AIBU to ask about your experiences of having a fast labour

[Elephantgrey]

I had my beautiful little boy six weeks ago. It was a very fast labour.

I woke up at 5:30 in the morning I went to the toilet and noticed I had lost my mucous plug. I had been to antinatal classes and thought I would have about another week to go before I went into labour properly and went back to bed. After my husband left for work at about 7:00. I started having contractions. They progressed very quickly with very little gaps in between. When they were only 2 minutes apart I phoned the labour ward and they told me to come in. This was about 8:00 in the morning. I got in a taxi with my mum and phoned my husband he arrived at the hospital at the same time as me which was 9:30. The midwife who saw me told me I was not in established labour and that I should go home. I asked her to have a look to see how much I was dialated because by now I just had one big contraction. She said no because if she examined me there was a risk of infection and I could be in labour for days.

Eventually she agreed that I could stay. I went into the toilet to do a urine sample and I couldn't do one because I felt like I needed to push. I was in there a long time. My husband kept coming in to see if I was alright. Someone phoned him and he popped out out answer the phone and then I could feel the baby's head. I shouted to my mum and she went and got a midwife (not the same one who admitted me) apparently the baby's head was covered in meuconium. They helped me off the toilet and midwife spread a blue sheet on the floor and he was born. All these other people had appeared in the room. They put him on my chest but he didn't cry and they gave him to a doctor who helped him start breathing. He was born less than 2 hours of arriving at the hospital.

After researching this for a bit I found that it is relatively common, around 2% of all births which is a similar proportion to breech babies and there is loads of information on that. Did anyone else have as fast labour? Were your babies ok? If you had another one was it even faster?

[BunnyTeapot]

Waters started trickling from 7am. Contractions 6 minutes apart by 730am. Vomited. Hospital at 940am. Baby born 1030am.
Baby healthy. I had a bad tear and had to go to theatre and have to have a c section next time as it's too high risk with my tear but other than that everyone is healthy and fine. Labour was very fast. Like you I couldn't give a water sample when arrived at hospital so was told to get on the bed as it was time to start pushing. I was fully dilated when arrived at hospital.

[Deshasafraisy]

I had my baby around 2 hours after my first contraction. We arrived at the hospital, he was born 4 minutes later, i got to the maternity ward, fell to my knees and out he popped! It was exciting and I felt euphoric for days afterwards.

[TheDisillusionedAnarchist]

My first labour was 40 minutes from first contraction, 15 minutes from 3cm. She was tiny and unwell and needed out. It was quite shocking and no one was prepared for her arrival.

My second was six hours from first contraction. Far easier. I’m interested to see how my third will go.

[Aprilshouldhavebeenmyname]

Asleep in bed at 10.30 pm.
Woke with bad contractions.
Ambulance to hospital.
Holding ds at 12.30..
Still fully clothed +shoes!!

[Littlebluebird123]

All mine have been fast. The last one, dd4 was 1hr30 from grumbly tummy to baby born. Thankfully, because I'd been fast before, I knew just to go straight in.
All of mine have been fine.

I would say though that my first was similar to yours. Although I was 35 weeks so when I went in there was no question that I'd go home. Midwife checked me and said I was 3 cm. 30 mins later I was 10cm and they raced me to labour room. Baby was flashed before me and rushed to NICU. I had stitches.

Many, many people envied my short labours. But if I'm honest it's a bit traumatic. I went into shock after 2 of mine. You don't have much time to prepare and can feel so out if control and worried. I've had a few anxiety attacks since. (Dd1 is now 10 and absolutely fine. Still find it hard to go in the main doors of the hospital though as I get flashbacks. Although that's more to do with her being in NICU.)

I hope you and baby are well. But its normal to feel a bit concerned as things didn't go the way you imagined. Sometimes it helps to talk to mw or health visitor, just for a little reassurance.

[JustVent]

Yes I did. It was almost exactly like your labour.

When my contractions started they go from zero to every minute.
By the time I got to hospital they were every 30 seconds. They checked to see how dilated I was and it was 3cm, wouldn’t give me gas and air or let me in the water
About 4 contractions later I got in the water anyway and demanded gas an air. He was born less than an hour after I was told I was 3cm and not in established labour.

I’m 3 months pregnant now and will be going in at the first sign of contractions and will know exactly when I need water and gas and air and they won’t be telling me otherwise.
That’s if I get there on time.

Also when he was born, the cord was tight round his neck 3 times. He was strangled so hard he had no white in his eyes, it was pure red blood for over a month. It took them 2 minutes to revive him.

