Age Gap between children, can it make any difference to the labour and delivery?

[Linnet]

Pupuce,Mears or anyone else who knows or wants to comment,I have a question.

My dd was Op delivered by forceps, 6 years ago now. It kind of put me off another one but I'm now expecting my second. all the dr's and Midwives I've seen so far keep saying that oh the second one will be so much easier etc etc.

But...I was told by a friend that if there is a big age gap between your children the second birth can be just like/as long as the first, something to do with it having been so long your body maybe treats it as a first birth all over again.

Anyone know of any truth in this comment?

I only ask because my cousin had a baby a few days ago also with a 6 year age gap and although her first baby delivered ok the second one was OP and had a forceps delivery. I just wondered if this might have been because of the big age gap.

It was probably nothing to do with that but it got me thinking and if anyone wants to comment please do

Hi Linnet - my 1 year old DS was born 20 minutes after we arrived at the hospital (and we only went because my DP was getting nervous!). His big brother was 6.5 years old. Although the first labour was normal, I can certainly testify to the speed of the second delivery! I've heard it mentioned that if the age gap is 10 years it can be like having your first again (mentioned by my mother as there's an 11 year gap between me and my sister )

anybody else?

Thanks Dec that's interesting and now hoping that my second labour will also be as quick.

Six years between mine too. I didn't have a too difficult labour with my first, but my second just 'popped' out!!

My experience is that I had a 4hr labour with my second baby, four years after No1 (22hr labour). Then I had an 8yr gap followed by a 9yr gap, with both labours about 9hrs each.

Hi Linnet, re the second being easier, I'll let you know when this one's born (she was due yesterday) - my ds is 6 too. From everything I've been told and read this time round though the answer seems to be a resounding NO! it isn't like the first all over again - your body's done it before and remembers the second time round, regardless of the gap. Cam and Dahlia on mumsnet both had big age gaps (Cam's was over 20 years IIRC) and both were OK (easier, I think, in the case of Dahlia for sure) the second time round - if you do a search on their names and mine I think they posted when I was panicking recently. I'm sure being OP first time doesn't mean it'll be OP this time either - Pupuce asked people about this recently here. I have to say I've been scared this time and I wasn't last time but I think some of it is because I've heard more old wives' tales this time, plus I have 6 years experience of parenthood and therefore know more mums and have heard more horror stories. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Rubbish Linnet (sorry hadn't seen your post before).
I have been a doula to 2 women who decided to have "after thoughts" and were having babe number 3 or 4 after at least 15 -18 years gap and they had straight forward births. 3 months ago one of my antenatal yoga mums had her 2nd.... 15 years after the 1st ! Easy as peasy !
Her MW had told her that too but I was keen to see this for myself.

If you are very worried about OP, please check the web for Optimal Foetal Positioning.... you'll get loads of tips. When are you due?

Linnet my third DD was born in 1/half hours, my second in 2. There is a 5 year gap between them and I had also heard that follow on pregnancies should (although not always) be quicker.

Pupuce, I'm not due until May. After what my friend had told me I didn't really think about it at all until my cousin gave birth this week and then I wondered if there was any truth in the longer age gap story.
I know all about getting the baby into the right position for birth, having read up on the subject in the past but my dd turned and got stuck in the OP position during labour, of course nobody bothered to mention this to me at the time, I wasn't actually told until after I'd delivered, but that is another story.

Just wondered about other peoples experiences. thanks for all your stories and I'm sure the second birth will be a lot quicker(not a repeat of the 22hr's I had last time), fingers crossed anyway

Good Luck www, I'll be looking out for you on the birth announcement thread.

My first was born 15 years ago (I was 17). My second came 5 months ago (I was 32). The second birth was just like a second birth should be. It took half the time and was easier. Good luck! I hope the same applies to you

a friend of mine dleivered her first withing 4 hours from first contraction to the birth
her second one she gave birth to on the bathroom floor as from the first twinge to the birth was about 40 minutes!