Length of first labour compared to second?

[jenrose29]

Hi, I was just wondering how long your second labour was compared to your first? Labour with my DD (now 4.5) was 32 hours and I've been told that your second labour tends to be about half as long as your first, but no idea where this statistic came from! What are your experiences?

With DS, waters broke at 6:30am and he was born 2:50am the next morning. Painful contractions didn't start until about 6:45pm though.

With DD I woke up about 6:30am and had pretty full on contractions soon afterwards (do wonder if I was contracting while asleep) and she was born at about 1:30pm. So second labour definitely quicker.

From first contractions to birth:

1st time: 28 hours
2nd time: 30 hours
3rd time: 3.5 hours

1st contraction to birth

1st labour: 2 hours
2nd labour: 15 mins

1st one was 24 hours (started on its own)
2nd was 5.5 hours (was induced by having waters broken)

5 hours both times, second stage 30 mins. My DD did it in the same time when she had my DGS too.

First labour, contractions started 6pm, daughter born 12.20 next day, second labour, waters broke 5.30am, daughter born 12.26pm. Second time much easier.

Second time second stage only ten mins and daughter very bruised but fine

DD1 - first contraction to birth about 65 hours (although I was probably in established labour for about 35 hours overall - still bloody hurt though).

DD2 - first contraction to birth 11 hours, so yep, just a bit quicker :o.

ChasingSquirrels I bet 15 minutes was a hell of a shock!!

1st (spontaneous labour at 38+0) 1hr 51 mins.
2nd (spontaneous labour 40+1) 52 mins.
3rd (induced at 38+1), ineffective sweep, arm that did sod all, syntocinon drip finally did the trick. 40ish minutes and only 4 contractions each 10 mins apart - according to midwife that doesn't count as established labour so either 40ish mins or no time at all!

48hrs then 5 hrs.

1st: 72 hours
2nd: 10 hours

I never felt any contractions with either of my 2 dds but with dd1 I was probably contracting through the night whilst in hospital waiting to be induced the next morning. When the midwife came to induce me she found, on examination, that I was already 7cm dilated so I guess I had been contracting a while. DD wasn't born until 2:30 pm the same day though, after having my waters broken.

With dd2 my waters broke at about 8:30 pm. I think in hindsight that I had been contracting during that day cos I had been a bit uncomfortable but it was 3 weeks before she was due so didn't think much of it. After ringing hospital and being told to come in I got showered and went in once my mum had arrived to be with dd1, at about 10 pm. I was checked out for the first time in hospital at about midnight and told I was about 5 cm and that baby was back to back. At about 2 am I got an urge to push, which I never had with dd1, and dd2 was born at 2:13 am.

So I think it was quicker second time round but I can't honestly be sure! It may have been about the same amount of contracting time.

1st 4h 20 mins waters to baby
2nd 2h 30mins first contraction to baby
3rd 45 mins waters to baby
4th well he was induced on his due date probably about 2 hours all in, only hurt the last 4 mins when I told them to break my waters as I was fed up

1st 4 hours
2nd 1 hr 45 mins
3rd 50 mins

Wow, they seem to be much quicker second time around! Even though my first labour was long and excruciating (back labour) I don't want this one to be too quick if that makes sense...DD will be cared for by my partners parents who will take well over an hour to get to us and then the hospital is up to another hour away!

1st 16 hours from 1st contraction to birth.
2nd 1 hour from 1st contraction to birth.

26 and 7
DD1 was in no hurry lots of time for tea and conversation in the hospital cafe.

DD2 forgot about gaps between contractions the tea went um drunk on my coffee table (HB)

DS1: 48hrs from first contraction to birth (although timed on my notes at 10hrs from when the broke my waters)
DS2: tricky. Technically 32hrs from first contraction/spontaneous rupture of membranes to birth but more like 5 hours really from induction to birth.

Second labour was much quicker, much easier second/pushing stage (3 pushes over 6 minutes compared to 2 hours first time around) & felt easier; I knew what was happening to my body!

First contraction to birth:

1st - 23 hours (waters broke about 6 hours before birth)

2nd - 1 hour 50 minutes (waters broke about 2 hours 50 mins before birth

1st was 39 hours, 2nd about 19, so yes, half. Was very similar only without the hours of nothing happening - SPD worsening, waters breaking, SPD requiring epidural, ending with ventouse, both times.

First -21 hours
Second - 5 hours

First one - slow but comfortable due to epidural
Second - panicky and painful!

1. Four days
2. 15 hours
3. 6 hours

first one 36 hours start to finish 5 hours from 5cm to birth
second one 4 hours start to finish 1 hour from 5cm to birth

both were great I liked the long gentle first one
and was happy that the second one didn't take too long.

DS: 3 hours
DD: 2.5 hours

Both home births. First one wasn't planned, 2nd was, although midwife no 2 only got there after DD was born so she did the paperwork.