Longer 2nd births/more difficult?

[Emmafh3]

I had starting labour at about 6am, nothing major, just like period aches. only did I think "okay this might be it..." at about 8/9pm that night. Contractions picked up at about 10/11pm but still only 30seconds long every 3 ish minutes.
Waters broke at 12, got to the hospital at 1am, 4cm and sweep at about 2am, gave birth at 3.06am about 5 minutes after I got into the delivery room! The only thing that went "wrong" was that DD's hb dropped significantly that they put her on the monitor, and wanted to prep me for an episiotomy which I point blank refused and she picked back up very quickly.
Gas and air only because I hated the feeling each contraction made down my leg, but I tried not to use it because I hated the gas and air just as much...

My question is, with dc 2, did you have a longer labour for those who had an easy labour with dc1? was it more traumatic?

I've only ever read how much easier and quicker the second time around is, but it's just my luck it won't be!

I had a 5 hour labour for dc1, from being asleep to holding baby.
Dc2 was born an hour and a half after my waters went randomly watching tv and only an hour of contractions.
Seconds are more often than not quicker and easier.
I'm on my third now, which I've been told can be the most difficult no idea why though.

Funnily enough my friend had two great births and then en emergency csec! Hopefully thats not your situation too!

First birth, long and agonising 16 hours, pushing nearly 2 hours.

Second birth, still agonising, but 8 hours and only 30 minutes pushing.

Third birth was much worse. Stay with 2

Dd1 37 hours, DD2 37 minutes. I was having contractions before that with DD2 but they only ramped up right before the end. Didn’t make it to hospital!

I had two fab labours. DD1 was about 10 hours in total, but only 'hard' the last few hours with the pushing phase less than a minute. Labour 2 was 93 minutes. The stitches took longer than the labour. I really loved both my labours and wouldn't hesitate to have another. It did take me longer to recover generally second time round. I was shattered and couldn't walk far for the first week after child 2 and it took longer to lose the baby weight.

God I hope so! First birth 27 hours..5 hours of pushing.. suction, episitomy. Almost enough to put me off entirely

Second was quicker and probably objectively easier, but I found it really hard to cope with because I had some kind of perception that it would be a piece of piss and it wasn't, it was just as hard.

Recovery was MUCH better with DC2. And because I knew what crowning was like I did not fuck around and just pushed right through it as quickly as I could Apparently DH was quite impressed by that part. He even complimented my swearing. I don't think I swore with DC1 as my mum was in the room!

So nobody has had a more difficult 2nd birth? I'll be the trend breaker...😉

Don't even remind me of the baby weight.... I've only just got my pre ever baby boobs back in this pregnancy, I'd forgotten how amazing it is to have curves in the right places, I dont want little droopy sacks again anytime soon 😑 darn bf.
And the extra wobble around the midriff for months and the lack of time to get rid of it.... Ugh. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all 🙈

1st baby 3hrs and 2nd 67mins.

I read all the stories about second babies being a breeze so I think in my head I had imagined I'd sneeze it out ! The first one was 24 hours from realising I was in labour to baby arriving and was just very long, the baby was back to back and labour ground to a halt after 16 hours at 8cm. I had to be put on the drip and was exhausted but managed to get the baby out just as I'd consented to an epidural and forceps! It was very painful and long but overall I felt good, I didn't tear at all, the baby came out face up too, they'd have turned her with forceps and ruined my bits had they pulled her out eek.

Anyway second time was "only" 16 hours from ok so I'm in labour to baby. I actually found the second time worse although on paper it wasn't. I couldn't stop contracting, it was just one long contraction so I/the baby didn't have time to recover from each contraction so the baby's heart rate was dipping. The pain felt worse too. The baby was 2lbs heavier so I felt it coming out whereas I didn't find that bit so bad first time around. So yes it was shorter, technically easier and less stressful for my husband but in my exact words immediately after "1000 times worse than the first time!" I'm pretty sure I repressed the first time though.

We were discussing when we might go for our third this morning so either way it can't have been that bad!

I recovered from both really well, pretty much immediately. Second one I went for a 5 mile walk the next day, my bits didn't even hurt when I had a wee right after. I have no idea how I felt so great, luck I guess?

YY Wispa I felt the same!

Weirdly mine were all the same length beginning to end (4 labours, each 3.5hrs almost exactly).
But it gets 'easier' because you know you can do it! You can do it! Deep breaths, nice music, this too shall pass!

My second was faster/easier. First was 4h 30 mins, 2nd was.... 45 minutes. Which was actually slightly terrifying, but at least I didn't really have time to think about it!

I hope it’s quicker. My first was 36 hours from waters breaking and a horrid experience with the drip. I’m hoping I can have a water birth and s/he just pops out😀.this might be a bit naive though!

My first was fast, my second insanely fast. Coped with it better second time round too as I knew what was happening and what to expect. Transition both times was the worst bit - that never gets any easier! (Home births, no pain relief.)