Went from 3cm to 10cm in 10 minutes

[Conundrum12345]

I gave birth to my DD a few weeks ago. I was induced and my from waters breaking to delivery (emergency assisted with forceps and episiotomy) was 4 hours. I went from 3cm to 10cm in under 10 minutes. I had no time for an epidural and am quite traumatised by it all

I'm petrified of becoming pregnant again and going through labour again. Will my second labour be as quick?

Truthfully, no one can tell you because you were induced. Second labours are usually shorter, but not always, and you can't tell if your first labour was fast because it was an induced labour. I have two DC, and two very quick labours. Both times under 3.5 hours, one induced and one not - I naturally labour quickly, but didn't know for sure until I'd had my second as first was induced. A very quick labour is called precipitous labour, and it can be quite traumatic, so please do consider a post birth debrief if you need one. Congrats on your new arrival!!

Oh and dilating that quickly is EXTREMELY PAINFUL. I thought 2cm to delivered in 45 mins was fast! You're hard as nails OP, I'm in awe!

I have had two very quick (precipitous) labours. DC1 2cm to 10cm in 1 hour 15. DC2 4cm to 10cm in 20 minutes. So in my experience, second labour was just as quick if not quicker. But agree with a PP, it’s hard to tell given you were induced.

I completely get why you are traumatised. It was excruciatingly painful and I had no time to process what was going on. Second time round wasn’t as bad as I knew what the score was. When the midwife was telling me to calm my breathing as labour usually progresses at 1cm/hour I knew I was minutes away from pushing, so I felt a bit more in control. I agree about trying to have a birth debrief.

My first I went from 3cm to birth in 2 hours. This second time it was 48 mins. Felt so much better the second time!

I had two quick labours and the second was about half the speed of the first.

when you tell people that, they are quick to say how lucky you were, but it can be a real shock to the system. I’d really recommend a birth debrief especially as it ended in an assisted birth. One of the big issues for some quick women is not having time to do things you thought you would, like getting an epidural.

If you’re quick there’s lots that you can do for a second birth that will help you feel more in control. A home birth for example can remove some of the stress of having to make it to hospital in time.

This was me with DD1. Much slower and easier to handle with DD2 and I was just getting in my stride and then she came out back to back and it was horrendous.

Conhratulations on your baby.

I had mine decades ago op. My first labour, posterior baby, was agony for hours with not much happening. No contractions, rather a continuous wall of pain. After about six hours I could stand it no longer and insisted on an epidural against the midwife's wishes. She said it would slow things down and was much too early. The epidural went in at midnight, when I was less than 1cm. Within an hour I was pushing. Nowhere to fully dilated very quickly.

With dd I was induced. A pessary and not much happened. I refused my waters being broken, Dr was a pig. Another pessary at 3pm ish. By 8pm nothing was happening and they wanted to put up the Oxytocin drip which I said was fine, but the epidural was to come first. My waters broke. The epidural was up by 8.45. I was less than 1cm. At 9.45 I wanted to push. The midwife laughed. The Snr midwife came in and demanded a birthing bag. It really was "all systems go". DD was born about an hour later.

So yes I think some women do dilate very fast. Whether the epidural helped me relax and speeded things up or slowed them down I shall never know. What I do know is that I was spared the pain of it.

Have a debrief. Next time insist the epidural is dealt with quickly based on your history.

@Conundrum12345 I quite literally feel your pain on this one OP. Induced labour here too. 25 hours to 1cm. Waters broken, put on drip. 14 hours later I was 2cm. The usual “failure to progress” etc was given by midwives, and they called the anaesthetist. I really hate the feeling of being out of control etc so the thought of epidural and not feeling part of my body was something that really worried me. I’d opted not to have one.

Told them after about 8 minutes that I needed examined again and they all dismissed me apart from one angel of a student midwife who actually listened and examined me as requested. I’d gone from 2-10cm in 8mins.

12 minutes after they called the anaesthetist and 3 pushes later and I was holding my baby 😬😅

Although it had been long up until that point, the speed and pain at the end left me completely shell shocked 😳 All I actually remember is the anaesthetist walking in while I was pushing and me shouting at the poor man to get out 😅 It was during the height of covid so DH was sent home 20 mins after birth and I was just left sitting with barely a clue what had happened.

If I’m honest, I thought we’d have at least been on our way to having a second child by now but I’m still not ready!

