Fact or folklore - second labour quicker with smallish gap

[Liveinthepresent]

Does anyone know if this is just anecdotal or fact?
My first labour was probably about 'normal' for a first - 12 hours in total.
People keep telling me this one will be super quick - DH is worried about me getting to hospital on time - its not far but he knows I will want to cope at home as long as possible...

[barnet]

Only know that mine was quicker( 2hrs from labour onset to birth 2nd time; about 12 hrs 1st time)

[cassell]

Don't know - I have a 3 yr gap but my second labour was only 45mins... I literally only just made it to the hospital. 1st was 2.5hrs for perspective.

[Twobuttonsaway]

My first was 12 hours including EMCS. Went into labour with DS2 at 07:15, called hospital at 09:00 and was told to come straight in... Urge to push started in the car!! Even with following complications he was born by 12:15 and without those complications it would have been more like 10!!

I got to 10cm in 2 hours.... Don't stay at home too long!!

[littlemonkeychops]

Oooh i hope so :-)

Due anyday with DC2, quicker would be good please!

[Wolfiefan]

1st 10 1/2 hours
2nd 59 mins
6 yr age gap!

[WhispersOfWickedness]

Think second labours are just quicker generally!
My first was 25 hours total, 11 of which in active labour. Second was 2.5 hours total, an hour in active labour

[Anthracite]

My second labour was 3x the length of my first.

However, my first was 2 hours. Second labour was virtually painless (natural home birth).

[Queenofknickers]

18 mos between my 2DS and DS1 born in 10 hours and DS2 born in 3 hours BUT I didn't realise I was n labour for first 2 hours so only just made it to hospital!

[Flossie82]

23 months between DCs.

1st labour was 26 hours (from painful contractions 5 mins apart to DD being born).

2nd labour was 90 mins from thinking I was in labour to DS being born (unplanned home birth!)

people had been telling me it would be quicker 2nd time - I had been thinking I was optimistic to hope for 12 hours!

[Jamdoughnutfiend]

I was promised this, first was about 8 hours of active labour, 2nd was 10 then crash c-section - not impressed!

[Gruntfuttocks]

Second labours are generally quicker, but it doesn't always happen. My second was back to back and took a lot longer than my first

[MadameJosephine]

My first was days of latent phase followed by 8 hours of active labour, second was only 5 hours from the first twinge to delivery and there was 16 years in between!

[Liveinthepresent]

Ok so my take on this will be - if it's in a good position and not so huge it gats stuck then it is likely to be much quicker...

[higgle]

20 hours DS1, 4 hours DS2. No pain relief either time but DS1 hurt a lot, DS2 just a bit uncomfortable !

[beckie90]

Ds1 4.5hrs, 5 min pushing. Ds2 5 days back to back labour,.2hrs pushing and assisted delivery. So while usually 2nds are easier, its not a fact cause sometimes it doesn't always happen that way xx

[AnathemaDevice]

My first two labours were both 6 1/2 hours long. The pushing stage was quicker though-19 minutes with DS1, 14 minutes with DD. DS2 was my longest labour at 9 3/4 hours, but the shortest pushing stage (10 minutes)

[cupcake78]

This thread is giving me hope. Ds 5 days back to back excruciatingly painful labour. Pregnant with dc2 and hoping its not going to be another marathon!

[devonsmummy]

1st - 2hours 20 mins
2nd - 3 hours 10mins
34 months apart

[Gemd81]

First labour was 12 hours and second was 4 hours - however second babies tend to be slightly bigger!

[MrsBungle]

3 year gap;

First labour - 52 hours
Second labour - 1 hour 54 minutes.

[YoniOneWayOfLife]

DC1: days. Ear first at one point, then OP
DC2: 8 hours (22 mo later)
DC3: 4 hours (19 mo, hand by ear)
DC4: 10 hours, OP, nasty position, 26 mo on. Sooo gutted as I was expecting it to be done and dusted in under an hour!

[PlateSpinningAtAllTimes]

3.5 year gap.
1st= 13 hours in total
2nd= about 4 hours (less sure as it started with contractions not waters going so not sure how much I slept through)
PITA because by the time our childcare arrived I was trying not to push. Very hair-raising drive to hospital. Got there at 6. DD born at 6.04

[Francagoestohollywood]

First child: 8 hrs and a half in total (the firs 3 hrs very mild pain)
Second child: about 6 hrs, only 2 hrs of real pain.

[mummyTP2]

It depends whether you count labour as from first contractions (slow labour) or from 4cm (actual labour) from first contraction my first was 31hours and my second was 12 days but the actual labour of my first was 4 hours 35 mins and my second was just 45 mins but I was induced with second because of the long stressful labour, I don't know if that makes a difference, the pushing part was quicker with second aswell, my first took 25 mins of pushing but second was out in 2 pushes

[VisualiseAHorse]

Just read here : www.birthwithmidwife.com/delivery.pdf

Average 1st labour - 12 hours
Average 2nd labour - 7 hours.

I've only got the one baby. The entire labour (from waters breaking) was 14 hours. From 3cm to baby being born was only 3.5 hours!