Anyone been induced with their first and not their second?

[schokolade]

I'm 27 weeks pregnant with DC2 and frankly shitting myself about giving birth again!

With DC1 I was induced at 40 weeks due to declining amniotic fluid. It was a very fast labour - doctor listed the complete time as 1hr 12 min. Then part of the placenta got stuck and I had a PPH followed by emergency surgery/ The result was over 3L blood loss and a 10 day hospital stay during which I wasn't never left in bloody peace to sleep. I am still feeling pretty traumatised by it all tbh.

Now I'm sitting here worrying about DC2. I know second labours are generally faster. I'm worried about not making it to the hospital in time (20 min drive, and DH has to do the 5 min drive from work too) and then having another PPH at home/in the car. I have a pregnancy related bleeding disorder, so another PPH is more likely than usual.

I've talked to my consultant about this and he is very blase. No two pregnancies/labours are the same, he says. Well yes, but you can understand why I might want to limit the chance of dying in my bathroom I'm sure. No harm done if there is an emergency plan that we don't use...

Anyway I was wondering, will the induction make a difference to the length of second labour? If you were induced with your first, but not your second, was the second labour still shorter than the first?

[mumxof3x]

Hi,

I was induced with my first as I was almost 2 weeks over. It was quite fast....four hours from start to finish. Not sure how much of that was active labour as I don't know when I got to 4cm but I'm guessing probably 2 and half hours. I had an APH and PPH it also traumatised me quite alot.

With ds2 I went into labour spontaneously, it took from Sunday to Friday morning to get to 4cm and then once I got to four ot was about a further 6 hours. So it was loads loads slower. He did turn out to be back to back but with my further children I laboured slowly too...so im guessing the induction just caused a very forced speedy birth. I didn't hemorrhage with my second baby. They did however insert cannulas as soon as i was admitted to prepare for any bleeding issues.

[nuggles]

I too was induced with my first because my waters went with no contractions. Ended up being a 4 hour labour.

With my second I had my waters broken and son was born in 5 hours (although I was 6cm without any painful contractions) so I guess anything can happen and no two labours will ever be the same

[Bluebell66]

Hi

I was induced with my first at 42 weeks but not my second at 41 weeks.

My induction was extremely violent and resulted in three solid hours pushing, my DS was starved of oxygen due to an incompetent midwife. The panic to finally deliver my son resulted in an episiotomy which then tore badly, a lot of damage inside and out.

Three years later my DD was born naturally with a few puffs of gas and air after a wonderful 7 hour, natural labour. We only just made it to the hospital. Stitches again, but nowhere near as bad. At my 40 week appointment they said I would be booked in for an induction. There was no way I was going to let that happen again, so DH and I "took matters into our own hands" 😉

I know it's hard, but try not to worry, hopefully things will go much more smoothly this time.

[schokolade]

Thanks so much to the three of you - I'm feeling less panicked now I know that it's not a given that it will go faster.

I hope mine goes the same way as for you. I really, really don't want to be induced again. Did you find that your second being born in a less dramatic way helped you put any bad feelings about the first birth behind you?

I was actually feeling ok about it all until I spoke to my mum and my uncle. Now I've been at home from work for a few days with a horrible cold and too much time to dwell on their comments!

[mumxof3x]

I went on to have four more children aftery first, so the second birth did help me to kind of chill out abit. But when it come to the actual birth of my subsequents... All I was worrying about was bleeding and constantly checking whilst in labour and I'd freak at any kind of trickle following the birth. So it did definitely have some lasting impact on me, but it wasn't constant worrying throughout the whole pregnancy like I was with my second, it was mainly just when it came to it.

[highclere]

Induced with first, subsequently all spontaneous. Second was extremely fast!

[Imfinehowareyou]

Induced with first. Long pushing stage, ventouse, hard bloody work. 2nd, in hindsight contractions all day but didn't really pay attention. Very quick easy birth within hour of arriving at hospital.

[AltheaThoon]

Induced with first at 39 weeks due to low fluid.

Went into labour spontaneously with second at 40+9 and had a problem-free home birth.

Good luck!

[bruffin]

ds induced at 38.2 because of pre eclampsia from 32 weeks.

dd born spontaneosly at 37.2 weeks. Only 4 hours labour as well

[Zhx3]

Induced with dc1 - I was at term and my blood pressure was rising. It took nearly 24 hours for dc to arrive.

Spontaneous birth with dc2 - in fact so quick that dh delivered the baby on our bathroom floor!

[schokolade]

Thanks so much everyone for posting your experiences. They've really helped me to calm down over the weekend!

[HumpHumpWhale]

I'm another who was induced with my first but not my second. I was in labour for roughly the same amount of time with number two, but pushed for way less time, and it was a lot less painful for most of it. Also I bled a LOT less. I was just under the line of PPH first time round. No problem with bleeding the second.

[RedCrab]

Induced at 42 weeks with DC1 - 40 hours of contractions two minutes apart and back to back. It was awful. I managed on my own for the first 15 hours but the back to back pain was crippling me. Had an epidural but it took so bloody long to get to 10cm, it had worn off. I had no idea they could wear off! Anyway, two hours of fruitless pushing and then forceps. Awful experience.

Dc2 was a planned home birth in water. Six hours. No pain relief needed. Totally chilled out and relaxed.

Currently 33 weeks with DC3 - daren't hope for the same! Good luck

[PotteringAlong]

Yes! Induced with first (and my third) but went into spontaneous labour with my second the day I was meant to be induced.

[flatwhite45]

Induced with first, not with second or third

[LittleCandle]

I was induced at 41 weeks with DD1, as she was lying transversely across my womb. Nothing happened, so they tried again. Things got moving (finally!) when she turned round spontaneously. From no contractions to well over a minute! 3 hours 10 mins later, it was all over, including the placenta but not the stitches.

With DD2 my waters popped about my due date (some controversy over that) but labour didn't get going for some hours after that, but when it did, it was over and done with in an hour and a half, including placenta, but excluding stitches again.

I didn't bother having a repeat performance.

[crapfatbanana]

I was induced at 35+2 with first twin pregnancy because of pre-eclampsia. 6 hour labour.

Induction booked for 38 week a but went into spontaneous labour at 37 weeks with second twin pregnancy. 3 hours total.

I totally understand your worry. It is impossible to predict what will happen. Make sure you have plenty of contacts who can drop everything to take you to hospital. Or call the ambulance. Haemorrhage is a genuine risk that justifies calling for an ambulance I think.