[TheyCanGoInTheBucket]

DC1 labour 12 hours, born at home, lovely.

DC2 labour 90 minutes, also born at home, terrifying. Midwives made it with 10 minutes to spare, no pain relief, couldn't have made it to hospital if I'd wanted to despite it being close by, as I went from 4cm (fine) to 1cm (not fine) in a heartbeat and just couldn't move due to the pain.

Both babies born very well though thankfully. Took a couple of weeks to register the shock of it. Would have totally put me off any more had it been like that for DC1!

There will be no DC3!!!

[roominthesky]

34 mins, only 8 contractions, 9lb 7oz baby. Went into shock afterwards. Would rather a longer labour any day.

[TheyCanGoInTheBucket]

Urgh I'm sleep deprived, I meant went from contractions every 4 minutes to every 1 minute!!!

[TookyClothespin]

1st was induced, was told it'd take a couple of days! 11 hours later she was born. Only 40 minutes after being told I was 4cm dilated.
2nd was 5 hours from waters breaking (no contractions prior to that). Again, was told it'd be hours and was booked for induction 24 hours later. They kept me in because I was high risk and lived an hour from the hospital. Even when I was having regular contractions and vomited they were reluctant to check me. DH and I insisted, found i was fully dilated and whisked me to delivery suite! If they'd sent me home she'd have been born at the side of the road.
Midwives do tend to go for the long labour expectation.
When my mum had me it was a quick labour too.
All fine now, any health issues certainly don't relate to the quickness of labour.

[SugarIsAmazing]

I've had six children and have only been in labour for sixteen hours altogether. The first baby took 8 hours and the other 5 took 8 hours between them.

I didn't feel it was traumatic. I was just happy to be natural and quick. Traumatic to me would be needing to be on a bed with stirrups, and straps and forceps etc. shudders

[Oysterbabe]

Mine were both fast. First time my waters broke at about 4am but I wasn't in labour. I went in and they kept me in and said if labour didn't start in 24 hours they would induce me. At about 5pm I started getting some mild cramps, they ramped up quite quickly and DD arrived at 9:05pm.

Second time waters went at 1:30am and contractions started immediately and were strong and close. I had to wait for in-laws to arrive to look after DD. They arrived at 3:30am, we got to hospital at 3:45am and DS arrived at 4:10am.

Both labours were straight forward with minimal tearing. DD had to spend some time in special care as she was a bit early and small, struggled to regulate her temperature and blood sugar and developed jaundice. She was allowed home after 6 days. With DS we were home for lunch.

[DobbyIsAGoodElf]

First dc was 5 hours from sleeping to holding baby.
Second dc waters went and no contractions for half an hour, first contraction to holding baby was just over an hour.
Currently pregnant with dc3 and planning another home birth, hoping the midwife arrives before baby this time but not overly worried if not.
It is stressful and I did go into a bit of shock with dc2 but needs must and baby has to come out and this is just the way I happen to labour.

[Thehop]

These are amazing! 4 dc here and my my labours were between 9 hours and 42! X

[bigKiteFlying]

I was told by first set of MW once you'd had one fast labour - you're at high risk of subsequent ones.

Mine have got faster and faster - second and third ones HB partly because of this.

Second MW, who shouldn't have been on but was covering, came out decide I wasn't in establish labour 20 minutes later we rang - she spoke to our normal community MW who said this isn’t a couple who'd panic, so she came out to find me already to push. She had to ring round and get another MW - only later when we had a lot of the MW come to visits and they were ribbing her we realised how panicked she'd been.

Third child new area lots of problems with MW one of which they denied fast labours ever happened. Eventually get HB agreed - on night MW made no attempt to get out to us - till DH was telling them head was visible which they disputed. They turned well after the birth.

Luckily previous MW had told us what to do if if she couldn’t get there with second as she was bit further away – pick baby up next to skin to warm and feed – which we did. Longest seconds of my life before she cried – kept asking DH is she was alright and he wasn’t answering – I think it was shock and disbelief with MW attitude. She fed bf couple of time and done poo by time Mw turned up – and I was shaking and not able to stop which they completely ignored.

My children have all be completely fine – no development issues at all. They were all born on large side – though gestational diabetes had been ruled out and Mum's family do have larger than normal babies – which may have contributed to the rapid labours.

