WHY are 2nd births quicker?

[Flubdub]

I mean, if you had your first baby 3 years ago, and are due again, why dont the two births take the same amount of time? Whats different?

I'd assume it's because route out has ummm already been stretched...and never quite recovered....!

The baby's different
Your body is different
Your attitude to birth is different
Because it is...

to be honest I don't know that there is a rational answer. All I know is that for all the births I've been to and my own births no two have ever been the same!

Although actually my second birth wasn't any quicker..mind you I was induced both times so maybe that had something to do with it...and the 2nd one was bigger.

I just think your fanjo is bigger

i think the muscles 'remember' and open quicker and your body remembers and takes over

birth is just so amazing !

also, second time around you are often a lot more confident about what you want, and your birth preferences and that can help too.

Practise makes perfect

Although my first (and only) full-term birth was a smidge over three hours...so next time I'll be walking round with a net between my legs...

My mw compared it to a pair of tights......Never go back the same once you've had them on and stretched them!!!!

My second and third labours were very similar in length. First was a bit different as she was induced. This last time - I was v paranoid about giving birth in 5 minutes flat in the hallway at home. But in fact we had hours

cos you know what to expect and so the knowledge makes you react differently.....even if you had a bad birth last time!

fear of the unknown has a lot of psychological effects to the way a person precesses an event.

plus, you body has done it once, so physiologically it makes a difference....not least cos you are 'stretched!!!

Are they? Mine bloody wasnt

I thought it was because the uterus was:

(1) Less toned so has more give in it.
(2) That the blood vessels were more established already so muscle contractions were better fed with blood enabling them to work better. (This is the same principle as 'muscle memory' that if you work out for a while, then stop, your muscles 'remember' what they can do and when you start to work out again you get fitter much quicker).

But I do also think you realise second time around that you are not actually going to die but the sooner you get the birth done the better in terms of comfort .

as my midwife says - the amazon has been cleared 1st time and only a few leaves have grown back, so its easier to clear 2nd time round!! Nice!