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!

Was your second labour quicker?
No it was fast but slower than my first 3cm to giving birth in 35 minutes

Less intervention? No intervention for any of my pregnancies.

Better recovery? I'd say it was the same.

Did you feel like you had it more under control from remembering the first time?
No there was 10years between my first 2 children by that point it felt like I'd forgot everything.

Thanks for all the comments!
My first labour overall was 8 and a half hours from the first contraction (the one that woke me up).
But I dilated very quickly once at the hospital (4-9cm within the hour). I lost complete control and constantly felt pressure and was just pushing, they wouldn't check because I was only 4cm when I turned up.
Eventually they checked again and was 9cm, they told me to go for it and just push as I please but baby's heart rate wasn't picking up quick enough so we had a few emergency buttons pressed.

He was born 30 minutes later by ventouse and episiotomy.
Im hoping second time round I'll have a little more composure 😂

For anyone who is due their second, make sure to check back and either let us all know how it went and I'll be sure to do the same when my time comes 😊 good luck!

Went into labour at 1.30am and she was born at 3am. Planned homebirth altho midwives only just arrived in time to catch her! First labour was fairly quick for a first time (6hrs) but didn't expect second time to be sooo much faster.

Recovery and breastfeeding much easier

First was spinal and forceps in theatre. 20 hour labour. Lots of recovery time needed for my stitches plus strong painkillers.

Second was born in an hour after having 'twinges' on and off all day 😂. Waters broke at 2 and baby was here at 3. I was making us all dinner by 5...

Second birth had first contraction at 8.45am. DS was born in an ambulance at 10.14am I pushed twice and he was handed over to me. It was so quick that I wasn't expecting it and was really confused when the paramedic passed the baby to me. DC3 was very quick as well

First baby 15 hours from waters breaking to delivery. (41 weeks 3.5kg)
Second baby 20 mins from waters breaking to delivery-she wanted out!! (38 weeks 2.5kg) Lol

Second was longer (38hrs) and almost a carbon copy of the first except they missed out a lot of the interventions as it was clear I'd need an EMCS in the end, same as the first time.

Was much less painful however (the labour, the emcs is painless ! )

Recovery was the same near enough but I felt less foggy as I didn't haemorrhage with my 2nd.

I didn’t realise I was in full blown labour with no. 2. as it was far less painful than no.1. So much so I didn’t make it out of the house to go to hospital as I thought they’d just tell me I was only just getting going.
1st labour 30 hours of exhausting labour. 2nd, not quite sure when it started but the back to back contractions and pushing took less than 2 hours. The midwife arrived just in time and my husband delivered my son in our bedroom.

Following as due no.2 in December!

I can't believe how many births here were so short! My dd was born via emcs after 33 hours lol. I'm aiming for a vbac and anything less than that would be a bonus 😂.

All you ladies with your super fast births! My DS was born just shy of 26 hours after first twinge. He was a forceps and episiotomy in theatre jobby. Hoping for a bit quicker this time but not so quick that I can't get to hospital!

First was natural and when I called hospital they just said to call back tomorrow as firsts take ages. I knew from the pain it wasn't right so said I hadn't felt baby move to get a check. When I turned up I was told I would probably be sent home after obs. The midwife said she had to eat her hat as I was in establish labour and had to stay in. That was 9pm and he was born via ventouse with epi at 10:18 following morning. Had a tear and lost 1.5 litres of blood so was anaemic and long recovery.

Second 8 years later, was told by the other hospital I was at this time it wouldn't have been a tear with that blood loss and was a haemorrhage. So they planned for me to have meds straight after to stop the bleeding quickly. I was overdue this time and induced as lack of movement. Waters broken at 3pm, put on drip at 7:30pm and had her by 9:41pm. All the midwives kept telling me how fast it was... As I was induced pain was really instantly hard and fast but only had gas and air. This was after the midwife looking after me said my friend was wrong for saying she would be born that side of midnight...on drip for haemorrhage prevention and on ward by 3am, home within 24hrs of her birth.

