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Childbirth

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

Anyone with two or more children how have your labours compared time and pain wise?

45 replies

cookiesandcream · 27/08/2007 10:06

Is it true subsequent labours are easier and quicker than the first or is this just an urban myth?

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frazzledbutcalm · 27/08/2007 21:21

ds1 - 4 1/2 hour labour 5lb 3oz
dd1 - 2 1/2 hour labour 7lb 1oz
dd2 - 1 hour 40 mins labour 6lb 14oz
ds2 - 50 min labour 8lb 3 oz
All labours completely different! only had pain relief with ds1. dd1 hurt like hell trying to push head out. dd2 excruiating agony as she was lying back to back, never want to experience anything like it again! ds2 no pain at all!!!

rantinghousewife · 27/08/2007 21:23

Ds (my first) 26hrs, wouldn't come out with forceps, had to have a ventouse, (9lb10), dd 10 1/2 hours, mostly at home, was bluelighted and she was forceps (7lb13) but, much less traumatic.

chankins · 27/08/2007 21:59

(Writing 4 first time on mumsnet!) First d was 3 days early, 7 hour labour no stitches, pain manageable, second d 10 days early, water birth, 4 and a half hours labour, no stitches and did not even have to push she just shot out by herself - just had first s and quickest labour at 4 hrs but surprised us at 5 days late, pain much much worse and had stitches for first time! thought third wud be easiest yet but was enough to put me off for good

funnypeculiar · 27/08/2007 22:11

ds - about 5 hours - managed with gas & air
dd - about 3 hours - forgot all about pain relief until I had her in my arms

Oh - & well done on your first post, chankins

IdrisTheDragon · 27/08/2007 22:14

Labour with DD (2nd child) was much easier than with DS. Also shorter.

Pebblemum · 27/08/2007 23:39

DS1 Waters broke 5am day before he was due, pains started 7.30am pushed for 1.5hrs born at 1.45am on day he was due, weighing 8lb 5oz, no tears/stitches, used tens machine for first few hours then nothing not even gas and air. ds was back to back which is why I was pushing for so long.

DS2 8 days late contractions started 3.30am waters broken by midwife 8.15am, 15mins of pushing, born 8.55am weighing 7lbs 2oz, again no pain relief. Contractions were more intense than first labour but still no tears/stitches, afterpains were a bit like mild period pains and only lasted a few hours

DD waters broke 1.45am day before she was due (much to ds1's delight,he didnt have to share his birthday lol) contractions started half hour later although very mild and not regular until 6.30am when they were every 5mins, 15mins later arrived at hospital contractions every 2mins, very painful, felt as if I was going to die with the pain, got in birthing pool at 8.55am (seemed to take ages to fill), pain so bad i couldnt sit/lay still, finally gave in and pushed for 3mins, dd born at 9.11am weighing 7lbs 3oz. No stitches, no pain relief although i came close to asking for an epidural. Never felt pain like it, far worse than previous labours. Also suffered really badly with afterpains, for first 24hrs i was in tears with them, paracetamol didnt seem to do much, felt like i was in labour again. They were still painful for the next 2 days but more bearable, like strong period pains.

Number 3 was by far the more painful of them all although giving birth in the pool was amazing, wish i had done it with the previous two.

elfinblast · 28/08/2007 00:20

first - 67 hours. Gas & air/pethidine (last few hours) Agony.

second 12 hours. Gas & air Agony

third 1.25 hours (had waters broke and the drippy thing) Gas & air/pethidine Agony

cantseemyfeet · 28/08/2007 00:39

hI CANDC,

First baby was 21 hours, 2nd and 3rd were 6 hours and they were painful but I had very LAST baby 3 weeks ago and it was the best birth I have had. I was in labour for about 5 hours but I just walked about a lot (which really helps) never too far from my gas and air though!! When my waters broke the babys head shot out and it took a total of 2 minutes to get on the bed and push the rest of him out. No stitches and felt fantastic the day after I had him. I drank lots of RL tea before I had him, I dont know if that helped but was a great birth.
Hope yours is fairly quick and as pain free as pos!!

twocutedarlings · 28/08/2007 21:04

DD1 Born at 41wks - 26 hour labour, G&A, Pethadine & epidural, 3 failed attempts at a ventouse delivery, finally delivered after a full episiotomy with forceps, poor little DD spent a week on intentive care due to shock !! i obviously vowed never to do it again but 26mths later along came DD2.

