Long first labour, nice short second labour? Quick survey...

[Groveregg]

I'm 31 weeks pg for the second time and finally trying to face facts and prepare myself for things. Yes I know that this is a "how long is a piece of string" sort of question and noone can tell me for sure how long things will take, but I am trying to get a bit of a feel for things and how much cover I might need to organise for looking after ds, as I haven't got family nearby...

In my first labour, I started to feel contractions late on a Wednesday night and it went on for days with quite a few trips to the hospital, only to be sent home again because I wasn't dilated enough and contractions weren't coming fast enough. Ds was finally born on the next Tuesday afternoon after a lot of spicy food and pineapple and a few hours on a syntocinon drip. So I was at it for nearly 6 days in total. I've heard countless stories of how second labours are quicker but I'm thinking how many days quicker?! Does anyone else have experience of a long first labour like mine and if so how long did your second labour take?

From the moment I had contractions - birth - 31hrs with DS1
Waters went first - 6.5hrs with DS2

First labour was 10 hours but now to the relevent part, second labour pain much less and i was walking around the room and felt a head between my legs, no pushing atall, she almost fell out,so much easier than my first who was stuck for two hours in the birth canal !

First from first niggle 9 hours

Second from first niggle 3 hours

Sorry - my first labour I had contractions for 3-4 days before, my second for 5-6 days before (with vomiting and diarreah for most of that time). BUT once I got properly going my second was quicker. My second was a home birth so we got dd1 looked after for the whole of the preceding day and overnight, then she went to nursery for the day - it was easier because the midwives came to us for the early bits and kept going awa y again, would have been a nightmare to have to keep going into hosp I think. This might sound a bit bonkers but I think positive visualisation and thinking helped me relax and helped the labour move on - just telling myself it would be OK and imagining it happening. I didn't feel worried about it, but it did seem to help. Hope it goes well for you x

First - around 14 hours
Second - around 5 hours

Yes - first 21 hours from start of regular ctx to birth - although about 5 hours from waters breaking to actual birth - second about 4 hours from start of regular ctx to birth. As a doula I have found that most of my clients second labours have been quicker once they get into active labour i.e 4cm or more dilated, regular ctx lasting 60 secs or more. But the first bit i.e early labour can still putter on and off for a while. The other thing is that with first labours most people notice every little contraction and twinge, second time around they are usually too busy running after their first child to notice, or perhaps just less hung up about the whole thing.

first labour - induced at 4pm on Weds afternoon, DS1 born by forceps at 11pm on Thursday

second labour - had show in morning, first contraction at 9pm, DS2 born naturally at 11.10pm

first child - waters broke, no labour CS
second waters broke, induced 3 days later, about 16hrs from first contractions to (assisted) delivery.

3rd - had a show on the wednesday, irregular contractions until thursday morning when they became painful and irregular, got to the hospital at 12.45pm, still quite short but more regular (but bl**dy painful LOL), examined at 1.30 was 3cm - 4.17 that same afternoon DS3 was born

first - 24 hrs from first niggle to placenta out. second - 3 weeks ( 19 days of false labour, 10 hrs first stage), third - 3 weeks again of false labour, but only 6 hours first stage. stage two - 43 mins first, 9 mins second, 6 mins third. good luck.

1st - 12hrs
2nd - 4hrs (but was induced)
3rd - 4hrs

From regular contractions to birth:

First - 49 hours, with the use of gas and air & pethidine, a syntocinon drip, leading to an epidural and catheter to be prepped for c-sec, then having last 1/2 cm "pushed by surgeon" then over an hour of pushing, then being taken to theatre to have an episiotomy and forceps delivery! Phew....

Second - 3.5 hours - used gas and air, dd arrived 55 mins after arriving at hospital, overall a much more pleasant experience.

Good luck - you will be fine

CAT me, and I'll send you something I wrote on this - and yes, most second labours (not all!) do tend to be easier. Mine certainly was. First baby was about 40 hours, second was seven.

1st - 53 hours
2nd - 30 minutes!

Thanks everyone for your input! Think I will bump it a bit to see if I can get more results... especially as nobody has got near to my 6 days of first labour yet.

Motherinferior I have CATTed you, thanks for that. And Mrsmalumbas yes I can believe that about second labours, I hardly have a chance to remember I'm pg this time round. And fannyannie I cannot believe you are feeling up to posting on this thread so soon after your own labour, respect (and congratulations) to you!

1st -3 days slow labour, then 17 hours proper pain, then dd1
2nd- 3 hours pain,although didnt relise was labour at first(derr how thick can you get?)alot of noise then dd2

3 ???? scared sh*ess BTW

yes
3 hours first time
2 hours second time

• can't understand what all the fuss is about labour!

my first labour was about 2 days with episiotomy/ventuese, second one about 7 hours but had 2nd degree tear

Each one has got quicker, last one was 2 hours start to finish

first labour was 19 hours from first twinge to birth

second labour was 13 hours from first twinge to birth.

So it was shorter but still felt blinking long!

1st baby - long latent phase of 48+ hours and the syntocinon drip after that it took about 14 hours.

2nd baby - 4.5 hours

1st labour: 4 days on and off, 18 hours established (ish) and about half an hour pushing

2nd labour: 18 hours established (ish) and 3 or 4 decent pushes

the (ish) is where my labours completely disappear as soon as i hit the hosptial . and with both i went from 5cm to 10 cm in less than an hour after having a ARM at 3cm a couple of hours before.

1st - 19 hours
2nd - 14 hours

1st labour - 1hr.47mins
2nd labour - 4 hrs

both labours from start to finish, 1st aby born in 20 mins 2nd born in 2 mins

Roughly half. 24 hours with ds1, 13 hours with ds2. have heard the half thing a few times.