pregnant with 2nd child - curious re similar birth as first??

[biscuitnoodle]

Just curious if anyone who has had two or more children had similar labours/births? Im 38 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby and I'm wondering if it is a total lottery or if I might experience something similar to my first labour and birth...

[RoseberryTopping]

Place marking, I'm wondering the same. I'm mostly just hoping I don't have to be induced again.

[AnythingNotEverything]

Second births tend to be quicker and the pushing stage is about half as quick apparently.

My second labour was massively helped by the knowledge that my body knew what to do. I'm not anti intervention at all (I had an epidural with my first) but knowing that I could do it and that my body could push out a big baby helped me massively.

Good luck!

[biscuitnoodle]

Thank you anything that is good to know - I will hope for speed! My first was 10 hours start to finish but I pushed for 4hours nearly as he was a bit stuck so a shorter pushing stage would be nice

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Really curious about this too!

Although I'm definitely gonna have an epidural this time for a treat.

[softlysoftly]

3 days, stuck baby epidural and episiotomy with DD1.

hypnobirthing slept through labour for an hour, delivered head walking the pavement into maternity 4 minutes from when they found me to time of birth (including getting me to a bed and getting my pants off ) still wearing sunglasses with DD2

Pg with DC3 but just found out I have group b strep so hoping for a minimum 4 hour labour so I can get the antibiotics in time!

Its a lottery but I can highly recommend hypnobirthing to cope with whatever it throws at you!

[rachyconks]

My first birth was 29 hours from waters breaking until DD made an appearance. The pushing stage was 2 hours I think. This time I had contractions all day (period pain level until about 7pm), to hospital at 22:30. DS born at 06:24. Pushing stage 24 mins!! Pain level was more intense this time, though I've put that down to DS being bigger (9lb 10oz vs DD who was 8lb 7oz) and having no pain relief (started on gas and air but midwife felt it was making me too woozy and I wasn't pushing effectively). DS was a water birth too which helped with the pain and I had no stitches at all.

[rootypig]

Although I'm definitely gonna have an epidural this time for a treat.

Do, ithoughofit, it's fucking MARVELLOUS. Insist Ask as soon as you go in as it can take a while to get an anaesthetist.

[KittyOSullivanKrauss]

DC1: born at 39 weeks, 12 hour labour, 45 min second stage

DC2: born at 40+2, niggled for over 48 hours before I went into actual labour then 6 hours of contractions, an undiagnosed breech but out safely in two pushes (can't even remember it hurting, but definitely remember with DC1!).

So definitely not the same. I seem to have conformed to the half as quick thing. I very nearly had DC2 in the car though, midwives kept putting me off coming in. Only just made it into delivery and so glad I did due to the breech. I know lots of women who've either not made it or had a close shave on their second so bear this in mind!

good luck!

[HandbagsandSnotrags]

Dd1 mild pains from wake up. Thought in labour at 5pm ish, started to hurt around 7.30. Arrived hospital 9.30 she was born 10.20 - 20 mins pushing.

Dd2 same story except woke 3am in labour. Home birth so called midwife at 7.30am. Dd2 arrived 8.50am after about 10 mins pushing.

Dd3 niggled on and off for 24 hours, but when it kicked off properly around 10pm followed same pattern. Born 2am very little pushing required.

Main diff was dd1 was week early, other 2 a week late. And they got bigger 7lb 4, 8lb 8, & 9lb.

[rachyconks]

I forgot to say DD was born on her due date. DS was 9 days late. I was not prepared for that after DD coming on time! Seems like a lifetime ago now (DS is only 12 days old), but at the time it was interminable. Longest week and a half of my life!

[findingherfeet]

Certainly WAY quicker for me...DD arrived day before due date, labour was 10 hours start to finish (pushing for an eternity and inevitable unpleasant damage below that took a long time to heal )

DS six days late but arrived after 1 hour 45 mins (at most) as unplanned and unassisted home birth - well, delivered by my very shocked husband! Although he was a big baby and I tore, recovery has been far far better.

I'd advise all second time mums-to-be to call hospital at first twinge!!

[LoveBeingCantThinkOfAName]

Yes second was a bit shorter, as I was more understanding of what happens , my body etc I was able to stay home for longer, in fact spent lots of it on my own in the bedroom doing whatever I felt helped (including mn). Pushing was slight quicker.

I do feel if I had a third I'd crack it.

[Rubberstamp]

Second the hospital at first twinge thing - Ds was 8ish hours start to finish with a nice epidural on his due date. dd five years later also wanted an epidural but lucked out as labour was 45mins 1cm-birth at 40+1.

[WhispersOfWickedness]

I would too, finding!!

