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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Long or short Labour after c.section first birth???

14 replies

oneyummymummy · 15/12/2008 11:52

Hey, Im curious if anyone has had a natural labour after c.section. I want to know whether labour (like most after natural delivery) will be shorter second time round?? I know your body hasnt gone through the WHOLE process of labour and birth, but will it still know what to do and labour faster second time?? I know that this isnt always the case and sometimes second labours can be longer but generally they say that the second time your body knows what to do and thats why labour is faster with subsequent births. Or will it be like a first birth and take quite long? I was in 'labour' for most of the day with my dd then had e.c.section at midnight but i was only about 3-4cm dialated anyway for the entire day!

Hope this makes sense...

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thenewme · 15/12/2008 11:58

baby 1 - 1cm dilated, not in labour at all, EMCS.
baby 2 - 24 hours from start to finish, pushed for 20 minutes.
baby 3 - 12 3/4 hours from start to finish, pushed for 7 minutes.

baby 2 and baby 3 I was stuck on 1 cm for ages then did 3 cm in 10 minutes with baby 2.

Original poster

oneyummymummy · 15/12/2008 12:37

Wow! and would you say you were really glad that you went for VBAC? I love hearing positive stories but also know what there are other things that can go wrong, but just hope im one of the 'lucky' ones next time!

And they let you wait that long...because a lot of people are saying that they are only given a short amount of time and if they dont progress then they are told they have to have c.section! I really want to let nature take its corse next time, and want to be strong enough to stand up to them and say no, if its not putting my baby in any danger!!

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fourlittlestockingedfeet · 15/12/2008 12:57

check out this thread

fourlittlestockingedfeet · 15/12/2008 12:58

everything you need to support you in a vbac decision and some lovely stories

thenewme · 15/12/2008 13:21

I was scared into an elective section by a consultant who had never met me before and it wasn't until I saw my usual one and told him I didn't want a section, and he said, don't have one then, that I thought yes I won't. I had her naturally but did have a retained placenta so had to go to theatre but I am so glad I had a VBAC. I drove her when she was 1 week old!

With her I was given another 8 hours and I agreed to an epidural under protest but better than a section. Fortunately for me I had 3 horrendous contractions one after another and she was born 20 minutes later. No epidural. They didn't expect me to do it as I had been stuck on 1cm for so long.

With the next one, again 1 cm at 6-7am when contractions had started at 9.30pm. Given until 10am then it was a section. Got prepped for a crash but I got him out.

Lulumama · 15/12/2008 13:24

baby 1 - induced at 39 +1 ,waters broken, given diamorphine then epidural at 2-3cm. Spent whole labour immobile and had c.s for failure to progress. quelle surprise

baby 2- spontaneous labour at term, 18 hours of latent labour, 2 hrs 45 to go from 3 - 10 and 30 minutes pushing. no intervention and used gas & air and small dose of pethidine, had been mobile and upright the majority of the time.

so much depends on the position of the baby, the position you are in etc.. about how long/short labour is

failure to progress can often be due to induction before you would have laboured spontaneously and immobility in labour IME and IMO

Original poster

oneyummymummy · 15/12/2008 14:01

Thanks FLSF.....lovely stories a very long thread but got to read all the important bits I think!

Its nice to hear from people themselves rather than just statistics in a book!

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Original poster

oneyummymummy · 15/12/2008 14:07

I was full term and had been induced, stayed as mobile/upright as possible, untill they decided to break my waters, i was lying down and never got back up again, the contractions were sooo strong and no break inbetween them so had an epidural and was still immobile! I think that my dd never got in the right position from when the waters were broken and because i couldnt get up she got stuck and therefor was not pushing on my cervix to make me dialate! But this is just what i think happened they have never given me a proper reason behind it all, but she was delivered with a large lump on side of head, so that is just the conclusion that I have arrived at, given all the 'evidence'.

So next time I would want to be as mobile as possible as I think this does play a big part in how your labour goes. Lulu I totally agree.

OP posts:

Lulumama · 15/12/2008 14:10

In my non medical opinion, could be your DD was in a bad position, breaking the waters meant she could not easily shift into a better position and the intensity of the labour without teh cushioning of the waters made it harder to cope with. hence, you remained immobile and she remained in a bad position ( lump on head) and you had a c.s
i think what you think makes perfect sense !!

Lulumama · 15/12/2008 14:11

also, why were you induced?

Original poster

oneyummymummy · 15/12/2008 14:23

S.P.D- I was in a lot of pain and asked to be induced....being impatient too. Was given the gel stuff the night before and was having pains from then throughout the next day they just got stronger and stronger, but i was fine on my ball, playing cards and in and out of the bath,didnt lay down once! as soon as they broke my waters (why they did this im still not sure!!) everything went downhill!

It being my first baby I just assumed that they knew best and I had to do everything that they told me too, in hindsight I would deal with the SPD pain and wait, and I wouldnt have let them break my waters, or keep examining me and I would have done what I thought was right for me and my baby!!

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Lulumama · 15/12/2008 14:36

breaking the waters is just a stock part of the induction process, once you are dilated enough from teh gel, your waters will be broken to stimulate contractions....

sounds like you are a lot better prepared and more knowledgeable, which is only a good thing second time around

snickersnack · 15/12/2008 14:42

I had a longish induced labour with dd that ended in an emCs when she got distressed ? I think I got to about 7 cm. 2 years later I had a pretty easy VBAC ? waters broke at 38+1 (dd was 10 days late), ds was born 6 hours later with just gas and air. Only bit that was less than perfect was the episiotomy at the end but his heart rate started to go a bit crazy and they wanted him out. So, anecdotally, yes ? on my experience it would seem your body does know what to do.

Original poster

oneyummymummy · 15/12/2008 17:09

So although I only got to 3-4cm, my next labour may be fairly ok.Presuming here.....or hoping!
Forgot to say dd went into distress and heart rate dropped and didnt go back up, thats why I had em.c.s.

I hope that I will be able to try VBAC next time (they gave me no reason why i didnt dialate or why dd was in distress, so I don't see a major reason why I couldn't), Im really against me having an elective c.s next time as it would probably mean another general anesthetic, and recovery was not great from that(tiredness, medication and bonding-wise).

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