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Childbirth

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

Original poster

FTM - how long were your first labour's?

59 replies

Margo34 · 17/08/2020 07:18

And also is/was the length of labour for your immediate female family members indicative of your own potential labour duration, too?

Thanks

OP posts:
LajesticVantrashell · 17/08/2020 08:18

No! My brother was four weeks early and labour took five hours. I was three weeks late and took 36 hours to arrive.

I went into spontaneous labour at exactly 41 weeks, slept through early labour, got to the MLU already 8cm and had DS three hours later with G&A and no tearing.

HomesUnderTheSpanner · 17/08/2020 08:21

For me, 26 hours between waters breaking (contractions started immediately) and giving birth.

No relation to family members' labours.

Hollyhead · 17/08/2020 08:22

12 hours, but 3 hour pushing stage which felt like 3 months!

Dohorseseatapples · 17/08/2020 08:22

34 hours. I’m not kidding. It was ridiculous. I had 3 midwives with me all through. When one finished her shift I got another one...

My Mum had me and my siblings in under 5 hrs.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 17/08/2020 08:23

From active labour: 5hrs- pushing took forever though, I think I said I wanted to push before I needed to just to get it over with.

Dohorseseatapples · 17/08/2020 08:24

As for the time between waters breaking and giving birth...3 and a half days.

My sisters were in and out within a day. Babies popped out.

Previouslyidentified · 17/08/2020 08:33

I was super lucky. Spontaneous contractions started at 37 weeks 5 days at 11 on the morning, waters broke at 3pm, made it to the hospital with 15 minutes to spare. (Although i did feel the urge to push in the car on route!) Baby born at 17:25.

Didn't have time for pain relief so just has and air for me, its was painful yes, but not as bad as I had imagined.
Although I didn't have to endure for 36 hours like some woman. Shock

One thing for me I wish people had warned me about was after pains! Jesus those were bad, make sure you have your own painkillers in your hospital bag as if they are busy it can feel like a bloody age to get your next dose!

fmlfmlfmlfm · 17/08/2020 08:36

Mine was 20 hours (they wrote down 13 1/2 my uterus thinks otherwise 1.5 hours of pushing 7lb 14 baby

My second was 17 hours and 2.5 hours of pushing. 9lb 9 1/2

Gas and air speeds up time. Once you're at 4cm it's all good to go.

With my first I turned up and I was only 1cm so they made me leave and told me to only come back once my waters had broken. I then got to 7cm with nothing. Arse holes. I wish I had just gone for a walk round the corner x

minnieok · 17/08/2020 08:39

12 hours from onset to giving birth, in hospital 5 hours (already 7cm when I arrived), no pain relief as didn't have that much discomfort until end and even then it was manageable. My mum (with me) said I was similar.

lineandsinker · 17/08/2020 08:56

34 hours all in. 22 hours latent stage and then 12 hours active labour. Would have been longer if the doctors hadn’t decided on an emergency c-section.

I was my Mum’s longest labour at 23 hours.

AnnaSW1 · 17/08/2020 09:00

2hrs!

Zippy1510 · 17/08/2020 09:07

I had a couple of days of slowly amping up mild contractions that were like period pain and could be managed at home and slept through. Went into hospital at 6pm and was 4cm dilated. Waters went at midnight and had 2 hours of pushing.

Yawningyawning · 17/08/2020 09:08

One week early following a sweep and five hours

MaryBoBary · 17/08/2020 09:09

Mine was 31 hours from proper contractions starting. Not the same as my mum.

Babyshine2020 · 17/08/2020 09:12

14 hours

  • waters went at midnight
  • got to the hospital at 1am to confirm
  • found out I had pre-eclampsia so had to stay
  • 5cm by 5am
  • 7cm by 8am
  • ready to push at 12pm but midwife wanted me to have lunch and start pushing at 1
  • baby born at 2:07pm after a small tear and episiotomy

Then I didn't leave for 24 hours due to the pre-eclampsia and little lady did a poo before she was born

Happygogoat · 17/08/2020 09:12

Contractions Friday 5pm and baby arrived TUESDAY 4.25pm Confused

It was just a very very long latent stage. People will tell you it doesn't count but that makes me rage - I had contractions every 3-12mins (never a regular pattern) since that Friday so I didn't sleep at all and got sent away by midwives twice. They said it was completely normal and unless I demanded to be admitted/epidural (which would put me in the consultant care rather than midwife led unit which I preferred) I just had to go home and wait.

Arrived at hospital 8cm on Tuesday 6am and cried with relief! Got in the pool and basically zoned out until 2pm.

I pushed for 2 hours. I was so exhausted I really didn't know what was going on but tbh it was an amazing birth, no intervention and I only needed gas and air. Even crowning I don't remember being bad - I think my body was so ready and "warmed up"!

I felt incredible after and looking back it was more a mental battle than physical in the early stage. I wasn't prepared for it to be that long and it was a very tiring start but I wouldn't change it.

Good luck x x

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 17/08/2020 09:14

DM took about 11 hours to have me.

My first labour was 8 and a half hours.

Danniotley · 17/08/2020 09:18

First contraction at 10am and he was born at 11.45am. Pushed for maybe 10 minutes. Only had time for gas and air and no tearing.

bokchoy · 17/08/2020 09:33

41 weeks.
Contractions started around 4am which was so rubbish because I had only gone to sleep at midnight. So had disturbed sleep for the rest of the night. Also spent the day trying to sleep between contractions.
Went to hospital at 4pm that day.
Laboured in hospital for 12 more hours.
So approx how 23-24 hours in total.
Can't remember the last few hours as I was very very tired.

nasiisthebest · 17/08/2020 11:29

28 hours of induction till baby. The hospital was very surprised it took so long, they assumed I'd have it the same day. I had an epidural so was ok with it. Placenta took some time as well but don't remember how long.

Absolutely getting an early epidural this time too. It doesn't matter if it takes longer when you're not in pain.

My mums births were done and dusted within 8ish hours, so no correlation there.

elliejjtiny · 17/08/2020 11:33

4 hours of active labour but the latent stage went on forever.

Starlight39 · 17/08/2020 11:38

12 hours from first proper twinges to birth. I arrived at the hospital around 3 hours before he was born and was 9 cm dilated then. I remember there being a bit of an OMG this hurts moment but generally it was all fairly manageable.

lolalolalol · 17/08/2020 11:51

3 and a half hours from first twinge.

Think my mum also had a quick labour.

Original poster
Margo34 · 17/08/2020 11:54

Oh gosh such a range!

I asked about the family connection as my sisters, one was 2.5hours start to finish including latent phase first time (1.5 hours all in with her second) and my other sister was 4 hours all in first time, 2 hours all in the second.

I don't want to be too optimistic or laid back expecting a short ish labour only for it to turn into a 3day labourathon 🙈

Thanks all!

OP posts:
thenightsky · 17/08/2020 11:55

22 hours.
My waters broke as I walked downstairs at 9am. DD arrived at 7am the following morning.