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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Second baby's birth - easier, quicker, and earlier or later than first?

43 replies

AbslnThe · 03/02/2015 17:35

Hi,

Due our second in a few months. I am just wondering if your second labour was easier than your first (assuming vaginal for the first), whether it was faster (and if so, by how much), and then if you were early or overdue with your first, was the pattern repeated/extended with the second!

DS took a lonnnnnnng time to come out; he was back to back for starters, which didn't help. I am daydreaming about a nice easy delivery this time! Tell me I have hope!

Thanks!

OP posts:
WhatismyLife · 03/02/2015 17:39

DC1
12 days late
36 hour labour
epidural and forceps after 2 hours of useless pushing.

DC2
13 days late
4 hour labour
5 minute pushing stage. (baby literally just fell outGrin )

Ardha · 03/02/2015 17:41

1st 6 days over, 7 hour labour, long last stage, needed birthing stool

2nd 9 days over, 2 hour labour, barely time to get my knickers off

bagofsnakes · 03/02/2015 18:34

I'm waiting for number 2 now (39+5) so all I can add to this right now is not earlier! Everyone told me that second babies came earlier so, as DS1 was born bang on 39 weeks, I've been expecting this one for over a week... but I'm still going. Yeah, so don't make my mistake and get you're hopes up too much for that one Smile

ThereisnoFinWay · 03/02/2015 18:38

Dc1 back to back ventouse 14 days late. 19 hours from first contraction to delivery, 3 hours of pushing.

Dc2 1 day past due date. 5 hours from first contraction to delivery. No pushing at all my body just took over, took us by surprise, unattended hb!

Lifeisabeach · 03/02/2015 20:18

DC1: 9 days late, back to back, 29 hour labour, syntocin drip and epidural, 30 mins pushing

DC2: 1 day late (well actually only 3 hours!), 5 hour labour, no pain relief, 10 mins pushing, born at home with no midwife present

ThereisnoFinWay, how similar are our births?!

Original poster
AbslnThe · 03/02/2015 20:22

Brilliant, looking hopeful! Thanks. I'm not bothered about being overdue, just interesting, wondering. Am more keen for a quicker and easier labour. As long as DH can get here in time, and baby is healthy/happy.

OP posts:
DramaAlpaca · 03/02/2015 20:26

DC1: 5 days early, 21 hours labour, epidural & forceps.

DC2: 5 days late Confused, 12 hours labour, gas & air, 20 minutes pushing, normal delivery

DC3: 5 days early, 5 hours labour, gas & air, 5 minutes pushing - just few out!

Heleng1982 · 03/02/2015 20:36

ds 1 I was 10 days late.
ds2 I was 4 days late.
ds3 I had to be induced at 12 days late I think he would still be there today if they hadn't helped get him out Smile Smile

findingherfeet · 03/02/2015 20:41

Oh yes blimey 2nd one came faster!!

DD - 9 hour labour in total including what felt like forever pushing.

DD - 1 1/2 hours if that, I didn't push, he shot out in our hallway just in time for DH to catch him!!

ThereisnoFinWay · 03/02/2015 20:43

lifeis very similar! They told us to plan a home birth if we go for no 3.

Pidgy · 03/02/2015 20:51

DS - 4 days late, 6 days of on/off contractions, back pain etc. Once established labour kicked in, it was fast. 5 hours of contractions and 45 mins of pushing.

DD - born on due date. Waters broke which was 1st sign of labour, strong contractions for 30 mins. Sent home from hospital and felt the urge to push as I got through the front door. My mum caught her after a few pushes in the bathroom. 3 hours start to finish. Ambulance arrived in time to cut the cord.

Very similar to thereis and lifeis!!

whyhasmyheadgonenumb · 03/02/2015 20:59

DC1 9 days early, waters broke 7 hours before labour started, 5 hour labour then out she popped about 15 minutes into pushing.

DC2 6 days late, waters broke about 9 hours before labour started, 2 hours proper labour then had him in the pool by the 3rd push.

2nd labour much easier both physically and mentally - I knew what to expect.

RugBugs · 03/02/2015 21:08

Second labour was about half the time of first (7.5 and 3.1 hrs). DD1 was 37+1, DD2 was 39+5 but I'd been in early labour for about two weeks, just couldn't sustain 3 contractions in 10mins for long (the little monkey was chin up and had her foot stuck so labour was actually harder work and apparently I was lucky to have avoided intervention).

CPtart · 03/02/2015 21:18

DC1 - 5 days late. 24 hour labour with two and a half hours of pushing. A second degree tear, episiotomy and epidural.

DC2 - 8 days late. 6 hour labour (asleep for most of it after a diazepam) woke for ten minutes pushing, second degree tear and gas and air.

