AIBU to ask about your experiences of having a fast labour

[Elephantgrey]

I had my beautiful little boy six weeks ago. It was a very fast labour.

I woke up at 5:30 in the morning I went to the toilet and noticed I had lost my mucous plug. I had been to antinatal classes and thought I would have about another week to go before I went into labour properly and went back to bed. After my husband left for work at about 7:00. I started having contractions. They progressed very quickly with very little gaps in between. When they were only 2 minutes apart I phoned the labour ward and they told me to come in. This was about 8:00 in the morning. I got in a taxi with my mum and phoned my husband he arrived at the hospital at the same time as me which was 9:30. The midwife who saw me told me I was not in established labour and that I should go home. I asked her to have a look to see how much I was dialated because by now I just had one big contraction. She said no because if she examined me there was a risk of infection and I could be in labour for days.

Eventually she agreed that I could stay. I went into the toilet to do a urine sample and I couldn't do one because I felt like I needed to push. I was in there a long time. My husband kept coming in to see if I was alright. Someone phoned him and he popped out out answer the phone and then I could feel the baby's head. I shouted to my mum and she went and got a midwife (not the same one who admitted me) apparently the baby's head was covered in meuconium. They helped me off the toilet and midwife spread a blue sheet on the floor and he was born. All these other people had appeared in the room. They put him on my chest but he didn't cry and they gave him to a doctor who helped him start breathing. He was born less than 2 hours of arriving at the hospital.

After researching this for a bit I found that it is relatively common, around 2% of all births which is a similar proportion to breech babies and there is loads of information on that. Did anyone else have as fast labour? Were your babies ok? If you had another one was it even faster?

DD was speedy - I was given a pessary at 5am, contractions started immediately. I said I was ready to push at 7am, the midwives laughed at me! I said I was either pushing or pooing myself so they agreed to check me and she was crowning! So they said ‘Okay, push!’. DD was born at 7.22. I felt really shocked. I was expecting a long labour. I couldn’t quite compute what had happened.

Elephant it might be worth asking for a debrief about the birth so you can ask the questions you need to and try to resolve things in your head.

@Elephantgrey get in contact with AIMS - www.aims.org.uk
AIMS Helpline
Email: [email protected].

They helped me complain about my second (long story but there was a reason mw didn’t arrive in time to my hb) it was good in that hospital thanked me for waiving anonymity and actually changed a procedure.

It was also very cathartic.

Even to chat though with aims will help you sort it out in your head.

And I had baby in sept and finally got around to it Dec/ jan so no pressure to do it now!

And another thing. I did not notice my waters breaking. That is weird isn't it?

My first was induced early as supposedly big (he was not ) told it would take days but he was born 10 hours from start.

My 2nd was less than 6 hours from first contraction to holding baby. In fact the midwives wouldn’t give me a bed as they wanted me to go home. They finally let me have a bed on maternity assessment unit, where I promptly delivered my baby surrounded by all the husbands of women been booked in for induction that day

For me fast labour was great - DD2 was born 3 hours after waters broke, no pain relief but not much pain anyway, no complications.

Unlike DD1 whose labour was much slower as she got stuck and has damage to show for it.

Ultimately both fast and slow labours can go well or badly, all depends on the circumstances.

DC1 was 4.5 hours from first twinge to baby. Like the OP, the midwives refused to believe I was progressing so fast. My dh kept running out the room trying to find someone to come help, but he was repeatedly told to go away. When the midwife finally arrived, I was fully dilated and ready to push - would have been helpful if someone had showed me how gas and air worked before that point. When she was born, she wasn't breathing and the midwife yelled at us to press the emergency button.
5 - 10 minutes later, someone sauntered in to ask if everything was OK.
Fortunately, dd was OK by then. Was a totally shit experience and why the next baby was a home birth.

DC2 was also 4.5 hours, but actually had a midwife with us (in fact 2 midwives.) In the lead up to the birth, the midwife had suggested that we should prepare ourselves for how to give birth without medical support as birth dc1 had been so quick. While this proved unnecessary for DC2, it was very useful for DC3.......

DC3 born in under 30 mins from first twinge. Delivered by my DH while waiting for ambulance and midwife. Was basically a 20 minute contraction without any breaks. Was quite sore.

