2nd labour & birth experiences - how long? When?

[beaniesunrise]

Hi guys! I’m looking for 2nd baby labour and birth experiences as I’ve got a month left! How long was your labour, when did you go into labour was it earlier than your first? Did you have a natural or c section or induction?

Would love to hear everyone’s experiences for 2nd births!

My first was vaginal delivery and baby came at 38+5 naturally! Wondering if this baby might come early too

I was much later with my second. My labour was about half the length of my first one.

Went 10 days overdue, waters broke but he didn't appear so started induction process. Labour was quick and more painful. Felt body took over much more than 1st labour.

1st labour was 7/8 hours, normal delivery and baby was one day early.
2nd degree tears with both.

3 days before full term. Born in less than 3 hours... Gas and air and home in 6 hours... Ds was 9.3.

It was fairly similar to my first, probably more similar than I was expecting. So many people had told me he would come earlier, labour would be shorter, delivery would be easier... It was all lies* and at one point (home birth) the midwives gave up and buggered off for a bit because it was taking so bloody long and I was in the pool thinking "I thought this was supposed to be done by now?"

*I understand it's statistically true

First labour - started after a sweep, was around 8 hours from first twinge to baby being born, pushed for around 10 minutes or so, waters broke when baby was born.

Second labour (2 weeks ago) - started after a sweep, was around 2 hours from first twinge to baby being born, waters broke about halfway through, baby was born in one push after an overwhelming urge which happened without any warning - I think it must have been the fetal ejection reflex.

Both beautiful (albeit painful) water births using gas and air.

Oh, and then obviously my waters broke as soon as they got back to their office and I'd delivered DS before they or the paramedics could get back, not to soothing music or whale song but to the sound of a 999 call handler trying to talk my husband through the stuff he needed to collect to tie the umbilical cord in case the baby came before the ambulance

DH, god love him, can't find his arse with both hands so there was no chance of him tracking down a safety pin and yet, despite the fact that he did fuck all during the gestation, labour and delivery of our children other than catch DS on the way out, every single person who hears this story congratulates him, when I DID ALL THE PUSHING

As you can tell, I'm not bitter 😂it's a great story and almost certainly won't happen to you. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Oh wow lots of different stories and varying experiences! I’ve also been told the second baby comes quicker and labour is shorter, but then I’m also hearing the opposite!

@GrandDesignsShame wow what a intense story, so glad you all got through it safely! Thank you for the wishes :)

Both my births (2 years apart) were within 24 hours of their due date and almost to the minute six hours long.
It was like ground hog day. 🤣

1st baby, went into labour naturally at 40+1, born at 40+2, 15 hours after first going into hospital, episiotomy, ventouse delivery and postpartum haemorrhage.

2nd baby, went into labour naturally at 39+4, went straight into hospital as contractions were intense straight away, first contraction at 6am, baby born 3 hours later, straight forward, home 6 hours later!

1st baby - due date, 15 hours from waters breaking, 12 hours in active labour, epidural, forceps delivery
2nd baby - 12 days early, 45 mins from waters breaking, no time for pain relief

First baby, spontaneous labour at 40+5, waters started to go and she was born just over five hours after my first contraction on the midwife led unit, 2nd degree tear, no intervention.

Second baby 7 years later, induced at 39 weeks due to age, strep b, excess waters... Had 12 hours of contractions on the pessary but still didn't get further than 2cm and everything just stopped. Five days later after waiting for a bed on labour ward to have my waters broken, they were broken, had the syntocin drip.... Was intense and stressful due to issues with the heart rate, was examined when I started asking for an epidural and was 3cm. 5 minutes later something didn't feel right, I was examined again and told I was 10cm, She arrived 5 hours after they broke my waters, no interventions and no tears.

My first arrived naturally at 40+5, it was 5 hours of labour and I had an epidural and episiotomy.

My second was induced at 39+6 as I had a fever and his heart rate was a little concerning. Epidural again and labour was 6 hours.

The big difference for me was in pushing. With DD I pushed for over an hour and then had an episiotomy to get her out. DS was born in a few pushes with no intervention and only a tiny tear. Weirdly I was way more effective at pushing DS out even though I was totally numb from the epidural whereas with DD I still had quite a lot of feeling. I wonder if it was because with DS the Dr was busy finishing up her clinic (I'm not in the UK) so they left me at 10cm for a while with DS and he descended further naturally before I started pushing.

