Are second births always easier/quicker?

[Mirage]

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

Perhaps I should have added
1st - 6lb 15oz
2nd - 7lb 5oz
3rd - 8lb 12oz

2nd & third much, much easier.

1st - induced, about 12 hours, out of my tree most of the time on gas & air, just as well because needed ventouse AND forceps. It was horrible for DH, but lovely lovely gas & air for me, felt hardly any pain.

2nd - induced again, but this time about 5 hours in total, much easier and more 'natural', felt more in control, gas and air only after about 3 hours. (TENS m/c before that.) The last 10 mins or so of contractions were v.v.v.v. painful. Had pethedine but no time for it to kick in. Be prepared for pain!

On the whole tho definitely preferred no 2. I recovered quicker and felt more part of the whole thing. Finally realised what it was all about!

Think they should sell entonox at Boots though, no-one would bother trying illegal drugs after that.

First 15 hrs, 9lb 3oz
Second 2 hrs, 8lb 14oz
Third about 3 hrs proper labour, altho waters had broken day before... 8lb 4oz

So getting smaller

But mirage, you really should consider a home birth. I wanted to with no 3 but they took me in cos my waters had broken and nothing was happening. Should have done it with no 2 in hindsight, as he was almost born in the lift. But we lived in a flat and I didn't want to wake the neighbours

Thanks again,this is fab feedback.

Tickle,I am considering a home birth again now.Before I found out I was pregnant,I'd already said that I got no pain relief at hospital that I couldn't have gotten at home & I'd have had a good nights sleep afterwards too.But seeing that little line on the test stick sent my poor brain into overdrive & I forgot all of my well thought out reasoning.Anyway,as dh says,I may not have the option of hospital if this one is quicker than dd.

Wordsmith-you are right about gas & air.They took it off me whilst I was pushing,but I got it back when they did my stitches.I was high as a kite & told the midwives that Tony Blair ought to give them all a big payrise.Seriously though,I would pay good money for that stuff!

You can have gas and air at home

My second was fantastic experience at home compared to the first when I felt it was far more medical. Second felt more natural - body was more prepared! Midwives were great for homebirth and I was relaxed. Highly recommended!

I yearn, frequently, for a shot of gas'n'air at the end of a difficult day.

Had so much during my home birth I was blissfully out of my tree when I delivered.

Yep, First birth circa 30 hours labour - agonising and horrible. Had forceps and ventouse.

2nd birth hardly hurt (I kid you not! I wasn't even convinced I was in labour until I was examined on mat ward and found to be 7 cms dilated) and it took only 6 hours. I was elated afterwards