My first labour was 6 hours. I'm pg with DC2 and keep getting people telling me how they had a 6 hour labour the first time and only a 45 minute labour the second time or other ridiculously short times. So, how long was your second labour if you had a quick first one?

Dd1 was 8 hours (very painful labour)

Dd2 was 10 hours but a almost painless labour.

DS1 was a 9hr labour, DD was a 6.5hr labour, a bit shorter but not by miles...

DD1 was about 6 hours.
DD2 was 1 hr 45 mins.
DC3 - find out in 6 weeks.

I'm a bit worried about this as well. My first was 10 hours from the very, very start, but only about 3 hours of proper contractions. The hospital is 20 minutes drive away on a good day.

I wish my fella would go for a homebirth

Babblington At least 1 hr 45 mins is enough time to get DD to someone and get me to the hospital.

homebirth is the way to go!!! My DH didn't want me to as he was worried about 'risks and complications' but i went ahead and we're both so glad we did- due in april and planning another HB all being well!!! especially if this one is less than 6.5hrs!!

dd 7.5 hours
ds 1.5 hours

First 4 hours (although 2 hours actual labour - rushed in due to bleeding but no pains for 2 hours), second 3 hours (including pains), third 5 hours.

So first quick, second quicker, third slightly longer.

I'm not allowed a planned HB as I had a premature labour, PPH, retained placenta, vulval haematoma and drug reaction in third stage of labour. I really want to get to the hospital on time but think that I'll be taking DD with me and off-loading her from there!

DS1 2.5 hours
DS2 1.12 hour

definitely go for homebirth if you are at all worried. first just about got there in time second no way would have made it. when he started coming it was all go.

first labour = 5 hours (dd)
second labour = 4 hours (ds)

ds was much much bigger than dd though

Dd1, 5 hous labour. Dd2, 1 hour 15 Mins. Would have been about 20 mins I think if they hadn't taken so long to break my waters!

dd 5 hours
ds 1 hr 30 mins

First wasn't lightning speed but fairly quick at 12 hours, but second was 2 hours, third is a wait and see, but I am expecting it to be a bit nippy!

DD1 4h 20m
DD2 2h 30m
DD3 1h 35m

Thats everything so from the minute waters broke to the minute the baby was born.

ds = 5 hours
dd = 2.5 hours

both induced

gas and air

1st- 1.75 hours
2nd- 2.5 hours
3rd- 1.5 hours (induced)
4th- to be induced, so hopefully will be as trouble free as no. 3

Hi ladies

Wondering where these times describing active labour ? ie from waters breaking to arrival? Or are these times describing the whole labour? ie from start of established contractions through to birth?

With my first I had waters breaking first, then 2 hours after that the contractions established themselves but the actual time from established contractions to birth was 7 hours.

Enlighten me please...

1st - 2 hrs from 1st contraction (which was 30 mins after waters broke).
2nd - 15 mins from 1st contraction (which was 10 mins after waters broke).

1 - 30 minutes waters broke about 3 seconds before DD.

2 - 8 hours

my waters didn't break until right at the last minute or two before my babies came out, so was in hard established labour a long time before they went (spectacularly!)

dc1..23 hours
dc2..2 hours! made it to the hospital with minutes to spare...fab!
dc3..about 7 hours from start to finish, but was a very realxed gentle home birth..

good luck...how exciting!

3 hours of established labor with ds1 and 3 hours of established labor with ds2. However with ds1 I spent 2.5 hours pushing and with ds2 only 30 min. Same time, just distributed differently. Am wondering what number 3 will be like.

dd1, 3.5 hours (induced)
dd2, 12 hours! So not what I was expecting, but the 12 hour labour was much much better than the utterly shocking 3 hour one.

DD1 -6 hrs (from first contraction)
DD2 - 4.5 hrs from waters breaking. But she turned and got a bit stuck for a while so would have been more like 2hrs.

I planned a homebirth because I anticipated a quick one. MWs were very good about coming out promptly!

Good luck. Hope it's just as quick as you'd like!

