Is it trus that second births are generally easier than first? I am due in 2 weeks, and nervous!

[twounder2]

Please be honest!

Shorter but a lot more painful in my case.

Ds1 5 hours, build-up of contractions over time.

Ds2 1.5 hours. One minute nothing, the next full-blown contractions, no gaps between them.

Apparently they usually are, yes, for sound physiological reasons - your cervix has never completely closed, for one thing! I wrote an article about it once: the way one midwife put it was "it's like programming a computer - you've got to do it a first time".

For the record, my first labour was a complete bloody nightmare, about three days or something culminating in an emergency ventouse, utterly awful. My second was seven hours start to finish (my waters broke while I was on MN!), home birth, yes it hurt but but boy oh boy was it easier!

Me too - second was way quicker and easier - bit more intense and painful at times but better on balance as less drawn out and exhausting. No complications or issues second time either.

God so much easier.
More intense, more painful but soo much quicker.

i have 14 month gap between my 2 and yes second was easier .Was only in labour for 1 hr 45 mins and he was 10lb 3!! good luck and whatever happens the end result is fab new baby and happy mum!!

First was hideous 36 hr marathon.
Second had only a dozen or so painful contractions, walked to hospital and DS born 25 mins later. Dream birth.

Good luck - I'd love to do it again .... but too old and tired now!

DC2 was a bit quicker
pushing still felt like forever but was probably shorted
healing was soooo much quicker
afterpains were much worse though esp when bf

Second was much quicker for me - the second stage was down on my notes as being under a minute. The intensity of the contractions was about the same, but I knew better how to deal with them (but then I don't have very painful labours).

Good luck - think about all those endorphins afterwards.

shorter, easier, because I knew what to expect and how to manage it, hurt MUCH more but from 5 cms to baby being out took 1 hour... you can put up with anything for an hour!

Much quicker, I was calmer as I knew what to expect, much nicer, I kept moving which I think helped things along, and had a cup of tea with the midwife inbetween gulps of gas and air, the pushing stage only lasted 20 minutes, and all in all it was so very much quicker and easier.

Dd easy birth but long labour 30 hours in total which was ok but obviously knackering.
Ds ten hours in total and I even had some sleep before things started at 3am. Bigger baby so actual birth hurt a little more and was sorer afterwards, but would do it again tomorrow. With Ds I actually only had 2 hours of strong labour.

My 2nd was a lot quicker. Started really mild contractions at 7am which suddenley got stronger at lunchtime, got to the hospital at 3.20pm and he was out an hour later!!! The first was 12 hrs of contractions and then 4 hrs of proper labour!! Was also early 2nd time round as well.

oh yes, mine certainly was!! I was in hospital for 14 minutes, labour was 3 hours in total. First was 12 hours. Much much easier IMHO.

err..yes! they fly out second time !!!

OK, sweeping generalisation but i went from a 9 hour, frightening pre term labour, to 23 minutes, start to finish. I was on the ward for an appointment to be checked over as DS1 was so prem, when i settled down to watch countdown. As the opening music finished my waters broke and contractions started, DS2 was born before the final connundrum!

I had a mention on the programme in the next series!

LOL at UncleBulgaria's birthing in time to Countdown! can you remember what the final conundrum was ?!

twounder2 i'm sure it'll be easier - the midwife said to me when i was anxious "a baby's been down through that canal already"! and she was right!
i was induced with all 3 dc but dd was a forceps delivery after 12 hours of torture -sorry labour - that i had nightmares about for a long time after! ds1 was born 5 hours after having my waters broken - only hypnotherapy, G&A & TENS compared to epidural for dd! i only needed the ventouse for the last contraction and he was a whopping 10lbs 13oz! his birth still makes me smile!
good luck!!

Everyone I've met says so...

I would agree but I had an epidural the first time so felt nothing much for most of it (8hrs) especially not the pushing! I was just lying there and they said 'push' and I said' but I can't feel anything!' however, he was born, somehow

I felt like I cheated by having no sensation. My second was born at home within about 3 hours, no pain relief at all and it was very intense and hurt like hell. But that was mainly the fear I think. He was born OP which made it harder work.

Still I felt more like I had achieved something iyswim? I know what people mean now when they say it hurts!!

Oh also no side effects from drugs, was good.

How was your first labour, twounder?

my second birth was harder...
really hoping the third is easier!

My 2nd one was easier, shorter and I'd say equally painful really, but needed less pain relief (only G&A 2nd time around). 1h of pushing with dc1 only 20min with dc2.
It's usually the way because 1st time around all the muscles in the birth canal get stretched for the 1st time, then never get quite back to their pre-baby state and so it's easier to get a baby out 2nd time around.

1st one = 35 hours

2nd = 6 hours max

My first (20 hours with back to back contractions from the start)was fairly horrendous in a posterior position and she didn't turn so I had ventouse and forcepts.
DD2 was also posterior but she turned and only took 6 hours. "nd stage was much quicker- I think I only pushed about 4 times.
Easier yes, still painful and quicker too but the thing that makes it easier is that you know what to do more and it makes you feel more in control.

definitely true for me - first was pretty bad and ended in a ventouse delivery, PPH, blood transfusion and horrendous tearing.

Second was fantastic, obviously painful but really amazing - I knew what to expect, wasn't scared, used breathing to cope with the contractions which meant no pain relief, no intervention and no stitches

I think the key second time is that you know you can do it because you've done it before and you feel more in control. Also of course everything is stretched and ready so the baby can just (relatively speaking of course0 slip out

Good luck!!

second birth was alot easier and quicker but nobody warned me about the after pains .They were def alot worse apparently get worse with each child so make sure you are written up for lots of pain relief for afterwards.

I've never forgotten what a midwife said to me - that second babies are 'beautiful babies to birth'!

My first was 26 hours of active labour followed by forceps birth.

My second was 7 hours from start to finish - 10lbs 12oz baby - no stitches!