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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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AFergie · 19/12/2013 11:45

40 Hours :(

From waters randomly breaking. 24 hours of contractions every 10 minutes then induced in hospital, at 9pm, and he was born 16 hours later. 1 hour of intense pushing with episiotomy.
Due any day with second one and praying for something better !!!!

Frozennortherner · 19/12/2013 13:14

I was induced. From active labour to birth=1 hr 20 mins. Wasn't especially painful despite drip induction so did without any pain relief

MissRatty · 21/12/2013 22:33

Went into hospital at 2am as couldn't cope with pains (and to see if
I even was in labour as it was my first and I didn't know if I was in labour). My medical notes say first stage was 4.5 hours, second stage was seven minutes! Pretty short for a first birth! X

MerryBuddha · 21/12/2013 22:44

40 minutes, 3 pushes and no stitches!! My other births took longer, but my first shot out Grin.

Romily · 21/12/2013 22:45

12 hours almost to the minute!

CherryLips1980 · 22/12/2013 09:16

Waters went at 3.15pm, DD born 4.36pm :)

CherryLips1980 · 22/12/2013 09:25

I wasn't getting contraction pain until my waters went - I was on a CTG machine for an hour prior to waters breaking and they couldn't pick up any contractions either. I had a bit of mild back ache but that was it. Fingers crossed its speedy for you too!

I've also been advised to consider a home birth for no2'

artyone · 22/12/2013 09:33

17 hours from first contraction to baby
12 hours from 4cm

I went into labour spontaneously, although she was 9 days late

nenehooo · 22/12/2013 09:38

About 12 hours from waters starting to go. No proper contractions naturally, as there was meconium in the waters so had to be induced. From start of drip to delivery was 7.5 hours though - including epidural. Happy with that! Good luck Smile

Rachelx92 · 22/12/2013 10:07

Around 3 hours in active labour but from my waters breaking to me actually giving birth it was 32 hours!

FunnysInLaJardin · 22/12/2013 10:11

induced with both of mine. The first time it all started at 10pm and DS1 was born at 4am. It would have been quicker but he got stuck! With DS2 contractions started at 6am and he was born at 8am. So both nice and quick in the end!

iamaredsmartie · 22/12/2013 10:14

8 hours from first twinge to baby

woodlandwanderwoman · 22/12/2013 10:16

I had to be induced, took 2.5 days and was in active labour for 15h at the end. Natural birth, epidural, no problems.

Expect the unexpected and you'll be fine Grin

Chacha23 · 22/12/2013 10:32

waters broke at 6pm, painful contractions started at 8pm. A mere 40 hours later, was holding dd in my arms. No idea how long "real" labour lasted, it felt pretty real to me all along!

Grumblelion · 22/12/2013 10:39

Waters broke 6pm - very mild cramps all night but didn't stop me sleeping. Woke 5.30 next morning thinking "this is definitely it now". Went into labour ward about 5pm, DD arrived just before midnight.

Seeing it written down that looks like a long time but it passed really quickly!

NotCitrus · 22/12/2013 10:40

Show and first ever BH at midnight, then labour started around 4am. From then, 39 hours - was confirmed as being in established labour at 10am, but then nothing happened for a very long time despite eventually syntocin max dose.
Second followed the rule of being half as long.

Tedious but fine, though probably extra tired after.

Breezy1985 · 22/12/2013 10:44

4 hours from first contraction to delivery. Was induced by the drip though.

Locketjuice · 22/12/2013 10:56

24hrs

(Dd2-3hrs)

BenNJerry · 22/12/2013 16:29

35 hours in total. Active labour for me was 8 hours, but would have been a lot quicker had there not been complications.

I've read stories about women who only had 2 contractions before the baby arrived. Lucky cows. Wink

yourcruisedirector · 22/12/2013 16:34

From first contraction to birth was 8 hours, slowed down slightly by a complication with my blood pressure.

Good luck.

VisualiseAHorse · 22/12/2013 22:32

Waters broke at 2am.
Contractions started at 6am.
Then the baby came at 4pm.

So...14 hours from waters breaking to baby.

Hooleywhipper · 22/12/2013 22:35

5 hours 40 mins from first ouch what was that too DS coming out!

VoodooChimp · 22/12/2013 22:38

3.5 days. Ended in EMCS. All due to DD's position.

resipsa · 22/12/2013 22:41

Show at 5am
Waters broke 7am
Contractions started 11am
To hospital at 2pm - fully dilated
DD delivered 6.18pm

Frigintinsella · 22/12/2013 22:52

My waters broke at 7am
They broke the rest of my waters the next day at 4PM and induced me an hour later
DS born at 8:35PM
So really I suppose I was in labour for 37.5 hours but never feels that long because i was only in pain for the last 4-5 hours of it.