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?

39+1 waters broke, two days in labour ending in EMCS as still only 6cms dilated.
37+1 waters broke at 9.30am, assumed I had tons of time, ran around sorting out the house, DC1 etc etc. Off to hospital at 2pm [two weeks early for scheduled ELCS] and realised in the carpark that the sporadic twinges had turned into actual contractions that were about 3.5 mins apart. Not v painful so I hadn't really noticed until I was sitting in the car. Things ramped up quickly then for me anyway and DD2 was born [unplanned VBAC] at 9.20pm. Forceps in the end after a long pushing session. I suspect if she hadn't been 3 weeks early/1lb lighter than her big sister, she'd have gotten stuck too.

It could be just Braxton Hicks - have you checked in with your midwife?

I'll add mine but I don't think they're helpful!

DS1 - induction at 40+14. Took 30+h from first pessary to delivery; but stage 2 contractions were only half an hour, got DH to call the MW when I felt him crowning and he was born next push.

DS2 - induction at 39+3. Took >48h from insertion of Cervidil (monday) to delivery (wednesday), but nothing much really happened until the wednesday morning when they did the ECV (turned him) and broke my waters. From waters breaking to birth was ~5h, on the syntocin drip, he got stuck behind the anterior lip and was't coming out - but then they turned me onto my back, he dropped clear, pushed his head out and then another push and he was all out. They only just caught him! IF he hadn't got stuck, he'd have been out a lot quicker.

dc1: 26 hours, 40+3
DC2 - induced at 38 weeks, 3.5 hours.
DC3 - induced at 38 weeks. 1h35min.

DS1 born on due date. Waters broke day before, labour started 8 hours after that and he was born 22 hours later. Went to hospital 10 hours before birth in established labour.

DS2 born 39 +1 Woke up feeling uncomfortable but had been for a few days (thought I had a urinary tract infection tbh but no). Had a bath on the presumption that water makes you feel better when it labour but it didn't so assumed I wasn't in labour. Phoned hospital anyway who said come in later to get checked over just in case there was an infection. Started to have proper contractions which were irregular and v uncomfortable but not awful (not like established labour with DS1). They remained that way for about an hour. In the end I phoned the hospital again and they said to come in even though it was unlikely to be established labour. Faffed around getting ready to go but 20 minutes later after the phone call, matters were taken out of my hands because my waters broke and I knew I was not going anywhere and told DH to phone an ambulance. Rapid response paramedic arrived 10 minutes later, full ambulance crew 5 minutes after that, DS2 about 4 minutes later. (The hospital was 25 minutes away)

Total time from beginning to end with DS1 was 30 hours, and with DS2 less than 5 hours, by the time I knew I was properly in labour probably about 1.5 hrs. I never had regular contractions with DS2 so that wasn't a good way of establishing when to call either.

I would have a stand by plan and another birth partner at the ready if I were you OP.

My second labour was slower. First time was 45 minutes from first twinge to appearance of DD1, second time it took 50 minutes!

1st was an all you can eat intervention special ending up with rotational forceps being used.

,@ 'all you can eat intervention special' - that was both of mine!

DS - from first twinge to being born - 70 hours.
DD - a relatively speedy 24 hours from first twinge to being born (not including a false night before).

Both just over a week late, both stuck in the same position, both instrumental deliveries in theatre.

Am at the 30 minute labours, how scary!

Ds1 was induced at 42wks. He was born 90 mins after my waters broke (after 2nd pessery was inserted). Waters breaking was my first pain.

Ds2 I went in to be induced at 42wks was told I was in early labour and 5cm dilated. They broke my waters and ds was born 45mins later

Good luck

First was 40+3 and about 10.5 hours from waters going which started my contractions to holding baby after ventouse delivery.
Second 1.5 hrs, took us by surprise at home!
I would definitely say better your DH comes home for nothing than you don't get him home and have a surprise!

Oh and no 2 came on their due date.

Both were late.

The first one ended in emcs before I even went into labour.
Second one I was in early labour for about 4 days before I finally agreed to another cs.

You've almost persuaded me not to do an elcs after my first 5 day labour inclu emcs!

Both at 37 weeks.

Ds1 2 hour labour, 1 hour pushing, born just after midnight.
Ds2 15 min labour, 4 contractions, born just before midnight (based on the 999 call made on H's phone after he was born).

All three of mine were very fast, the first sign that anything was happening was needing to push.

According to the paperwork my first was 22 minutes, my second was 9 minutes & my third was 12 minutes. It was concluded that I have silent labours & the first sign that anything was happening was when I suddenly needed to push.

I'm not planning a fourth!

ds1 induced at 40+12 whole thinh took 7 hours with an hour of pushing.

ds2 24 hours from first twinge to delivery but only about 10 mins pushing (5 days over)

dd1 36 hours but again only 10 mins pushing (5 days over

dd2 3 hours and i'm fairly sure i never pushed! That girl was in a hurry (3 weeks early)

As they kept getting longer i honestly assumed dd2 would be a very long labour and dismissed all odd feelings the day i had her as there was no way any baby of mine would arrive early!!

DC1 - 12 days overdue, induced, waters broken & on drip at 7.30am, born at 10.24am
DC2 - 15 days overdue, induced again, sigh, waters broken at 9am, put on a drip at 11am, born at 1pm. 15 quick mins of pushing.

Both little darlings were back to back too.

Certainly with dc2 I was in early stages of labour but nothing short of a rocket fuelled drip was going to get them out.

My first labour was induced and therefore very long. From start to finish over 40 hours of contractions.

My second labour was nearly 30 hours.

Both times babies were back to back. I was so upset about how long the second time took!
I read so many stories about fast deliveries, especially 2nd ones, it was really a shock to be in there for so long. Prepare yourself for anything I guess :)

Was actually pretty relieved at my 35 min labour, Tulisa, as had had days and days of stress and frustration in hospital, linked up to machines, leading up to it (DS was 40+9, induced and I had pre-ec). I was just soooo received for it to be over

It would've been a different story if I'd been in my rural home when it started, though! That would've been terrifying. It's one reason I'm hoping to convince them of the wisdom of an ELCS if there's ever a next time.

First was 18 days early and 5 hours, second was 9 days early and less than 2 hours. Both the same in that I lost my plug a couple of days before then waters broke just before contractions started.

1st labour - waters broke 6:30am, painful c

DC1 41+1 - Waters broke 2am, contractions started 4am, into hospital 1pm next day, born 5.30pm, water birth.
DC2 38+4 - Waters broke 7.30am, contractions started 2pm, into hospital 5.30pm. Refused pain relief at 6.45pm as only 2cm dilated (in agony), born at 8.15pm with no pain relief (2 weeks ago today ). Officially recorded labour time of 17 minutes!!

DS 39 weeks - 2 days from waters breaking
DD 39 + 6 - 1 hour 20 mins from first contraction. Had her within 4 minutes of getting to hospital, had her standing up, just had time to get knickers off

Oh my word. You're all convincing me to go for the home labour! From my waters breaking at home to baby in arms was 2 hours - but I was in handleable labour for about 10 hours before that at home. I can see me having dc2 on the m62!!!

1st 18 hours
2nd 40 mins including placenta

Bloody hell, some of you work fast!! Is it a bit scary having a 30 min or so labour? I suppose you've had 9 months build up to it but you'd barely have time to process what's happening.

I've roped my neighbour in to being my back up birthing partner after reading some of these, I think she's actually quite hoping she gets to see some of the action :) just worried now about someone being free to have DS in a hurry, if not he'll be coming in as well!