TellmetogetonwithmyWork · 03/02/2015 21:26

DC1: Went into labour 2 days late. 48 hour labour, 28 hours established, ventouse and forceps

DC2: Went into labour due date. 11 MINUTES official established labour. Wonderful experience.

Zsazsabinks · 03/02/2015 21:39

DD1: Started having conx on my due date, continued every 10mins for a min and a half for four days dilating about 1cm per day, until she was finally born after two hours of pushing at 4:31am on the fourth morning! LOOooooOOOoOnng but fine in the end.

DD2: Woke up having conx at about 6:30am, happily got on with my day through them until about 5pm when things got more intense. 5-9:30pm conx getting more intense and more freq. 9:30pm in a taxi to the hospital, 10pm 5cm, 10:45pm baby out after 10mins of pushing! So much easier! 39+1 weeks.

Showy · 03/02/2015 22:22

DC1: 38 weeks pregnant, 31hr labour including 8hrs fully dilated. Lots and lots of intervention, very stuck baby, emcs.

DC2: 37 weeks pregnant, 38hr labour before it became clear things were going the same way as first time round, emcs.

So earlier but longer and with the same end result. Both babies in the same position too. Back to back bodies, heads transverse, stuck.

Original poster
AbslnThe · 04/02/2015 11:45

Thanks for the responses, feeling encouraged.

OP posts:
Seeline · 04/02/2015 11:49

DS - started on due date but after 29 hr labour ended up 2 days late (ventouse), SCBU for a week and I needed a blood transfusion.

DD - 12 days late 13 hour labour, had cord around her neck, but otherwise straightforward.

tuffgingernut · 04/02/2015 11:56

DC1 24 hours in labour, tons of intervention, eventually born 5 days after due date. Huge PPH following forceps delivery.

DC2 7 hour labour no intervention at all. A few stiches. Brilliant experience. Born 12 days after due date.

DC3 due any day, hoping for a similar experience to DC2.

Mammanat222 · 06/02/2015 03:43

DC1 - 36 hours early labour at home. Went in at 5cm. Official labour time recorded was 15 hours. Natural delivery after 2 hours pushing [51 hours from first noticeable pains that I timed to baby arriving]
DC2 - waters went at 2.45am, contractions began immediately, arrived at hospital at 5am. Had baby at 06:45am. Official labour time recorded was 80 mins [4 hours from waters going to baby arriving]

So quite a bit of a difference for me.

madwomanbackintheattic · 06/02/2015 04:04

First one was a section, but then two vbacs.

The second vaginal birth was faster than the first one (about ten hours from waters breaking as opposed to 24), and while the labour itself was easier (first was back to back) the second birth resulted in oxygen deprivation and brain damage.

The first vb was more traumatic for me physically (in terms of repairs needed etc), but obv the second vb was more traumatic in terms of damage to the baby and mentally for me. Physically it was easier, although I ended up with an infection.

The CS was easier than either of the vaginal births in every way.

FloweryBoots · 07/02/2015 16:37

DC1: 6 hours established labour, 4 hours from fully dilated and being 'allowed' to push (had been told not to for about 3 hours before that!) to them yanking him out. He started the right way but got back to back and turned out to have very sort umbilical chord holding him back. Episiotomy and 4 second degree tears. 1 week late.

DC2: few random contractions in the morning, then they settled at 5mins appart for about 5 contractions, then pretty much on the back of each other. Think established labour was about 1 - 1 1/2 hours (bit hazy). a few pushes and she flew out, we'd been at the hospital less than 10 minutes! 1 first degree tear, no stitching. 1 day late.

My second was definately MUCH easier. But also, even though I was terrified of anyone trying to tell me my body knew what it was doing as it had done it before or anything similar becasue I felt my body got it all a bit wrong first time and didn't know anything of the sort, it was all less shockiing, and my body DID seem to know what it was doing more. The sense of being so out of control I had first time I didn't have second time and that helped make it easier to cope. I was still much like a whining toddler though!

I'm just hoping number 3 isn't any faster.

BackforGood · 07/02/2015 16:45

dc1 7 days overdue 27hours tens, water bath, gas and air, pethidine, epidural, ventouse, forceps, and had decided to take me to theatre for c-section when they finally got him out

dc2 2 days over Couple of hours of 'being a bit uncomfortable', slept, got up to go for a wee, babies head shot out and 20mins later there we were with a new baby - no pain relief or help from anyone

No muscles, or 'resistance' left, after dc1, I guess Wink

ch1134 · 08/02/2015 09:24

Thank goodness for this thread! I might start trying for number 2 after all!