Oh should have said first was a back to back

First was 28 hours from first twinge. Ended in theatre forceps and haemorrhage. Took about 2 weeks to feel close to human again.

Second was just over 2.5 hours from first twinge. Didn't think I was even close to being in established labour. I knew things were progressing quicker but not that quick! Barely made it to the hospital in time. Recovery was like night and day. Felt like I could have done it again. We stayed the night as there was meconium but if it hadn't been for that I'd have been home in time to put my toddler to bed. As it was so quick, I actually felt less control second time but I had way more trust that my body knew what it was doing and it did.

Quite different because I was induced at 37 weeks because my waters leaked at 35. But pushing was much much quicker.

Way quicker, less painful and amazing. Helped me get over my fear of labour as my first was so awful

Even though I’d given birth before I did the positive birth company hypnobirthing course. I learnt so much!

my second birth was much more straightforward and a lovely one to finish on!

the only thing worse was the pains afterwards when everything squeezed back into place. Apparently they got more intense with each recovery!

Was your second labour quicker?
Yes.
First was relatively quick and second was quicker.

Less intervention?
Yes
DC1 - more intervention than I wanted. Continuous monitoring, multiple vaginal examinations (most of which I don't even recall), an episiotomy, then McRoberts manoeuvre for partial shoulder dystocia.
DC2 - none at all for most of it. Midwife only just made it in time. Had assisted third stage.

Better recovery?
Yes much better.
With DC1, after the episiotomy (and maybe because of the shoulder dystocia) I was extremely sore and couldn't sit comfortably for days, I used cushions for ages. I also had to have a catheter put in after the birth (as I hadn't managed to empty my bladder and they were worried it had been too long) and ended up having IV antibiotics as I developed a uterine infection (which I think was due to all the VEs after my waters broke, but who knows). Then I got mastitis due to undiagnosed tongue tie. Fun times.
DC2, I did have stitches for a tear but it was much less sore and healed much more quickly. Managed to escape catheter and infections.

Did you feel like you had it more under control from remembering the first time?
Yes and no.
First time, I felt reasonably in control to begin with, but not when things ramped up and I went into hospital, due to the way things progressed more quickly than I'd anticipated, and due to the way I was treated by the first midwife as well as the subsequent chain of events. I felt disempowered, unsupported and distressed. And in hindsight I think I was pretty out of it due to the gas and air.
Second time, I had put a lot of thought into the support I wanted in place and hired a doula, but I didn't feel in control as such in the run up to the birth, because covid restrictions meant that I wasn't allowed to have both my husband and my doula with me, and I was worrying about that. I had somehow assumed that the sensations of early labour would be the same or similar, so when they were different, I didn't realise (or perhaps was slightly in denial?!) to begin with. I didn't feel in control of what was happening, as the pain was debilitating. However, being alone meant that I was at least in control of what I did (no one to support me but also no one to take over against my instincts). When my doula and then the midwife arrived, I felt supported and respected, and I also felt able to give or withhold my consent. I didn't have gas and air either (was too late by the time the midwives arrived) and felt much more lucid.

So second time around I guess I was more in control, but tbh I don't think your rational mind is ever in control when you give birth - your body takes over and you have to just go with it basically.

First was about 12 hours and epidural and second was very quick about 2 hours gas and air but I was in latent stage for days which I did not enjoy at all.

Contractions were worse second time, actually bad the first time too but second time was pretty unbearable. Thank god I never have to do it again!

OP my first birth was pretty much identical to yours! Except my waters went first at 3am, DD1 came at 11pm but I had the same very fast progression once it got going and nobody believing me when I said how much I was struggling. All the “that baby’s not coming tonight,” comments before they examined me…Lo and behold I was checked and I was fully dilated. Also had the ventouse and episiotomy.

