First time labour stories

[msp2023]

37 weeks today and started to get super nervous about labour. No complications so far, planning for a vaginal delivery.

Would love to hear your first time labour stories - including when you first went into labour, how long, which pain relief etc :)

I went into labour at 38+1. My waters broke at home, 6 hours later she was born in the water at the mlu. No pain meds. A small graze and a couple of stitches needed (I had pain relief for them!!)

for me it was a positive experience.

Went into labour at 40+6 at like 8am plug came out then finally gave birth in the afternoon the following day!! It sounds a long time but really didn’t feel like it at the time. Had ventouse delivery to help deliver quick as baby’s heart rate went up. Some stitches from the episiotomy and all done! I think with my first it was about 1 hr 30 of pushing. Tbh I enjoyed the whole experience

I needed an induction. Contractions happened fast and hard when waters broke, so went straight for an epidural. Ended up with forceps as he hadn’t turned.

40+2

Light cramping overnight, strengthening towards the early hours, had my first big contraction that I couldn't speak through at around 4am. DH filled the pool, midwives arrived at 5am, and I gave birth at 7am in the living room.

Absolutely loved being weightless in the pool as I couldn't cope with any pressure whatsoever on my tailbone and the gas and air sent me in to outer space which was great, although I wish I'd laid off it towards the end because when baby arrived I was a bit out of it.

I didn't lose my mucus plug until active labour and my waters broke in transition.

I had a second degree tear which was sewn up on the sofa and caused me absolutely no bother.

Overall it was absolutely amazing, I found it an extremely profound experience, on top of just being elated at the arrival of my DC!

Woke at 3am with mild cramping, thought it was braxton hicks. Carried on my day as normal as the pain wasn’t bad at all. Started leaking fluid late morning.
Had dinner, stood up and waters broke suddenly. Went to hospital, got induced as there was meconium in the waters. A couple of hours later, episiotomy, forceps and stitches and baby was born at 2am.

Waters broke at 39+3, I felt a lot of pressure so went to the toilet and they went pop and didn't stop gushing! Didn't have any contractions but called midwife led unit, was told I couldn't go there anymore as would need induction due to no contractions naturally and group B strep positive earlier in pregnancy. Went to labour ward where I antibiotics started and drip induction pushed, declined hoping things would start naturally but agreed the following day. Contractions came strongly with very little break,had gas and air but no dilation (well very little) after six hours so had epidural. Just under four hours later huge urge to push and babies head crowning when midwife came back in, very short pushing stage, stitches for internal minor grazes. Best of luck!

38 and a half weeks. Waters broke. Went to triage. Sent home. Contractions started. Back to triage. Faffing as they said I wasn’t properly in labour and hooked me up to a monitor which I hated as I was lying down. Threw up. Eventually did an exam and I was dilated. Into midwife led unit and had a water birth. Gas and air.

(if your waters break, they want you to deliver within a certain amount of time. If they examine you, that increases the risk of infection so they shorten the time period within which they want you to give birth so increasing the chance you might need to be induced etc. )

I was 41+5 🙃 went in to labour the morning i going to be induced. 33hours later he was born. Botched epidural which only numbed one side of me. No nurses as it was snowing badly. He ate his own poo so was rushed off while i was stitched up. All in all terrible experience for me 😂 lovely kid though ♥️

40+4. 11pm Period pains every 20 minutes or so. Bloody show, reduced movements. Attended triage, admitted for induction as post dates, big baby and reduced movements (although all fine on the trace)

waters went on their own at 40+5 before induction started. Contractions started shortly after.

epidural at 4cm

emcs at 9cm due to failure to progress and poor positioning of baby at 40+6 (18 hours active labour)

I had mild contractions for a few days which weren’t my favourite thing. Then was at hospital to get checked and I was 5cm so had a lovely epidural. Then was in established labour for about 13 hours but contractions weren’t painful and it wasn’t scary. Baby born vaginally with no issues. I did need stitches for some tearing but it healed fine. Good luck OP-just keep reminding yourself that women often choose to go through labour a second time.

My 1st was 9 days over due date, I was induced, 6 hour labour from start to finish only had gas and air for pain relief... a very positive 1st labour for me! Discharged and back home 12 hours later

I started with tightenings at 37+2 which were very mild but noticeable. After about 24 hours they started to get more painful and close together - went to the hospital at 37+4 and was assessed as 1-2cm, they also confirmed my waters had broken (with a trickle not a gush).