DD1 - waters broke on dot of midnight. Rang homebirth MW - oh you're a ftm, you'll be ages. 1 hr later started getting funny pains in my cervix. No cx so knew I wasn't in labour. MW agreed to come and look. DD crowned as she walked up the stairs.

DTs - I told them from 16w that my last birth had been fast and I had never felt any cx despite it being a drugfree HB. They clearly thought I was trying to make myself sound all dramatic and interesting: ha ha, don't tell the other ladies, they'll be jealous.

Nonetheless agreed to induce me on delivery suite not antenatal ward in case it all went quick. Pessary 1.35am. Bit of a sleep. Woke 6am, nothing doing. 630 went for a walk. Back at 730, on monitor till 8.15, no uterine activity at all, deffo not even starting labour. Time for a shift change - I started feeling restless and weird but as they kept saying, I wasn't in labour and didn't even have any pain yet. Left me at 820 to do their handover paperwork. DT1 born in delivery room en suite unattended at 833, with me having apparently never gone into or experienced a single cx. DT2 born 13 mins later.

I never felt a thing beyond mild cervical irritation from the pessary. They put the labour at 17 minutes "for form's sake".

!

I had a speedy labour with my twins and I totally didn’t expect if after a 2 day drawn out affair with DD1. They broke my waters around 5:00pm and I had one twin in my arms at 6:20pm and the next at 6:43pm. Trouble was after they broke my waters they made me stay lying down and strapped to the monitors for 30 mins to get a good trace on both babies. About 5:30pm they took me off the monitor and I got up to go to the loo and they said they’d come check on me in four hours!!
Omg. I literally went from 0-100 miles an hour whilst on the loo. By the time I made it out I was just having one continuous contraction and mooing. It all got a bit panicky after that. Babies were both perfect.
Like many others on this thread I also went into shock afterwards. I think for me it was a combination of the super fast labour, feeling totally out of control and the brutality of the ICV for Twin 2 who needed turning and then eventually got pulled out by her left foot. I actually thought I was going to die afterwards and no one seemed at all concerned. I didn’t even hold my babies until they were at least 6 hours because I wasn’t well enough and I have no idea where those hours went other than that I was freezing cold and was terrified I was going to leave my husband on his own with 3 children to bring up. Never again.

AIMS - were very helpful to us as well.

We also had MW manager come out after third brith and we talked things through with her - I think it helped us put it behind us.

My first baby took about 24 hours, I missed a whole night of sleep and was exhausted by the time he arrived.
Second: I woke to my waters breaking at 5 45. Hospital by 7 15, baby born at 8 40!

Quicker is better, you're less tired.

I went in to the MLU at midnight, contractions were far apart and wasn't at all dilated but contractions were strong. Midwife said we could go home or stay, we stayed and she was born at 2:45am. Midwife said she had hoped we decided to stay as had a feeling it may be quick due to strength of contractions but had to give us the option to leave as on paper we were no way near having her. This was our first child too. Waters didn't break and I don't ever remember seeing a plug?!? We had no problems with the birth etc.

With my DS I was induced because of Pre-eclampsia at 39+1, but was told I was 1cm already. They said they wasn’t going to examine until the pessary had been in for 24 hours and because it was my first to relax, it could be a couple of days yet.

Pessary in at 11.30am. Was chilling, chatting to DP then after about 30 minutes i started getting period like pains, nothing bad at all. That kept going until about 3 when i decided to walk. I stood up and felt my first real contraction.

Because it went from 0-100 my DP and all midwives thought i was over reacting. They put the band on me to check contractions but it wasnt showing anything. I could feel it all low but the band was at the top of my bump.

Basically, my DS was born at 3.36 after 2 pushes, i told DP to get someone here NOW cos the baby was coming. The first time they ‘checked’ me, the babys head was already fully out. They didn’t have time to do anything apart from catch him.

I was fine, DS was fine, DP was not.
My son had alot of mucus in his system (belly mainly) so threw all my milk up for a couple of days but that was all. The midwives said fast babies dont get it all squeezed out of them!

Hope you and your baby are doing okay now

Dd1 happened like this.
Waters broke 7am,
Car called at 7:10, contractions every minute for approx 10 mins. Urge to push at 7:30 (still in the back of the car, driver driving like a madman). Dd born at 7:35, 3 miles out from the hospital. I had no help, only the driver (who's focus had to be on the road). It was pure terror.

