Labour the second time round....is it really half the time?

[HarleyK]

Just wondering from mums with two or more babies, do labour times really get cut by half each time, or is that just a myth? Having had a relatively short 9 hours with my first makes me slightly scared of not making it to the hospital in time with this one.....oh dear.

[Viewofthehills]

First - 3 hrs
Second- no real labour, bit of back ache , transition to delivery -half an hour with my legs crossed, trying not to push, waiting for the midwife to arrive. (home birth)
Third- 6 hours??
Second was the best, but Ds looked as shocked as I felt.

[pongysticks]

First 4 hours
Second - 40 minutes almost in the back of the car!

[nightingale452]

1st labour - 4 hours

2nd labour - 30 mins

Both from waters breaking (not a twinge before that) to baby in arms.

And no, we didn't get to hospital the 2nd time around, which is why we only have 2, dh refuses to trust his catching skills again .

[Netguru]

1st 12 hours with intervention
2nd 4 days!

3 cs (I'm not stupid!)

[HeftyMutha]

First labour 18 hours

Second labour 5 hours

[Megan74]

For me yes. DD 10 hours but with an epidural which I am sure slowed things down . DS 2 hours, delivered 20 mins after getting into the delivery room. However, my sister has had three and her 3rd was the longest and most difficult. Go figure.

[ouryve]

1st = 17 hours
2nd = over almost as soon as it had really started.

[nightingale452]

LeonieDeS...are you mother to 3 superheros?

[Dramamumma]

1st - 2 hrs 10
2nd - 1hr 20
Barely made it to hospital, had chronic SPD, couldn't walk, got dragged in backwards in wheelchair and gave birth in admissions room.
Top Tip - prepare for long and short labours, write down how to deliver in an emergency and send husband for vasectomy like I did.

[Alicadabra]

1st - 12 hours
2nd - 4 hours (but it felt waaay shorter - only just managed to fill the birthing pool in time!)

[pointythings]

1st labour - 25 hours from being told I was in active labour to delivery (considerable grumblings before then). Pushing for 90 minutes followed by emergency ventouse.

2nd labour - 3.5 hours. Pushing for 8 minutes. 'Twas a walk in the park by comparison.

Was told to plan a home birth for a third, but we were done.

[snowpuma]

I feel compelled to add my experience for reasons of balance, as so many people are describing their wonderfully short second labours! I assure you it's not always the case, my second labour was a lot longer than the first. First was 16 hours, second was 2.5days!

Maybe the third will be the lovely simple 2 hour one?!

[devonsmummy]

I was expecting a super speedy 2nd birth with DD but she in fact took an hour & ten mins longer than DS
DS 2 hours 10 mins
Dd 3 hours 20 mins
I was worried during the last few weeks that's Dd would come before I got to hospital - needn't have worried!

[browniebear]

Mine were about the same really started early evening and babies were both born the next mornings. I feel very lucky though after reading about women going for days

[OiMcDuff]

1st labour = 14 hours
2nd labour = 55 minutes, including driving my son to pre-school (thinking I had at least a few hours before the baby arrived!) & ended in an emergency home birth by myself.....managed to ring for help but couldn't speak & ended up with my parents & the police arriving 10 mins after DD was born & the paramedics about 10 minutes after that...& my poor DH raced to get the tube home to get a phonecall halfway through the journey to be told her had a DD.....he got home an hour later, looking very shocked!!

[CultureMix]

DS1 : 12 hours
DS2 : under 2 hours - made it to hospital just in time although not to a bed
One lady I know had her first very quickly (in car halted at motorway station, never got to hospital), so decided on a home birth for no.2. Arranged for a birthing pool and everything, never used (or even filled) the pool as baby popped out while she was in the shower wondering was that a first contraction.
But every birth is different and I don't think you can generalise.

[nobette]

First time 11 hours second 6 hours

[An0therName]

OP in my observation yes if you are quick the first time you will likely be quicker the 2nd - either go in early or consider a home birth
MarshallsMummy0304 - if you were 26 hours first time I really think you would be unlucky not to get to hospital in in time
pmgkt - yes if you got to full dilation probably would be quicker next time - at least that was my experience - had very stop start labour - not sure what in total with DS1 and then EMCS - 2nd was much less so - still 12 hours or so

[elliesp93]

my first labour was 66 hrs :| i seriously hope it's half or less than half, that was tragic :( i went in intending there to be no pain relief but gas an air after about 40hrs i gave in and got an epi, i think pain i could deal with aslong as it wasn't on going for days lol.

[cagsd]

Yes I would say it's true for me.

First labour was around 7½ hours
Second one just over 4 hours
Third 1½ hours

I didn't dare risk a fourth.... ;)

[Abigailsma]

My first labour was 20hrs ending in emergency c section and 5 days in hospital after.

Second was 3hrs by pressary induction natural delivery. 12 hours in hospital. Very different experience and so pleased to have vbac after the trauma of the c section.

[pastagirl]

1st 20 hours
2nd 2.55

looking it does seem 2nd in paticular are fast huh?

[BlueGuinefort]

Agree with IHeartCake: DC1 12 hours (anterior); DC2 16 hours (posterior and much tougher).