is labour really a piece of cake second time around?

[griffintribe]

I had a NASTY forcept delivery with my dd1 and am now expecting no2.
Seen midwife today and spoken about concerns about delivery after trauma of the first. Only in labour 12 hours but DD1 received a nasty cheek wound from the forcepts that has left her with a scar.
Midwife says not to worry because no2 will pop out very easily and there will be no need for forcepts again.
Did anyone have to have 2 forcept deliveries?
Is second birth really that easy

I took 26 hours of established labour with DD1 (had taken 'ill' about 2 days before admission too). DD2 showed no sign of materialising 5 days after due date until about 7pm. Labour was far more intense, but she arrived at 5am, which I think is much better by my own standards. Each is different, regardless of where they come in the pecking order, but presumably your midwife has a reason for thinking your next will pop out. Be optimistic! You are understandably concerned because of having had a bad experience with No 1, but there is no reason at all why it should follow the same plan a second time, especially if midwife is that reassuring.

I had a nasty forceps delivery w/DD1, too - she was face up w/her hand up by her head.

24 hours of labour including 1.5 hours pushing.

W/no. 2, I woke w/what I thought were strong BH contractions at around 6.30AM.

WEnt to hospital around 9.30AM. Was 9cm on arrival.

DD2 was born at 10.26AM w/no intervention or drugs - G&A made me feel sick.

2nd birth easy?

Ha, ha, ha

Easier than first, but I put that down to being at home rather than in hospital.

It was bloody painful though!

(I had to have an episiotomy both times as well, so no.2 didn't exactly "pop out!")

I found it quicker, but far more painful!

Message withdrawn

Your midwife is being unduly optimistic - there is absolutely no guarantee that number two will 'pop out' but second labours and births do tend to be easier, for good physiological reasons. Do CAT me if you'd like a piece I wrote for one of the baby magazines on this!

Oh and my second labour - after an absolute nightmare first - was much easier and shorter.

Mine was

Ds1 was 42 hour labour, induced, epidural, nearly ECS

Ds2 was 5 hours with gas, air and cussin'. And, oddly was only 3 oz smller.

Urm my 2nd labour was bloody awful compared to my first, hate to say this but dont go into it thinking it will be a breeze in comparison to your first, I did so was quite shocked when it wasnt so easy! Was my bloody midwife that said it would be easy too!! Grrr!! Have a beautiful little boy though so I would do it again and again

I had a very long induced labour and forceps delivery with DS1.
With DS2, I had my first contraction at 9pm, got to hospital at 10.45 and DS2 slid out at 11.10pm!

Doesn't always happen like that though but at least the path has been travelled once already IYSWIM!

my second labour was agony, baby was rather big. It was shorter though and I suppose medically it was more straightforward. I love the way these experts say the baby will jsut pop out - have these people ever given birth?!!!

My consultant told me that no matter how many children you give birth to the second will be the easiest. Don't know if that's true but it certainly was the case for me (out of three).

I think the important thing for you is probably to go in believing firmly that this time round will be better/easier. The chances are probably high that this will be the case. Good luck, and try not to worry too much.

Mine was -
dd: 32 hours, epidural, ventouse
ds: 4 hours 20 minutes, no pain relief other than TENS machine, only just made it to the hospital on time because it hurt so little I was convinced labour couldn't really be that far on.
'Pop out' is a pretty good description actually - it was the third push and he came flobbering onto the bed like a baby animal being born onto a pile of straw in a zoo documentary.

Obv there are no guarantees, but fingers crossed

'flobbering' that's a good word!

it was easier for me.

i was in labour with ds1 for 12 hours, drip, gas and air...6lb 11oz

second son-woke up at 1.30am,got a hot water bottle.back felt weird,rang midwife.she said ring an ambulance to go to hospital.

Left for hospital at 2.15am.got there 3am. His head came out in the lift

no pain relief, no tear, it was fine. 8lb 1oz!

Good luck

2nd time round for me was much quicker but also much more painful.

so sorry that you and your DD had a bad time of it .....

is it really likely you will need forceps again...not always the case that because you ahve had intervention once, you will need it again..or if you do, it will be as traumatic..

i take it you have been through all teh notes etc due to the investigation and know why she was a forceps delviery?

maternal request is not in itself an indication for cs..but due to the trauma of the last delivery.. i doubt you you would be refused..but bera in mind c.s is major abdominal surgery and there are implications for future pregancies and births if you have a c.s

what i would think about doing, is looking at all the ways you can avoid intervention and make labour and delivery a better, more positive experience.....having a doula with you can reduce the odds of a c.s or instrumental delivery quite substantially.

the second time, you know better what is going to happen, how you will feel, what you can get through..

being in different postions, being in water,not having an epidural, being at home, are all things that can make a vast difference to the birth experience..

my first birth ended in a c.s , and my second was a succesful VBAC...but i had spent a lot of time learning about birth, the physiology of birth, and how to make the experience better for me..i needed to understand how the process worked, and how i could work with it

it is certainly worth discussing all the options, with the midwife and doing your own reading etc. to make sure whatever decision you come to, is one you are happy with.....whether that is a c,s or a vaginal delivery!

i posted that on your other thread..x

so, yes, in answer to your question..

lulumama,

im guessing you meant reallu UNLIKELY it will be needed again......

griffintribe,

just because you had it once doesnt mean that it will happen again. every birth and labour are different. if you worried then id get your notes read about your first birth with the midwife. get some support for next time.

cx

yes, i did !! i think preconceptions that laabour will be just as bad / worse / scary can be hard to break when it is based on a bad experience first time...

good to go talk to someone like

Birth trauma association

dd took 25 hours to come out, was a nightmare that I thought would never end.
ds only took 6.5 hours, which considering I was induced was quite good.

all in all less time, less painful, less scary HTH

Like a lot of people I had a really awfull labour with dd1, but with dd2 is was a breeze - I've had more painfull hangovers! ds who was number 3 was ok too, not entirely pain free, but nothing like as bad as dd1.

Chill out, it'll be fine

Wouldn't say it was easier, was a hell of a lot quicker but very intense.
DD1 was 28 hours of labour with about 12 hours of contractions lasting 1 minute every 1 minute but no dialation. Ended up with epidural, episiotomy and ventouse.
However, DD2 (6 weeks) old was 3cm to delivery in 4 hours but much much more intense and I took much longer to recover. With DD1 i felt dandy within a week but DD2 took me at least 3 weeks to fully recover.

AND WHOEVER THOUGHT OF TELLING A WOMAN IN LABOUR NOT TO PUSH ............ I never noticed with DD1 as I had epidural but DD2 was completely natural and boy did I know it.

Good Luck

My second was quicker, only 2.5 hours needing pain relief rather than 5 hours and the pushing stage was 17 minutes as opposed to 1 hour 40 minutes. Overall from waters breaking it was about 5 hours less too.

It was far more intense than the first time but oh my god, wait until the 3rd!!!!

i was induced for both of mine,
with ds1 he was out 3hrs 50 mins after first contractions and with ds2 he was out in 2hrs 40 mins after being put on the induction drip.
i had to have to of the pessary things with ds1, then 2 pessarys again with ds2 before having to go drip as they didnt make me dilate at all

2nd time was a lot lot more painfull (i had a failed epidural and could only have gas and air) but at least was quicker.