DD2 Born at 39wks 2.5 hour labour no pain relief UNPLANNED homebirth, but thankfully the paramedics arrived just in time to catch her, after just 3 pushes

spugs · 29/08/2007 18:43

DD1 - about 9 hrs established labour(pre-labour for a good 12 hrs before this ), 1 hr 30 min of that spent pushing had G&A and pethidine, 2nd degree tear. 40+1

DD2 - in pre labour all bloody night, not painful but to uncomfortable to sleep!! went in to hospital 5 cm dilated, 1 hr 45 min later pushed twice and out she came. no stitches, had G&A then paniced during transition and insisted on pethidine! 40+1

DC3 - hoping the pre labour is shorter this time, saying that though if this baby has a shorter one or doesnt come the day after edd like the other 2 ill get the shock of my life

peanutbear · 29/08/2007 18:45

first 41/2 hours

second 23 hours epidural forceps

third 3 hours induced

peanutbear · 29/08/2007 18:45

oh and third hardly hurt

WestCountryLass · 29/08/2007 22:08

My first started with period type pains that gradually built up and did not seem too, too painful. Waters did not break til delivery.

2nd, waters broke, was fast and furious and was VERY painful.

3rd, took the same amount of time as 2nd but waters did not break until delivery and was not painful.

I am, therefore, of the opinion that if your waters break first it hurts more!

ScoobyDooooo · 29/08/2007 22:09

1st was 16 hrs long,not to bad had an epidural.

2nd was 6 hrs 45 mins long very quick went from 4cm to 10 in 40 mins & it was extremley painful.

Blossomhill · 29/08/2007 22:10

ds ~ 24 hrs. Long pushing stage but was pain free once I had epidural. had loads of stitches though and bad tear.

dd ~ 6 hrs. She was out with one push, shockingly quick. Had to have a few stitches. her birth was far more painful and intense than ds's. Funny as with ds all pain in back, dd cramps all at the front. Totally different. making me cross my legs thinking about it (and it was 8 yrs ago!)

paolosgirl · 29/08/2007 22:11

1st one - 12 hours, ventouse - gas and air

2nd one - 5 hours - gas and air

3rd one - 2 hours and back to back - gas and air.

I'm hard, me. Definitely easier with subsequent labours though...

TheHun · 29/08/2007 22:21

dd - 4 hours G & A
ds - 2 hours G & A

Both quite similar in terms of pain but I was pushing for ages with dd, when the mw told me to. With ds I knew when to push and he came out after the 2nd, felt like me and my body knew what to do so whole experience better, bit shell shocked though as it was so quick. Bad afterpains with no 2 which I wasn't prepared for, they went on for longer than the labour but obviously not as painful. No 3 due in nov.

SleeplessInTheStaceym11House · 29/08/2007 22:24

my first dd: 2 weeks of contractions varying from 20 minutes to 3 minutes, 12 hr active labour, 45 minutes pushing

my second ds: 2 weeks of contractions varying from 20 minutes to 4 minutes, 6hr active labour, 10 minutes pushing

SleeplessInTheStaceym11House · 29/08/2007 22:25

oh and only with g+a for both

ok i lie, with ds i had pethidine but within 15 minutes he was out, and it kicked in while i was in the bath!!

paddlinglikemad · 29/08/2007 22:35

Ist was 13hrs labour with Gas and air , pethidine and wailing, mooing etc all at hospital from the moment I had a show ..
2nd 8 hours stayed at home til almost bitter end ending up travelling to hospital in a works van and giving birth 3 minutes after arriving..with a bit of gas and air for the hell of it...
3rd 13 hours all at hospital gas and air, pethidine, birthing pool...sobbing , begging for epidural
the next..who knows.....

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