What was your second labour like?

[Raz1564]

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.

I was induced at 37 weeks with my second. If it wasn't for the epidural I would've had the baby within hours of having my waters popped and pessary inserted. Thing is before they even popped my waters I was already dilated - so yeah and the women In my mums side have a history of having quick births.

I had a home birth for my second. It was a lovely experience. It was 17 years ago so resources may have changed, but I felt relaxed and well supported throughout. With my first I felt like I was left alone a lot and he needed more intervention. Neither were quick but DS2 was quicker than the first.

Mine was much longer and more painful.
Bigger baby in an awkward position.

I don’t think you can predict it. I was so angry because everyone told me it would be a breeze 😄

My first birth was 13 years ago... I'm due to give birth again any day now. Do yous think my body actually knows this is my 2nd or will it be back in "1st baby" mode 😂🤦‍♀️ midwives all give different answers and Dr Google hasn't been much help 😂 x

Overdue 2 weeks 1st baby, induction, long labour which resulted in emergency c section. 2nd baby VBAC 1 day after due date here in 3 hours start to finish from 1st contraction. Amazing labour

First birth I had a long labour. About 24 hours in I was transferred from a stand alone birth unit to the delivery suite by ambulance. DD born by CS 24 hours later after pethidine, epidural etc.

Second birth was VBAC, 3 hours from established labour to birth and about six hours of building contractions at home before that.

I cannot emphasise enough how unpleasant the ambulance transfer in my first birth was - had to lie on my back and be strapped down, felt every bump we went over on the road etc, I was screaming my head off and totally lost it. I'd avoid a home birth just due to the risk of ambulance transfer in labour.

In your shoes I'd go for a midwife-led unit within a bigger hospital, which gives you the best of all worlds and an easy transfer to a consultant-led delivery suite if you need it.

First baby was 12hrs+, epidural, episiotomy and ventouse delivery. Quite traumatic, DD and I both very stressed. All fine afterwards though, no problems for me or her.

Second baby was 20mins of pushing, no time for anything except gas and air. He was nearly born in the car! I had a slight tear along the old episiotomy scar, and I did have a small PPH but that was because the placenta wouldn't come out, not because he was the second born!

If you go for a home birth and have the funds, you can sometimes get private midwives to attend them. Worth investigating.

1st baby - went to hospital with sudden very quick contractions. Had baby just over 2 hours later - active labour of 45 minutes

2nd baby - in/out of hospital for nearly 10 weeks with pre-term labour scares. Waters broke around 4am. Went into hospital and then nothing happened for ages. Suddenly went into labour at about 5pm and had baby 40 minutes later

1st Labour 2 hours
2nd Labour 1 hour - only just made it to hospital
3rd Labour - all planned for home birth but low lying placenta meant CS.

Second labour was very quick.Very intense contractions, contractions a lot more painful than first labour but I only pushed twice and he was delivered. Even though it was more painful I felt absolutely fine straight after. Third labour was even quicker and more intense with the contractions.

Fast and intense (and a home birth!)

My 1st was 6.5hrs and pretty intense. My 2nd was 1hr 30mins, a lot easier and a lot more relaxed and my 3rd was 1hr 27mins and pretty much the same as the 2nd. I'm due my 4th in July and hoping it'll go the same way again!

Nooo, insist they send out a midwife. Even if they try to claim no one is available, I've found a mw could always be found when I refused to move. (All 4 would have been born in a car on the motorway if I hadn't have insisted)

Dc1 water broke, 48 hours of intense contractions (every 4 mins) epidural and then 10 mins pushing.

Dc2 2 hours from first contraction at 2.00am waking me up on my due date- to him being born at hospital 4.00am. intense back to back contractions with no break in-between so luckily we went straight to hospital otherwise he would have been born at home/enroute as we live 40 mins away.
Was waiting to be seen in a side room to be examined (as they thought I was in early labour and didn't believe me) when a midwife came in and realised my body was pushing. 2 minutes of pushing, cut my leggings off me, and no pain killers dc was born.
discharged from hospital at 9am

Gosh @Raz1564 you’ve given me food for thought with this thread!

Im due in summer and was induced with my first 18 months ago, she was here 6.5 hours after the pessary was inserted and only had paracetamol / gas & air, midwives didn’t believe I was in labour / contracting effectively.

maybe I need a home birth judging by some of these stories, time I get DD looked after and to the hospital that would be at least 1.5 hours!

For the home birthers, are they messy? What if you only have carpet? Not much room in the kitchen?

1st: 2hrs from start of contractions, which started 30m after waters broke naturally. Hospital birth (got there just as contractions were starting) with G&A.

2nd: <15m from start of contractions, which started 10m after waters broke naturally. Planned homebirth which due to speed was unassisted

Much quicker and easier.
First was 12 hours induced with epidural so not enjoyable.
Second was 2 hours from waking up in the middle of the night.
Was a real rush to get inlaws over to collect DD1, and get to the hospital. Delivered within 1/2 hour of getting there and just had a bit of gas and air. She just was also back to back and came out with her arm against her face like Superman.

Wish I had opted for home birth, but chickened out.

1st was 12 hours, traumatic birth, ended up in itu.
Second 6 hours, no issues following an induction because of previous problems.

FAST. 4 hours from waking up at 4am with the first contraction to holding the baby in my arms! No time for an epi, so it was intense in that sense. 😩

Baby number one was a tedious 35 hours.

Fast and very intense, but I was all set for another day-long drawn-out epic so to be done in 3 and a half hours was an absolute gift.

First was not a great experience - 14 hrs, epidural and episiotomy.
Second was 6hrs, no pain relief, water birth. No tear and he was 2lbs bigger than his sister. Good luck 💐

Home birth is such a good, safe choice.
Tons of research that shows it to be safer than hospital birth in lots of ways, and women report much higher rates of feeling in control, respected, having informed consent, being in charge of their own decision making.

If you're interested in home birth this is a great instagram page with lots of info, its my local home birth team
They are great we are really lucky @homebirthnnuh

Baby number 1 was 7 hours. Baby number 2 was 16 hours. Sorry!