How fast was your 2nd labour compared to your first?

[RoseberryTopping]

DP is working a few hours away and only back on weekends, now I'm nearing 37 weeks it's getting me worried that he won't make it back on time. I just wondered how different everyone else's 2nd labours were compared to their first? If you go overdue with your first are you likely to have the same again?

My first labour my waters broke and contractions started on Tuesday, I gave birth Friday pm.

Second labour I had first contraction at 9am, in hospital at 2pm, baby born before 5pm.

Both times 3 days before edd.

It's obviously not the same for all but midwives at the hospital did say that 2nd births are often fast.

Fast. With my first it was 36 hours start to finish. 4-week old DS was born in a morning- first noticeable contraction at 9am, born at 12.30. DH nearly didn't make it. Second baby was later though- first was 2 weeks early, second a day before EDD. Good luck!

Can't help but watching with interest.

My first labour started at 4am with contractions. Waters broke at 3pm. Baby born at midnight.

I'm 32 weeks with DC2 and really really really hoping for a faster labour this time!

Round about two hours quicker. The pushing was extremely quick, my DD got stuck and no amount of pushing would get her out so had forceps in the end, DS was out pushed out in minutes.

I don't think there's any pattern to going over and subsequent pregnancies, I did ask my MW and she said there's nothingn to suggest you'll go over again or before.

Luckily I've always gone before.

I'd say as soon as you have first twinges get dp back to you. I had first contractions and was in denial for quite a while thinking it would be days again, stopping and starting. By the time I realised I should get to the hospital they were coming thick and fast.

God yes the pushing was really quick. Well over an hours pushing for dd, and finally forceps. 3 pushes and ds was out!

First labour: 10 hours active labour. DD born at 39+4 (ish)

Second labour: 5 hours active labour! DD born at 40+3 (ish)

Thus proving the anecdote that second labours are half the length of first labours .

First one, about 18 hours from first twinge to baby
Second one, 9 hours from first twinge to baby (all done in time for Saturday night TV and Dominoes pizza!)

My midwife told me second baby's are about half the time of firsts, don't know if there's any truth in it though?

Actually I am sure my second labour would have been even faster had I not had to get in a car and go to hospital near the end, which definitely slowed it a little (planned homebirth but made to go to hospital as hospital said no midwives available to attend the homebirth).

Oh and both baby's born at 40+1 (fashionably late!)

Eek! I've been worried about making him come back and it being a false alarm but I suppose it would be better to have him home for a false alarm than miss the whole thing.
The 3 pushes and they're out sounds good though was pushing for 2 and a half hours first time, not keen on having that again!

#1 42w 5 hours
#2 41w 1.5 hours

Very similar to first, but easier and better because I had a greater understanding of what my body was doing and was not as overwhelmed by it.

It was one week later (41, instead of 39+5) and shorter (27h from first contraction, instead of 48h) but those differences didn't really make much difference, IYSWIM. Third labour, now that was different - 2h from start to finish, full-on regular contractions from the first one. Was quite shocking after my previous experiences.

First labour 6 hours
Second labour 3 hours

We are thinking about a third dc, I think we can assume 1 1/2 hours (there should be a scared smiley!)

First one (dd1) - 37 hours from when I woke up with contractions to birth (syntocin, back to back baby). 4 dats early!

2nd - waters broke at10pm, ds born 8am. Only had entonox. 10 days early.

3rd - dd2. Was induced (I'd a very serious kidney problem) at 36+6. Was born inside 12 hours!

Hi my first labour was long and drawn out, because I felt and took notice of every twinge from the very first. I started noticing it in Sunday morning, and ended up going to the labour ward in Monday night at about 9pm and had DD at about 8am the next day. I was 3cm (just) when I went in. No idea how king pushing stage was but, was trying a good hour with no progress at all. Followed by an hour of messing about until it was decided that I needed help to deliver the baby in the form of ventouse.

DD2, had a show 24 hours before, ignored the little twinges and so on for the whole day, and in denial until I could not speak or walk during contractions. Went to the hospital for about 11pm and had her at 3.40am, I was 6-7 cm when I go to the hospital. Was much calmer the second time, my notes said the pushing stage was about 25 mins.

This time, I shall try to remain as calm as possible, although am getting a lot of back pain so hope that this does not indicate that baby is back to back. I shall attempt to ignore it and remain calm again.

I think trying not to think about it too much, and to have in my head that I need to remain calm at all times should help. If I get scared about it that is when the trouble starts and labour becomes completely overwhelming and not coping comes in. All well in theory, but we shall see what happens when the time comes.

And what Wigeon said about transfer to hospital slowing her down. Exactly the same happened to me, and I'm also sure it slowed things down.

DD1 was about 40 hours from first contraction to being pulled out by forceps after an epidural. Back to back it was agony until the epidural. She was 7 days late.
DD2 was about 5 hours from first contraction to coming out on the second push, 25 minutes after getting to the hospital carpark! This labour was just like bad period pain, including the vomiting, so no pain relief needed. She was 5 days early!
Get your DP to come back at the first twinge...

First labour 8 days early and apx 3 hours.

2nd labour induced. Drip went in at 10 days early and labour was just over 1 hour.

Both very fast and only 3-4 pushes do get them out with just enough time for a few puffs of gas and air.

First labour 8 days late and 28 hours long.
Second labour 7 days late and 3.5 hours long.
Third labour 3 days early and 3.5 hours long.

1st labour 6 hours, 2nd labour 2 hours. 37+6 and 38+2.

From waters breaking (no contractions til after waters broke, both times):

DC1: About 9 hours, incl 2 hrs pushing.
DC2: About 8 hours, incl about 2 mins pushing!

Both times I went from 2-10cms in about an hour!

DC1 39+5, 40 hours labour and EMCS
DC2 39+5, 5 hours from first twinge to holding baby (VBAC)

DC1, waters broke on the Saturday night at 39+2, she was finally born Tuesday night after getting completely stuck and needing forceps in theatre.
DC2, 39+6, waters broke at 2.30am, hospital told me to stay at home, ended up with an ambulance ride to hospital at 7am and he was born shortly afterwards! So safe to say it was definitely a lot quicker for me!