My second birth was at home (planned). Much shorter. 4 hours. And yes I remembered how to breathe through them this time and knew what to expect which during my pregnancy was awful and I was so anxious. But once it started I felt weirdly calm and knew what to do. She was born without any help on my sitting room floor, it was as blissful as pushing a melon out of a tiny hole can be 😂 and genuinely nowhere near as bad as I had built it up in my mind.

Congrats and good luck for no 2 x

Way quicker

12 hours vs 3 hours
Epidural and forceps vs nothing
5 day stay vs 5 hours stay

First was 16 hours from SRM to delivery, v painful as O-P (back to back) position. Needed entonox and tens machine for the final hour. Spontaneous delivery.
Second was shorter at 6 hours, no analgesia, another spontaneous delivery. But DD had a brain haemorrhage during labour, and arrived almost dead, with an Apgar of 1. Needed paediatric crash team, intracardiac adrenaline, intubation, ventilation, 3 different iv anticonvulsants, brain scan and a week in neonatal ITU.
So no, it’s not always more straightforward second time round. I’m just damn glad I hadn’t opted for home delivery, as DD would have died.

2nd labour was 41 minutes start to finish and two paracetamol which had no time to work.

3rd labour was 34 minutes all in and zero pain relief.

Labour stories can be hugely over egged so just go with the flow and don't makes plans!!

Much quicker and easier than my first. I couldn’t believe how quickly it went (on the bathroom floor!)

DS1 - was 37 weeks + 5 - started getting non painful regular contractions around dinner time, at midnight they started to hurt but was manageable until 5.30 am then went into hospital was 6cm - he was born at 9.20am. I had an epidural as I was scared of the pain, control was fine, a lovely nurse chatted to me and my oh translated as i didnt know language at time. recovery was hard, control out the window, I had had an episiotomy and that had got infected from a stomach bug i had. baby had severe jaundice and 5 days under lights I was a mess physically and emotionally he was tiny at 5lb 7. 20 mins pushingNow is a giant 8 year old wearing 11-12 clothes.

DS2 37 weeks + 4

I was in bed when a vvvv strong 'braxton hick' woke me up 2 times, no pain but felt like a bowling ball in my nightie. went back to bed both times, nothing else happened. got up took my 2 year old to nursery in morning was feeling great sunny day in June, went to my 37 week standard appointment at hospital (where i live this is normal) they checked heartbeat etc and also check how cervix is doing- it was during this exam the student dr called over the actual dr who examined me and declared i was 6cm and needed to go to delivery this was at 12.30pm. had another epidural, so I had zero pain with him and he as born at 16.40 that day 5 mins 3 pushes. 6lb boy. I had had another episiotomy but recovery was wayyyyy easier and i was mentally much better he had to go under light 2 days but is about to turn 6 years old.

DD1 38 weeks + 5

my little girl tried to be born at 31 weeks i started having small contractions and they could be seen on hospital machine so i was on bed rest 1 week in hospital and rest at home as I was already 2cm dilated. I was then 3-4 cm at 35 weeks 4-5cm at 37/38 weeks. I went for appointment at hospital and was 5-6cm but no action, she warned me to be careful and get back asap when it kicked off, went home made a sandwich at 1pm, by 1.30 i felt twinges by 2.30 I had been timing and every 4 mins and it reallly really hurt, back to hospital I was 8cm at 3.30, everyone rushing around had epidural to help me as i was panicking at the speed. epidural at 4pm DD born at 4.50pm, and btw do NOT leave it too long if you want an epidural, the pain pushing her out I physically stopped pushing I have no idea how you ladies push without anything, the epidural didn't work properly, i pushed her out in 1 2 pushes cos I stopped halfway saying no i dont want to lol my body pushed her out without my consent. recovery also very easy, 1 night under lights my kids do love jaundice - 7lbs girl, she ripped me up quite a lot and im not right there 6m on. I felt in control until I pushed I was overwelmed by the pain and that didn't help my mental panicking.

Whatever birth you have the first is so scary but that baby makes you a mum and you grow up and so much tougher than you ever thought you could be. So second could be just as hard but your already a mum power through so much, more capable than we probably realise