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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

If you had a long latent labour first time round

17 replies

Lelophants · 15/01/2021 13:10

I had a really long stop start labour very intense from the start with my ds. This is despite doing all relaxations, hypnobirthing and everything. It lasted around a week and was impossible to cope with by the end as couldn't sleep through contractions. If anyone was similar, how was it for later labours?

OP posts:

Original poster

Lelophants · 15/01/2021 13:10

It ended in a cs and I can go straight to cs next time but wondered if it had a habit of repeating itself.

OP posts:

Original poster

Lelophants · 15/01/2021 13:12

He was also back to back despite an active pregnancy.

OP posts:

Ariana87 · 22/01/2021 05:07

Hi, my first labour started on Sunday and I delivered on the Wednesday, narrowly missed an emergency section as ventouse and forceps both failed then forceps worked at the last moment. Baby was back to back too. My second was the complete opposite. Just over 12 hours from start of contractions and less than 30 minutes in active labour once waters went and baby arriving. Your body has done laboured before so usually will be much quicker the second time. I’m 4 weeks from due date with my third and hoping it is even quicker

Pumpkinpops · 22/01/2021 05:20

I'm sure this isn't what you want to hear, so apologies in advance but my second labour latent phase was several days long, as was my first. This wss frustrating as I'd had absolutely everyoje tell me it would be different second time. Anyway, I'm not telling you this yo scare you but to encourage you to speak to your midwife about a plan. I had PTSD following my first labour (main part of that was due to how long it was) so I was determined for them to treat me differently if it happened again. I asked for a meeting with thr consultant. She was sympathetic and pit a plan in place for me in case it happened again. This included a pain relief plan, and she gave me a prescription for codeine to have at home in case I needed it. It was also in the plan to induce my labour if the latent phase lasted more than 24 hours.

In the end, they 'induced" me (it was just breaking of the waters) after a longer time than 24 hours because the ward was very busy. However I managed much better before that because the codeine really helped, and I was able to get some sleep. I also had oramorph I think while I was waiting for the induction (I think the codeine was more effective though).

Hopefully this will not be the case for you second time round but as I say, I'd encourage you to have a plan in place with them in case it does. Best of luck!

Pumpkinpops · 22/01/2021 05:21

Sorry for all the typos!

Scottishmamma94 · 24/01/2021 05:31

I'm currently lay in a hospital bed in labour ward as I write this, I was induced with my first at 37+1, I'm now 36 weeks today with my second, my waters started breaking at 12 yesterday and it's now 5.30am, I've been here since 1.30am... I have had no contractions etc but have been advised that if baby is breech I'll be given a cesarean as they don't like preterm babies born breach, and if he's head down and I don't start contracting they'll induce me. I will update and let you know what happens when they decide the best plan of course. I didn't have an epidural with my first and plan not to with this labour too, but you never know what happens 🙄 good luck to all you mamma's out there during this crazy pandemic.

Caesious · 24/01/2021 06:16

My first was a really long labour, started on the Saturday and was stop start until the Thursday. Waters went on the Thursday morning and he arrived early afternoon.
Second was much much faster, I was having contractions at home during the day which were manageable, went to bed at 9pm, waters popped in bed at 9.30pm. Contractions were every 30 seconds, got my mum here to look after older boy and arrived at the hospital with 16 minutes to spare. He arrived at just gone 10.30pm.
Both my births were so different, I was far less tired with the second but because the active part was so fast, it’s caused me other issues like a slipped disc and nerve damage.
Pros and cons to both I think, hopefully you’ll get a birth which is somewhere in the middle. Good luck

Original poster

Lelophants · 25/01/2021 10:43

Mine was 7 days so not great, I feel like I could do 3 or 4. Thanks @pumpkinpops I think I will have a plan for a quicker csection next time.

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Scottishmamma94 · 27/01/2021 00:21

Little update to my previous message, I gave birth this morning, my baby boy was born 5 weeks early, Weighed 5.10 and was born at 3.54am... after spending days in maternity ward because my waters broke on Saturday morning they were going to send me home lastnight, they checked me over after hours of me begging them to do so, and I was already 4cm dialated... (They wouldn't check me due to increased risk of infection which is completely understandable) by the time they got me to labour ward, which took less than 25 minutes, I was 7cm dilated. I quickly phoned birthing partner and she got there with only seconds to spare, no time for any pain relief, had to just push due to being so ready nothing would've worked quick enough for me, and he was absolutely perfect. Labour was no where near as brutal as the first, but then I was induced with my first child at 37 weeks.

ParkheadParadise · 27/01/2021 00:27

First labour was 19 hrs. It was intense and painful.
Second labour was 40 mins. I just made it to the hospital. We were home 6 hrs later.

wonderstuff · 27/01/2021 00:30

I had a very long second labour, started Monday night and ds was born Friday morning, however my first labour was 12 hours and pretty much exactly as I'd read about. I think you're first isn't necessarily an indication of your second.

Ariana87 · 27/01/2021 10:31

@Scottishmamma94 congratulations glad you had a positive birth experience. Hope you’re both doing well? Well done you!

Ariana87 · 27/01/2021 10:32

@Scottishmamma94 what a great weight too considering 5 weeks early!

LittleRa · 27/01/2021 10:36

Following with interest as I’m 34 weeks with my 2nd, and with my first I started latent phase on the Wednesday night and she wasn’t born until the Saturday.

Updatemate · 27/01/2021 21:17

My first was about a week, with 24hours really painful and regular and then 4 hours pushing.

My second was completely different- I had a c section booked at my request but went early and was 5 hours from first twinge to fully dilated. Still had a c section though as that was what I wanted and had mentally retarded prepared for.

Updatemate · 27/01/2021 21:18

Absolutely no idea where retarded came from! So sorry.

PickleSarnie · 27/01/2021 21:25

My first was back to back. Contractions started nearly three days before he was born. They would get to 5 mins apart then stop and go back out to 20. Over and over again. It was so frustrating.

Waters broke so they said to come in. Was only 3cm when I got there despite a day and a bit of contractions. Had pethidine. Contractions stopped altogether. Then had epidural, episiotomy, almost ended with ventouse but managed to push him out at last minute. Then he wasn't breathing for what seemed like forever. It was horrible. He was fine though.

I was exhausted. 3 days of no sleep and then had to look after a baby that didn't come with an instruction manual and I just wanted to sleep. I'm ashamed to admit this but I was so resentful of him in my exhausted state. Cried every day for weeks afterwards.

Second child was also back to back. 12 hours of productive contractions, 3 pushes on my living room floor (I'd planned a homebirth) nd no stitches later he was born. It was amazing in comparison to the first.

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