Mums who had vaginal/natural births, how are your subsequent natural/vaginal births like?

[Bumpsss]

Hi you all

Just wondering the above.

From you experience, were your second/later vaginal births much easier than the first? Were these subsequent births more intense/painful?

Thanks!

First birth was quite quick (8.5 hours). Second very fast (20 minutes and extremely painful). Third embarrassingly easy (~3 hours); 4&5th four hours. All pretty straightforward and I only had pain relief with the first 😬

The after pains got worse with every birth so they were really bad after my twins!

1st and 2nd, four hours each. 3rd was 45m. No stitches/tears. All in my 20s though!

DD1 - around 12hrs, long pushing stage, second degree tear. She was starting to struggle a bit at the end.

DD2 - active labour of 1hr, 1 push and she was born, anesthetist was still setting up her epidural equipment 🙈 I did have a tear stitched but that was because it took a while to stop bleeding, they almost let me get away without it being stitched.

Both my labours had waters breaking very early in the process, not sure if that makes a difference? I just had gas and air both times in the end.

The consultant midwife told me that on average, if you have a first vaginal birth, the next one is likely to be much faster and easier. Then births 3 onwards can sometimes start to get tricky again in terms of complications (although we didn't discuss if that was also down to age or poorer health etc).

First birth was hard going, knocking on for 30 hours, if I remember correctly.

Second birth just over an hour with no pain relief.

Easier with 2nd, a doddle with 3rd, a bit harder again with 4th but none of them anything like as bad as with 1st. The after pains however, eg when baby latched on to breast, were far worse with each successive baby.

Arduous first birth, great second one.

Exactly the same as the first one - closet to 24 hours in labour, midwife becoming very worried, baby in distress…3–10 cm in less than an hour and rapid delivery.

I don’t think asking the question is going to be helpful. It’s all so varied.

Similar speed. Fewer stitches second time around. No after pains at all with first; quite bad with second whenever she fed. Felt less like I’d been hit by a bus post partum after DC2, but recovery of pelvic floor etc has been much worse.

First baby: 24hrs of labour that started spontaneously after a failed induction, all the pain relief I could get including epidural, 3rd degree tear, significant blood loss.

Second baby: 12hrs labour but most of it at home, and I went from 4cm to pushing in 45 minutes. Very quick pushing stage, no pain relief whatsoever and no tearing at all. Only had to stay in hospital due to meconium in my waters.

Dc1 12 hours (last 4 on gas and air). Horrendous pushing stage whereby I ended up in itu. Was ill for a year after.
Dt 6 hours (probably 5 hours on gas and air), was painful delivery of dt2 but a doddle of a birth compared to dc1 and recovery much quicker.

Birth of second felt much easier and less painful

My first was medicated, epidural, fentanyl, etc. no interventions like forceps though. Took a while as was pessary induced and they're not offered in my trust anymore because they're so low dose and unreliable. From pessary insertion to birth was approximately 18 hours. 2nd degree tear but quick recovery and out of the hospital the next day.

My second was a flash in the pan in comparison. Almost 5 years later. Induction again but with the gel this time. Midwife said she'd check me in 3 hours, baby was born 1.5 hours after insertion. Done completely on gas and air as there wasn't time for anything else! 2nd degree tear again in the same place as the first time which I was expecting. We were given permission to leave the hospital 2 hours after birth but it was too early in the morning so we hung around until 6.30am.

Two were similar but after pains get worse every time, though no one mentions it.

Basically the same. Active labour: 1st was 6 hours with 16 minute pushing stage. 30 hours total. 2nd was 8 hours with 14 minutes pushing. I was induced. First had epidural, second the epidural failed. 2nd degree tear both times. PPH first time, bladder crushed second time (10 day catheter post partum). Pros and cons.

Second was quicker (4 hours versus 8) but more complicated. My second baby was two weeks late and came out with his arm over his head so I had tearing. Both equally painful - I didn’t have any pain relief either time and regretted it both times!

First about was eight hours with no anaesthetic at all. Second one was a couple of hours at the most. Again, no anaesthetic needed. Really enjoyed giving birth, both times.

First birth was long, second and third much quicker and easier.

Wow, thank you all for sharing! I've only heard of a few mums mentioning about their experience on this topic so was wondering.

I just gave birth recently (first birth via vaginal) and found it incredibly tough (even though I had epidural) and it ended up being assisted. Im honestly not sure if I've the confidence and courage to go through it again if it's equally tough (if not worse). It's not like c-section is any easier though!

I'm glad that most of you have found it more positive in second/subsequent rounds.

I have had quick labours. Nothing longer than 30 mins.

my first was a breeze didn’t know I was in labour. But ended up in surgery after her birth.

my second was awful I had to be induced as placenta issue and he was quick. But no complications after.

my third was quick. Got taken in my ambulance and just about made it. We had a complication with cord and ended up in theatre after again.

labour wise I wouldn’t say it was more intense. But recovery has definitely been harder. My 3 rd the after pains were awful. Dreading it this time around as due my 4th in summer

Birth 1 in Southern California, huge amount of intervention, epidural, and baby ended up in high dependency unit for about a week. Not a particularly pleasant experience. Birth 2 in UK. No pain relief at all! Home later that day. Far easier.

Ist was relatively fast. 5hrs It was a little chaotic and I did feel very 'safe' but the birth was pretty straight forward and I came out of it with just a few stitches and recovered quickly.

2 & 3 were home birth, very calm, very quick( 4 hrs & 90 mins). No stitches or other injuries and again recovery was fast. After pains much more Intense with 2 & 3.

1st was just awful, 36 hours ish, ended up needing episiotomy, 8lb baby. Home about 36 hours after birth.

2nd was enormously easier, about 16 hours in total but only 4-5 of actual pain, 10lb baby (small tear), went home about 12 hours later

I Had a virginal birth, then a c section, then another vaginal birth. First one had to be induced, went on 24hrs and had to have an epidural for the pain. Fairly awful.

Last one, went into labour spontaneously, took 4hrs, no pain control at all and was much better in every way.

Both were fine though the second caused a bit of trauma for me.

Birth 1: 36 hours, contractions far apart and really easy to manage with breathing and TENS machine. Eventually went to hospital after lying about contraction time in order to be let in (Covid times), arrived at 10cm and pushing, son born two hours later. 3rd degree tear repaired in surgery. No lasting damage. Home after three days.

Birth 2: 47 hours, contractions far apart and really easy to manage with just breathing. I vowed that this time I would be believed about being in active labour but I was ignored again and the hospital refused to admit me. Daughter was born 11 mins after I was finally allowed into the birthing suite so I (yet again) missed out on the water birth that I wanted. 2nd degree tear plus graze this time 💪🏻 Home within 24 hours.

As people said above, the after birth pains were WAY worse with my second baby.

I had all 3 of mine vaginally and unmedicated.

The first one was my only hospital birth. I was kept on a bed, on my back with continuous monitoring…..also know as the most counterproductive position to birth in 🫠 Took me nearly an hour to push her out and resulted in a second degree tear.

Second was at home, totally hands off. No cervical checks, intermittent monitoring. Completely uneventful 10 hour labour, baby was out in two pushes. No tearing.

Third was also at home, she wasn’t waiting for anyone 🤣 1 hour labour. I called the midwives and they arrived seconds after baby did. My water broke and that was that: her head was emerging. I don’t actually remember really pushing all that much except for one big one for her shoulders. Her dad dived under me and caught her like a rugby ball 🤣