Dd2, I was staying with a friend and her family. Almost all women (one little boy, who helped to fetch things )
Waters went at 10pm, I screamed for help. Friends Mum came in and said we have to get you to the hospital, but by the time we got out to the car I was already on the floor screaming with each contraction coming fast and hard. Friends Mum got me to my bed, I gave birth at 10:30 surrounded by some very lovely women who knew vaguely what to do. They were all very helpful and I thank my lucky stars that nothing went wrong. Unsurprisingly I never want to go through childbirth again.

I wasn't in the UK, and there was no ambulance service for women giving birth. An ambulance wouldn't be dispatched unless you were unconscious or haemorrhaging and both times I was at least 50 miles from a hospital.

@Elephantgrey regarding meconium and a hb younneed to read up as much as possible and decide for yourself. Do just read factual
Evidence though. Mw / medically professional only. and no US based hb and meconium based stuff. I wouldn’t give birth at home in the USA.

I am not going to influence your decision with my anecdotal story though. I had a very experienced doula with my 3rd who helped me too.

Aims can also advise on hb and meconium. Read also the NICE care pathway for meconium, see how your hospital differs if at all.

Mw will always want to tf in as you are their patient and work for the nhs. So will err or side of caution.

You will be able to discuss all with a hb mw when the time comes.

1st baby - 31 hours and lots of problems.
2nd baby - 7.30 contractions started, born at 10.30 in the cawl (my waters didn't break) - she had a mermaid's birth and it was very straight forward.

....definitely preferred the second experience more!

I went infor induction but by morning nothing.10.30 am they were discussing where I should go but I stsrted to get a bit if discomfort,was sick and then getting strong contractions with almost no gaps.The badys head wesnt down my midwife couldnt break my waters as my cervix hadn't dilated.
An older midwife managed to just get in.I said I needed to push,my midwife wouldnt listen so I said I either needed to push or do the biggest shit in the universe.She begrudgingly had a look and yes the head was crowning.
The pushing bit didnt hurt ad she was born 13.01.She had a very bruised head as she had come down so fast when the waters broke.
I always felt a bit cheated as I felt shocked,no one at anytime reassured me or told me what was happening and I had no rush of endorphins.
On the plus side I have had longer and more painful periods.I tore but could live with that thoughit took4months to heal.My dd was a dream baby on the whole ,breast fed.quickly sorted her own routine out and slept well between feeds at night.
I did for ages run through in my head what had happened as it was so fast.

DS2 was delivered by a paramedic. The second paramedic rocked up with gas and air after DS2 had arrived...... We then had 2 paramedics (tho one spent a significant amount of time cleaning the bathroom ) and a midwife with us at home for about an hour, with me on a ecg machine. Everyone fine, but think they were a bit worried about me for a bit. I also guess it was a quiet morning, or we'd have been moved to hospital.
He was 2 hrs start to finish.
DS1 was short, but not shockingly so - tho 90 mins before I delivered him, the hospital said I didn't need admitting..... I refused to go home.

I found my labour terrifying as I thought I would have a long latent phase with contractions gradually building. No they were every two minutes apart from the start and very painful. I went from 4cm to 10cm in less than an hour. No time to grasp what was happening to me or make any decisions. Awful.

1st 37 week induction, broke my waters at 1pm screamed I needed to push not long after but the consultant said I was 6cm so don’t then begrudgingly checked me & I was 10cm.
Midwife gave her hell for that.
He was out less than ten minutes later.

DS2 waters broke at 8am, contractions kicked off at 2:30, midwives slowed me down when they arrived & he was born at 4pm.

This one will also be a home birth & DH is keeping the midwives at bay.

First time around - induced. Nothing happened for ages and 24 hours later was just 1 or 2cm dilated. Apparently the midwives were talking about having to do stuff to speed things up as they were beginning to get worried. Finally got to about 4cm and they reckoned it was going to be another 8 hours. I was begging for an epidural as I was in so so much pain, they kept saying no, it was too early. The also wouldn't let me move around as much as I felt I needed to.

