2nd timers thinking - "Oh dear its nearly time for that pain again" !

[Dozeyland]

I think birth is amazing! truly remarkable. and luckily had a great one with DD 16months ago even though i did have a PPH. i'm 30weeks tomorrow with DC2. and no matter how much i think wow we're nearly there.. I think "Oh yes, that pain was very intense (managable naturally) but ouchie.........

just hope I can do it naturally, and with no intervention again! eek

It is indeed Dozeyland, however it happens. We produce babies - actual babies!

I'm actually strangely excited about it this time round, it's less of an unknown than it was first time round and for all that people say you forget the pain - I don't think you really do, but you are prepared for it and you know what it's all for :)

I had a pretty miserable experience first time round, and so am hoping for a very straightforward second birth as a reward

I'm not feeling scared as such. for me its the not being able to make any preparations due to family situations right now. the labour itself. I remember as being OUCH but short, and once she was out it was the most amazing feeling. :) I look back at her birth with a huge smile on my face as i was lucky to have a good one. Still cant believe there's another one in there, and coming out in roughly 10 weeks!

And I am looking forward to being able to lay on my tummy with DD whist she does colouring in! oh and looking nice in my clothes again! lol

Was looking to hear from you, as you were asking about fast labours too, (but I assumed you were further on than me, oops). I also thought this. I found ds's labour very violent, I wasn't expecting it to go so quickly (first contraction at 530, arrived at 10.07and from 7 had no breaks between contractions until i had to push) and I was worried this time about how I would cope knowing how painful it was last time. my gynaecologist told me as I'd already had a straightforward natural birth, it was very very unlikely there would be complications during the second.

I decided I would ask for pain relief earlier rather than later (although no epidural). In reality, I had no time for any. It was just as painful and violent as before and a lot faster. Dd arrived 10 mins after we got to hospital (50 mins after first contraction), no time for them even to attach the straps to monitor her heart rate! But it was manageable. I think something registered that I'd done it before, so could do it again no problem!

Hi, I'm 36+4 with my second ds. I'm ready now. I went through a few weeks of panicking thinking I couldn't go through another birth like ds1 (i even asked my mw if i could have a section) but I'm In the mind set now that every birth is different and there's no reason for it to be like last time.

I'm actually looking forward to it in a way. I just want to get on with it now and meet my baby

Hi, Im about 34 weeks with my second. I am much more matter of fact about things this time around, and haven't thought very much about the birth tbh. I'm more focussed on getting myself organised, and doing as much as practically possible to make life easier for myself after the baby arrives. I think that if I'm organised, it will all be a breeze ...

Maybe once I've finished work, and have soem time to consider everything properly, I'll start focussing on myself and the birth and how to get through it. But if there's one thing that a previous pregnancy has taught me, its that however much you think you can be in control of your labour, some decisions are not yours to make, however much you'd like them to be. Once the professionals tell me that soemthing is necessary to protect you or the baby, I simply can't not listen to them.

thistle - congrats! that's a good story for me to hear, having had a relatively quick (though not as quick as yours!) 1st labour that I found extremely violent and painful - I'm hoping this bit: "I think something registered that I'd done it before, so could do it again no problem!" is true for me also - dc2 due in 5 weeks.

Last time I remember lamenting 'why didn't anyone tell me it would be that painful?' - of course I'm sure many people did and I brushed it all aside as scare stories... At least this time I have an idea what I might be in for; I'm sure that's got to help. I also know I got over it relatively quickly.

sandy - I'm the same; had several weeks of panicking and being gloomy about the whole thing, and now seem to have popped through into a more positive state of mind, thinking 'it could be ok' and even almost looking forward to it.

I didn't find any aspect of DD's birth enjoyable - I didn't even find meeting her that amazing; I was still just traumatised by the pain and she looked like a stranger to me. I felt more empty and depleted than anything else I think. After a night sitting together crying and feeding it was fine and we started to bond, but I'm hoping that this time I get some of the nice moments people talk about - enjoying meeting them for the first time etc.