A few questions regarding lenghts of labour and subsequent births.

I'm a little confused and getting a little nervous.

I'm trying to understand my births and what to expect 3rd time around.

Unfortunately i don't have too much information on DS1 apart from that it was a 23 hour labour. It started naturaly at about 2am on the Sunday, had contractions at home until about 1pm on the Sunday, went to hospital and continued to labour there until DS1 was finally born at 12:49am on the Monday morning. I only ever used the gas.

With DS2 everyone said he would be quicker but as to how quick i had no idea what to expect. Less that 23 hours would have been great.

He ended up being much quicker and a week early. My waters broke 8am on a Tuesday and they were heavily meconium stained. I was sent off the the hospital. Onset of 1st stage was 11:30am pretty much half an hour after arriving at the hospital. 1st stage lasted 3:00, 2nd stage 0:09 and 3rd stage 0:04 so a total of 3:13. I only ever used gas.

As there was meconium i was given synto and from memory they begun that about 12ish. The paperwork says "Syntometrine 1ml IM".

My questions are what do you think i should expect 3rd time around? I have early vibes just as both boys were early. DS1 only 4 days and DS2 7 days.

I know i was induced due to the meconium in my waters but my labour had begun on it's own prior to this happening. Is there any way of knowing how much of my labour would have been made quicker because of the synto?

Should i be preparing for a labour quicker than 3hrs??

And do you think it'll happen sooner than 7 days to go?

What has been your expereince with subsequent births and their lengths?

Lots of questions i know but i'd really love to hear others expereinces with or without the use of induciton.

Thanks so much ladies :D

My first was an induction; 3hrs. My second was an induction; 90min. Both with use of syntocin. My third labour was 2hr and it was spontaneous natural.

As for gestation; my first was induced at 38+5, the second at 37+6. So I have no idea WHEN they would have come had they chosen their own birthdays. The third chose himself and he came on his EDD.

From my experience I would say expect a relatively quickish labour but if you go naturally instead of induction then it could possibly be a bit longer than your second labour like mine was.

My midwife told me she always expects third labours to be the 'curve ball' labour. Something always goes completely differently to the first two - in my case it was that I was absolutely not dialated even a smidge until I had been having 3min contractions for hoooooooooooours unlike #1 when I was 1cm at labour induction and #2 I was 3cm at labour induction :lol:

My 3rd my waters broke and I was sitting in hospitL then had a sudden urge to push, first wad 6hrs 2ns was 5hrs and 4 I got to 7cm in 10 odd minutes then emergency csec cos her foot came down so deff think it should be faster as your bodies memory kicks in

First - 24 hours total at 37 weeks
Second - 5 hours at 41 weeks, complete textbook labour
Third - bit waffly, but 2 hours of ouchiness (and a few hours before that of BH) at 40+4. Contractions never got closer than 10 minutes apart until 15 minutes before he was born!

1st 9 hours (induced with syncto drip), 2nd 6 hours (all natural), 3rd was 3 hours (all natural). For me, it definitely got quicker. With DD3, for the first 2hrs, 55 min I only got to 5cm, then when my waters broke I dilated really quickly and she was born in 2 minutes.
I would say be prepared for a quickish labour. Oh, and all of mine have come between 37-40 weeks.

Mine have gotten faster.
1st - augmentation with synto drip - 7 hours, @ 37 wks
2nd - homebirth- 4.5 hours, @ 40.4 wks
3rd - homebirth- 3 hours, on EDD

Thanks ladies, it really can vary can't it!? Maybe i'm wanting answers to a question there are no defiante answers to... Just getting a little nervous that's all :redface:

Freya, it's interesting about the 'curve ball' comment. You can't prepare for anything anticipating something like that can you!? :lol:

So how much do you believe the synto sped up your labours??

If only there was definate answers. I too wonder about my next labor (whenever that will be).
I was induced and had a 4 hour labor- so will the next labor be even quicker? gosh, it would be good to have guarantees- I don't know if I can do THAT again :rofl: