Labour after a big age gap? (7 years)

Just wondering if anyone can share with me your experience birthing after a big age gap.

It has been 11 1/2 years since my last VB & 7 years since my last labour (I laboured for 8 hrs before an emergency CS)

I know generally speaking subsequent labours are easier & shorter, so I had just kind of figured I might get lucky & have a labour like my second. But that was only 2 1/2 years after my first, there is a much bigger age gap this time?

Does anyone know if this makes a difference? Am I back to square one? Or can I hope for another great labour?

Thanks :)

Hi Jasp

here is a quick run down on my labours, i had 5 bubs to my first DH1and there was a 8 year gap till my next with DH2, i was also aking the same question with my long gap, but it wasnt like my first labour

1. 26hr labour natural 39.5w (8.4)
2. 6 hr lbour natural 39.5w ( 8.5)
3. 25min lbour natural 37.3w (9)
4. 4 hr labour induced 38w (7.9)
5. 4.5 hr labour induced 38w (7.11)
GAP
6. 6hr labour induced 38w (8.4)
7. 5hr labour induced 37w (8.10)

hope this helps, i was induced with lots of mine due to #3 coming in 25 minutes and i lived a long way from the hospitals, the only differnce i noticed was, when i was induced with DH1 kids i went inot labour straight away, with the gap #6 i had to be given 2 does of gel to start labour.

Hi
The only thing that would be on my mind would be the scar tissue from the c section in relation to birthing this child vaginally.... other than that if i were you i would sit back and just go with the flow....

I had a big gap as well and the first was an induction epi birth at 38 weeks from LMP
Second was a forced by me at 37 wks LMP for another induction (high blood pressure) and after 48hrs and 3 gels later i had a 3 hr labour post waters being broken on gas and two jabs of peth.

Cheers
Bubno.3

I haven't had a C/S but I have 7yrs between my girls. My first labour was hard and long (pushed for almost 3hours) but my second was 6hrs from first pain until she was born after one push she was out. So much different to number1. I was really hopeing to labour like a mother who had done it before and I did. FX you get the birth you want ;)

i had a c/s with my twins and a VBAC 6 years later. My VBAC was 6 hours from 1st cxt till 3rd stage. it was awesome! I didnt know what to expect either but my body did all it was suppose to do and in a short time! good luck.

My SIL had twins vaginally after 7 yrs between births and she was fine.

I haven't had a CS either, but here is a run down of my births.
There is a 9 years & 5 month age gap between my #2 & #3.

1. 7.5hr labour, forceps birth, episiotomy, 41 weeks (9lb7oz bub in 1994)
2. 6hr labour, ARM, vaginal birth, 39 weeks (7lb9oz bub in 1997)
3. 5.5hr labour, ARM, vaginal birth, 39+2 weeks (7lb10oz bub in 2007)

My first labour was 12 hours. (I gave birth naturally each time).
2nd birth was 7.5 years later and entire labour was 1 hour 54 mins.
3rd birth was 3 years later and entire labour was 49 mins! So for me, it has definitely gotten quicker each time. I too was wondering if my body would even remember it had given birth after 7 years, seems it did!!

Birth is birth, labour is labour, nothing has changed :) You can get acu to work on your c/s scar....

All four of my births/labours were about the same (between 4 and 6 hours). The only difference was that with my last one (after an 8 year gap) I had a 16 hour pre-labour and I had never experienced pre-labour before. Go figure, huh!

I had almost 14 yrs between first and second. First was c/s, no labour. Second 3 1/2 hours. Third 4 hours.

Thanks everyone :)

It seems I can keep my fingers crossed for another birth like my number 2... I guess in a few weeks we will find out..

thanks for all your replies :D

hey hun

havent had a c section but first baby was 15 hour labour, half hour pushing

second baby was 1.5 hour labour.... i think i pushed about 6 times?..... almost 8 years later

HTH!

but... i did drink LOTS of RLT and had a very positive attitude second time round :) I think that made a world of difference.

My 1st labour was induced, episiotomy and forceps- 12 hours labour really difficult posterior birth.
8 years later I had a spontaneous vaginal birth no tears or anything and only about 6 hours of labour (prob a few days of pre labour though)
6 years after that I was induced again at 37w 3 days (Very high BP) had a 3 1/2 labour and no tears again.
Good luck hun and enjoy the new baby its always so lovely after a big gap.

Kitten, I am drinking the tea & taking the tablets now too :) I figure everything helps :lol:

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Good luck hun and enjoy the new baby its always so lovely after a big gap.

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Thanks Mrsmac, it's nice to hear that!

I'm feeling very positive after everyone's replies, thankyou all so much :)

Hi Jasp :) My third was born six years after my second. In some ways it felt like a first pregnancy because protocols had changed and I'd forgotten a lot! But I'd also done a lot of maturing and reading. I was delighted to find that my third labour was as easy as anything, quite quick and pain free until the last ten minutes or so.

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Kitten, I am drinking the tea & taking the tablets now too :) I figure everything helps :lol:



Thanks Mrsmac, it's nice to hear that!

I'm feeling very positive after everyone's replies, thankyou all so much :)

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You have helpers too! I have a built in baby sitter as DD1 is now 17, its great!

wow I never considered this. I'm going for #2 with an 8 yr gap by the time I birth. I was COUNTING on a faster delivery. Last time I went for 33 hours, 30 hours of which were irregular contractions before I was finally induced. **Technically** my labor was 3 hours. I nearly died when they told me that. How dare they LOL. The 3 hours was nothing on the previous 30 !!!

Lol Coffegal. It seems we can rest easy after reading these posts...at least I hope so!

Plus I'm not leaving it all to chance, hoping the 'encouragement' will help if not to bring things along, at least to help it once we're there kwim?

33 hrs of labour...wow... I would feel a bit ripped off too if they didn't let you own that! That's gotta be 30 hours of hard work to get to the next 3 hours! Did they count from when your waters broke?

yeah they counted it from when I was induced/waters broken as that's when the contractions were regular. Those last 3 hours were over in a jiffy compared to the day before! I am hoping that doesn't happen to me again it was pretty terrible.

I had a 9 year gap between my first and second VB labours. The only thing that was different was my attitude and mental resilience.... although these were significant and made the process easier mentally for me. I also was more adament that I didn't want such a big dose of syncotin which REALLY helped me labour the second time around. All my labours were long... no change there.