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Childbirth

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

Original poster

What was your second labour like?

81 replies

Raz1564 · 13/03/2023 23:34

I've heard time and time again that the second labour is quicker and more intense than the first. I have a one year old and am birthing soonish in a month's time. I just wanted to know what other mum's experiences were with their second. I'm trying to decide on whether a home birth would be more worth it if my labour will be quick.

OP posts:
WhisperingAutistic · 13/03/2023 23:36

Second was quicker, third even quicker still!

DelurkingAJ · 13/03/2023 23:37

Much quicker and easier.

Original poster
Raz1564 · 13/03/2023 23:38

What was your first Vs your second like in terms of how long it took? ...

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febbabies2023 · 13/03/2023 23:38

DC 1 was a 23 hour labour ending in emergency c section
DC2 was a VBAC (3 weeks ago) and labour was 7 hours so much quicker

tillyoumakeit · 13/03/2023 23:43

1st baby about 12 hours - very straight forward, home birth in a pool. 2nd about 6-7 hours - only last 2ish hours were really full on, again straight forward at home in a pool (midwives only just made it about 10 mins before he was born!!) Good luck 🙂

DramaAlpaca · 13/03/2023 23:43

Much quicker, easier and I didn't need as much pain relief.

DC1 was 21 hours and an epidural.

DC2 was 12 hours with tens machine plus gas & air.

DC3 was 5 hours, home birth with gas & air. The home birth was amazing.

Flittingaboutagain · 13/03/2023 23:44

I'm here with newborn baby 2. It was very similar in that once I got to established labour I delivered in under two hours. However the journey to there was so different. With my first, I had a premmie and the whole thing was quick. This baby took days of contracting to get going. But both times it wasn't until contractions were back to back that there was any regularity. I could have a contraction then nothing for twenty mins then five in 10 mins next etc. So my body never fits the typical mould.

It's useful to plan a home birth for a second because you're all set up if baby comes quickly and can always change your mind on the day.

Original poster
Raz1564 · 13/03/2023 23:50

Ugh I really want a home birth but the midwife team are on and off. So they've said it's a 50/50 chance it'll be on and that in itself is quite stressful and putting me off as I can't fully plan for it.

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Guineapiggiesmalls · 13/03/2023 23:55

First was 11 hours from waters breaking. Second was just over 2. I loved my second birth, it was worlds apart from the first and actually enjoyable! Wishing you the same!

ShesThunderstorms · 13/03/2023 23:57

Under an hour. I felt a bit shell shocked for a while afterwards! More painful than the first.

maddy68 · 13/03/2023 23:57

Quick and easy

IHateLegDay · 13/03/2023 23:59

First birth was 21 hours and the pain was manageable.
Second birth was 11 hours but the pain was much more intense so I opted for an epidural! It was fab 😂 I just chilled and watched TV until it was time to push.

Original poster
Raz1564 · 14/03/2023 00:00

Glad to hear people have had easier second births. I had a relatively straight forward first birth with no complications and used a tens machine. Took 12 hrs from established labour and 24hrs in total. I wanted a water birth but the pool wasn't working at the hospital on the day.

I'm confused if I should have a home birth especially if it's going to be quicker. I really hated the journey to the hospital and the thought of contractions becoming intense quicker during the car journey frightens me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Raz1564 · 14/03/2023 00:01

IHateLegDay · 13/03/2023 23:59

First birth was 21 hours and the pain was manageable.
Second birth was 11 hours but the pain was much more intense so I opted for an epidural! It was fab 😂 I just chilled and watched TV until it was time to push.

There's just no way to predict these things. 😭

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lovechickencrisps · 14/03/2023 00:02

Sorry to say but my second was longer by 3 hours but baby was bigger. I've always wondered if size had anything to do with it.

MillicentTrilbyHiggins · 14/03/2023 00:04

DC1. 18 hours established labour, plus about 2 days of contractions before then.

DC2. Less than 2 hours from 1st contraction to delivery. Far more intense. More painful. I went into some kind of shock and couldn't stop shaking after.

If I did it again I'd chose the 1st Labour!

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 14/03/2023 00:05

My second was my longest labour, because DC was the biggest, and was back to back, and had a hand up over their head, and was just generally really awkward. I did enjoy it though, and it was nice to be able to have a midwife there, even if it was still too fast for pain relief (about 2 hours 40 mins) I really wanted to try gas and air but maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t given the stuff that’s coming out about it now.

I personally would not try and leave the house in labour, it’s not a good idea for me.

Original poster
Raz1564 · 14/03/2023 00:10

I might just go to the hospital earlier than I need to ... The car journey is around 40 mins in traffic so if I leave it late I could end up delivering in the car according to some of your experiences 😭

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ButterfliesandMoths · 14/03/2023 00:11

1st - 8 1/2 hours
2nd - 4 hours planned home birth

LangClegsInSpace · 14/03/2023 00:27

My first labour was 6 hours (hospital), my second was 4 (home).

Both very straightforward but the second time I had 2 days of mild, on-off pre-labour pains before it started properly. Don't know whether that's because he was my second or because he was back to back, or just chance. I also had much stronger afterpains.

I tore the first time but not the second and I recovered much quicker the second time but I think this is because I was much fitter.

I shat both times 😎

Fabtastic12 · 14/03/2023 00:38

3 days of labour with my first!! He was back to back and I ended up with an episiotomy, forceps a torn artery and having to have a blood transfusion. So I really hoped second time would be better than that... luckily it was.

With my second, I started having contractions early evening, went into hospital at 1am and she was born around 10am. So about 16 hours start to finish and no pain relief. Not exactly quick but pretty textbook in comparison to my first.

LangClegsInSpace · 14/03/2023 00:45

Raz1564 · 14/03/2023 00:00

Glad to hear people have had easier second births. I had a relatively straight forward first birth with no complications and used a tens machine. Took 12 hrs from established labour and 24hrs in total. I wanted a water birth but the pool wasn't working at the hospital on the day.

I'm confused if I should have a home birth especially if it's going to be quicker. I really hated the journey to the hospital and the thought of contractions becoming intense quicker during the car journey frightens me.

With these timescales for your first labour you don't need to worry about getting there in time. I don't think they'd admit you before you were in established labour anyway so the journey would be the same.

If you want a home birth then go ahead and plan it. There are a few reasons you could end up in hospital - service capacity, complications, or just changing your mind on the day, so you need to plan for those as well, but start by planning the birth you want.

cucumberegg · 14/03/2023 00:47

First was 2 hours, easy peasy, tiny 2nd degree tear

Second was 4 hours, back to back, agony. No tear though

Thepossibility · 14/03/2023 00:51

Pretty similar to my first.
Third labour was a dream though, SO SO much easier.

Original poster
Raz1564 · 14/03/2023 00:52

LangClegsInSpace · 14/03/2023 00:45

With these timescales for your first labour you don't need to worry about getting there in time. I don't think they'd admit you before you were in established labour anyway so the journey would be the same.

If you want a home birth then go ahead and plan it. There are a few reasons you could end up in hospital - service capacity, complications, or just changing your mind on the day, so you need to plan for those as well, but start by planning the birth you want.

Show quote history

I think I would 100percent opt for a home birth if the service was running but it's running 50percent of the time at the moment which is putting me off. I've been getting calls every day saying the service is off today between xyz times and it's just putting me off it all.

Think I'll just go to the hospital early. With DS1 I thought I was very early going to the hospital and I was 5cm. I don't mind going and doing a bit of the early labour there too if needs be. Better than travelling back and forth.

OP posts: