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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

quick labour first time what are my options if i have another

21 replies

pippa251 · 26/11/2009 08:03

Hello,

I had my DD 19 weeks ago and was in labour start to finish about 5 1/2 hours. On start of labour my contractions were 3 mins apart and stayed constant. Normal delivery with small 2nd degree tear all fully healed 10 days post birth.

However we live 40 mins from the nearest hospital and I am led to believe second births are quicker- what are my options?

Homebirth out of question as DP is a clean freak

anyways would love to hear any likewise experiences / advice

thanks

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suiledonne · 26/11/2009 08:28

pippa - Congratulations

I had a very similar first labour to yours. Contractions also started at 3 mins apart. Entire labour from first twinge to delivery was about 4 1/2 hours. DD1 was born 3 days before EDD. No tears but had a retained placenta.

I was very concerned towards the end of my second pregnancy that it would be quicker and like you we live 40 mins from hospital and I would be home alone with a 2 year old.

The consultant decided to review me for induction at 38 ish weeks as it was late October so weather/road conditions were a factor. At that time the doctor thought I was a candidate for induction but the midwife talked me out of it.

I then developed high blood pressure and was in and out of hospital and had several false alarms but no sign of baby.

I was at home when I went into labour. It lasted the grand total of about 2 hours. Same as last time mild contractions very close together for about an hour, then very intense. Bbay delivered after 2 or 3 pushes. No tears or any problems.

In my experience the doctors are pro-induction, the midwives against in this situation.

As they said to me one fast labour is no indication that your second will be the same.

I would say talk to someone when the time comes about your options (and have a good emergency plan in place)

suiledonne · 26/11/2009 08:30

Forgot to say thanks to DH's fantastic driving I made it to the hospital for the delivery.

I waited around at home a bit too long to be sure I was actually in labour though as I was sick of going in and out of there with the high bp.

Dalrymps · 26/11/2009 08:42

Ooh, I am due in March and am exactly the same, labour 5 hours first time, hosp an hour away

Original poster

pippa251 · 26/11/2009 08:45

thanks for the replies- did either of you have pain relief i found gas and air pointless as i couldn't recover from the contraction in time to take it before the next would come!

OP posts:

suiledonne · 26/11/2009 08:54

No pain relief either time. Was offered gas and air but like you I felt I had no time to use it between contractions.

Much to the midwife's amusement I did ask was it too late for pain relief just as dd2 was crowning.

The midwife told me I was welcome back anytime as I gave them so little to do

flybynight · 26/11/2009 09:22

My first labour was about 3hrs beginning to end, second one and a half, third 20 mins. I live half an hour from a hospital so this time, I'm going for a home birth because I can't guarantee getting to a hospital and I WILL NOT leave the house once I start unless I have to go in ambulance. I couldn't bear giving birth in a lay-by on the way to hospital or in the car park.

The community midwife has actually said that if I labour that quickly this time, the chances of having a midwife there are slight. It will probably be an ambulance crew and a midwife in time to deliver the placenta (the tricky bit apparently).

Of course, if I need to be induced for whatever reason I'll already be safe at the hospital, no problem!

So do bear in mind that you may have a homebirth whether your partner has cleanliness issues or not. Sometimes if can be on you that quickly.

suiledonne · 26/11/2009 09:25

wow flybynight - 20 minutes that is fast!

You sound like my MIL. She has 5 children and her combined labour on all 5 is less than 7 hours.

Dalrymps · 26/11/2009 09:48

I had gas and air but tbh felt like it was doing nothing at all. I kept thinking they musn't have turned it on properly as I just felt like I was breathing in air, I kept on taking it anyway just in case it was helping at all, was too scared to stop!

I was in hospital already as they had started me off with a pessary and I just went from there. Midwide came to check on me and I was already 7cm and she took me straight in to delivery.

I asked for pethadine near the end, think by this time I must have been in transition but the midwife faffed a bit then basically said it was too late so we didn't bother.

What is an extra worry is that this labour was back to back, aren't they generally longer? If the next one isn't back to back does that mean it'll be quicker still? Eek!

MrsGokWan · 26/11/2009 10:25

1st from start to finish was 2 1/2 hours.

2nd start to finish was 1 1/2 hours.

3rd start to finish 1/2 hour, was back to back. With this one I went in as soon as I had a show, hospital 40 minutes away, baby born 10 minutes after arriving, waters went as I arrived.

Dalrymps · 26/11/2009 10:31

Wow MrsGokWan they were all really quick!

Did you sustain any damage? I had a 3rd degree tear but they said that was because ds had his arm above his head...

currycrazy · 26/11/2009 12:11

i am due in 4 weeks with dd2,dd1 was 6 hours........i live about half hour from hospital......normally home alone with dd1(3) and DP works hours away some days..........

panicking slightly!!

