My first labour fairly textbook - spontaneous waters breaking, mild contractions building up to gradually, peaking at the final stages of transition, then 2.5hr second stage, baby born 15 hours after waters breaking followed by a managed 3rd stage where I had to push placenta out anyway.
Yesterday I had my second baby - was told it would be bigger but theoretically the birth would be easier and faster.
Birth story:
Started very mild contractions at 3:30pm on Easter Sunday. Thought it was bh from eating too much lunch 
. Realised they were getting closer together in the evening. Went to bed and they got stronger. Called the birth centre because thought I might like some pain relief soon.
Got there and cx tailed off, but got stronger on the birthing ball so stayed on the till they were 3-4 minutes apart. Had a ve before getting in the pool and found I was 6cm. Got in the pool for more pain relief and cx slowed right down. Had a ve 4 hours later at mw shift changeover and hadn't made any progress with dilation. MW suggested breaking waters if I wanted to speed things up - was also told if I didn't make much more progress in the next hour I'd be sent up to the clu labour ward where they would probably break my waters anyway.
So agreed to breaking waters - cue full on contractions which were like transition - except they went on forever! Asked for an epidural which I knew meant transferring to clu and being constantly monitored but this seemed a small price to pay for relief.
Epidural took an hour to put in - with all the prep. Typical grumpy anaesthetist! And then the bloody thing didn't numb me like I was hoping it would! Took the edge off though and I was feeling the urge to push although I wanted to wait until the epi took full effect so I held off pushing and kept asking for top ups. Finally mw examined me and realised I was fully dilated and got me to start pushing even though I didn't want to. Eventually I agreed and it must have been 5 or 6 contractions and he was out with barely a graze!
Didn't get my physiological 3rd stage because he was considered a big baby (8lbs 12oz). So they injected me - again it didn't work and I had to push the placenta out. Giant placenta delivered - followed by a pph which turned 'code red'. Had 15 people in the room including a surgeon with his hand up my fanjo pulling out retained membranes while simultaneously pummelling my stomach to contract my uterus as quickly as possible. Lost 2 litres of blood, requiring a transfusion but actually feel fine. Thank goodness for the obstetrics emergency team! Feel better than I did after my first delivery, although just as traumatised!