My first (induced, they all were) was 1h10 minutes from first contraction and no dilation to baby. I needed an episiotomy.
The second was quicker (55minutes) but no episiotomy, and the third was quicker still (40 minutes) but again no episiotomy.
Fourth was slowest (3h 40 minutes) and most complicated- I was rushed to high dependency for an emergency CS but had him just before the anaesthetist arrived.
In my experience, it isn’t speed of labour that causes the complications and you can’t really predict how it will go.

I had a similar experience with my first, although without induction, resulting in a 4th degree tear into my bowel, post partum hemorrhage and long lasting mental trauma. I waited almost 5 years to have another child and was advised to have a section, although in the end I decided to go with a well managed vaginal birth and all went really smoothly.

In hindsight I wish I had got some therapy to help me deal with the post birth shock and it still upsets me a bit now from time to time, but I definitely had a much better experience second time around. Give yourself time to get over this birth both mentally and physically, consider some talking therapy if you can access it, and be kind to yourself. Motherhood is brutal to begin with, more so with a traumatic birth experience, so don't give yourself a hard time if it takes a while to settle into.

Congratulations!!!

What you're feeling is completely justified! I've had two very different births. The first was waters broken and resulted in an episiotomy and 2nd degree tear after 3 days of not dilating.

Second labour was recent. Went in for reduced movements. Was checked, waters broken (I was 4cm dilated) contractions started about an hour later. Was still 4 cm had pethidine. Less than 15 mins after that i was holding my baby. It was fucking brutal. The drugs didn't touch the sides. I asked for an epidural and was told to wait to let the pethidine work it takes 20 mins ish etc. Well baby was here and I was getting stitched up when it took affect. (Had a 2nd degree) had a few panicked moments while they checked the baby over because of the pethidine and speed of delivery but all was well.

When it happens that quickly not only is it bloody painful, you've not had the time to process anything or get into any sort of rhythm. Ask your midwife for a debrief to help with processing. Speak to other mums it honestly does help. As for your next labour make sure they tell everyone you have had a quick first one. They may even allow you to have an epidural a bit earlier.

Sorry you've had this experience. I hope you're well and managing to recover physically. The mental part of recovery takes alot longer. Please speak to your midwife or health visitor they can point you in the right direction to seek help. X

I had 3 precipitous labours - I found the first the most shocking as it was very intense and it seemed to take everyone by surprise (gave birth vaginally on the operating theatre table as I was about to be prepped for a section).

I don't blame you for being traumatised at all. My second two labours were both induced - I would say my biggest issue with those was getting anyone to listen to me that I had had a very quick labour with my first. Second labour they broke my waters and I dilated fully at light speed after that (to the extent that they were still desperately trying to get a canula in me so I could have the drip I needed as I was on steroids) but I coped because from my previous experience it would all be over pretty quickly.

Third labour was the same - induced - I was in a holding bay rather than the delivery suite and had a show and DH trotted off to get a MW as we knew I'd be pretty quick once I got going. Noone listened to him, so it was all a bit of a dash to get me to a delivery suite - the overally labour was actually longer though as DC was nose up so the pushing stage went on for much longer than my previous labours.

As I said, I had difficulty getting anyone to take me seriously - I really wanted an epidural, especially with my later labours as it was so intense, and was assured I could, but there was never enough time.

I would advise too being very assertive about the management of the next baby. I found midwives nodded, smiled, agreed and wrote down something else. For example, I had dreadful problems feeding my first. Next time my answer to "will you breast feed" was "I don't know". Notes recorded "will breast feed,". When I challenged I was told it gives mother's the chance to change their minds. That was the point when I asked for obstetrician led care. It was much better. I got it because I walked out of the next mw apt, when the request had gone unheeded. The snr midwife phoned me up and I explained there was no point attending if mw's did not listen and misrecorded my wishes. The obstetrician was quite resigned about it all but bloody wonderful and didn't chat shit.

My first labour was just over 2 hours from waters breaking to DC being born. I felt contractions about 1hr after waters broke and by the time I got to the maternity unit I was fully dilated and basically told to start pushing. No time for any pain relief ,but I coped
With DC 2 I was 4 cm dilated when I was examined(had gone in for an induction but DC had other ideas) with no contractions. By the time they transferred me to the labour suite I was 8cm dilated and still no pain or contraction. DC was born 2 hrs after my appointment time.

