Please tell me about 2 very different births...

[OnABabyDiet]

Hi. I am due with DD2 in 6 weeks. I have read that a difficult birth with DC1 does not necessarily mean a difficult birth with DC2. Please tell me your experience of having 2 very different births.

I was induced at 41+2 with DD1. Waters broke 36hrs after being induced (no contractions) and after another 6hrs, DD was found to be breach. C section after another 6hrs.

This time I'd like a vbac with as little intervention as possible (accepting that I'll be classed as high risk and will have to be continuously monitored).
Please reassure me with your personal experience that no 2 births are the same. Thank you

First birth - 75 hr labour. On Day 3 I had a bleed, went into hospital where my waters were broken and there was merconium in them. Put on Oxytocin and monitored continuously throughout the next 12 hours. Spent all that time mooing like a cow. Eventually got to 10cm but was exhausted. After 2 hrs of pushing was wheeled to theatre for a forceps delivery and episiotomy. Was in hospital for 4 days. Recovery took about 6 weeks.

Second birth - went to the park and had niggling pains. Went for coffee and pains became more regular. Got home at lunchtime and realised it was labour. DH dropped DS at nursery and my waters broke just before he got home. Got to the birthing centre 20 mins later and gave birth less than 4 hrs after that. Only gas and air needed. Went home lunchtime the next day. Had a couple of stitches but felt fully fit a week later.

First birth was in labour 15 hours ds was stuck and they were talking about forceps as he was distressed. Luckily he got free but needed to have his airways cleared. He was also aback to back labour
My third labour lasted 90 minutes was in hospital 10 minutes before dd arrived.
If it helps my midwife told me even number labours are always better. Apparently it's well known that 1st and 3rd babies are more tricky

Yes first birth long drawn out induction, 2 hrs pushing (whilst simultaneously vomiting and itching from epidural).

Second birth mild niggling contractions, water broke, born four hours later after 10 mins pushing, gas and air. Textbook birth.

Yes defiantly can be different. I've had 4. All completely different experiences.

No.1 30 hours from start to finish. Back to back labour and birth. G&A and pethidine used. 2 hours pushing stage. Extremely hard work

No. 2 induced at 35 weeks. 2 pessaries over 24 hours. Pains started about midnight manageable till 8am then put on a drip as baby not coping very well. Epidural was sited but baby was born before it took effect. Painful but overall much easier.

No 3. Induced again at 39 weeks. Contractions started immediately after first pessary. They were a minute long right from the beginning just increasing in intensity. I had a hard time convincing the midwife that they were not just prostin pains. The birth was exactly 12 hours and 3 minutes from the pessary going in. Had an epidural after about 8 hours as there was hardly any chance to recover between contractions as they were a minute long and a minute between each one for the whole labour.

No. 4. Induced at 39 weeks. Pessary at 10.30. Twinges straight away. Stayed as period type level of pain for hours. Had lunch with DH in hospital cafeteria about 1.30. Still very bearable. About 3pm started the tens machine and had 2 cocodemol. Pains ramped up slightly and baby was born at 3.55 and the midwife managed to just about dash in the room in time to catch baby. We never left the labour ward to go down to the delivery ward as there just wasn't time. Took everyone by surprise including me as the pain just never got close to even half of my previous labours. Was most put out to have missed out on G&A

Ds1 awful, bled heavy from the off, v quick progression to 5 cm (2 hours) epidoodle, then nothing overly until midnight, couldn't feel anything laid down asleep. Two half hours of pushing, was eventually cut after tearing plus vontose, ds had a score of 8, was jaundice I had to have a blood transfusion and hemmoraged badly, also had an infection and internal the day after giving birth. Stupid bloody doctor, 'oh you're a bit bruised there' .... No shit Sherlock!

Ds2 five years later, in hospital at 9 3 cm, waters broke at 11 gas n air des born after about 5 mins of pushing at 11.59 am. Was up right the whole time. Walking abut I did have 2 nod degree Tear but by comparison it was such an easy labour much more positive. Only gas n air for stitches as well.

Hoping labour three is same as ds 2 not ds1!

Ds1 OP, 56 hours labour, ended with epidural and transfer to theatre for c-section where he was actually born with help from forceps. 3rd degree tear, baby fine.

