Anyone who had a precipitous/rapid labour (less than an hour) had a longer labour in a subsequent pregnancy ?

[laidbackinamangernocribforabed]

Hi, 37 weeks on Friday with DC4. My last labour was 45 mins from the moment I woke up with a contraction to the time of giving birth to DS3 - just 5 minutes or so after midwife arrived.

Am planning to give birth at home again this time (DS2 and DS3 both born at home and 10 miles to nearest hospital ), despite local services not officially 'supporting' home births at the moment due to staff shortages (have read up on AIMS stuff and my midwife has been supportive and said he will come or they will send another midwife when I am in labour.)

So my questions are as follows..

1. Has anyone had a rapid labour and then gone on to have a normal or longer labour in subsequent pregnancy ?

1. Did you give birth before anyone arrived - how was it ?

1. Any tips should this happen ( DH is a Dr but hasn't delivered a baby since he was a medical student in the early 90's )

Thanks

my first was 2 hours from 1st contraction, so I don't really qualify. But 2nd was about 15 mins.

I did give birth before anyone arrived, tbh it was fine - I reached down to check and delivered his head, the rest of him slipped out and I sat wrapped up until the ambulance, and then the MN arrived.

My community MW said afterwards that if it is that quick there is rarely any problems, just keep the baby and mother warm and sit tight.

Thanks ChasingSquirrels, that's really useful info

It's perhaps too late to sort out, but is there any way your DH could refresh his skills before the baby comes? A quick run-through with colleagues, even - it might be useful when the baby comes.

(Sorry if that's blindingly obvious and you've already looked into it!)

He said he is going to do some 'research' to refresh his skills , but I can also see that he wants to be there in dad role rather than have to take responsibility in any sort of medical capacity (which hopefully won't be needed !).

my labours were 2hrs 20 mins, i hr 40 , 1 hr 11 and 22 mins

in that order

i was giving birth as the ambulance arrived on 2 occasions (they were born at home), was in the ambulance pushing another out, and had the 4th 4 weeks early by breaking my waters in hospital, because they thought i would deliver unattended

Thanks Lou, so yours followed a clear pattern of getting quicker . hmmmmmm.... Will get DH to be very available in the car when the time comes to dash home from work.

yes they got quicker and quicker

am sterilised now

Yes...starting to think that 4 is very much enough !

labours tend to stay quick or get quicker

you need to call 999 if MW not there or close and baby is coming NOW

don;t need to do anything particulalry, as has been said, very fast births are fast partly as nothing holding htem back.

putting your hands down onto your perineum can instinctively help you to slwo down as the head is born.

don;t do anything to the cord, put baby to the breast , keep warm and wait for help. if baby is slow to breathe, then rubbing and blowing on his face can help stimulate and also oxygen still getting to baby via cord for a bit after birth.

Thanks Lulu

meant rubbing baby's body with a warm dry towel, not rubbing his face !

hopefully will have a paramedic at the least

we didn't call 999 until ds2 was born (and tbh I was a bit suprised at H calling them, I would have just waited for mw).
ambulance was about 20 mins after we called - but they just looked at me and then waited for MW, MW took another hour.
Friend had a BBA five months later and she was saying they talked her dh through it on the phone, I still wonder what exactly her DH was doing - mine was cutting a piece of bubblewrap on the other side of the room.

Bubblewrap , how supportive .... !!

lol - well I got off the bed so he could put the bubblewrap (plastic sheeting, protective) on, reached down and delivered.

Ds1- 45 mins labour head crowned in elevator, delivers as walked into delivery room

dd- 50 mins born 7 mine after arriving at delivery suite (drove quicker that time)

Ds2 planned homebirth. 13 hrs stop start labour, had waters broken. Ambulanced to hospital for induction/section
Ds2 born 2 minsafter arriving in the room as midwife looked for induction drip!
One pain, one push, one baby. Delivered by student midwife and DP
Go figure!!!

My labours have been all over the place. My first was very fast - less than two hours. The second was a gentle 6 hours. The third had a long latent phase but was quick when it got going, same with the fourth (less than an hour active). My fifth was more like the second.