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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

how long was your first labour?

182 replies

beasmum · 31/01/2006 21:26

Just wondering!

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NomDePlume · 01/02/2006 14:02

3 hours from start to finish

foundintranslation · 01/02/2006 14:03

Approx 54 hours from first contraction. Ended in ventouse.

Calista · 01/02/2006 14:13

Started having mild contractions about 1am Thurs morning, these stayed mild but constant until they tailed off about 9am. Started again about 6pm that evening and was in 'established labour' by about 1am Fri morning. By 11.30am was fully dilated but knackered and sleepy, with no urge to push, and I think I recall the midwife saying ds's heartbeat had begun to drop and also "This baby's getting tired now, I think we need to break your waters to get things moving again."
Which she did, and after about 15 minutes of pushing DS was born at 12.14pm.

So all in all, from first contraction (proper time round) to birth, about 18 hours.

DS2, waters had to be broken artificially again when I was 6cm as his hearbeat was slowing down, from then on it was about another half an hour till I was fully dilated and pushing - he was out in about 5 minutes!
Labour was about 12 hours that time round.

sweetkitty · 01/02/2006 14:23

4 hours 20 minutes in total

second 2 1/2 hours

MissChief · 01/02/2006 14:29

are you pg again? is that why you're wondering? like most - 1st labour nightmare, v long, 2nd fine-ish & much shorter, does that help??

hoolagirl · 01/02/2006 15:48

Little B, that sounds sooo like my labour, also got sent home from the hospital twice and my dad died when my ds was 3 days old. Very stressful time indeed ! Maybe that's got something to do with having a super long labour !

Mercy · 01/02/2006 15:59

LittleB - have you spoken to your GP/HV about how you feel? Do you have quite a lot of flashbacks?

I was like this until dd was about 6 months old; in hindsight I now see I probably should have spoken to a health professional. And my labour was a doddle compared to yours!

lovecloud · 01/02/2006 16:14

Show the night before
Next morning waters broke
11pm that night I had the first contraction and gave birth 12 hours later

God! I cant believe all these 24 hour and 3 day labours, dont let that scare you. I know lots of mums with my job and the majority of their labours were between 8 - 18 hours for the first child.

LittleB · 01/02/2006 16:19

Perhaps I should speak to my HV about. I do think stress and upset can affect these things alot. I only breastfed for a week and still feel really guilty about not feeding longer, but found it very painful and felt I couldn't cope. Don't want to hijack this thread though, and I do have friends who've had short easy first labours, like shelling peas they say!

motherinferior · 01/02/2006 16:20

Well, it's worth knowing that some of us do go on for ages, actually. Every time I read 'oh, it's only a day' I see red

Nettee · 01/02/2006 22:06

never added it up before but it seems to come to 89 1/2 hours. Started on the Friday night/Sat morning at 1am and ds was born on the Tuesday at 6.32 pm. Painful "tightenings" every 5 - 30 minutes until I went into hospital on the Tuesday morning at about 5.30. Officially I was in labour for 10 hours.

I look back on it all with happy memories now though - very strange

bramblina · 01/02/2006 22:14

14 hrs. I was textbook.

Belo · 02/02/2006 08:14

23 hours. Had an epidural after 21 hours.

JenJam · 02/02/2006 08:21

18 hours from being admitted to birthing centre (at 3cms)

although it felt like 40 hours (from first mild contraction)

Hausfrau · 02/02/2006 08:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hamster · 02/02/2006 08:47

11 hours

Meanoldmummy · 02/02/2006 08:54

24

NatalieJane · 02/02/2006 09:01

I was induced and from the very first niggly pain till birth was about 12 hours, but I dilated from 4cm to 10cm in about 45 minutes so by the time it got started properly it was over!

maretta · 02/02/2006 09:12

About 5-6 hours. Getting in the car to go to hospital slowed me down, I think, as I stopped having contractions.
Second time was about 20 minutes.

Marne · 02/02/2006 09:14

8 hours

jabberwocky · 02/02/2006 09:16

39 hours from time water broke until emergency c-section

mummytosteven · 02/02/2006 09:17

36 hours from first regular 4/5 minute apart contractions. Ending in ventouse (nearly escaped that, but then they panicked as DS had cord round neck so wanted him out as soon as..)

tinksmum · 02/02/2006 09:17

I was induced but had a bad reaction. my midwife said she couldn't even see my cervix, but 4 mins later and an awfull ripping sensation i was 8cm labour recorded as 28 mins! im not bragging yes it was over very quickly but it was such a panic my babys cord was round her neck and heart failing. i would rather hours of pain, than go through that again!

mummytosteven · 02/02/2006 09:18

I just get amazed at people that get into established labour before they feel a thing! It took me over 12 hours of painful regular contractions before I was in established labour!

CaptainDippy · 02/02/2006 09:18

42 hours from 1st contractions - FIVE HOURS of pushing (My midwife was an evil witch!!)

Worth every second!!