Ds2 OP, untraumatic labour, forceps delivery using local anaethetic (he was sodding huge) in mid-wife led care (doctor did do the delivery). Cut for forceps, some tearing but not much, baby fine.

So no 'perfect' labour but no. 2 was soo much better than first one that was utterly exhausting, very painful and (at times) frightening.

OP=back to back btw. For those who've not had this totally delightful experience.

first birth - EMCS. contractions started at 3pm, regular as clockwork every 5 minutes, went to hospital at 1am as they were 2-3 minutes at this time, midwives couldn't feel head when examining me (only 3cm), went for scan, baby found to be breech, had a section what seemed like about 20 minutes later.

second birth - VBAC. Went into labour at 1.30am with diarrhoea and regular painful contractions every 4 minutes. Got to hospital at 7am, was 4cm, baby born at 11.51am. I wanted to use a pool and telemetry monitors (mobile and waterproof), but as we got the last room going (hospital was on redirect to next one over) they didn't have any left. I've got to admit I was worried about being 'tied to the bed' as it were, but it was ok, honest. As soon as I turned and kneeled, draping myself over the back of the bed I was much more comfortable. The tens machine was fab too. I didn't need an epidural -gas and air was great - and I wouldn't change it.

There's a book called The VBAC Handbook on Amazon that you might find helpful and informative.

Good luck, I hope all goes smoothly, whatever happens.

Hi...I had ds's 6 years apart and after first birth was terrified and due to previous birth and DS1 birth weight I was "high risk" and consultant led. Was being pushed into ECS but I wanted to experience a "normal" birth so said no. Compromise was a week early induction.

First birth at 42 weeks. Labour brought on by sweep and bumpy bus ride home. 28 hours of agony...had epidural to get some rest. DS heart rate kept dropping and waters broken with mucous. All signs ignored by MW. Consultant brought in as no baby after 2 hours of pushing. DS was found by consultant to be transverse and heart rate very low. Was rushed to theatre for CS, had spinal block and consultant managed to manually move DS and it was a forcep birth. I bled out and had to be cauterised and "put back together" I ripped all the way down there and didn't see DS for 4 hours as he was taken away straight away due to PPH. I has blood transfusions and a 10 day stay in hospital. DS was just shy of 10lbs.

Second birth - induced with one pessary, me and DP walking like loons round and round the ward for 2 hours-no pain no nothing. Felt like crying as thought if be in their for ages.MW hooked me up to monitor and I was contracting and internal showed I was 2 cm. still no pain! Took to labour ward to have waters broken as I qualified at 2cm dilated. Then bang! Contractions thick and fast. Second lot of waters broke after 2 hours and I was blabbering to DP "I think I em done a poo!" MW pulled sheet up to change me and there was DS2's head! 2 pushes later and he was out! All with gas and air only. Was up and showered and eating obligatory toast and tea half hour later. I did PPH but a lot later on and back to theatre and HDU. But birth was quick, not as painful, no tears (biggest fear!) or grazes and was wonderful! DS2 just under 8lbs.

Bloody spelling mistakes! Sorry!!!

DC1 - induced at 40+13; first pessary had no effect; second pessary 8 hours later had no effect; labour ward busy so they made me stay in but didn't do anything to progress my labour; 13hrs later broke my waters; an hour later on drip; 30 mins later had epidural; 12 hours later & after 3 hours of ineffective pushing (DC1'S head was off the chart for size), was being prepped for a c-section whilst another doctor used forceps & managed to drag DD out if me. This was 40 odd hours after the first pessary & I was exhausted & hungry as had vomited constantly from them first giving me the pessary.
DC2 - 40+11 went for reflexology at 2pm, sweep at 3pm, did big shop in supermarket as parents were arriving that day as was being induced the next day, walked a mile to nursery to collect DC1 & then home again, vomited which I thought was a bit odd, about 6pm had really bad tummy ache but it was constant so thought it was something I had eaten rather than wind; DP came home at 7.15 & we decided to call labour ward who told us to monitor it, they called back 15 mins later to suggest we went in to be checked as we live 45 mins away & they were quiet & I was overdue. Thank God they did! Left home about 8pm. About half way there, I told DP to put his foot down. Got there at 8.30pm. Spent 15 mins finding a parking space, change for the car park etc with me feeling uncomfortable but, now I was standing, OK. Entered the labour unit at 8.50 with me doing a couple of dramatic moans as I couldn't be bothered to be sent home given I was going to be induced the next day. Half way though a fake moan thought "ooh, actually that did hurt a bit". MW examined me & I was 5cm! I then puked all over her. She went off to get changed, I kept puking, she came back & I was 8cm. She asked if I was OK if a student came to watch, she went & got the student, told the student to examine me & the student said "Is that the head?" in a surprised fashion. A second later, I said "oh no" and was about to apologise for the poo I thought I'd done when I realised the 2 MW were congratulating me & the head had been born. One more push & the body was out. 34 mins after entering the labour unit. DCDC2 Is now 2 & I still stroke his nice, thin head fondly from time to time!