DS1 : 5 hrs

The midwife said quite often second births are half the time and what do you know....

DS2 : 2.5 hrs

(Maybe she had a schedule to keep as she kept telling me to push push push, and DS shot out!)

I didn't really believe I was in proper labour as it was quite different to the first....so be warned. From initial signs I thought I might have a few more hours, then it suddenly progressed very quickly...Midwife arrive 10 mins before delivery. DP's face was a picture!!!

ds1 3 hours from 1st contraction
ds2 1 1/2 hours from 1st contraction

I about 3 hours
2 about 2 hours
3 about 1 hour

Next door neighbour was due to sit with DS1 & 2 while we went to hosp.
When labour started DH went next door to tell her and she just nipped out to do a quick errand first !!!
DS1 was very grown up and waited for her to come back while we rushed ( DH and I) to hosp. DD was still nearly born in the car park

first labour 6 hrs start to finish.
2nd 1 hr 20mins
3rd 3 hrs.

both 2nd and 3rd were water births.

First labour 5.5 hours
Second 1.5

From 1st contraction to birth

DC1 2 1/2 hrs
DC2 1 1/2 hrs
DC3 30 mins

DD1 was 2.5 hours
DD2 was 1.5 hours and born in the car
I do 'em quick!

4 hours first
3 hours second (but back to back so really slowed down at the last)

DS1 3 hrs
DD 1 hr 28mns
DS2 1 hr

With DS1's he was a posterior baby who turned during delivery so he took 50mns to push out as he came out sideways. With a proper presentation it would have been a 2hr labour which makes more sense when you look at the other 2.

Ah you see MrsGok, that's why I'm not having any more - my pelvic floor must now be so shot that I would sneeze and they would fall out !

Dd seven hours ds five.

DS 3 hours

DS2 due in 5 weeks - am getting a little worried...

DS1 was 16 hours from waters breaking to delivery.

DS2 was 20 mins from fisrt contraction to delivery- he came out with my waters!

Fortunately I went to the hospital as I felt strange and it was Christmas Eve. I had my first contraction as we pulled into the carpark. A porter spotted me walking into the hospital, he pushed me into a wheelchair and ran to the delivery suite with DH running behind. Got there just in time to get my trousers and knickers off. Midwife had a look and said I was fully dilated. 10 minutes later DS came flying out - I didn't even need to push!

dd - 6 hours (approx)
ds - just under 3 hours

With both of mine the waters went first so my labours were timed from when the contractions started (and they were strong pretty much as soon as they began)

My mum says I was born in about an hour, ditto my bros (so check with your mum to see if she had fast labours!)

ds1 4 hours
ds2 (5 days old ) 1 1/2 hours

DD1 - 8 hours from the very first twinge.

DD2 - 4 hours from the first twinge.

I had a homebirth with DD2 as I thought it would be quick, and it was.

ds 1 hour

dd1 36 bloody hours

dd2 god I can't remember - about 8 hours? there was a waiting thread on here at the time

was induced both times.
DS 50 minutes (but i'd been having regular contractions for around 4 hours before this)
DD 1 hr 45 mins 'established labour' ie 4 contractions in 10 mins or whatever they seem to want you to have in these crazy hospitals
DH was pleased i had to be induced as he didn't think he'd make it home from work and off to the hospital.
if i ever had another, adn didn't have to stay in hospital beforehand and then be induced i'd like a homebirth

Your second stage might get shorter too. It took ten minutes of pushing for DC1 to appear (helped by episiotomy as his heart wasn't really beating much - but he came round) and 6 minutes for DC2.

By Bramshott on Tue 25-Nov-08 16:36:49
Ah you see MrsGok, that's why I'm not having any more - my pelvic floor must now be so shot that I would sneeze and they would fall out grin!

