2nd labour stories

[babychange12]

I'm 37 weeks now with baby no 2
My first D.C. was a water birth and I ended up with a 2nd degree tear, but overall fairly positive experience

I did all the yoga, Hypnobirthing, perineal massage etc etc for baby no 1, but no time for that now with an overactive toddler!

Please tell / reassure me that baby no 2 is a much better experience than the first time round????

Yes! Ds2 was a lot quicker, so much so that I had no time for any pain control.

My first labour was on the due date and was about ten hours from start to finish. A water birth with a third degree tear. I chose an elective section for the second baby because of that. He came a week early after five hour labour (too far gone by the time surgical team got to me as it was nighttime). I was only pushing for about four minutes. This time, I had a second degree tear and a few stitches but it was far better in the end than the section I had planned for!

Yes second was much much easier and no stitches at all after a bit tear first time

Although both prem, 2nd was a dream. DC1 waters broke, labour didnt start, had to be put on the drip, was excruciating, retained placenta, missed epidural 7 times and generally out of it. DC2, was on delivery an hour, couple of pushes and she was out, no more than 5 puffs of gas and air, kept control, absolutely loved her labour

First was a water birth after probably 12 hr labour (although I didn't click until 2hrs before she arrived)
3rd degree tear.
Second was again a water birth (just) and was a 6hr labour. Again a 3rd degree tear. No time for pain relief as only arrived at the hospital with 2 mins to spare.

DC1- slightly prem so labour ward rather than birth centre/pool, but used hypnobirthing. Waters broke, then 12 hours of contractions including 5 of active labour and 90 mins of second phase/breathing out. Second degree tear. Positive experience.

DC2- 8 hours total, 15 min 'pushing' (hypnobirthing again and really was breathing out not pushing), all in the pool. Absolutely brilliant experience.

Good luck!