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Childbirth

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

Original poster

How long did your first labours last from start to finish?

151 replies

Slh122 · 18/12/2013 21:03

Am 34 weeks tomorrow and I think it's finally starting to hit me that sometime in the next 8 weeks there's going to be a baby here!
Lots of people voluntarily offer their birth stories - have heard horror stories like 'I had to be induced and after 3 days of no progress had an emergency c section'.
I know first births tend to be slower than subsequent ones but how long did yours last?

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whereisshe · 18/12/2013 21:15

Well, it's my first and I've been having contractions on and off since Monday night and still not in established labour. So it can take a while... I can, however, wholeheartedly recommend TENS machines!

Littleoaktree · 18/12/2013 21:19

2.5 hrs in active labour, my waters had broken the day before and had a few twinges but then it started in earnest, 2.5hrs later dc1 was there Smile. Dc2 was the same pattern but only 45mins in active labour.

SpicedTeaAndXmasCakeOrDeath · 18/12/2013 21:23

I was induced so might not be what you're looking for but I had a pessary at 9.30am and mild contractions started then, had a second pessary at 6.30pm, things really ramped up from then and DS1 was born at 1.30am so 16-ish hours but only 7 of those in 'proper' labour/pain.

Good luck!

WeeTeaJenny · 18/12/2013 21:24

Hello, everyone is totally different and I remember being the same , dreading a long drawn out labour . As it turned out my first baby , started getting period pain like contractions at home at lunchtime , went for a hot bath , went In to hospital at 6pm and was already 5cm dilated ... got to fully dilated within the hour and was starting to push ( no epidural etc , no time ) when they noticed The baby was breech ( bum was coming out !) so I had an EMCS . Baby in arms just after 8pm ! So all in quite quick for first baby !
Second labour , very similar , few hours of contractions at home , got to hospital 1pm ,4cm , fully dilated and delivered baby just after 3pm , natural birth this time with just gas and air ! no time for anything stronger !
So yes , first labours can be quicker and not always long and drawn out ... :)

MidnightRose · 18/12/2013 21:24

6 hours from first twinge to holding the baby. She was back to back and honestly my birth wasn't that painful, intense but not as painful as I thought it was going to be.

purplemurple1 · 18/12/2013 21:25

Waters went about 2pm, contractions started about 8pm, transition started 7.10, baby came at 7.30

Crikeyblimey · 18/12/2013 21:25

5 hours active labour.

10 hours from first twinge.

Bit frantic but I'm not built for stamina, so a good thing really.

IHeartKingThistle · 18/12/2013 21:28

Waters went at 2am, cx from shortly after but not strong till late morning, baby came 11.15 pm. I think they wrote down 20.5 hours start to finish.

Indith · 18/12/2013 21:29

4 and a half hours from first twinge to baby.

MortifiedAnyFuckerAdams · 18/12/2013 21:30

Cxns started at 4am. Every 2/3 mins. Dilated to 4cms by lunchtime and still like that at 4pm. Onto a drip, DD arrived the following morning at 4am. So 24hrs.

Wolfiefan · 18/12/2013 21:30

10 1/2 hours.
In reality I only went in to hospital when my TENS machine stopped working. I thought they'd send me home and tell me to take paracetamol. DS was born 2 1/2 hours later. (He was back to back as well!)

Original poster
Slh122 · 18/12/2013 21:30

Really nice to hear from some ladies who've had fairly fast labours :) I was under the impression that it was a definite that I'd be in stop start labour for days!

OP posts:
rachyconks · 18/12/2013 21:32

29 hours from waters breaking to DD popping out. 5 hours active labour at the end though. Probably the most amazing 29 hours of my life. Can't wait to do it again in April! Good luck hope it goes well.

Lullabyte · 18/12/2013 21:33

57 hours. Truth. (Sorry!) Grin

pinkbear82 · 18/12/2013 21:34

1hr19mins. I was induced with the drip thingy tho. That was started at mid day and by 1.19pm I was holding my dd. But apparently I don't do anything normal.

HarderToKidnap · 18/12/2013 21:34

14 hours first contraction to birth. 6 hours in established labour. All very doable, in fact exciting and fabulous! Loved it, tbh.

ShoeJunkie · 18/12/2013 21:34

Contractions started at midnight, spent the day in and out of the bath and with TENS machine. Got to mlu at about 4.45pm started pushing about 6pm and DS arrived at 7.10pm! We were home again by 2am!

kelper · 18/12/2013 21:35

Ds was 4 days late. Went to hospital at 1am, ds appeared at 10.08 am. All on gas and air, but had an epidural afterwards as I had a 3rd degree tear not bitter about the epidural, oh no

giddywithglee · 18/12/2013 21:36

48 hours from first contraction to DS1's arrival! But 36 hours of that was fairly mild and a bit start/stop. Got a massive shock with DS2 (3 hrs from 1cm dilated to delivery).

Froblawd · 18/12/2013 21:37

49 Hours!!! I'm still moaning about it 2 years later.

CantaSlaus · 18/12/2013 21:38

First contraction at 12.30am, waters broke at 3am, got to hospital at 6am, dd born at 07.59am, so 7 1/2 hours in total!

Good luck, I had no warning, no Braxton hicks, nothing until the first contraction that woke me up!

Mrswellyboot · 18/12/2013 21:39

I had a show and twinges two days before. Then a break for nearly ten hours, then had the baby just under 48 hours from show. Seven days overdue.

Annunziata · 18/12/2013 21:40

2 days.

MacMac123 · 18/12/2013 21:41

5 hours from wondering if I had a stomach upset and needed to diarrhoea (tmi? That's what it feels like!) to holding baby. Was fine.
2.5 hours for second baby.
It is scary but remember women Are giving birth every second of every day around the world And if they can do it, so can you!

ZadokTheBeast · 18/12/2013 21:41

50 hours.