Pelvic floor excersises my dear, pelvic floor exersises . My DH says I am still just as good in bed

DC3 was back to back and my midwife reckons he would have been out in 15/20 minutes if he was the right way round. My DH and the midwife (who is a very good friend) were taking bets on how long he would take to be born

By Mercy on Tue 25-Nov-08 16:49:14
dd - 6 hours (approx)
ds - just under 3 hours

With both of mine the waters went first so my labours were timed from when the contractions started (and they were strong pretty much as soon as they began)

My mum says I was born in about an hour, ditto my bros (so check with your mum to see if she had fast labours!)

My nan, mum, her sister and 2 cousins all had fairly quick labours as well. No one over 6 hours in 14 births between us

DD1 - 4 hours from first twinge

DD2 born 12 days ago - 2.5 hours from first twinge. Only took 3 pushes to deliver her.

dd1 was 7hrs, epidural

dd2 was 2 hours from 1st twinge to delivery after being induced with hormone pessary, naff-all pain relief...

DS - 4 hours from 1st twinge

DD1 - 2 hours from waking up in the middle of the night thinking "I wonder if this is it?"

Both births induced

DD2 - 4 hours from 1st twinge but 2 hours from when I decided it was definitely labour and not just Braxton Hicks - home birth.

DS 2Hours 40mins from waters breaking to being born.

DD 50mins from waters breaking. Had silent labour with no pains so went in at 7cms after sweep and waters being broken in hospital.

Kept telling midwife not to leave room as had quick labours! DP certainly believed me this time when I said I needed to push was there to help the midwife with her gloves and apron as she ran into the room
Did try to convince him of a homebirth, if I have another will def hav a homebirth as two births are enough to make him panic!

Ah the memories, I would love to do it again

Ds1-42 hours
Ds2-45 minutes.

Bit too nervous to try for number 3.

bubaloo, you give me hope! had 36 hours with DS and now preg, dreading another marathon..

I swear it was the RLT capsules that did it the 2nd time around.He was certainly in a rush to come out and was 9 days early aswell.
That 45 mins was from 1st contraction at home,went to the hospital,was told I was 10cms and could start pushing and he was out in 2 pushes.Waters burst in the corridor of the hospital and gave birth in my jumper.Was on the phone telling people our good news within the hour.

DD1- 5hrs 20
DD2- 1hr 40
DS- 25mins
I used RLT for 1 & 2 then forgot to do it for no. 3 (glad really I don't think I'd have coped if it was any quicker!!) I was told 2nd babies are generally quicker and 3rds can be a law unto themselves.

ds - about 6 hours (waters broke earlier, but no contractions
dd - about 3 hours. As others have said things progressed much faster with dd - if I hadn't had a bleed at the beginning of the labour there is no way I'd have got to hospital in time ... in fact I was still on a general ward when a passing midwife looked at my face mid contraction & asked if I thought I was ready to push. I suddenly realised I was. dd was bron about 10 mins later

ds1 woke up with pains around 3am and he was born at 0712 so about 4hours and he was 2.5 weeks early
ds2 woke up at 0226 and had him at 0454 so about 2.5 hours and he was 2 days late and has been trouble ever since!!!

OK - can I just clarify - we are all talking about from first twing/contraction to delivery arn't we?
Because if not I am not 3 hrs , 2hrs, under 1 hour but 10 mins 10 mins and 10 mins

Yep! I was talking first twinge till baby born. All mine were premarure as well.

Ooops!! that should be premature

Only had one so far, but she came in three hours. That's from the first contraction to hello baby. She was a planned homebirth.

Technically my notes say first stage, zero minutes, second stage, nine minutes, third stage, three minutes. But that's only because they told me to toddle off and have a bath etc and a mw would call me in an hour...surprise surprise they ended up nearly missing the whole thing, hence the 'nine minute' labour recorded

Be interesting to see how number two comes, though we're not planning any more yet.

Ds1 I had a 2 hr labour from start to finish
Ds2 I had a 4 1/2 minute labour from start to finish...ended up having him at home

From 1 st Contraction to birth

DS1 - 4 hours

DS2 - 1 hr 45 mins (home birth as I knew it would be quick)

I really want a third but am worried I would be delivering it on my own with DH