What was your experience with first and second labours. Were they different?

[Irishwifey]

I’m pregnant on my second and am just wondering how different were everyone’s first and second labours? What week did you get to? For my daughter, I was 37+6 and I was induced, I was in labour for 27 hours and ended up pushing for 3 hours and had a vacuum delivery and episiotomy. Really tough recovery.

Hoping and praying I go into spontaneous labour this time and trying to put the hardship down to induction 😬

Also did your waters break? And how long was your labour from first pain to delivery !?

Thanks ladies , looking forward to hearing your stories ❤️

All very similar all born in 2.5 hours. Had an episiotomy with first and huge bruises with all of them. One thing in life I excelled at.

Wow! How many weeks were you on both pregnancies when you went into labour?

First was very much like your first - except no induction. Second was born an hour after my waters broke in bed, and after about half an hour of non stop contractions. We had planned for a home birth, but the speed he arrived at meant that we didn’t have time to even think about filling the pool in the living room, and that there was no pain relief, as the paramedics only arrived as he was born. Having said that, it was a fantastic experience and I’d take it over the long first labour every time! Good luck OP, I hope you have a more positive experience this time round

1st baby was roughly 48 hours of contractions and took 12 hours to get from 4-10cm and 2 hours of pushing. Gas and air only in the last 2 hours 5days over due.
2nd baby was very similar although had to have my water broken, baby was back to back so epidural but it made baby’s heart rate drop dangerously and epidural failed. Was rushed to emergency for c-section but was too late so they did episiotomy and forceps she was 14 days overdue.
3rd baby was 14 days overdue, less then 12 hours of pain, gas and air and tens machine only and gave birth on all fours on the floor.

i would highly recommend co-codamol, birthing ball and tens machine at home for when the contractions start, stay at home for as long as possible in a nice calming environment . Watch tele, do the washing etc try and carry on as ‘normally’ as possible
tens machine are amazing btw!
I think my first two labours were more painful and more traumatic then they needed to be because I went to hospital too early and panicked. Remaining calm is really important.

First - 10 days late, O.P., 23 hour excruciating labour ending in instrumental delivery and episiotomy

Second - 8 days late, not so painful I couldn’t get through it with sweets and paracetamol, about 4 hours start to finish, 2nd degree tear

First baby very slow labour. I thought it would never end. Second DC much quicker only 4 hours and I felt more in control. Probably because I was not so bloody exhausted and tired after almost a day and night in labour. Third DC C section. All over in 5-10 minutes.

First @ 40.2wks, 22hrs episiotomy and stitches

Second @ 37.6wks, 3.5hrs no stitches

First induced at 37 weeks due to IUGR, 2 pessaries 6 house apart, waters broken by midwife and a 2 hour active labour 5lb 3oz baby girl with small episiotomy and required manual placenta removal in theatre.

Second induced at 37 weeks due to IUGR, waters broken and on the drip for a 48 minute active labour! 5lb 3oz baby girl with small second degree year and required manual placenta removal in theatre.

Pretty identical!

Very different. 1st in USA, very interventionist, epidural, consultant obstetrician in attendance. Baby ended up in high dependency and had major problems re medical insurance payments. 2nd in UK, no pain relief, left alone with DH for long periods. Baby fine after but I had to go back in for D&C a few days later. Both babies absolutely fine in the end.

Almost identical up until the point of delivery. With both my first sign was waters breaking then no contractions for hours. Once they started the contractions were intense straight away and in my back as both babies were back to back. Active labour was three hours second time around before pushing phase, not sure first time around as was already 8cm dilated when we got to hospital. However for both of them baby got well and truly stuck in the pushing ones! For DS1 I pushed for four hours before he eventually arrived just before episiotomy and forceps were planned. For DS2 I pushed for four hours and they then decided a c section was best as forceps was apparently too risky. Both times it was due to babies being back to back and in awkward positions. If I have a third I’m having a ELCS as I’m too worried I’ll have another identical labour!

Similar in that both times, baby was back to back and I had ventouse delivery with episiotomy with both. Main difference was speed. First labour took hours and I was at 2cm dilated for hours and hours. Second labour, I was 7cm on arrival at hospital and baby was born a couple of hours later. I’d done hypnobirth type thing before my second and felt a million times more in control and able to cope with the pain.