Has anyone had a straightforward first birth but difficulties second time round?

[Skaramoosh]

I had a relatively easy labour with DC1 - six hours from first contraction, only needed gas & air - I did have a 2nd degree tear (and was left with a prolapse but that was just bad luck rather than any issue giving birth) but overall it was fairly quick and pretty textbook.

DC2 is due imminently and I am worried I have used all my "good luck" in my first labour and this one will be terrible! Obviously irrational but not a good state of mind to be in at this stage!
I have seen lots of threads about women often having much smoother deliveries second time after the first being particularly difficult - does this work the other way too i.e. "easy" first time (I say easy with a pinch of salt...) "difficult" second time?

I think now I've written this out it actually sounds ludicrous. I know all births are different. But if your second was harder than your first please share as I'd like to hear others experiences!

I feel exactly the same, first labour was textbook. Waters went, contractions started, pushed DD out. Instead of being reassured that i can cope with labour im petrified that its all going to go wrong and im getting very nervous about it all. This is all exacerbated by the fact that DD's birth was only 18 months ago and its all still fresh in my mind.
I refused to do a birth plan with my midwife as i dont want to have anything set in stone or any expectations of myself - last time i didnt want drugs and managed without any but this time i want the drugs menu as soon as i get there!

Good luck and im sure you will sneeze this one out

I'm glad it's not just me thinking like this then! It sounds like we have quite similar circumstances - DC1 was born 19 months ago, so like you I remember it well!
Good luck to you too - apparently second labours are generally much quicker than first so I'm sure it'll all be over before we've had time to panic!

I'm not going to be any help, but I'm feeling the same! On the way to having DC2 and DS (now 2) was a very straightforward labour - about 6 hours, gas and air, tiny tear requiring a couple of stitches, felt on top of the world afterwards. I am having a home birth this time round but somewhere in my mind I am utterly convinced it's all going to go wrong and I'm going to end up in hospital with every intervention under the sun! As you say Skaramoosh, there's no point in worrying really, it'll all go as it goes, and I think this sort of fretting is probably inevitable anyway, it comes with the territory!

It's completely normal to feel the way you do but it's just those pregnancy hormones rushing about and making you feel this way.

Straight forward birth is normal not lucky. Second and subsequent births are usually quicker. Your body has done it before and you'll very likely feel less stressed while in labour because you've done it before and it was straight forward.

Try banishing the negative thoughts when they pop into your head by repeating something positive like - I can do it, I've done it before, it was fine, this will be fine.

I felt just the same as you when pg with no.2, I started a little positive mantra that helped. DC2s birth was wonderful (planned home birth) and so was DC3s last year.

Best wishes

Me:DC1 elective section(at my request,worried something would go wrong)totally uneventful.
DC2:more chilled out this tome,toyed with VBAC but went for section.DC2 delivered with cord round neck & true knot in it so v glad I opted for section again,VBAC would have almost certainly failed according to theatre staff present.
Best friend:DC1 home birth,no analgesia.
DC2: hospital delivery ending in emergency section.
NCT friend:DC1 normal delivery with gas & air
DC2 : emergency section.
Keep an open mind,although plenty do,they don't always "pop out" the second time...

Mine got easier. DD1's birth was 'fine', DD2's was 'fantastic' and DD3 even better. Am expecting DC4 and am worried that I used up all my luck on the last two (home) births... So much so that am leaning towards going to the MLU rather than staying at home for this one.

Think it is completely natural to be concerned, each baby is different, your body is different and the circumstances are different. Am sure that not setting anything in stone, having a positive mental attitude (I've done it once, I can do it again) definitely helps.

Ds1 was a v quick labour, born within 45mins of getting to the hospital. 2nd degree tear tho.
DS2 was an epic 3 day labour because it turned out he was back to back. I got so stressed that things weren't progressing. But in retrospect it was the 'better' labour - I didn't tear and the post partum bleeding was much less than DS1 were there was some retained placenta.
Try not to compare too much. Your 2nd labour may well be different but not necessarily worse.