subsequent births - how like first?

[katzguk]

my first birth was slightly unusual in that my waters broke and i didn't start contracting naturally, had to have a hormone drip, which was inserted 2 days after waters breaking. What i'm wondering is am i likely to do the same again or has anyone else whos had this gone on to labour naturally. Second baby is a long way off June but just thinking about childcare, if had same labour as first then my mmum could come up and be settled in before i went to hospital to have number 2.

No reason to be the same.... you may well have your waters go early again but that doesn't mean labour won't start off on its own this time.
My 2 were different.

dd1, same thing happened as with u, was started on drip 24hrs after waters broke. dd1 didnt appear till 12hrs later.

dd2, woke up at 5am with contractions, had a show, was at hospital by 6.30am, had dd2 before 8am.

Same happened to me with dd - I was induced 48 hours after my waters broke and ended up with a cs. With ds (6 months ago) labour started naturally at 5pm, ds born 6am next day (my waters broke when I was around 7cm) and we were all home by lunchtime - a very satisfying vbac.

It may help you to try to understand why it happened last time. This isn't always possible but in my own case dd was slightly op and her rather large head was pressing on the amniotic sack causing the waters to go before she was ready to get started - so it was more to do with her shape than with mine really. Ds has a much smaller head!

they could give no reason why i did what i did first time round. I was also left for nearly 56 hrs before being induced and then the labour was then 4½ hrs from drip going in to DD coming out. Which suprised the midwife she was expecting a long haul labour as these normally are, especially for a first timer.

You stories are reassuring if just to let me know i'm not wierd not contracting first time round, was never even told it was a possibilty in ante-natal classes!!

Katzguk, whne your waters break you "usually" start labour naturally within 24 to 48 hours (hence when hospitals offer inductions after 24h... it is a bit of a shame as one my still start spontaneously a few hours later). Some women will need more time (I think it also depends if it was your hindwaters that leaked or your forewaters - hindwaters I have notice don't always start labour... don't know what Mears think).
Anyway research now says you can now safely wait 96 hours before induction (not thay hospital ahve adapted their policies!).
Did your waters trickle or splash and did you loose anymore water during or at then end of labour ?

Hi

Same thing happened to me with ds1. Ended up with an emergency c-section after he got stuck. With ds2, I went into labour naturally, but still had 24 hours before he appeared! Managed to avoid second c-section, but had a ventouse delivery instead. DS1 was looked after by my sister and mum whilst I laboured in hospital.

Good luck for June anyway!

Yep, both of my labours were the same. Both mega quick. With the 1st my contractions started, lasted a minute and a half and were coming every 30 seconds. Believe me they weren't mild contraction either. 1hour and 26 minutes after my 1st contraction ds was born. The same pattern followed with my second except dd was born in and hour and 24 minutes. I hadn't planned for natural births. I was adament I was having every drug going. In the end I did it with just a tens and gas and air.

quite different, first one started off very slowly then waters broke, all in all about 7-8 hours.

second one, was 5 days later than first one, waters didn't go until in established labour, which was only a couple of hours!!

My two were similar in that they started off naturally and quite slow and sedate and then from 5 cm onwards took off like a rocket, very intense and dilating fast with a mercifully short transition phase. However, ds ended in an emergency c-section due to being stuck and dd was born vaginally, so there were obviously different things going on inside! I do think that once the body has laboured once, it is more likely to "know what to do" and start of naturally 2nd time, although that is just IMHO and not a scientific fact.

It is a bit of a scientific fact, apparently, Wilbur - your cervix has never quite closed, your body's been programmed to do it all, etc etc.

My labours were totally different: first one did start naturally but boy did it take ages and ages and AGES and then go pearshaped. Second one started with a whoosh of waters and ended in a baby seven very straightforward hours later.

my dd1 was really long contracting on and off for 5 days. i was sent home three times from hospital. i also was sick all the was through. i found the midwifes really rude cause i was only 18 and like any first time mum very unsure of what woul happen. however the midwifes the delivered megan were great.
DD2 was quicker. 1 contracted at home for 24 hours then went in at 6 in the morning. i was 5 cms. then it was really quick i had my second daughter at 7.45. the midwifes were great. this birth was more enjoyable as i knew what was expected. however both my girls got there shoulders stuck which is really scary.

Mine were completely different.

same here - very different.
DD (1st) 12 hours long, waters never broke on their own, labour progressed very nicely, epidural and ventouse delivery - everybody happy..
DS waters gushed and nothing for 48 hours, like you. When I was admitted for induction they found I was already 4cm dilated (it must have been flapping in the wind from before as I never felt a thing!!) synto started at 9am, epidural in at 9.30am and baby out with no ventouse this time, at 12.00 - just in time for lunch!!

hi all

1st labour (2.5 weeks early) waters trickled (thought i had wet myself heehee) at 8.30pm had son at 10.43pm. Only allowed gas and air, thoght it was useless

2nd labour (3 days late) very similar to 1st waters trickled at 3.10am had son at 5.02am. had gas and air again, thought it better

3rd labour water went pop (almost 4 weeks early) at 11.30am. felt nothing elsefor about half hour, on way to hospital when contractions started 3 mins apart. had gas and air again and loved it, smiling away between contractions. a son at 2pm

Don't worry! After 26 hours of hell first time round, second time my waters broke first and easy twenty minute labour and 9lb 7oz baby followed four hours later. Only thing was, I was scared to go to sleep in case I'd dreamt such an easy time!