they do or saying odd things, but I know I must of gone through it kwim? I don't doubt that it would be different for every woman too, just like birth itself.

[{sarah}]

Yeah I figure it would be different too Sherie, but if there's something I can do to make it shorter I'm there LOL!! I hadn't actually realised it was transition until I was debriefing with Cailin!

[Astrolady]

I would have no idea either Sherie. I know with Ashton I got extremely hot and asked for a fan and a wet cold cloth to cool down, so I assumed I was going through transition then. Not long after I asked for my waters to be broken and Ashton followed soon after that.

Love

[BellyBelly]

Emotional blockages can cause labour to stall or shut down, being restricted/positional also slows things down - Thursday had a mum pushing for some time, midwife starts talking forceps and I got her into a different, more efficient possie and only a few more pushes, bub was born. Could be a positional thing, emotional thing or both... but having support fall through at that point would be devastating to a birthing mother - so hard to give estimates especially when so many women are induced/augmented and have medicine in their system speeding things up xo

[Trillian]

Just re-reading that last bit Sarah, and I wouldn't be surprised if the staff change over had something to do with it, cause you had to start all over again with a new midwife kwim? You would have gotten into a 'routine' with the one you already had and it could have put you off your groove.

As for the next time, you've probably thought about a private midwife/doula to keep the continuity already have you? It could be the difference to what gets you through.

[DoulaRelle]

Sarah, I would completely second what Sherie has said. At that point your support is critical and the last thing you need is the person/people you relied on leaving. I would definately look at hiring a midwife or Doula to keep the continuity of care.

My midwife promised me with DS 2 that she would see him born when I was induced at the start of her shift, and she was due to finish at 3pm, but stayed till 3.30 when he was born, and her support was absolutely pivotal to me having the great experience and it was her face that I was focusing on when pushing, so I would say it had loads to do with it.

[Kar]

Sarah - I agree with the others - it was probably the shift change that stopped your labour... can you ensure that you've got someone the whole way through this time?

I had a shift change reasonably close to my second stage beginning - and I had DH and my doula there the whole time. Other people were coming in and out of the room, even trying to introduce themselves etc etc and it made no difference to me because I was 'safe'. My transition was very very brief and not at all frightening.

[{sarah}]

Sarah - I agree with the others - it was probably the shift change that stopped your labour... can you ensure that you've got someone the whole way through this time?

Yep Kar & she posted two above you I'm planning on having both Kelly & Cailin at my birth, of course if they still want to by then!

I do think the issue with my labour stopping was due to the shift change, absolutely. I guess if the shift change was earlier on in the labour it probably would have stalled there???? I guess it was just a coincidence that's when it happened.