Anyone had a long difficult labour and gone on to have an easy one?

[Gummybear11]

Inspired by the thread about 3rd labour stories.

I'm pg with DC3 and my first two labours were REALLY long with a lot of pain and little progress (I believe they were both back to back). I'm praying that this one is different but somewhat resigned to having another back 2 back labour.

Anyone had similar? Did you go on to have a similar labour or very different?

Yep.

Laboured off and on with a night in hospital, then home, then full labour at it was now wracking up for about ten hours, exhausting and hard work - stitches etc.

Next one -two hours start to finish, not overly sore, first time I asked if perhaps I could have gas and air the laughed and said I had just delivered the head - and I hadn’t even thought I was 1cm.

No stitches, no exhaustion, dream birth.

Yes. First labour was back to back, excruciating, slow. Epidural, forceps, episiotomy, stitches.

Second - I left it too late to go to hospital as the pain was so much less than the first labour. I didn't b were lieve I'd really got started properly. Nearly had him in the car. 2 pushes with gas and air then he was out. Then the midwife had time to ask me my name!

First was back labour and hideous. 24hrs and 3rd degree tear. Second not back labour and I never made it to hospital as he was so fast, he was delivered by a paramedic..
Third labour, back labour but very quick. About an hr active labour, three pushes and he was out. Born at home again like ds2 and midwives only just made it.

First was horrendous 40 hours/ back to back/ ending in forceps induction. 2 minutes between contractions for 40 hours 😫 I couldn’t rest or catch my breath and it was awful.

Next two were exactly the same: four hours in total, and chilling and laughing in between contractions. They both went exactly the same way of getting to 4cm and then into the pool, and hour later giving birth. So quick and easy. Painful and not exactly pleasant but not drawn out and unbearable like the first.

My MW said second babies are much easier once you've had a vaginal delivery, irrespective of how much intervention you had first time round.

I didn't really believe her. My second labour did take ages to get going but my official labour time was about 40 mins. Baby did a massive shift round while I was in the bath - very odd sensation - and was born 40 mins later. The important thing was not so much the time, but that it was very positive and kind of laid my demons to rest.

My first two were very long, hard and traumatic. My third was much quicker, although I think that was to do with him being an eleven and half pounder so once gravity got a hold there was no stopping him No time for an epidural though, so more painful but much, much quicker. Try not to dwell on it, what will be will be, good luck.

Yup. No 2 was 3 pushes.

Yep , long back to back labour , baby born shocked and bruised as I needed forceps to help
Needed 3 days in hospital , a lot of stitches and a blood transfusion to recover from that
2nd baby born after an hour in hospital ( about 3 hrs in labour ) and we went home about 2 hours later

First labour 40 hours of regular contractions, born by EMCS after 13+ hours in hospital, 2 hours of pushing, failed ventous. No way was that great knobbly head gliding out in a back to back position.

Second time, I "self induced" by heaving myself to the MW on my crutches. I didn't think much of the backache after. By teatime I felt pretty miserable. By DS's bedtime, I retreated to the bath I realised that the back pain was in 3 minute waves. Little more than 3 hours later, I was holding my baby. Forceps did get involved as he was back to back, but it made such a difference that it was shorter and less exhausting. It was a much calmer, controlled, positive birth

Ooh, me! 25 hours ending in an EMCS with DD. 6 hour VBAC with DS.

DD was 9lb10oz to DS' 6lb14oz though.

My dd almost died with first childbirth. A long and difficult 28 hour labour with a large baby and she had to have forceps and tore badly, then the afterbirth did not come away and so over an hour long operation needed to get it out. She lost masses of blood and was very anemic. She also got infection as not all afterbirth was got out properly. When she got pregnant again I was so worried but a five hour labour, baby smaller and normal delivery with afterbirth coming out easily. Each pregnancy and delivery is different.

Only 2 labours here.
1 - a week after my due date, I started dribbling my waters on Monday, early afternoon. Was admitted about 4pm. No contractions, so had to be induced Tuesday 8am. Baby born 6pm by forceps. Then the placenta wouldn't budge, so that meant a GA (at least they stitched me while I was under GA) and a few hours to recover from that. It was Wednesday before I got onto the ward. I had extremely painful stitches and DD got a Strep B infection. I was in hospital for a week, just recovering enough to go home.

2 - 2 days before my due date, contractions about 3pm. Arrived hospital 7pm. Already 9cm! Labour was just far less effort: I even dozed off between contractions! Baby born just after 9pm. Same placenta problem but we were ready for it this time - no GA, just an epidural this time, so a faster recovery. I was home 2 days after the birth.

They were like night and day.

Good luck!

Yes, first one back to back and shit. Took 2 days. Baby got stuck. Really thought we were both going to die. I needed surgery afterwards.

Second baby was not back to back. Labour was a good one. Longish but no complications, no pain, only needed stitches afterwards.

This birth might be great. Good luck!

4 days in labour with first leading to intervention at the last minute. 2nd it was honestly as if I had been out and bought him. Really quick and problem free