Labour the second time round....is it really half the time?

[HarleyK]

Just wondering from mums with two or more babies, do labour times really get cut by half each time, or is that just a myth? Having had a relatively short 9 hours with my first makes me slightly scared of not making it to the hospital in time with this one.....oh dear.

[WhispersOfWickedness]

I'd say that they are generally quicker, yes. Mine wasn't half though, more like 12 times as fast, my first labour was 25 hours and second was 2.5 I have a friend whose first labour was 1.5 hours, I think that if she has another one, she'll set up camp outside the hospital from 37 weeks

[WhispersOfWickedness]

Sorry, 10 times as fast, not 12 times, maths isn't my strong point

[Downbytheocean]

1st labour 16 hours, second labour 4 hours. I had a planned homebirth, only decided at 37 wks, as I was getting stressed about journey to hospital and whether MIL would get over in time to care for ds1. All worked out brilliantly

[TitWillow]

First labour 72 hours. Second labour 2 hours. Does that make it 35 times as fast?

Don't worry, everyone is different, but second time round does tend to be faster - your body knows what it needs to do, and everything is , erm, pre-stretched.

[Elsqueak]

Hmmm, half the time sounds good to me! Am 4 wks away from no. 2 as well. I really struggled to keep going last time so if it is really true will be pleased although I do appreciate too fast would be a tad scary too!

[blueberryboybait]

First labour 7 hours, second labour 49 minutes 1st noticeable contraction to baby in arms.

[juneau]

First labour 16 hours, second 2 hours 20 mins. Glad I wasn't as fast as blueberry - DS1 would've had to deliver his brother!

[weegiemum]

Labour 1 - 37 hours from waking up,with a contraction

Labour 2 - 10 hours from waters going, first sign

Labour 3 - 12 hours from pessary to induce.

[2madboys]

First labour - 30 hours
Second labour - 11 hours

[thezoobmeister]

Mine was half the time! 10 hours DD1, 4.5 hours DD2. But with DD2 I also had an extra 10 hours of pre-labour, not painful just niggly and annoying.

[TeWiDoesTheHulaInHawaii]

No.

First labour 8hrs, 2nd was more than a day or prelabour and 14hrs of proper labour! No reason anyone could work out.

Prep for a short labour, but don't count on it.

[bushymcbush]

First labour - 7 hours

Second labour - 23 minutes

[trudat]

First - 29 hrs from first twinge to ds by emcs.

Second - 29.5 hrs from first twinge to dd by emcs.

I feel robbed

[FrankWippery]

Nope. Not here anyway. First one 36, second one 27. An improvement I suppose.

[wishiwasonholiday]

I was induced both times but 1st labour was 3 hours, 2nd was 20 mins!

[bushymcbush]

Aww wishi you beat me!

[tara0202]

First labour 52 hours, second labour 1 hour 54 minutes!

[schobe]

18 hours, then 1.5 hours.

Have you considered a home birth?

[lindsell]

1st 2.5hrs 2nd 45mins

[WingDefence]

Great question OP!

My first birth was 12 hours from first twinge and that included about 5.5 hours sleep. This time round we live further away from a hospital (35-40mins plus parking) and I'm trying to persuade DH that a home birth won't actually be that messy

[Wigeon]

First: 10 hours 15 mins. Pretty painful for probably 9 hours of that.

Second: 5 hours 40 mins! Did feel much quicker, only got really painful after at least 3 hours in, and she was born less than an hour after arriving at hospital.

[HarleyK]

I have pretty much ruled out a home birth, purely on the basis that I constantly worry about everything. I could pluck a safety issue out of any situation drives my other half insane. I would be terrified of something going wrong and not getting to hospital in time. If anything happened to my baby that could have been prevented by being the hospital, I could never forgive myself. I know that I would never be in the right mindset to be able to relax at home.

[Kveta]

1st labour - 72 hours from 1st contraction to baby being yanked out (forceps) (was induced (on drip) after 60 hours)

2nd labour - 14 hours from 1st contraction to baby being yanked out (forceps) (induction set off labour this time, with gel - drip induction was nearer the end of the 14 hours!).

[sleeplessinderbyshire]

1st labour 6 1/2 hrs from first contraction to delivery (forceps after 2hr pushing), 2nd labour 5 1/2 hrs from first contraction to delivery (but got stuck at 9cm for 2hr that time so had i listened to the midwife and moved position instead of shouting, sobbing and lying stock still i think it would have been more like 3-4hrs as went from 5-9cm in an hour)

[Chocaholics]

Hmm my first labour was 5 hours and my second baby is due next year so maybe I should go to hospital at the first twinge? Don't want to be there if I don't need to but on the other hand can't imagine DH delivering a baby!! Didn't realise there could be such a huge difference from first to second!