What do you learn from the debriefs?
I think about the birth constantly and it gets me so down. The recovery from the episotomy was long and hard too.

Could I be allowed a ECS based on previous history?

I did too, was fully dilated almost immediately the first time (and the second time!). Had a 3rd degree tear which would have been 4th without an epis. The memory of it does fade and seems slightly unreal almost 11 years on.

Second birth was in a pool, was about 5 mins pushing. Honestly, it was lovely, can recommend.

From reading this I have realised that I must have had a ' precipitous labour'. That was 22 years ago.

2cm to holding my baby in 10 mins. And pethadine only kicking in after the event. It was brutal, like an out of body experience.

Sorry to hear you are still suffering the effects OP. Can you request a debrief of some sort.

At the very least request the notes from the birth, I did. Debriefs didn't really exist then but it would have helped me.

I haven't heard of anyone having an easy recovery with an episiotomy. Mine took ages and ages to heal. It does get better though. Keep doing your pelvic floors and rest where possible.

Debriefs help by answering any questions you may have and talking through why interventions were needed and the though process and care plans behind them.its helps to line everything up and process the chain of events that led to delivery. I've jad them both times. The second time, I was completely mentally amd emotionally fine with what happened. In my mind I was more prepared and this time I didn't go in with a birth plan. For me, it helped. All I knew was that I wanted a healthy and safe delivery by any means and this time I would have all the pain relief (didn't happen, but it couldn't given how quick it was)

You can request a section for any reason at all. It's your birth and your choice. You will have to have a consultation with the birth choices ppl and they will give you the pros and cons so you can make an informed choice. Just be firm withbthem that you want a section and nothing will change your stance. They have to follow through with this

I had a similar experience, although I wasn't induced. I was 4 cm when I arrived at the MLU. A few contractions later and I was in transition and feeling the urge to push - altogether, DS was born just over an hour after I arrived. It was beyond intense and I was really freaked out by the whole thing, plus DS was very distressed by the speed and it all got very panicky. Several years on and I think I've made my peace with it, but it took me ages to stop dwelling. I don't really have any advice but it helps me to know that other women who had fast labours feel the same, and I hope it helps you too!

The debriefs will go through your notes with you and answer any questions you have. They can really help you to process what happened.

You can request a section for any reason and you don’t have to make any decisions today.

How long has it been since you had baby?

I went from every 16 minutes to every one minute contractions in the space of about 5 minutes. Completely natural labour at home. Scared the absolute sh*te out of me and I genuinely thought I was going to die.

I echo what PP have said about a de-brief OP. I didn’t but think it would have been helpful. He is 5 now and I am over it but it was a shocker and I did have some CBT a bit later which helped.

I always struggled to get into established labour then dilated fast. Fortunately not so much with my first. My last was 8cm to delivered in La minute. 11 hours of pain before that from the first pessary which I think helped my body not be in shock.

and congratulations 🥳

Refuse induction next time.

This isn’t how your body gives birth, this is how you gave birth under augmented conditions, next time could be completely different if your body is allowed to do it’s own thing.

Was the baby in distress? Not being funny but it seems to me like the trauma was caused by the birthing team rushing through your labour and delivery. To go from 3cm to 10cm in ten minutes during an induction- they must have used a ton of pitocin and stretched your cervix when they broke your waters. The forceps and episiotomy also point to an objective of getting the baby out quickly.

If your baby was in distress, then you are unlikely to need such a quick artificially induced labour and instrument assisted delivery unless the reason your baby was in distress is to do with your own physical health or medical conditions.

I had a very quick labour (they run in the family - my aunt's second was 45minutes beginning to end!). They are not good. You don't have time to prepare and adjust to it emotionally or physically. And as PPs have said are I believe way more painful (although I have nothing to compare I found the pain unbearable and I went into a very weird place in my head). I found the birth very traumatic and I was in shock afterwards.

When I was pregnant a second time I was terrified and we offered an elective. That pregnancy ended in miscarriage so the caesarean didn't happen but I had no barriers to obtaining one. I'm sure though that is partly luck based on the individual you speak to. I was also advised to get my birth records and a debrief but that didn't happen either in the end due to miscarrying.

You should be able to just request a caesarean if you want one in theory. But you might have to be persistent if there's no reason. I would hope that fear of the birth would be enough reason to be supported in that choice.