How different were your subsequent labours?

[BB78910]

Approaching due date with my second. Just wondering how different your experiences were?
With my first my waters broke and I had a regular delivery at 38w. I’ll be 38 tomorrow and don’t know if I’m watching out for a similar thing or can it be wildly different?

All very different ( 4).First slow progressing and eventual C-section as baby stuck. Second prem labour at 34 weeks but reasonably normal delivery baby unwell in ITU for a few weeks, third - big baby fast birth, needed episiotomy, cord wrapped round his neck etc. This birth was the worst of the four !! Fourth the best- reasonably straightforward and unproblematic. I didn't get to due date with any of them but with the exception of baby number 2 they were all born about four or five days before due date.

First, went into labour at 40+6, baby had bradycardia, resulting in EMCS.

Second, water broke at 39+something, surgical team didn't like how the monitor looked, again EMCS.

Honestly both children have been dramatic since birth. They're currently 5 & 3 and still dramatic about everything.

First went into spontaneous labour at 40 weeks. Became a very traumatic birth, ended up in itu, don't remember any of it. Was ill for about a year after.
Second labour was 6 hours from induction to birth. No issues. Was up and about later that day. 2 days after birth I remember being in the kitchen bf dc2 and helping dc1 make cup cakes for his grandparents coming. I couldn't have done that several months after dc1. They were very different.

All different.

DC1 - induction at 39 weeks, baby born at 39+1, epidural, ventouse. First contraction to baby out was about 14 hours.

DC2 - spontaneous labour at 38+4. Very quick, no time for anything more than gas and air in an ambulance! Ventouse again. 4 hours from first twinge to baby out. By far my worst labour for many reasons.

DC3 - spontaneous labour at 39+5. Really positive experience - water birth, G&A, felt in control and quite enjoyed it! No intervention needed, 3.5 hours from first twinge to baby.

Currently pregnant with no4 and curious to see how this one will go!

Both very different. First labour slow, 2 days, unproductive due to back to back baby, ended up having an epidural due to exhaustion, let it wear off to push, pushed for hours but baby was stuckgo and had a forceps delivery in the end. Was exhausting and traumatic.

Second labour, fast about 6hrs, no interventions except a bit of gas and air....nearly didn't get to hospital in time. Didn't feel I had any control, baby was coming out and I wasn't even pushing...really weird sensation.

1 - waters broke at 38 weeks in bed and contractions started - 4 hours later baby arrived.

2 - waters broke at 40 weeks, contractions started, 45 minutes baby arrived, had a PPH.

4 - emergency section at 38 weeks due to only just diagnosed footling breech after waters broke and contractions started and my body wanted to push.

All started in a similar with no warning just the waters breaking.

Thank you all!
guess there’s just no way of knowing!!
also sorry to hear about all the tough labours out there - it’s so tricky when you get in to an emergency situation.
guess I’ll just sit and see what happens! Last time I really had no signs at all coming up to it, it was so spontaneous so I’m super sensitive to every Braxton hick and twinge right now! Trying to just stay at home and not go too far just in case 😂

Mine were all so different! All spontaneous.

Dc1 was a few weeks early, few hours and uncomplicated.

DC2 was 2 weeks late, slow and bloody awful! Ended in baby being distressed but thankfully all fine in the end. If I ever had another I would not accept being left that late again!

DC3 was another early one but the Labour was stop start for days. When it eventually got going though baby was born in under 10mins…

I really hope everything goes well for you!!