Was your second labor shorter / easier if you had a short gap between pregnancies?

[Lucy955]

Hello,

I am 39 weeks and in passing my midwife mentioned that as I only had my DS 17 months ago my labor was bound to be easier and quicker. Is this true? I can't find any info on the effect of pregnancy spacing on labor. What is your experience?

Lucy

There are 21 months between my DCs. My second labour was actually longer than the first (15 hours compared to 6, IIRC). However, the horrible bits of the second labour were MUCH easier. He was out in two contractions, whereas his big sister took 45 minutes of red-faced pushing! Good luck - hope the birth goes smoothly!

Sorry labour. Don't know why I have so much trouble with this spelling.

Roughly the same here. 6/7 hours with both, 15 month gap

16 months between DC1 and 2 - DC1 was 2.5 hours from waking up and DC2 was just over an hour from first tiny twinge (would not have woken me up if I'd been asleep but was shouting in pain 10 mins after first twinge...). So, yes!

Lordy! Would be wonderful if that quick or would it. Sounds a little frightening.

X

Well, I found it extremely frightening... Could barely speak at all during the whole thing (other than to swear and scream a lot). And I'm extremely stoical/English normally! Obviously, I don't think a long labour is a picnic or necessarily preferable but having very fast labours isn't as 'lucky' as people think! Have a 5 year gap this time so hoping DC3 isn't born in half the time of DC2.... Think I'm unusual though because even my first labour was 'precipitous' (sub 3 hours) - my friends have nearly all had shorter and easier labours with the second. Nearly all .

First labour took 3 days from waters going to baby. Second labour (two years after the first), took 5 hours from first twinge to baby.