Thick and fast or slow and steady?

[NaeNae]

Thick and fast for us too ..... contractions started at 5 min apart lasting a minute. From the first contraction to DD being "out" was 2hrs 19min.

I was terrified as no one really talks about "fast" labours so I was really really scared I was going to push too soon and end up with another section. I also went into shock afterwards as did DD which is another thing no one really talks about prior to birth, or the implications it can have on the baby and their willingness to feed straight away etc.

I have been told to prepare for another fast labour this time so hoping it will be thick and fast but not AS fast as last time

Nae x

[Mumtastic]

My last labour my contractions were 8 mins apart for 12 hours, then 5 mins apart for about 15 hours, then 3 mins apart for about 8 hours. 35 hours for my fourth labour - they've all been marathon, gruelling, painful, etc.

So basically I'd say both.

I would rather have a shorter labour.

[meow]

My labours were text book "slow and steady".

First labour was about 3 hours prelabour of slowly increasing back pain then 17hours active labour with contractions that just go slowly stronger, longer and closer together. I always had at least a short break between them and while it was hard and tiring it was not overwhelming.

Second labour was faster. Again about 3 hours of pre/early labour with mild contractions slowly getting stronger and closer together. Then it ramped up and I did struggle a little as the contractions were increasing in intensity faster than my previous labour. I wasn't sure how to cope for a bit because I learnt from my first labour to work through them in a position for about an hour and I was needing to move every 5 minutes or so. None-the-less they still followed the pattern of getting stronger, longer and closer together and labour was 4 hours.

[Sagres]

Just bumping this up and reporting back on my experience. My second labour was also very thick and fast, but still slower and more relaxed than my first! First labour was 2.5 hours and second was 4.5 hours. Having said that with both the time from contractions starting to have a real bite to them to birth was probably between 1 and 1.5 hours so pretty similar in that respect, just with more slow build up second time around. It felt slower to me but the midwife said she couldn't believe how quick it all happened so it must have been quick
But the whole experience this time was light years away from the first time, so much more calm and easier to handle. I think the labour was very different anyway, but also being mentally prepared for a quick one helped me greatly. DH and I even got to time some contractions and chat between them which was a first

[raffy]

Oh definately thick and fast here. I don't even remember having and AF type cramps prior. I was laying on the couch at like 9.30pm and then all of a sudden had the urge to clean I wanted to clean because MIL was arriving that night. DH and I went to bed at 10.30pm and I was laying down for 2 minutes before I was up and having full blown contractions! My mum and sister were staying with us and along with DH they were all timing my unbearable contractions. Even though we had rung the midwives three times they said I still had ages and to have a shower and try and get some sleep. When I started getting the urge to push I knew that was NOT going to happen. And to make matters worse we live an hour away from the hospital. We decided to attempt to make it to the hospital anyway, thanking the lord it was midnight by this stage so there was no traffic at all, my waters broke in the car on the way and we made it to the hospital 15 minutes before DS was born! I now read peoples Birth stories and everything they felt like the baby moving down and all that and I'm jealous I didn't feel any of it. From the first to last contraction my labour was just under 2 hours and even though I'm happy to have a beautiful healthy bub at the end of it and I no I shouldn't care but I feel like I got jipt (sp?) I would like this labour to go for long enough for me to make it safely to the hospital and actually get to use the bath and shower and different positions and actually get to experience my birth ITMS?

[Rowellen]

I've had one of each & I can say without a doubt that I prefer the slow & steady. I wouldn't want it to last much longer though. If anyone's interested, I have links in my sig to each of my birth stories.

[TeniBear]

If I could do Ianto's birth for each of my future kids, I would do it (obviously, I'd prefer a kicking screaming baby at the end of it though!)... That was an alright birth. I'd go without the drugs though, in hindsight I didn't really need them, I just wanted to dull the emotional pain.

But if someone were to tell me all my future births would be the same as Amelia's, I wouldn't have any more kids. Slow, emotionally draining, painful (I attribute that to the fact I wasn't allowed to move at all, let alone get off the bed), and just plain awful for me.

[Sagres]

I now read peoples Birth stories and everything they felt like the baby moving down and all that and I'm jealous I didn't feel any of it.

I know what you mean, I personally didn't feel jealous about it but I have done exactly the same thing as you, read other birth stories and realised that there were a lot of things that just don't happen when the pace is so fast. But many of these things I did get to experience second time around. Not necessarily because it was any slower but more because I was in a better state of mind and was able to focus on what was happening, rather than being an out of control banshee
I hope you have a similar experience next time also - good luck!

[raffy]

I know what you mean, I personally didn't feel jealous about it but I have done exactly the same thing as you, read other birth stories and realised that there were a lot of things that just don't happen when the pace is so fast. But many of these things I did get to experience second time around. Not necessarily because it was any slower but more because I was in a better state of mind and was able to focus on what was happening, rather than being an out of control banshee
I hope you have a similar experience next time also - good luck!

Thank you sagres, I hope so too,

[ebn_d]

Slow and steady to the extreme for me. 37 hours in total, cx started Thursday night, 7 mins apart, 5 mins apart by Friday, 5 cm dilated, went to the hossy late Friday night, 3 hours of pushing and he was born lunchtime Saturday. My waters didn't break until just before I started pushing. I only had the gas, and besides having no sleep for 3 days it was fairly easy to handle. Pushing for 3 hours was exhausting but such a relief to finally be able to push I didn't feel much pain. Also I figure that I've endured that, there's not much this time round that can I can't handle lol!
Even tho it was soo long I wouldn't change it, it remained something I could handle and cope with for each stage. ( although if this one would like to come a bit quicker I will not complain)

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I would prefer my first over my second.
First was 11.5hrs latent phase before SROM and then 6.5hrs active labour.
The prelabour was more exhausting than the active labour because it wasn't really doing anything but it was uncomfortable enough that I couldn't sleep or rest efficiently.
When my waters did break I spent about 2.5hrs at home before needing to go to the hospital and even then, an hour at the hospital before I was feeling reaaly ouchy.

Second was 3hr45m from SROM but 2hr50m of contractions. The first twenty minutes were pretty weak but then I lost more waters and it was all over. If I had of waited home any longer I don't think I could have put myself in the car.
They were on top of each other from the second gush 2-3 minutes apart and I felt like I had no recovery time from them. There was no time to get in a labour groove... though I blame that partially on the process of home to hospital and then process of admission-assessment-birthing suite.

If family history is anything to go by (so far its been fairly similar) my next one will be under an hour and I am really not enviable of that thought. I would much prefer 6-7 hours!!