NotSoRampantRabbit · 26/11/2009 12:14

I have had two fast labours (5 hours/3 hours) both at home.

Both times the midwives did an amazing job of tidying up. They take all the gory stuff (if there is any) and even put towels/sheets in washing machine.

DH and I emerged from our post birth snooze to find house cleaner than when we started.

Heartily recommend if you can persuade DH.

MrsGokWan · 26/11/2009 13:03

Dalrymps, only a slight tear with DC1 Th only reason that my first was so long is the MW's wouldn't let me move around or get off my back.

Th other two I was up and moving and gave birth while squatting and leaning on the bed. Gravity did a great job

suiledonne · 26/11/2009 13:21

Did any of you have trouble convincing the midwife you really were in labour the first time round?

When I turned up at the hospital and described my contractions etc the midwife told me I would be lucky to give birth in the next 12 hours and sent me off to have a bath. In the bath I got an incredible urge to push so got out and we went off to find the midwife. She very grudgingly agreed to examine me but agreed to it as she had a room free.

When she examined me I was about to deliver dd1. The midwife was really shocked.

devonsmummy · 26/11/2009 13:58

my 1st was 2hrs 10 mins from first twinge to delivery.
Thankfully i was in hospital with high BP - by the time i asked DH to get someone i had an overwhelming urge to push and DS was delivered after 3 pushes in the ward!

2nd time round i was really scared i wouldn't make it to hospital - DH works all over the country and my mum wasn't due to fly in until 2 days after my due date. With no-one close enough to get to me within an hour i had visions of giving birth at home with my 2 year old.

I went 10 days over, every day worrying that DH would miss the birth but....

DD was born 9 weeks ago on a Sunday - so DH was home. He wheeled me through hospital faster than he drove there, convinced i'd give birth before we reached maternity.
He need not have worried as this labour was longer than my 1st - 3hours 20mins.

So not all 2nd labours are faster than the 1st!

doodledrawers · 26/11/2009 14:05

Start working on DH for a home birth! Honestly, there was no mess at all left after mine either - plastic sheet and some old towels in the bin, a couple of sheets in the wash (all done by midwife!), and all other bits and pieces taken away by midwife. I can totally recommend the whole experience, and if DH is a clean freak I'm surprised he wants you anywhere near a hospital!

HellBent · 26/11/2009 14:27

Don't want to worry you but I was 5 and a half hours with DC1 and 45 mins with DC2!

I 'knew' the difference between BH's and real contractions though I felt a huge drop and contractions took my breath away so got to the hospital with a whole 10 mins to spare.

With DD I was 3cm dilated and walking about as normal, went to hospital and asked for an internal after cramps at night as worried about really fast delivery like DS. Not in labour so got sent home as second timers can be dilated by that much usually, was home for a few minutes and only just made it back in time. 45 minutes after being sent home DD was out!

They do tend to take more notice of people that have already been through labour before. When I started walking really fast to the labour ward the midwife told me to slow down and relax, she had to catch up when I told her the baby was coming RIGHT NOW!

MunchMummy · 26/11/2009 14:57

My friend had a 5 hours 1st time around and a 2.5 hr the 2nd time around.

I had a 8 hour the first time and a 2.5 hour the 2nd time around - although we didn't make it to hospital and had an emergency home birth.

No pain relief either time - 1st time I only made it to hospital with 30 mins to go and their wasn't time - 2nd time round things were alot less painful (hence the emergency birth as I didn't realise she was almost here).

My advice is it probably will be alot quicker, and if you're worried about a home birth, well, just be ready. Have a stash of towels and emergency phone numbers (999 if necessary) and an old duvet cover - just incase.

Original poster

pippa251 · 27/11/2009 07:42

did any of you guys feel shocked after your birth- it took me ages to get my head round - probably cause i had pethadine 30 mins before delivery.

It all seemed so fast it didn't seem real- then people kept telling me what a 'good' birth I had and I was a bit shell shocked by the whole thing TBH

OP posts:

suiledonne · 27/11/2009 08:34

pippa - Yes I definitely was in a bit of shock the first time. DD1 arrived a few days early so that was unexpected as everyone told me first babies are nearly always late.

Then my labour was so quick and intense and the midwife didn't really take me seriously that in some ways I wasn't mentally prepared for her to born IYKWIM

Even though my second labour was a lot quicker dd2 was overdue so I more than ready for her to arrive and since I had been through it before it was a lot less traumatic.

HTH

flybynight · 27/11/2009 10:16

Pippa, the first one was a real shock. He was a month early and, to be honest, it probably affected our bonding in the first few weeks.
The speed of labour was very frightening, and as is common in a first precipitate labour, the MWs didn't believe me and left me to labour in the waiting room. I was on my own (well, I had my husband with me, but that wasn't much help!)
The second and third were fine though. I knew what I was getting into there! With subsequent babies, you will be much more confident in what you and your body are doing.

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