First birth - 40+7 went for a sweep in the morning, started getting mild, but surprisingly painful contractions about 7pm that evening. Tried to sleep but couldn't. Went into the hospital ante-natal ward at about 10am next morning as couldn't cope with the pain. Examined & only 2cm so stayed on ante-natal ward but had some morphine. Ended up in Delivery Suite sometime later, discovered baby was back to back (explains pain of early contractions), totally incompetent MWs didn't realise baby was not coming down properly (he had twisted his head round to look over his shoulder) - at one point one of them was examining me & said "oooh I can feel a fontanelle but I'm not sure which one!!!!
Eventually after 26 hours & after the consultant had tried to manually turn the baby (oww ) I ended up in theatre for rotational forceps under a spinal.

Second Birth - On due date, started getting funny cramps but thought they were just Braxton Hicks. Later in Sainsburys with husband & eldest child I realised they weren't BH. Shipped eldest off to grandparents & spent the evening having a bath, snoozing & watching Take Me Out and kneeling on the floor during contractions. 11:45pm I tell husband we need to go to hospital. 12:45 get to hospital, am examined and told 6cm dilated (the joy!!) MW goes off to organise bed in Delivery Suite, when she returns I stand up, waters break & am whisked off in a wheelchair to Delivery room. Second baby born half an hour later with minimal effort. An hour later I am lying in lovely warm bath drinking tea!

So yes they can be totally different!

First birth woke with pains approx 5.30am, had a bath, pottered about, went to hospital at 3cm but stayed in. Waters broke at 5pm, started pushing at 7/8ish, they tried ventous which failed and so had a forceps delivery just after 10pm, I had torn so many stitches. Had pethedine and a local anaesthetic for the forceps.

Second labour was in bed at 10pm, heard a pop. Water gushing everywhere. 5 mins after that a mega contraction and they were comin thick and fast. Raced To the hospital and was holding dd in my arms by 11.11pm. No pain relief at all because no time and only a few pushes.

DS1 - 2 days of contractions, no sleep, finally arrived in the afternoon of day 3 after an epidural, 2 hours of pushing, an epistiotomy, forceps and a 2nd degree tear. Took them over an hour to stitch me up, I was drugged to within an inch of my life, could barely function - it was horrible.

DS2 - waters broke at 0230, went to hospital for monitoring at 0900. Sent home at 1630 because I wasnt progressing. Went to lie down, an hour later was in ridiculous amounts of pain. Arrived back at hospital at 1920, DS2 arrived at 1931. No stitches, and only gas and air.

Wow thanks everyone :) I was feeling very upbeat after reading this... then I went to the hospital and was told that this baby is lying in a breech position as well!! Argh!! Will be spending the majority of the next 2 weeks on all 4s...!

DD1 - contractions, then nothing for 24hrs, trip to hospital, 12 hr wait to be induced, 14 hour labour every drug possible, voila! 4 night stay in hospital for bad feeding afterwards.

DD2 - convinced I have food poisoning, spend 10 mind in toilet, realise it's contractions, download app to track them, realise they are every 45 secs, wake up husband, go to hospital, barely make it through the door, baby pushed out in 6 mins without even sitting or lying down. All done in about 90 mins. Had a cup of tea and toast and they asked me if I wanted to go home.

My children are very different from each other too.

Gold, is it me or did you feel short changed at no over night stay? Ds1 was a five night stay own room however would have been better if my mum visited, long story twat of an ex husband. Ds2 they wanted to kick me out after two hours, was determined to have May parents visit that time though so stayed for tea! Most indignant I didn't get an over night stop with him after I'd packed the bags lol.

Baby diet, good luck, I hear going down stairs side wards helps as we'll not sure how though?!?