Second labours - what was yours like?

[fja]

Was your second labour quicker?

Less intervention?

Better recovery?

Did you feel like you had it more under control from remembering the first time?

Thank you!

Following, due Baby #2 in September

Fast asleep and woke at midnight when water's went....
Speedy drive to hospital and was holding a 9. 3 ds at 2. 55 am!!

@Littlebirdyouaresosweet

Wow!! Very quick! Was your first a quick labour too?

@YouBoggleMyMind
Aw congratulations!
I'm due august 😊 slightly petrified lol

First one - induced, felt loss of control and struggled to manage the pain on gas and air.

second one - naturally started, felt much more in control and able to manage the pain on gas and air.

@fja ah thank you. Very excited but I wish I knew how it would go lol 😆

45 minutes start to finish. Very easy compared to my first. Recovered really well. It was a dream birth and likely my favourite out all three. No 3 was faster and he was bigger so it was all a mad rush.

@IAmSantaOhYesIAm
I must admit I was the same with my first, I totally lost control, the gas and air helped but only when I was told to use it because I just kept forgetting it was even there 🤣

@YouBoggleMyMind
Oh tell me about it 😂

Labour for number one was about 7 hours. DC2 about 2 hours.

First baby (39+6):
22 hrs from first contraction
Had waters broken, epidural, episiotomy & forceps
1 night stay on post natal ward
Recovery from birth and stitches was fine

Second baby (40+6):
6 hrs from first contraction
Had waters broken & epidural
1 night stay on post natal ward
Recovery from birth was fine

Knew exactly what I wanted 2nd time round (epidural) as my bp had gone sky high the first time during labour. So because I was aware of that, I wasn't as panicked with dd2 when it showed my bp as 176 over something!

DC2 was potentially more problematic though as he was in distress with cord wrapped around his neck and had a ventouse delivery.

These are all good to read.
I'm due number 2 at the end of January.
My first was 7 hours from the first contraction that woke me up at 3am so I was wondering if my 2nd would be quicker

Thanks for the thread! I'm due #2 in Nov and will now be a 30min drive from the hospital, will also have our toddler to sort out.

First was about 36hrs from first contraction to delivery so I'd be happy with a much shorter labour this time round ...... perhaps not 2hrs though 😅

Speedy. Out of control. Fantastically short!

I was induced both times for medical reasons. Baby 1 took 15 hours from first contractions to birth, with an hour and a bit of pushing. Baby 2 took 3 hours, with 5 mins of pushing. Once I’d recovered from the shock (as I was expecting to be there all day again), I was delighted.

The other key difference was first time round I was terrified to leave the labour ward for post natal, and then to leave the post natal ward to go home as I felt absolutely clueless. Second time round I don’t think they’d finished stitching me up before I was asking when I could go home!

First birth, waters broke born 30 mins later no pain relief.

Second birth, waters broke born 17 mins later a bit of gas and air, did the school run the next day and felt ok.

Was in hospital both times already, both were induced and born within 10 hours of the pessary going in and waters broke naturally during that time

I'm due in 4 weeks with my second, following this thread 😀

First, straightforward 4 hours in pool in hospital
Seconds, straightforward 40 mins at home.
Preferred my first labour, had more time to enjoy it

Yes, yes, yes, yes!
Woke up at 5am not sure if I was in labour, realised 40 mins later I was after timing them. Got to hospital around 7.30am after my contraction timer app told me it was time to go in plus I had a bloody show. DS was born just over an hour later in just 3 pushes (and the first push was my waters!). It was literally the dream.

45 mins start to finish. Born before any medical help arrived. Terrifying.

My second one was so easy, it was a pleasure from start to finish. About 6 hours from the very first twinge, no drugs and it didn't even hurt that much.

It was the most empowering experience of my life.

1st was an induction, official time was 35minutes (4cm- being born) but totally from first contractions was about 5 hours.

2nd was naturally started, contractions started at 12pm, baby born back to back at 6am the next day, official labour time of 1hr 25 minutes.

Second was definitely harder and longer. Not holding out hope for an easy 3rd!! 😂

quicker? - yes

Less intervention? - yes

Better recovery? - much much much better

Did you feel like you had it more under control from remembering the first time? - yes, absolutely. My body, and my mind, knew what was happening this time.

Good luck

About 2 hours with first baby, no control whatsoever, longer labour with second baby, 12hours, much more in control, lovely midwife, really enjoyed it. Third baby, about 5 hours and home for lunch.
if I could turn back time I would have had three more.

Quicker than first. Quicker recovery. Dc1 I was in hospital for a few days. Dc2 I was up and showering shortly after and home the next day.

Second was so much quicker for me, I didn't even make it into the delivery room. If anything I preferred my long slow first labour because the intensity of the contractions took me by surprise with the second, there was no build up to it. But it was lovely to be in and out of hospital and back in my bed at home with a newborn within 3 hours.