Was your second birth easier than your first???

[sjcmum]

I'm 39+2 weeks with no2. With a toddler to run round after, I've hardly been thinking about the birth - just know it is something that I have to get through. Am I likely to have a similar experience again, or can I hope that it will be easier? A couple of friends here with 2 have had really mixed and different experiences - some easier and faster, some worse - would be interested to know what people have experienced?

my first was a Em CS, my second was breeze at 48mins. sorry not much help but hope you are ok

My first was problematic ended up with a forceps delivery. Feeling rubbish after. DS2 was sooo much easier. I started contractions at 7 am and deliver naturally by noon. So much easier!!

I think with your second you are much more aware of what you want and you are more in control.

DS1 - 23 hours form start to finish. 10lb, OP, ventouse + 3rd degree tear
DS2 - 18 hours from start to finish. 8lb 4oz, natural delivery, tear/episiotomy
DD - 9.5 hours from start to finish. 8lb 11oz, tear. Home waterbirth.

O yes definately. Dd was 13 hours of hell after an induced labour. Ds was late too but labour started spontaneously and was 3.5 hours, with only a whiff of gas and air in the last hour. If I could be guaranteed such a nice birth again I would have another tomorrow If you get chance in these last few days try and get some books by Ina May Gaskin- I am convinced that getting in the right mindset for labour helped it go smoothly, as I wasn't scared like with dd and had total trust in my body to do what it was meant to do. I'm coming across as a mad hippy now, so I'll go.....

yes, a little longer (though he was in wrong position) but nice, happy gentle birth s oposed to almost deadly one

I think every experience is different. In my case thought, 2nd experience was wonderful compared to the 1st which was absolutely horrible! DS1 was 20months when DS2 arrived. DH had a job interview that morning, and I knew I was in labour but was holding off ringing him for as long as poss, rang my parents and sister but they were over an hour away by train. When I eventually got hold of DH we all went to the hospital together, and DS1 was in the room with us almost up to the actual birth because my parents were delayed and he wouldn't sit outside with the nurses. (my funniest memory is of DS1 copying DH, stroking my leg and saying "push Mummy!") I had planned to have every drug available after the horrid experience I had with DS1, but in the end I didn't have time!! Had DS2 at lunchtime and was allowed home in the afternoon. Good luck and I hope everything goes well for you .

Both DC were born in 8.5 hours in the bath at home. DS (1st) was an easy well controlled and not painfull birth. DD was agony, went from 3 to 10cm and pushed her out in 15minutes and my neighbour heard me scream 2 houses down (in the garden hanging up washing). She had cord around her neck and was purple and very upset when she came out.

DS was very laidback and curious as to what was happening around him.

Strangely enough he is still an easygoing child whilst DD is a handfull to say the least

yes much easier

dd1- 18 hours

dd2- I arrived at hospital 9cm dilated, only thing holding her in were the waters had not broken they broke waters and there she was after about 5-10mins of pushing
Midwife said it was the easiest delivery she had ever done

best of luck

ds - 3 days. back to back hell.

dd - 6hrs of stopping and starting contraction - side on labour - 30 mins proper contraction followed by 3 pushes (totally involentary body in autopilot. no stopping them no matter how much midwife shouted)

hopeing if i were ever to have anymore they would actually be the right way round

I was lucky both times but 2nd time was quicker.

1st, I arrived at hospital at 11.55pm and delivered DS at 1.08am.

2nd, first contraction at 6.15am DD was delivered at 6.59am. she arrived before the ambulance did.

Good luck.

Yes.

DD1 50 hours resulting in ventouse with episiotomy, drip, stirrups the works.

DD2, 4 hours, at home, no pain, no stress, no hassle, even though DD2 was a whole pound heavier than DD1.

Read as much Ina May/Kitzinger/Odent as you can and be confident.

Happy pushing!

I had two big babies (head circs on 98th centile)

dd 6hrs (ventouse after 2 hr second stage) 2nd degree tear

ds 4 hrs (15 min 2nd stage) no tearing/stitches

Good luck!

Dd1 - about 28 hrs in labour or something ridiculous like that; ventouse, horrid experience, horrid doctor.
Dd2 - still long labour but much calmer and easier, partly because by then DH and I were both more assertive than first time round, and we had the same midwife for a long stretch (I think we had four different ones first time). Tear and stitches both times - and both were fairly small babies (5lb 9 and 7lb).

Good luck!

Harder second time.

My first was straightforward 13 hours.

My second was two days of prelabour, 7 hours of real labour and more difficult and more painful dur to posterior positioning of baby.

My third was the easiest.

Neither was easy, but the second had a better outcome - i.e. didn't result in any intervention. I was a bit grumpy about all the planning I'd done in case DD2 arrived quickly though, considering that we had forever to arrange babysitting for DD1 when it came down to it. Or at least, that's how it felt.

Definitely easier second time around

DS1 - 18 hr labour, epidural, 4 hour 2nd stage, forceps - 6lb 10oz
DS2 - 4.5 hr labour, no pain relief, 20 minute 2nd stage - 9lbs.

In fact, I wasn't even sure it was labour with DS2 until the last hour or so and he was born at home.

I think statistically second labours are at last faster and therefore easier to bear for most people.

Good luck.

Beyond comparison.

DS (2nd birth) was amazing. Look back with fond memories. Gas and air only, and just generally fab. 2 hrs ish from start to finish.

DD's birth was by no means a difficult labour, but much longer, lots of different pain relief, and scary and out of control.

With ds I did antenatal yoga and hypnobirthing. Generally had a positive mental attitude about the whole thing and despite the planned homebirth not happening because no midwife avaialbe, arrived at hosp 10cm dilated and was home 2 hours later.

Much easier 2nd time.

First time was in and out of hospital for three weeks before birth with suspected and then confirmed pre-eclampsia. Was going to be induced but waters broke and birth was natural. However, it was a forceps delivery due to DS's low heart rate and then I had a pph, losing 1500 ml of blood. Was sewn up in theatre afterwards for two hours and was given an epidural for that. Had a blood transfusion later on that day. Felt worn out by whole experience.

With DD, no pre-eclampsia problems, total length of labour was under 7 hours, no forceps, no stitches and was much better .

dd was 6 punds 10
ds was 7 pounds 14.

Both had 40min second stages, but with dd was pushing like crazy against epidural and tore badly. With ds, I actually felt the urge to push and so expended less energy and didn't tear badly.

First one awful - induced, epidural which slowed everything down, then delivered by ventouse, bad tear a horrible experience.

Number 2, had a mild 'tightness' for about 6 hours, then labour proper kicked in and he was born about 5 mins later with 2 pushes, before midwife/paramedics etc could get there. No pain relief at all.

Both scary in different ways, but number 2 left me feeling fantastic.

ds1, 3 days induction, epidural, vaginal delivery, 6lb13oz baby, 5 days NICU for severe jaundice
ds2, 4 hours labour, home waterbirth, shoulder dystocia, half a can of gas and air, 11lb13oz, 3 nights transitional care for mild jaundice

First one was awful - 27 hours, ended up giving birth in operating theatre about 60 secodns away from C section.

Second one was perfect . Home water birth, wonderful experience.

second was quicker but more intense....i had a good boohoo near the end!

2nd birth was lots quicker, but DS2 was a lot bigger (as expected).
Felt lot more in control and less scared.
Both were ventouses.

Good luck