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2nd labour 2hrs - 8pm to 10pm! We had arranged for friends to take care of dd1, but didn't have time to call them, by the time I had got dh home from work and he had delivered neurotic dog to neighbour...so took dd1 with us to the delivery room. We hadn't thought she would be there and had not prepared her, so it was all a bit of a shock!
If I could do it again, I would have called our friends at the first twinge, and asked them to pick up dd1.
Can you make an arrangement with a friend, or perhaps another nursery parent, to take your DD for a few hours after nursery if necessary? It might take the pressure off you a bit.
DD will be 19 months old and I really don't think it's appropriate for her to be there watching - she can't even cope with me having a scan or a blood test. Also - if she wakes up, she will need someone to go to her straight away and she can't be left in a different part of the house on her own at that age. SO, in an ideal world, she will be sleeping while the whole thing goes on or at nursery but it may all happen at a time where we can try and push it just incase baby arrives just before she wakes, rather than get someone to come over uneccesarily. A complete gamble though!
My sister's proud claim was that she didn't miss a meal when she has her second. She had her dinner, put her ds to bed, went to the hospital with her midwife (this was under the Domino scheme) and the baby was born late at night. She was discharged early morning and was back in her own bed for breakfast when her ds woke up and met his new sister.
I didn't have children then and was amazed that babies could be born so fast - I thought it took days and days, a la Victorian melodramas.
DS2 was born at 5.50am while DS1 was fast asleep. DS3, however, was less obliging over timing (about ten to four in the afternoon iirc) so DS1 and DS2 were looked after by a friend for a few hours. (Both were home births).
I wouldn't have wanted to give birth with children who were awake in the house - I wouldn't have wanted them actually present and watching, and they wouldn't have been too happy at being ignored, so I can understand the OP's concern.
possibly, as you are likely to be more relaxed. Though my second was a HB and it wasn't that much faster I don't think.
No, just curious really since you were hoping to do it all with your DD sleeping. How old is she? You might find that she isn't too worried about it all anyway if she's awake.
1st waters broke 12.00, labour started 8pm, born 4.13am.
2nd, the odd contraction for about 3 days, then labour started 5pm, born 10.53pm. Think it only finally started when I told myself ds was okay with my mum and went and hid in my bedroom.
baby 1 = 38 hours from first contraction to birth = 4 hours from 5cm to birth baby 2 = 4 hours from first contraction to birth = about 1 hour from 5cm to birth
ds2 - started contracting mildly at 5.30, 6am or so (after some contractions the night before but a good 6 hours' sleep), wandered complacently into hospital at 9.45, 10.23 am birth
Interesting theory. With ds2 we waved goodbye to PIL about 11pm. Heaved a sigh of relief at the return of peace. Had a couple of glasses of wine and watched some rubbish telly. Went to bed 1:30-2 am. Woke up in labour at 5:15-5:30 am. He was born 8:30 am. Could not have been simpler. Ds1 barely had a chance to miss me, though PIL obviously looked after him that day. Ds1 was born at 8:30 pm. Went into labour whilst we were having a very late lunch in town. (Was also quick - 4 hours.)
DS1 Twinges 7pm Friday, into hospital midnight, waters went 1.30am, baby born 5.07am Saturday morning (so 10hrs)
DS2 Twinges 4am Friday, on G&A 8am, baby born 11.31am (7.5hrs)
I think with DS2, the birth pool may have slowed it down a bit as by 11.15am I was feeling frustrated so got out of water to try to get gravity to assist, waters broke 11.20 and he was born in two or 3 pushes 11 mins later.
dd1 19 hours established born 4.20 am Thursday morning ds1 40mins established born 2.40 am Friday morning ds2 6 hours established born 6.10 pm Thursday evening.
DD - hindwater leak on wednesday afternoon. went to hospital that evening, told i had wet my pants stopped off for a kebab with extra chilli sauce on the way home, woke up in labour 07.30 thursday morning.
went to hospital 5 pm ish thursday night, told i was not in labour !
got to 3cm at 10 pm, and baby born friday morning, 01.15.
so established labour 3 hours 15, latent phase, 15 hours !
Bit difficult actually as DS2 was induced, so I don't know when I would have 'naturally' gone into labour, but with DS1 and DD I started labour at exactly the same time (about 1.30am) Ds1 was born at 6.35pm the same day, DD at 9.55am.
With Ds2 a friend had Ds1 for the weekend (it's easy to make arrangements when you know when it's going to happen!) When I had DD, my sister came over and stayed with the boys.
I went into labour at 11.30am dropped DS1 at a neighbours house. Got to the hospital at 12.00 mid day and DS2 was born at 12.20pm. Was not like DS1's birth at all he took 16 hours.
MIL (about an hour away) came to look after DS. We called her at 5am, then at about 5.20 I thought things were hotting up and we should go to hospital. DH and DS dropped me off at 6am and went home to wait for MIL, who arrived at 6.45, then DH got back to the hospital around 7.05.
In retrospect, should probably have phoned her sooner, although it all worked out.
Theres no way of knowing but my 1st I went into labour at midnight and gave birth at 12.40pm my 2nd I was in slow labour from about 4pm on wednesday but things didn't really get going until 11am thursday then I had dd2 at 8pm.
My first labour was 11 hours from first twinge (4pm) to baby out and I am assuming (please do say if it was different for you!!!), that I will go in to labour once DD is in bed (i.e. once I'm relaxed). I'm also assuming that the 2nd labour will be quicker and am wondering what are chances of the whole thing happening while DD is asleep are!!!
She had her dinner, put her ds to bed, went to the hospital with her midwife (this was under the Domino scheme) and the baby was born late at night. She was discharged early morning and was back in her own bed for breakfast when her ds woke up and met his new sister. 
That's bad isn't it?? DD was 7.05pm. 
stopped off for a kebab with extra chilli sauce on the way home, woke up in labour 07.30 thursday morning.