[NobodysChild]

My second child was born less than an hour after labour started. I had been xmas shopping, got home, put the shopping down and got my first contraction. Every contraction was a minute apart. Waters broke and I went to hospital. Was told I wasn't in labour and to put a gown on. I put the gown on, laid on the bed and the baby came sliding out. No midwife there until ten minutes later, baby was perfectly healthy. One week later I was rushed into hospital as I ended up pulling out the sac the baby was in, (went for a pee and it was dangling out my vag), I was haemorrhaging for three days. Third baby, 5 hour labour, no complications.

[massistar]

My first was an emergency c-section but went for VBAC with second. My waters had broken 2 days before so was in hospital anyway.. woke up at midnight feeling unwell, fainted in corridor so was put on trolley and taken to labour ward. Baby was born at 01:25. It felt like just one long contraction with no respite.. horrific and I also went into shock.

I'd take my 12 hour labour and emergency section any day!

[Pleasedontdrawonyoursister]

Woke at 230am thinking maybe my waters had gone, by 3:20 Baby was born on the bathroom floor just as the ambulance arrived. As others have said, most people said how lucky I was to have a fast labour, but I went into shock and couldn’t move for hours! The ambulance had to give me IV glucose as I was shaking and vomiting so much.

[Imnotacelebgetmeouttahere]

I was lucky to be in hospital with all of mine (all preemies) as first took 21mins from 3cm me holding him...everyone said it wouldn't happen again.

Second arrived exactly 7mins after the consultant told me i was "1/2 a cm if youre lucky ..he fell onto the bed as noone was listening to me saying he was coming

Third - EMCS

Fourth arrived 16mins after being told i was 3cm and to relax as i had hours yet

[Cuffuffle]

4.30pm - I was 3cm asking for gas and air
5:45pm - I was 10cm and pushing, not that the midwife believed me
6.30pm - DD was born

I was induced though and already 2cm.

[ChanklyBore]

Fast labours are bloody annoying.
No time to get your head round what’s happening.
No time to get the people you want to be there, there.
No time to get proper medical assistance.
No time for monitoring or checking the baby is OK.
No time for pain relief.
Fee like you’ve been run over by an actual truck.
Shocked baby.
Shocked you.

And everyone treats you like you are super lucky.

No, it’s not about the birth experience, we know that, but when you've been encouraged to prepare for this big long event and to consider your choices and all the things you might do and how it will likely be, and then all of a sudden it’s all gone and it’s all over and you didn’t have any choices or excitement or even much memory of it.....That happens in other, traumatic ways, too, of course, such needing a sudden emergency section, for example, but can be traumatic with fast births too. And before you can blink you are surrounded by people telling you how lucky you are.

I got to spend my whole labour alone and trying desperately to keep the baby in whilst arguing as best I could on the phone to the hospital - as I was attempting to insist they sent me some help and they were rolling their eyes at how silly and overdramatic first time mums were and telling me to take paracetamol.

[NukaColaGirl]

1st DD - induction, 94 mins from pessary to birth
2nd DD - 40 mins for from waters breaking/first contraction to birth
3rd DD - Less than 10 mins from waters breaking/first contraction to birth

3rd DD - gave birth to her standing up in a room on my own. I couldn’t move from the position my waters broke in. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. Ended up going to hospital after as she couldn’t maintain her body temp and spent a week in NICU.

[Curious2468]

I was told I didn’t look like a woman in labour less than 2 hours before my first was born. They wanted to send me home/up to the maternity ward but figured they would check first and found I was 6cm. Dd was a little blue but fine. My second was a longer labour at 4hours but he had gone back to back and was bungeeing because of the cord being wrapped around his neck.

[Queenofthestress]

My first was a normal Labour, but my second was 3 hours from the first contraction to her arrival, I thought I just had belly ache to be honest!

[Nanasueathome]

My 2nd baby
Got up around 7ish when my husband was getting ready for work
No problems or pains of any sort
Next door neighbour called me at 0900 to go round for coffee
Went round and felt a bit uncomfortable
She asked if I was ok...yes was fine
At 0930 I felt the urge to push
She phoned my husband, who only worked a short distance away and he came home
By this time I was starting to panic so we got in the car to go to the hospital...again, only short distance
We came to traffic lights with queue of people to turn right, we needed to go left. We only had a mini so my husband drove on the pavement to get to the left turn
At the hospital there was a small island towards maternity and he drive the wrong way round the island to be quicker
He pulled up outside maternity unit and raced in...someone came out with a wheelchair for me and I managed to just about get into it
Was rushed to delivery room and I can remember the midwife saying ‘I hope you as far in labour as you think you are’
At that, my waters broke and my daughter was born.
My husband had not been able to be with me as they had called him to the reception desk to confirm who I was.
My daughter was born at 1000 and was absolutely fine