I was put in a room to see what happened and two hours later I buzzed the midwife needing to push. Had reached 10cm and baby was out 40 mins later! All a bit of a whirlwind, no time for pain relief, but overall such a positive experience. I had a second degree tear but healed well.

Good luck!

9 days late, EMCS, neonatal unit.

I wanted a water birth and had no thought that things would change so drastically. My best advice: be positive but don't expect the outcome you wanted

Induced with a pessary on due date due to a few complications in pregnancy. Nothing happened day 1, had some contractions day 2, day 3 they broke my waters and set me up with an epidural and the induction drip, started pushing but baby didn't turn (back to back) and ended up in theatre for c section - at last minute dr decided forceps would work and he was born early hours day 4!
Although it was a long time in hospital, I was pleased to be there as I'd had some complications and I wanted to be monitored. All in all it was a good experience and I was very well cared for.

36+5 waters broke before any contractions, had to be Labour Ward rather than midwife unit as technically prem. Went in to be checked and had to stay in for same reason, but progressed well and she was born around 11 hours after waters went. Managed well with gas and air, needed an episiotomy at the end but in all a really positive experience.

37 weeks. water broke at midnight, on ward by 4am. Baby born at 11am. Second birth took longer!

My waters went at 40+6, contractions started not that long after, they didn't do an examination in triage, rather just entered a speculum to see how far along I was. Went home for a few hours but went back in as I wasn't feeling baby as usual, hooked up to a ctg where they tracked that baby was fine but his HR did keep dropping slightly with contractions and they recommended a C-section. I wanted MLU the entire time, ended up on labour ward, with a consultant and than a C-section but it was honestly still a positive experience. Baby was firmly lodged in my pelvis and had managed to get tangled in his cord so I firmly believe he could have never have come any other way safely, the entire experience was still calm (it never 'felt' like an emergency situation), all the staff were amazing and I couldn't fault any part of it.

The never know how it'll go, especially with your first, but you might be shocked that even though something doesn't go to plan doesn't mean that it won't be a positive experience, I genuinely don't feel like I missed out with anything xx

40+4, had a sweep the day before. Started having mild, irregular pains at about 5 pm and had a bloody show. Contractions became regular and more painful about 7 pm so popped tens machine on. Stayed at home until about 11 pm when contractions were about every 5 minutes and I was really feeling like I wanted some more pain relief, so rang the MLU and they said I could head in. Got there just before midnight, was examined and was 4 cm so they said I could stay.

Had lovely gas and air for a few contractions as the midwife settled in for a long night, then suddenly labour started accelerating and I went into transition. Midwife wasn't happy with the baby's heart rate so pushed the emergency button and they whipped me off down the corridor to the medical delivery unit as they wanted him out fast. They prepped me for an episiotomy but I pushed him out before they did it! He was born just under 1.5 hours after I arrived at the hospital, absolutely fine despite the concern during labour. I had a bit of a tear and needed some stitches, presumably at least in part due to the speed of the delivery, but it was all fine.

39+3. 10.30pm ish feel a restless. 11.30pm wonder if this is early stages or I'm just overtired. 12.30, think it's prob early stages. 1am, on the phone to the unit and they are telling me to have a bath and chill. 2pm back on the phone mooing at them and they are telling me I'm over reacting to early twinges but to come in if I need reassurance but be prepared to be turned away. 2.30, stagger up to the unit. I'm gasping about gas and air or any pain relief. They examine me - fully dilated, tell me gas and air won't help now (I'm still dubious about that). 3.30 I'm holding baby wondering wtf just happened! Honestly it was a bit too quick and I was in shock for a few hours I barely remember any real detail of those first hours. But I'd rather that than a days long ordeal! I had a graze which wasn't fun in the coming days, but it was fine. It will work out how it works out op and you'll be fine too 😊 xx

DC1: They were keeping an eye because of pre-eclampsia (starting to get symptoms) and I'd been for observations/checks beforehand. Anyway, I thought I was having Braxton Hicks - as I thought "real labour" was like in the movies (people writhing about in huge amounts of pain). Also my normal periods are excruciating so was expecting contractions to be worse than that. Oh and I was about 37weeks (and thought that first babies were always late!). Anyway a couple of days of "Braxton Hicks" where I was putting together all sorts of bits in the flat and chatting to mates online (I was on my own). One of my mates (unbeknownst to me) was timing when these "braxton hicks" were happening! She suggested I got checked. So I took a taxi in to hospital in the morning. When I showed up, I think I was either 6 or 8cm dilated. Oops! DC1 born 5hrs later. Had gas and air (great stuff), asked them to break the waters as I was getting a bit fed up and things sped up after then. DC1 was v small - 5lb. We went home the next day as all ok.

