Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

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

Flip

Original poster

A nice problem to have?

11 replies

meandmybub · 22/04/2009 17:09

Hi there,

I am pregnant with my second child and although it's some way off yet, I am worried about the birth.

The 'trouble' is I had a very quick and easy birth first time round - I was induced as DD was 2 weeks late ... and it all happened rather quickly - by the time I realised I was in labour, I was 6 cm dilated and then it was 90 minutes until she put in an appearance. Which, of course, was great at the time ... but our hospital is 40 minutes away and I don't want a home birth. ... and I really don't want a car birth or a lay-by birth or an 'alone in the bathroom' birth but I am scared that any one of these is a possibility!

Does anyone have any advice/words of comfort?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

FrankMustard · 22/04/2009 17:12

Don't leave it too late once you think it's starting - my second was very fast and 3rd and 4th even quicker....make sure you're all packed up and ready to go with a few back-up people to give you lifts if your main person isn't accessible when things get going.
A friend of mine had her first in 3 hours and the second in 90 mins, so do have an A-team style plan in place!
On the comforting side - it's great having quicker ones as it doesn't prolong the labour and you'll meet your baby without too much waiting!

Auntylulu · 22/04/2009 17:15

some women have succesfully argued for an induction of labour at 38 + weeks due to precipitate labour previously. if you don;t want a homebirth, then that is an option, although you say you don;t want one

the other thing is to go to hospital as soon as you start having pains or your waters go

if you feel that you suddenly need to push then call an ambulance!

read up on unplanned homebirths, there are lots of useful tips , search the archives on here

Peachy · 22/04/2009 17:20

honestly? rethink the home birth;with ds4 I had 35minutes start to end, had I even attempted hospital it would have been a petrol station delivery

And the one before was 3 hours

In many cases I'd say HB's are for those who really want them (as I was) but I suggest that for Mums expecting a precipitous labour then a HB is advisable; better at home attended with equipment than elsewhere.

I was told I could have argued for inductio0n by MW and would have done had a HB not been a possibility.

Could you ask the Obstetrician straight out what she would suggest?

HeadFairy · 22/04/2009 17:22

My friend had her first in three hours, and her second and third in 45 mins (just under for the third) so she's always had home births. As peachy said it might be a better option. Better to be planned and at home with mw and all the kit you need than panicking and in the car with someone driving like a loon.

KleineMaus · 22/04/2009 18:43

meandmybub I'm worrying about the exact same thing at the moment. I didn't have the quick labour you had, it was 9 hours from start to finish, but my sister had a very similar first labour to me and her second baby was born within an hour of her waters breaking and that had been the first sign she was in labour, she was just lucky she was actually already in hospital as she was supposed to be being induced but didn't have a bed for her! Of course I may not have the same experience at all. I think I'm mainly in a flap because since ds was born we've moved house and are now an hour from the hospital as opposed to 15 minutes. As it was last time I left going to the hospital till the very last minute (through ignorance more than anything else, really didn't realise, not having done it before, how close I was!) and ds was born 45 minutes after we got to hospital, but I was worried he was going to be born in the car.

There are two birthing units closer to home, but I'm scared of the fact they have very little medical back-up and it's quite a long way to the hospital if anything goes wrong, although quicker in an ambulance than car... I'm also thinking about the fact that we have ds to sort out and that my ds might be at work an hour away. I'm not due till September, and lots of things might happen before then, there may be complications that mean I have to go to the big hospital anyway, but I can't seem to stop worrying about it. I'll be watching this thread to see what people have to say.

Peachy · 22/04/2009 19:00

You now, your situation KM (dh working an hour away etc) isnt so far off what inspired me to hire a doula..... that and childcare

SamJamsmum · 22/04/2009 19:06

I had a fast birth first time and was exactly in your position and opted for a home birth because of it (which went really well). That is something you don't want to purposely do but it is something you should be prepared for on some level. I know 2 women personally who gave birth at home as they didn't get to hospital in time.

One thing I found helpful was to read a bit about unassisted childbirth to prepare myself for the worst case scenario. I thought in my head about calling a local neighbour (not my best buddy but someone who could be there in under 5 minutes), where were towels, keeping baby warm, trying to push slowly, not touching cord.

I found thinking the process through helped me relax. You may be someone who finds it has the opposite effect - hopefully not!

Original poster

meandmybub · 23/04/2009 15:26

Thanks for your responses. I guess I need to carefully consider a homebirth. I really don't like the idea of them at all (not for the safety aspect as I am very low risk so it should all be very smooth and I didn't have drugs last time - it's just I don't like the idea of being in my own house where I need to be responsible iyswim) ... but I've got 6 months to come round to the idea.

If I need to push Auntylulu then I'm really in trouble - I did get the bearing down feeling with DD for a short while, but I hadn't been given the green light to push when out popped her head! Still, if it's that easy again, I don't really need anyone helping me It'll be a nice surprise for DH when he gets home from work anyway!

OP posts:

picklesmama · 23/04/2009 22:24

Somebody pointed out to me that with a homebirth you have to worry that the MW will get to you on time (this was an obstetrician whose wife had all three at home. he said obviously it wasn't a big worry for them!).
My labour was pretty quick with #2 - probably 45 minutes I was sure I was in labour. But I did have earlier twinges, thinking "are these Braxton Hicks, or what", so next time I will be off to hossie like a shot when I feel a twinge. I nearly had DS in the car, but for ten minutes!
A homebirth is not for me. I don't want a MW on the end of a phone saying "ooh you'll be a while yet dearie" - or stuck in traffic.
Plus I have new cream sofas from Kingcombe . So I'll be going to hospital on the first twinge next time round, and hanging round there - false alarm or not!

Peachy · 24/04/2009 11:31

You've dopuble chances with a MW though- as they send two. One of mine made it, other didn't. Plus if they dont then its better to call a paramedic from your living room than a lay by I think

It's also useful if you have childcare issues- as you can either call V V early on and let your DP do any running about necessary whilst MW's get to you (rather than he do that then you get in car, or you do it together on way) or do as I did and let the LO's sleep on if it is at night.

neolara · 25/04/2009 20:45

Like you, I had a superquick and easy first birth. Like others on this thread, I too opted for a homebirth for my second. It was a great experience. I had primed my midwive that she would need to get here asap when I went into labour, and she did. In fact, my second birth was only slightly shorter than my first (four hours from first twinge to baby making an appearance) so while I think it is normal for it to be quicker second time around, it does not always seem to be the case.

Flip