Please encourage me: anyone have marathon labour and very slow progress for first baby but much quicker labour for second?

[Gemzooks]

Just trying to work out how long 2nd birth is likely to take as planning homebirth this time.

With DS, had contractions every 10 minutes from Wednesday afternoon at 4 pm, quite painful and couldn't sleep either Weds or Thurs nights. Continued through the day on Friday, and at midnight waters broke. By Saturday 4 pm I was only 4 cm dilated and making no progress. Had synotocin and epidural, DS was born at 11.20 pm on Saturday night.

In other words, it took a very long time and I had the feeling I would never have dilated to 10 cm without the synotocin.

Then I had a miscarriage naturally at 14 weeks and it took 5 hours, very painful contractions, like a mini birth. But at least I felt as if my body knew how to have proper contractions.

Now 31 weeks pregnant with DC 2, and planning a homebirth.

Any experiences welcome, please reassure me it won't be so slow this time!

should have said... ds was posterior and came out back to front so that obviously slowed things down... this baby is right way round at least!

gemzooks.... i did both mine with no drugs, not even G&A and honestly it's fine

positioning and breathing are the key, if you're in a comfortable position and can let yourself zone out and just breathe through it you'll manage fine

i'd also suggest lots of hot showers in the early stages and get as much rest as possible early on so you have the energy to go the whole way.

when it comes to pushing you know you're almost there so don't be afraid to put all your energy into pushing. good luck, honestly, it's a wonderful experiance, you'll wonder why you ever needed the epi

gemzooks you'll be fine, won't need an epidural.

mine were:
1st-22.5 hours (17 of those were hell in hospital).
2nd-6 hours start to finish, home wb with huge baby in OP position.
3rd- home wb, about 2.5 hours start/finish.
4th-due in 5 days, you guessed it hwb, some concern about a BBA, but I'm sure everything will be fine.

ooh, thanks! this is really making me feel better. It's just the fear of the pain really, once you're in the situation you just have to go with it. I've always been someone who dreaded things and worried about every possible outcome.

I have two more questions though..

1. would you bother with hiring a pool (for homebirth).

1. Do you think TENS can slow labours down? I used it loads in the first, very slow labour and wondered if it somehow had stopped things progressing. It was great pain relief though!

any experiences very welcome!

Gemzook I had a very long labour (36h) with DD who was back to back. I was stuck at 1 cm for at least 15 hours. I used tens, then had gas and air (didn't work), pethidine and spinal block (+syntonion etc)

For DS I was determined not to go through this again. I did an hypnobirthing course and tried everything I can to have a baby positioned as it should. Labour and contractions started about 4.00 in the morning. At noon things sped up a bit so I called my midwife as I had decided on a HB. She got to us at two and thought we had ages to go as I was very calm and together and chatty. At about 3.15 things started to heat up so I went to have a bath. When I came out contractions came thick and fast. I was crying and crying and crying so the midwife suggested I went in my pool. As soon as I stepped in the pool I started pushing and after 15 minutes later DS was born.

Total second labour 12hours with really only about two hours of what they call "active labour"

I bought a birthpool in a box and didn't open it until I was sure I could have a HB (was waiting on Group B Strep results) as long as you don't open the pack, you can return it.

I didn't use tens second time round. Just breathing

have never used tens so can't comment but i do swear by water.

never had a birthing pool as the hospital didn't have one and HBs not an option here but i did spend a huge part of each of my labours in a hot shower just letting the water run over me and relax me and even that did wonders for the pain.

if you have enough time it would be no harm going on a self hypnosis course or getting some books on hypnobirthing, being able to zone out and refocus your mind away from the pain is a massive help in getting through labour without getting stressed and anxious, and if you can stay relaxed it honestly does make the pain seem less severe.

Gemzooks

I am a fan of pools. I used the Madeinwater pool which felt very deep and protected and has been a fabulous paddling pool for the summer!

Sorry to hijack... but ..

DUCHESSE... what was the lesson you learned about posture in pregnancy...

I'm really trying to have a VBAC and need my LO to be in a good position this time...

gratuitous, my DS was OP, (back to back) and it made for a longer labour. You can do lots of optimum foetal positioning during the pregnancy to get the baby in a good position (not slouching, sitting on a birth ball, spending time on your hands and knees, not lying on your back), there's loads of info on the net on ofp.

However I must say I did EVERYTHING possible from 20 weeks on, swimming etc, never slouching, and yet my DS was back to back. They can turn even in labour. (yet more reason to labour in active positions). So of course you can do everything you can, but you can't guarantee the position, it might be how the baby prefers to lie or the shape of your pelvis or whatever. So unfortunately although I learned my lesson early and always had good posture, the baby still ended up OP (though was born in the end, without any problems).

Second pregnancy might be easier to get the baby in a good position anyway... I'm sure you'll be fine!

Thank you Gemzooks... when my DS was born he was back to back and deflexed, ie coming out nose first rather than crown first...I laboured for 26 hours and never fully dilated yet... he was just firmly wedged in there.. had an em cs but I would rather not have another...

The trouble is that my sister and I, my DS and my sister's DD were all back to back... I am starting to think it's just soemthing in our anatomy... but I do want to try everything I can to get this one the right way round...

...sorry.. I've just realised that I've gone right off topic for this thread... apologies forthe hijack..