DC2: oligohydramnios and pre-eclampsia (same as before) - so lots of checks etc. They wanted DC2 out sooner rather than later so did the sweep thing to get things going. Went in the next morning for checks after a night of contractions and spent a few hours wandering about the hospital getting bored/fed up. They kept saying I'd need to come back in a few hours but we lived 20miles from the hospital back then. So we buggered off to have a wander about the shops. Came back after a couple of hours as things had sped up. DC2 born 4hrs later. Good job she showed up when she did as they were planning on getting her out quick because of her HR and my obs not being great (I didn't know that at the time). She was 6lb. We went home next day as all ok.

Things can feel weird when you use the toilet for next few days. Breasts go a bit mad when the milk comes in. Look out for tongue tie - DC1 was fine but DC2 needed it snipped. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you're not sure about stuff. Rest up while you can and remember that none of us are born being a parent! Get the basics sorted and everything else will fall into place. I didn't have any particular birth plan for either. Good luck! xx

Contractions started on the evening of my due date, around 10:30pm. Laboured at home until around 8:30pm the following evening, in and out of the bath, breathing etc. Got to MLU around 9:30pm at 3cm. Apparently my waters had broken but no idea when. Had pethidine and gas and air until about 2 hours later when I got in the pool at 5cm. Completely panicked when my body started pushing for me about 45 mins later and I got out the pool (wish I’d stayed in) and had more Pethidine to chill me out 🤣 My son was born about 45 mins later. Grazes to labia and 2nd degree tear which both required stitches, but apparently this was because he arrived quicker than they expected. Very positive experience as I had him at 1am (technically 40+2) and I was home by 5pm the same day.

Went into labour early evening before due date. Contractions quite strong and painful straight away. Went in to birthing centre after only 2 hours. Told to come back but contractions every 2 mins so asked to stay. Given pethidine as pains were bad. Ended up on my back giving birth only 6 hours after first contraction. Not ideal but not bad either. Birth itself painful but over quickly. Being stitched up was harder, think I was in shock from how fast it all was.

40+5, was laying in bed listening to my hypnobirthing cd and had what felt like period pains but infrequent. A couple of hours later I woke up to go for a wee, got back into bed and had a sudden gush of water, contractions started 30 mins later and were straight away 2-3 mins apart, 2.5 hours after that I was examined on MLU and told I was 5cm. They filled the birthing pool for me, 1 hour after being examined I had a strong urge to push, and was pushing for quite a while, I think just under two hours, and DD was born 5 hours and 17 mins after that first contraction, minor tear deeper rather than long, so just a couple of stitches. No pain relief during labour, I did try the gas and air and didn't like it, and didn't ask for anything else as didn't want to come off the midwife led unit. Positive experience, other than not being a fan of the pool, got out during the pushing stage and instead hugged a giant beanbag on the floor

Lovely to hear all the stories, thank you for sharing!
Mentally prepared for anything and everything but nice to know what the 'usual' timescales look like :)

Natural to be curious OP, I had a positive experience with both of my DS’.

DS1, first labour, contractions started about 3am, went to hospital at 8:30am, 9cms dilated, was holding him at lunchtime, natural birth, no pain relief required. I did have a tear that needed stitches though.

DS2, second labour, waters broke at 10:30pm, went to hospital at 11pm, as soon as MIL to get to us to look after DS1 who was asleep in his cot. No pain relief, had DS2 two hours later, had a slight tear which healed naturally.

Labour for me was far better than I expected, I was absolutely dreading it,and was fully prepared for all options that could help pain wise.

Good luck OP, and honestly it’s true, once you have your baby, you soon forget it. Such an amazing experience. Having two under two was hard work though!