dreading labour :(

[sarahcoleman1980]

Hello,

This is a long one, sorry.
I am 33 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child and I am dreading it.
My first labour was horrid, 56 hours long from first twinge to birth. I am not joking I felt little niggle pains at about 2am on the Thursday morning but went back off to sleep and woke again at 4am and felt the need to go to the toilet, I then had a bath and the show came out, all before 6am.
I was one week overdue and had an appointment on the Thursday with the midwife, who said I was 2 cm dilated.
The pain was so strong from the off, by about 10am in the morning I was struggling. I walked down to the local shops and back to try and keep things going, couldn't really eat much either and as my waters hadn't broke the hospital would see me. I must've phoned them a dozen times but they just wouldn't budge, they just told me to take paracetemol.
I was in and out of the bath as that's all that seemed to take some of the pain away, which only got worse.
Eventually at 9pm Friday night the hospital took me in and checked me over, still 2 cm dilated, that makes it over 24 hours that I have now been 2cms and in excruciating pain.
Anyway they were about to send me home when my waters broke and had to take me onto labour ward as daughter had done her business. I eventually had an epidural in the early hours of Saturday morning, which did ease the pain.
By 7am Saturday morning I was 7cm dilated and the midwives that were just finishing there night shift and said it wont be long now...........
Well 1:04pm Saturday afternoon she was eventually born and had respiratory distress and went up to icu to be cared for, she came back to me Monday night, then I bled heavy early hours of Wednesday morning and came close to having to have a hysterectomy, I was 20 years old and ended up with pnd because of all of this.
My 2nd labour was a breeze but overdue again, 10 and a half hours, I went in boxing day to be induced at 3pm but by 3:30pm the show started coming away, with little niggle pains, nothing uncomfortable, was chatting, laughing, went for a nice long walk and started to get stabbing pains down below around 9:30pm, midwife checked me by 10pm and I was 5cms already and the pain had gotten a lot worse by now, she even said to me if you want pathedine don't leave it too long, so I said do it now. By 2:05am Thursday morning dd2 was born but the pain was horrible and I had no heavy bleeding this time and daughter was fine this time too, went home 36 hours from birth later.
I had my 2 daughters 3 years apart but now I am dreading that after 8 years this baby's labour is going to be like my eldest daughter, especially as they say the longer you leave it, it is like having a first again. What do people think, why was my first labour so long but my second so quick, will I have the same problems as the first time round because I have left a bigger gap. Please help, I am so scared.

[princessvikki]

Of your really worried and stressed out by the worry, why don't you consider having a electitive c section? You get a set date, usual at 39weeks

[Hemlock2013]

I think anxiety over a second or third labour is to be expected, especially if you had a hard time previously.

Have you read any books on natural birthing? Ina may etc... They can help ease some anxiety. Or speak to your midwife about a c section. You have options to ensure this birth isn't traumatic.

I'm in a similar situation but I'm on birth 2, and the first birth was actually ok so I have no excuse for the anxiety! No idea where it's cone from. I'm also now 3 days from my due date so have missed my c section window. Gah!!