Those of you who had very long (days not hours) first labours, how was your second?

[UnwieldyRhombus]

STM, first labour lasted four days and was not a walk in the park. I'm assured the second one is usually faster and easier but just wondering if anyone who had a very long first labour would be willing to share how and how long their second (or subsequent) labours were?

I've heard stories where the first was something like 12 hours and the second more like 6, but I don't know about women who had labours lasting 2 days to a week. I've also looked at studies that confirm that the second labour is usually shorter but these typically don't cover women who laboured for a very long time with their first. What I'm trying to ascertain is whether a very long latent phase with the first will typically be a lot faster with a second birth, or just a bit shorter. Should I be preparing for a marathon or for another ultramarathon?! 😅

1st labour - induced and then 4 days in labour. Second was so quick that he was born in the hospital corridor at I was attempting to waddle to the labour ward! I really don't think you need to prepare for a marathon the 2nd time round - more like the 100m final!

We have a family history of hideous first labours. Gran, aunts, mother, sisters, cousins all had 48 hour ++ first labours. 2nd births vary but are all much quicker and easier (one was born in a lift as it came so fast).

I think my sister said something about once your cervix has been through it once, it's better at opening next time. That might be specific to our family's lazy cervixs/cervices though!

I'm thankful (smug) that my babies were breech so I get to have Caesarians... they obvs know not to even attempt to get through my cervix!!

36 hours for first - spontaneous Labour but back to back presentation ending with episiotomy. Lots of entenox and pethidine that made me vomit.
2 hours for second - induction that took 2 days before I actually went into Labour, from 1st real painful contraction to giving birth was 2 hours almost exactly. No pain relief at all, no stitches but ended up with a postpartum haemorrhage and a 7 day stay in hospital, 3 days in intensive care!

First birth was 36 hours 3nd was 7. 3rd 31 hours and 4th was on off labour for 6 days then finally when she decided it really was time 10 hours.

2nd was the easiest by far

3 days for the 1st one, ended in assisted delivery. 4 hours 2nd one at home with midwives.

First labour 1.5 days. Had gas, pethedine, epidural
Second labour 2 hours - born 20 min after arriving at the hospital no drugs
Third labour 3 hours - had a bit of gas and air

I was in pre labour for about 10 days with my first. With my second I got to 42 weeks with no signs of movement from being admitted for induction to being out of hospital was 24 hours. Labour was about 2- 2 1/2 hrs of active labour. Baby 3 was 16 minutes!

First 53 hours
Second 5 days (induction)
Third 14 hours

First labour- 4 days
Second labour- 4 hours!!!

1st 24hrs ventouse (big baby)
2nd 1 hour (still chonky)
3rd 45 mins!

First one 40-odd hours.
Second was 9 hr 10 min.
Best of luck OP

First was 36 hours. Second was induced and recorded as precipitous labour (time from contractions to delivery < 3 hours).

Actually I think second was more like 6 hours - I did tell them I was using hynobirthing techniques to manage the contractions and midwife refused to check my progress when I suggested she should because “I wasn’t close enough and needed to walk around more”. I was 9.5cm dilated when she bothered to take a look and it caused a proper mad rush on a trolley to a labour room. Lol.

My first was four days and my second was about seventeen hours but manageable and a home birth. Third about five hours. All big babies.

First was 3 days and was horrendously long and drawn out.

Second was 2.5 hours and gave birth in the assessment room as they couldn't get the pool filled up in time. With my second though I'd had about a week of on and off very mild contractions each evening so I think my body did the latent labour bit in a different way!

1st: 48 hours
2nd: shorter because I accepted medical intervention sooner. Still over 24 hours.
3rd: Whooshed out in 40 minutes like the Alton Towers log flume.

I am always confused by what is meant by " labour" in these threads: first twinge or admission to LAabour ward at >4cm.

DS (DC1) about 36 hours from 1st contraction, 12 hours on labour ward.
Dd (DC2) 8 hours from 1st contraction, 2 hours on labour ward.

Good luck OP.

First, waters broke Sunday night, contractions started the next morning, gave birth Thursday morning after 4.5hours pushing. The whole thing was horrific agony. Second, induced Friday morning, contractions started in the evening. Very relaxed until around midnight, properly felt like labour 2am ish, all done by 5am. So much better second time around, most of it was even pleasant... until those final contractions. Second time I used hypno birthing which I think helped.

DC1 - induced at 40+12. Forceps delivery 41 hours later in theatre as it was all going a bit pear shaped.
DC2 - sweep at 40+10 in the morning. About 3pm. I had one massive contraction after which I feel a bit naseous & uncomfortable but was still absolutely fine getting toddler DC1's tea, playing with her. DH got home about 6.30pm and I went & had a bath. Felt really uncomfortable and light headed when I got out so rang hospital and. as it was an hour away, they suggested I come along. Mid-way through the journey, I told DH he needed to hurry up a bit. Got there at 8.30 by which time I was having regular contractions. Gave birth at 9.01pm after two pushes!

1st 36 hours
2nd 2 hours (home birth, easy peasy and no need for pain relief)

First 3 days ending in forceps due to exhaustion
2nd 1.5hrs (should have been elective CS but too quick
3rd 12 minutes 🤷‍♀️😱

First was about 48 hours. 2nd was induced and I was assured it would be really fast as a 2nd baby and when it wasn't progressing very quickly after 12 hours I had my waters broken. I was told again it should be really fast after that but it was another 8 hours. So about 20 hours with induction. So faster but not fast. If I hadn't been induced I think it would have been longer

First labour 3 days. Second I felt first twinge overnight and gave birth about lunchtime, but the actual labour was so fast I gave birth while doing the admission paperwork at the hospital.

First: over 2 days.

Second: 5 hours start to finish (i.e. from waking up with the first contractions), and arrived at hospital at 9cm and gave birth half an hour later as I'd thought, based on my first experience, I must be really early on. I only went in as I had a monitoring appt - if I hadn't, dc2 might well have been born at home, which given the cord was round his neck wouldn't have been good. So be careful!

Third was an induction but took 20 mins from 2 cm to birth.

When I had my second it was as if I'd been to the shop and bought him. Quick, easy , out of hospital within 4 hours of going in

Yeah I think the same. My labour hours were counted on the ward when I was in active labour.

Dd - 2 days, actual active labour 5hrs.
Ds - 2 hours, actual active 45 mins.