My first I was induced at 37.5 for waters breaking and no labour, induction took over 12 hours, had a blissful epidural, baby born vaginally with vacuum.

My second came at 40 weeks and was 2 hours from when my water broke to he was born; about 1 hour active labour.

My third came at 36 weeks, 8 minutes active labour.

No pain relief for the later two, no time and also I had my head around it a bit more so felt in control.

DD1 - spontaneous labour at 38w exactly after my BP went very high. Total time from waters breaking was 30hrs but i was really only having contractions for around 14hrs and active labour of 4hrs. DD1 had group b strep sepsis so then 2 weeks of NICU / SCBU followed but all was well in the end.

DD2 - spontaneous labour at 39+3, less than a day after she turned herself from breech to head down and 24hrs after i developed preeclampsia (c section had been booked for 39+5). Total labour time 5hrs, active labour of 1hr and only had to do one push for her to be born. DH only just made it in time after waiting at home for our childcare for DD1 to arrive and then getting to the hospital himself. All very calm and chilled afterwards in complete contrast to DD1's immediate post birth period.

Gas and air only both times (second time got as far as the anaesthetist prepping for the epidural but then DD was born!). Two small grade 2 tears in the same place with each of them - although the tear for DD2 was much smaller and only needed 2 stitches.

First birth went into labour on due date and had her via forceps the next day due to being sunny side up, in theatre. It was fine.

2nd birth was only in labour 2 hours before going to hospital, gave birth in the lift on my due date. 10/10 recommend for speed, 2/10 recommend delivering in the lift….in the hospital you work in.

DC1 - 8 days late, labour 30 hours from the first contraction
DC2 - 7 days late, 3.5 hours from the first contraction

DS1- went into labour at 36 weeks slow labour for 5 days, forcepts delivery in the end awful experience it was so long and I was exhausted

DS2- went into labour at 35 weeks roughly 4 hours from first twinge but went from 4cm dilated to him being born in 24mins 🤣 so very different and very fast compared to first!

First baby my waters broke at 37 weeks and I didn't go into natural labour. I was induced and was in labour for 14 hours. Was so painful however no tears and baby was perfect. 💖

Second baby I went into natural labour at 38+2. I started getting small contractions throughout the day. Contractions got bigger and bigger and closer together. Went into labour at around 3am and had baby at 4:02pm the same day. Almost as painful as being induced tbh.
Everything was okay. No tears and again, baby was perfect. He's 7 months and my first born daughter is 3 in June :-). Xx

1st baby - 24hr labour, 9 days overdue. Back to back, agony.

2nd baby - 5hr labour (from first twinge to baby being born), 1 day early. Much less painful.

So in my experience the second one was really really quick - but it might have been influenced by the better position with my second compared the the first which was back to back.

2nd baby came at 41+2, spontaneous labour lasting 2.5 hours. Nearly gave birth in the car as I didn't think i was in proper labour as first labour was 36 hours and hospital an hours drive away in rush hour traffic! I didn't push at all, body just took over. Completely different from my first delivery but in a good way.

2 weeks early, waters broke, full on contractions, 9lb 3oz baby in my arms 2.5hrs later. Natural labour, a small tear which healed itself, no need for stitches. Good luck OP, second labours are much quicker usually.

DD2 was born on due date (DD1 was late)
Labour was about 7 hours from first twinge. Planned homebirth.
Pushing stage slightly longer... she was actually delivered (2 pushes) compared to her sister who just arrived (went from not fully dilated to baby born without warning in under 10 minutes).
No pain relief with either... wasn't a conscious choice with DD1, just happened and with DD2 it wasn't needed until afterwards for stitches, tried G&A and hated it.

I felt more confident and more scared 2nd time as I knew what was coming... they were worried she would be quicker than her sister hence the home birth as they didn't want her born in a car on country lane in winter.

1st, induction, 13 hours from waters breaking. Pushed for 2 minutes then his heart rate declined so had an Episiotomy and forcep delivery, home 24 hours later.

2nd, induction, 7 hours after waters breaking. Pushed for 8 minutes, 2nd degree tear, home 5 hours later.

I had epidural with both, but I asked for it straight away with 2nd so I didn't feel anything at all, it was a lovely calm stress free labour/birth.

First was after a sweep and labour took 3 days born 41+6
Second was induction via breaking waters and then drip. Took 7 hours 41+1

Good luck OP