First labour was 25 hours, induced, epidural, 1.5 hours pushing.
Second labour was 2.5 hours from waters breaking, felt completely different so no need for epidural, only 1 hour of contractions, 4 mins of pushing! It's a good job that the labour ward was quiet as they told me to come in when waters broke, if they had said to wait until contractions, DD would have been born at home or in the car! In laws who had to come to look after DS were 30 mins away and we are 30 mins from the hospital!

[DramaAlpaca]

First labour 21 hours, second labour about 12 hours from first twinge to delivery.

First labour had epidural & forceps because I couldn't feel to push. Second labour only needed gas & air & pushing was just 20 minutes.

Third labour was about five hours, and the pushing stage was less than five minutes

[AllDirections]

3DDs, all 6-8 hour labours including an hour of pushing. Main difference was that DD2's labour started slowly but the other 2 DDs it was straight into 5 mins between contractions. Their personalities pretty much match their labours, DD2 is calm and the other DDs are definitely not calm

[Fissawissa]

Softlysoftly I'm after more info on hypnobirthing - would you mind PMing me what course / book / CD you done?
I'm expecting my 2nd baby in October & am hoping for a completely different labour / birth compared to my first!

[softlysoftly]

Rubbish at PMing but I read Marie Mongans hypnobirthing book which really gave me an insight and a more logical approach to natural labour. Though sometimes she goes a bit far (clitoral stimulation anyone?) and I disagree with her stance on antibiotics for infection.

Then I basically took from that the "balloon" breathing trick. I downloaded this cd and after 32 weeks went to sleep every night playing it, laid on my left with a pillow between thighs doing the breathing where you slowly fill a balloon with deep breaths in your belly then slowly push it down and out with the counted exhalation.

When labour started I stuck my headphones on, and my brain was so programmed to the music and position I breathed through each contraction until I either slept/trances out ( not sure which) and was disturbed by DH shaking me asking why I was doing a pushing noise! In hindsight I should have just stayed in bed at that point!

Totally controlled the panic I felt with DD1. It can't guarantee an easy labour but it can help remain calm even in a tricky one.

[Fissawissa]

You're a star, thanks Softly.

[HoneyBadgerPersonified]

Place marking as I'm 39+3 with DC2 - thanks to everyone for all their helpful stories! Am terrified DH will miss birth because I'll be too complacent about making the call.
Those of you who had much quicker deliveries - do you recall feeling like it was going much quicker? Or was it a surprise when you found out you were already x dilated? Was it more intense?
DS1 was 21 hrs, about 7 hrs of that "active" and 2 hrs of pushing so would really like a shorter labour - but not too short!!
And definitely not a home birth as I think DH would faint...

[Wings13]

Place marking too! 39 weeks today and convinced every twinge is the start.over 24 hours last time so please god not as long this time!

[EvilHerbivore]

First labour - from first contraction to baby was 17 hours, pushing stage was very quick (due to raspberry leaf tea?) less than 5 minutes
Second baby - from first contraction to baby was 8 hours, pushing stage even quicker, maybe 2 minutes? He just flew out as my waters broke!

[BeginnerSAHM]

Babies one and two were very similar for me. First one born 2 hours and 40 mins after waking up with 'bad constipation' (and 15 mins after getting to hospital). Second one born one and a half hours after first tiny twinge (which wouldn't have woken me if I was asleep) but nearly an hour after getting to hospital - we had an idea what to expect with DC2. DC2 was born at 36 weeks, DC1 38 + 2. Both quite brutal 'precipitous/precipitate' labours with a lot of tearing, screaming and babies being stressed but all fine in the end. And, yes, i am very glad I wasn't in labour for 3 days, despite the rather dramatic car-crash feel to both births.

[NomDeClavier]

Very similar although DS was 4 days over, big and back to back and DD was 2 weeks early, a reasonable size and perfectly positioned. DD was about half the time too, but a much shorter pushing stage as she wasn't back to back.

I begged for ARM with DD as I could feel my waters bulging and it was horrid, plus I'd been at 7cm for 2 hours. MW broke waters and barely had time to catch her!

[Weegiemum]

My first was 37 hours, back labour, ARM, syntocin drip, ventouse delivery, "stargazer" baby, 9lb12oz! She was 4 days before edd.

Second started with waters breaking, 10 hours in total, no interventions, he was 10 days early.

Third was 12 hours but an induction. Simple delivery, apart from the prostin gel no interventions. I was 36+6 weekes but very unwell with kidney problems caused by the pregnancy. She was fine but I'd been air-ambulanced out due to the kidney issues.

First labour was awful compared to the 2 subsequent ones, I felt like I birthed "well" all 3 times. Never needed an episiotomy, never had an epidural, one instrumental delivery but given her position I'd no option, only had opiate pain control the first time, had G&A in the second and third.

There's no way I'd compare my 2nd/3rd deliveries to my first. Though by the time dd1 was born I was so exhausted I don't remember anything much!