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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Are second births always easier/quicker?

83 replies

Mirage · 30/10/2004 14:06

Everyone tells me that second births are much quicker & easier than first births.What do you all think & what were your experiences?

The reason I ask is that with DD,my 1st baby,from show to actually delivering her I was only in labour for 4 hours.It would have been a lot quicker if I hadn't been so rubbish at pushing.Even so,I didn't even have time to unpack my bag before she arrived.

The midwives told me that if I ever had another baby,I should camp out in the hospital car park 6 wks before hand to be sure of getting there in time.Therfore,as I am due in June,I'd be interested to hear if it is always the case of 2nd babies arriving faster.
Thanks.
Mirage

OP posts:

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JoolsToo · 31/10/2004 00:12

my second was much easier then the first - I had an epidural (sorry I've had a glass or 2 toneet)

blossomhill · 31/10/2004 00:14

Me too joolstoo. The thing with my 2nd labour I was offered a mobile epidural. I didn't realise I would feel everything when I was pushing. It was awful as I was expecting it to be numb like when I had ds. Should have been explained but never mind it was 5 years ago!

jampot · 31/10/2004 00:16

dd took 62 hours
ds took about 1 hour

admittedly both born by c/s - dd -emergency ds - elective

sweetkitty · 31/10/2004 00:19

very interesting thread I was timed officially at 4 hours 20 mins first time, was 1-2 cms on arrival wasn't checked again until I was 9 and a half a few hours later and screaming I needed to push

linnet · 31/10/2004 00:32

Bonym, I have 6 years 9 months bewteen my two dd's. And the 2nd birth was quicker than the first. I asked the same question earlier this year when I was pregnant. It doesn't matter how long an age gap in between is, if your body has done labour and delivery once it remembers it the second time.

Mirage with my dd1 I was 20 hours in labour.
dd2 I was 12 hours in labour.

Original poster

Mirage · 31/10/2004 20:35

Fab stuff ladies- very interesting so please keep them coming.

I don't mind hearing about the 'more difficult' second births either,I'd rather know what can happen than make assumptions.

Stripymouse,I seriously considered a homebirth,as I had no time for any pain relief with dd, I wouldn't be any worse off pain relief wise if I gave birth at home.Only when I saw the line come up on my pregnancy test,I was overcome by cowardice & opted for hospital.Still,I suppose there is plenty of time to change my mind & the option might be taken out of my hands.

All you ladies who endured hours & hours of labour-my legs are crossed in sympathy!

OP posts:

motherinferior · 31/10/2004 20:38

Mirage, do CAT me if you want a copy of the piece, since it was out several months ago now. Quotes various MNers about it all.

velcrobott · 31/10/2004 21:06

I was also told that if your first was induced the time it took was skewed by the drugs... so a fast 1st time labour after an induction doesn't mean the 2nd labour will be faster ?

midden · 31/10/2004 23:04

Mirage, since you mention home birth I thought I would add this. my first labour was around 6 hrs. Second time I ate a large plate of supper at 7pm, felt contractions coming on, put my 2 yr old to bed and just had time to call the midwife before my dd was born at 9pm. Dh and I were tucked up in bed with new babe by ten and when 2 yr old burst in in the morning to see his new baby sister we were all well rested. Can honestly say it was all very relaxed, and a lovely way for our first child to meet new sibling. Could not possibly have contemplated getting in a car to go to a hospital at any stage.

Sallie · 02/11/2004 13:37

My first labour was 20 hours although had an epidural at about 12 hrs which tends to slow things down. Nearly had second baby at home/in the car. Labour was 3 hours and would have been quicker had she not been posterior (ouch!). It was more painful because she was back to back. My one piece of advice is not to hang around when you go into labout with no 2

msann · 02/11/2004 13:40

hate 2 b smug... but will prob sound it.... both my labours EXACTLY 3 1/2 hrs long....still hurt same too ! lol

pinkpootle · 02/11/2004 14:10

My first = induced at hospital, 29 hours long, pethidine, gas and air, hundreds of epidurals, ventouse delivery, episiotomy, stitches - 9lb 5oz baby
My second (21 months later) = induced from castor oil and sex?, 6 hours long, no drugs, in the pool, no stitches - 7lb 15oz baby

Was scared my second would be bigger as everyone told me it would! Phewweee

dinny · 03/11/2004 22:51

1st - 6 hours, 10 min 2nd stage, gas and air, no stitches (6.7lb baby)
2nd 5 hours, 30 min 2nd stage, no drugs, no stitches but bub got stuck and midwives did emergency manouevre to get him out. (9lb2 baby)

1st was easier but 2nd much more chilled (except when baby got stuck).

meysey · 19/11/2004 11:54

mostly but not always. my second took twice as long due to non-ideal psotion, though he then popped out in 3 pushes!

Sallie · 19/11/2004 12:09

My sil had an emergency c/s with no1 and then had a vbac. However, the labour with no 2 was long and painful and there was lots of damage to sort out after. It just so depends on many factors but on the whole, yes, they do appear to be easier. Perhaps because you know what to expect and so there isn't so much panic going on....

dinny · 19/11/2004 21:52

my 2nd labour was about same length aa first (56 hours) but much harder (1st baby 6lb 7, 2nd 9lb 2). 2nd baby got stuck which was scary but easily resolved. felt much more in control with 2nd though - had gas with 1st and nothing with 2nd. Good luck.

dinny · 19/11/2004 21:52

sorry, that should read 5 hours, not 56!

pupuce · 19/11/2004 21:54

56h????? Diny... that's a typo if I read your post a little earlier
Did you like having a doula ?

pupuce · 19/11/2004 21:54

posts crossed

lockets · 19/11/2004 21:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

anonmum · 19/11/2004 21:59

1st DS - about 9 hours
2nd DS - about 4 hours
much easier 2nd time round

carla · 19/11/2004 22:01

IMHO yes, 2 hours with dd2, 3 with dd1, they hurt tho ...

Socci · 19/11/2004 22:02

Message withdrawn

dinny · 19/11/2004 22:28

Lockets (have mailed you!) ds's shoulders got stuck. Did your dd's? Was so scary. Great big bruiser he is I defo was much more in control 2nd time though (except for that bit!)

Pupuce, I LOVED having a doula - made a lot of difference. Didn't even want any gas and air felt so in control. `And not even a tiny tear/scrape (despite fairly traumatic end of 2nd stage). But I didn't tear first time either.I'd thoroughly recommend having a doula - will have her again if I am ever mad enough to do it another time!

joash · 19/11/2004 22:46

1st birth - 27 hours
2nd - 8 hours
3rd - 25 mins (and no contractions)!!

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