A few minutes later and I started to push... at which point they told me not to be ridiculous, it was far to early to push when I was not even halfway dilated. And with that, a massive whoosh - turns out my waters hadn't broken, ds1's head was blocking any water coming through. He obviously got to a point where they were able to break and he came out a couple of moments later, swept along on the wave so to speak . They had then ascertained that I was actually fully dilated, and that it must have been really really painful to have dilated so quickly, why didn't I say something. Stunned, I just asked them wtf did they think I was doing when I was screaming in pain and begging for an epidural - had it not occurred to them that I was actually in real pain and not just acting in the hope of getting early pain relief

Second time around - different hospital. Couple of weeks before due date, had gone in for an outpatient appointment at midday. Contractions started coming thick and fast - they were soon at having a minute between them and then it was down to just a few seconds between them to get my breath and regroup before the next one.

Saw the consultant who said that I might be in early labour or having braxton hicks, to go home, relax, and come back in a few hours, then dismissed me. I staggered out into the waiting area, the midwives were rushing around to see if there was a birthing kit down there just in case the baby came there and then, while ringing the porters back up to hurry one up and the delivery suite to make sure they were getting a room ready for me.

Porter got there and took me to the delivery suite (other side of hospital - felt a very very long way!), barely had time to take trousers off and get on the bed before ds2 came along. he was cleaned up and in my arms less than an hour later.

Never did like the consultant and was gobsmacked when I was having such massive contractions that he could be so dismissive of them - midwives on the other hand were fab and knew exactly what was going on. Shortly after I gave birth, turned out the consultant got severely reprimanded for several cases in the hospital where his care fell well short of what it should have been, including ignoring experienced midwives raising concerns about timings of when interventions should take place. Can't say that I was surprised but sad to have experienced it for myself (thank god for the midwives who were completely the opposite and lucky that it wasn't a dangerous birth where his advice could have caused serious problems).

Friends who are doctors have all said that rapid births can be incredibly painful - just amazing that it doesn't seem to be recognised for so many women who go through it - and that they're not even given the benefit of the doubt

I’ve had a home birth with meconium. One of the beauties of giving birth quickly is you don’t get nice things like medical care. Yes, I’m still annoyed! Not sure who at, my body maybe. Comments above like preparing for a fast labour but insisting on water/gas and air etc. In my experience fast births mean you just don’t get any of that stuff. Too busy trying to get an actual medical person to turn up in the first place. Or any person, to be honest, other than grabbing a random off the street.

Seriously, you are just there, one minute, and the next you are in hard labour, no breaks, it’s all you can do to breathe and crawl about. You try to be brave because you’ve never felt this before and they say it’ll last hours, days, it all you e been told that is a super long process. But you last about 20 minutes of trying to be brave and breathing and start worrying something might be really wrong because it’s not like they say it will be - you are in constant pain, you are supposed to have contractions. You decide to get help. First thing, you’ve got to get someone. It sounds easier than it is. You’ve got to get the numbers and the phone and the right place and then get through and then get believed, and then get your OH wherever they may be to try and get them home. And all the time you are also in full agony with your waters breaking and bleeding and meconium and holding the baby in until someone arrives. You still think something is massively wrong because it matches nothing that you’ve ever been told. You’ve got, say, one hour from this point to get everyone where they need to be and prepared, just so they don’t actually miss the birth. Options for things like water, pain relief, checking on the baby, monitoring, a clean/prepared space for the birth, having a ‘birth partner’, having someone to support you, having the person who delivers your baby know your name - all of those basic, basic things are gone.

Much sympathy!

Yes I had a 1 hour 41 Min Labour. Contractions started at 7pm. They were coming thick and fast, call hospital and went in. Same as you she said I wasn't in established labour and was going to send me home. Went to the toilet, felt the need to push went back to tell midwife to look but same as you she didn't want to die to infection. I argues with her and insisted she look and I was 10cm. He was born at 8.41.

2 hours from first twinge to holding her in my arms. It was really exciting and I felt euphoric afterwards and blissed out for days. Was so quick that my waters didn't break so she was born in the bag. Midwife only just made it (home birth).

Was a relief as my son's birth took three horrible days!

My second was so fast i was taken into the ward, told i was 9cm and had to give birth in my clothes. 21 years ago now! you never forget.