Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Childbirth

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

Original poster

Second labour any quicker

65 replies

LovelyNanny26 · 21/04/2023 21:56

Hello,
I'm 36 and expecting my second baby at the end of June.My first labour was very straightforward and gave birth after 6h of pushing.No epidural had no time for because the baby was coming quickly.My question is do they really come quicker second time around?Thank you.

OP posts:
DramaAlpaca · 22/04/2023 01:31

Each of my three labours was about half the length of the previous one, but none of them were quick.

DC1 21 hours
DC2 12 hours
DC3 5 hours

VintedoreBay · 22/04/2023 06:49

Yes! My first was 30hr all in, my second arrived yesterday, almost didn't make it to hospital. Less than 20min of pushing. 😲

Second baby: Spontaneous labour at 40+5 following no sweeps, waters broke 8am, arrived at hospital drop-off just before 9am, born and in my arms just after 910am. No instruments, no interventions, and a superficial tiny tear. Barely time for gas n air!

First baby: 2 failed sweeps, spontaneous labour, waters manually ruptured at 10cm dilatation, prolonged active labour dilating from 6-10cam, prolonged pushing stage, ventouse and episiotomy. High on so much gas n air.

turnthebiglightoff · 22/04/2023 07:12

I questioned the pushing for 6 hours too. I was made to push for 2.75 hours and got an apology (during a birth reflections meeting) that that was unacceptably long to be pushing for!!

shakeitoffsis · 22/04/2023 07:29

Yes I had 2 inductions.
First was 2 hour active labour

Second 1 hour active labour

BarkyMatherson · 22/04/2023 07:31

Much faster, felt like pushing at home at 8am, baby arrived by 10am. I was 100% dilated when I arrived.

BuffaloCauliflower · 22/04/2023 07:36

First labour 30 hours
Second about 4.5.

PiranhaTank · 22/04/2023 07:37

First labour almost 24 hours from first faint contraction.
Second about 45 minutes, got to hospital 2 minutes before birth.
Third , about 30 minutes from start to finish but made it to hospital in time as my husband bundled me in the car the second I said I felt a bit strange!

Nursemumma92 · 22/04/2023 08:50

Yes DD1 36 hours, DD2 2.5 hours! Only just made it to the birth centre 2nd time round.

eggboxontop · 22/04/2023 16:15

Brilliant episode on second babies with Natalie Meddings on the Birth Ed podcast

I just listened to it myself as I had a quick first labour and am due with no2 in July.

Had a home birth last time and will definitely do again as I don't think I'll get to hospital.

Chanel05 · 22/04/2023 18:47

First was 33 hours until emcs after pushing for 2 hours.

Second from first twinge to baby was 6 hours.

sayanythingelse · 22/04/2023 20:57

#1 - 8 hours @ 38+3
#2 - 24 hours @ 41+1 and a NICU stay. I expected it to go much better 😖

Original poster
LovelyNanny26 · 22/04/2023 21:20

Thanks everyone.I'm.hoping to get an epidural this time around.But I have a funny feeling it won't happen.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 22/04/2023 21:24

They left you pushing for 6 hours 😳

Lemonademoney · 22/04/2023 21:30

Mine was. Quicker and more manageable as I knew what to expect. My recovery was quicker too. Hope all goes well, I love a baby x

Original poster
LovelyNanny26 · 22/04/2023 21:49

I was with the midwife all that time but at the end I was really exhausted.I would have had my epidural if they didn't leave me under the care of young midwife that told me to go home.I was back within an hour.

OP posts:
Original poster
LovelyNanny26 · 22/04/2023 21:51

It's definitely my last one.No more babies after this two is more than enough.

OP posts:
iloveyankeecandle · 22/04/2023 21:54

Mine definitely did! Nine hours start to finish. First one was 36 hours. Good luck.

Nutsabouttopic · 22/04/2023 22:21

12 hours on first. Back to back labour, epidural, forceps
17 mins second, according to my husband she came out surfing, waters broke and she flowed out with them

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 23/04/2023 11:13

I was told that second births are often half the time and that was definitely the case for me.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 23/04/2023 11:17

Yes.

DC1 was 6 hours
Dc2 was 2 hours

LadyMcLadyface · 23/04/2023 11:32

First birth: 16 hours
Second birth: 7 hours

The second time contractions became more intense much sooner (about 3 hours from first contraction), by the time I got to hospital less than two hours before the birth gas and air wasn't touching the sides.

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 23/04/2023 11:35

6 hours first one and 1 hour 42 mins for the second.

annlee3817 · 23/04/2023 23:32

I feel like mine would have been had I not been induced early instead of going into labour naturally as I had with DD1.

DD1 just over 5 hours from first contraction, went from 5cm to 10cm in 90 mins
DD2 5 hours from when waters were broken, but 90 mins active labour, went from 3cm to 10cm in five mins

Tintackedsea · 24/04/2023 00:17

1 - induced, 12 hours of labour, emcs
2 - 56 hours from contraction to vbirth
3 - cs

My pal had her 2nd inside of 90 minutes but 3rd was 12 hours.

Pretty sure it's all anecdotal and there are no rules.

LoveYouHoneybear · 24/04/2023 00:50

DD1 was 10 hours from water breaking, DD2 I had mild surges/cramping every evening for a week and at my midwife appointment I had a sweep and was 6cm dilated! Baby was born in 2.5 hours.