Very quick first labour??

[itsallsoscary]

I really should not even be posting this, as my DC1 is only 2 weeks old, but I can't stop thinking about my labour, and what this means....

Basically, as everyone always does, I was led to believe that a first labour would go on and on and on... My DC was born in 2 hours, pushing stage less 25 minutes. While on paper this might sound good, it was actually extremely intense (contractions like nothing else I have ever experienced - MW told me I was not even in 'proper' labour, hence couldn't have pain relief and to expect it to get a lot worse). MW looked v shocked when I needed to push, not long after, and an hour after they had tried to send me home. 'Luckily', there had been meconium in my waters - if not, I would no doubt have given birth at home, which could have been disastrous because my baby needed to be resuscitated and I went into shock. My BP rocketed and my pulse went to 140BPM. DC had to be taken to SCBU and was not breathing etc.

We are both fine now, but I can't stop thinking about the birth. Every time I think about it, I cry, which is stupid because we are both fine. But it was so terrifying, and so unbelievably painful (I didn't have any pain relief at all) and I am now so scared I won't dare to have another baby. I know I shouldn't be thinking of this anyway right now, but I do want to have more than one baby. The thing is, if a first baby is born so quickly, what on earth might happen for a second?? Also, I was told that one of the reasons my baby wasn't breathing was because it is actually very shocking for the baby to be birthed so quickly, so I would be worried about how a second baby might cope too.

Does anyone have any advice/personal experience? I am in the Manchester area, BTW.

ah, you are not being stupid

unfortunately, it is something i have encountered a lot in my role as a doula and via the birth trauma association

on the whole, first labours are slow

usually a good 12 hours...

very often,first time mums do go to the labour ward too early, and are sent home..

it is not silly to be terrified and feel tearful., you were expecting one sort of scenario and go a totaly different one

also, you had no pain relief, when you were cleraly in pain

which hospitak did you deliver in? ask if they have a birth afterthoughts service

ask to go through your notes with a MW

don't be afraid to ask questions

if it is any consolation, second time around it is far less likely you won't be believed and will get the care you need

i would also advise getting in touch with the birth trauma association or birth crisis

don't be afraid to talk about it a much as you need too

you went thorugh an intensely worrying time, and although ti is great you and your baby are fine, it is the what ifs that keep you awake

xxxxxx

Firstly well done, it is a very hard experience and you sound like you coped amazingly.

Secondly, contact the head of midwifery where you gave birth and arrange to see your notes and have a proper debrief because frankly your midwife doesn't sound very good.

I have quick labours too (active stage 3.5 hours with DD, 12 mins pushing and 2 hours with DS - 8 mins pushing.) Second time I made sure all midwives I saw antenatally were aware that it was quick first time and tbh I went to hospital as soon as I felt a twinge. Mws were also offering me a (calm and controlled) homebirth. DS's birth was calm and lovely with water and gas and air because the mw was so good and DH knew what to expect and really helped so it is certainly possible to have a much better experience 2nd time around.

Congrats on your baby.

My first was pretty quick (2 hrs total, 1 hr pushing stage) although without any of the problems you have had.

I'm posting more towards the potential next baby - your notes from this birth will be about, and you will have a history of a fast birth.
For me, no.2 was expected to come quickly and I went for a home birth. As it was ds2 was born in under 15 mins, but everything was fine.

I don't know anything about "birth debriefing" - but would this help? I know it is very early days for you, when mine were 2 weeks old I would talk about the labour to anyone who would listen.

I too had a v quick first labour (about 2 hours) and had very much the same reaction from midwives (except I basically screamed so much they gave me pethidine to shut me up ). It left me traumatised, with pnd and terrified of a similar thing happening next time.

The be all and end all of it was that the next time I got pregnant I booked with an independent midwife cos I couldn't bear the thought of being treated like that again. Not only did they get me a birth debrief, extra antenatal visits but also a long antenatal appointment discussing what to do if it happened very quickly again so I felt totally prepared.

FWIW my 2nd labour baby went back-to-back and it lasted 19 hours

I have to say the debrief really really helped so it might be worthwhile arranging one when you feel up to it.

It is quite normal to go over and over your labour when it was something you really did not expect, and also quite normal to be concerned about next time. Like chasingsquirrels I talked about my 1st labour to anyone who would listen for quite a while to get my head around it.

My first labour was 90 mins from first contraction to delivery, I was pushing by the time I arrived on delivery suite - screaming my head off absolutely out of control - the midwives had to tell me to shut up! They appeared cross with me, asking me why on earth I'd left it so long to come in, I said (when I was able to speak!) I only went into labour 30 mins ago..... in retrospect they were just taken aback by this screaming banshee who was about to deliver quite unexpectedly!

I did'nt have any pain relief either and the pain was excruciating, I certainly have never forgotten it. However, I firmly believe that is because I was so out of control because everything happened so quickly.

I was induced with ds2 - this really helped my mindset as I felt much more in control. I had my waters broken, set off for a little walk around the hospital and promptly went into full on labour in the car park 15 mins later cue 20 mins trying to get back to delivery suite between contractions! He was born 35 mins later, with gas and air and totally fab experience - even though the pain was very intense and overwhelming I felt in control which made the world of difference. Was advised to book a homebirth if I was to have any more.

I initially booked for a homebirth with ds3 but had complications so ended up being induced with syntocinon, 45 min labour from first contraction to delivery, again very intense, felt almost like one continuous contraction but had g&a and was another fab experience (did ask for morphine after 1st contraction though .

Am currently 37 wks pregnant with ds4 and am all booked for home. My hb is a little low (but this is normal for me) so they would prefer me to deliver in hospital, however my midwife is very supportive and totally agrees with me that is potentially more dangerous for me to attempt to get to hospital if I am contracting as have high risk of delivering en route! That said she also thinks I may deliver before one of them gets to me (it would take her 45 mins to get to me) so plan is to go to hospital if waters break but am not contracting, call them if I start contracting at home and if its progressing very quickly call an ambulance.

I am beginning to feel quite nervy about it all but I know it'll be fine and over very quickly (well hopefully!) I just wanted to let you know it will be different next time, it may be just as painful but you will be able to deal with it because you know its probably going to be fast and furious thus you will be better prepared for it. However you may well be going over your labour/delivery in your head for a while yet and that's fine and normal, it may well help to talk it over with the listening service (if the hosp you used have one?) and/or request your notes and go over them with your midwife.

Finally none of my babies have been adversely affected by their delivery, they were all quite sleepy for the first 24 hrs but that may have nothing to do with it at all. I was also told that they may be a bit shocked but they were all ok.

Enjoy your new baby and talk talk talk about your experience it really helped me (and bored everyone else )

Yikes sorry for mammoth post - I did say I liked talking about it .....

verycherry - my ds2 was a bba (well what else would he be with a 15 min labour).
The mw said to me a few days later than in very quick birth situations like that there is unlikely to be anything wrong - as the complications would slow it all down, almost always enough for someone to get there or you to get somewhere - and if that isn't the case then it was always going to be a horrendous outcome anyway.

eh-H called 999 after ds2 was born and couldn't understand why (baby was born & breathing, I was ok - lets just wait for the mw who is on her way). Ambulance crew didn't really do anything, but hung round until mw arrived and then placenta was delivered in case I needed to be taken into hospital.

Hope it all goes well.

Thanks for that chasingsquirrels, even though I am quick I am very of 15 min labour!

I really began to question my decision to have him at home last night after reading another thread about birth trauma, ds3 has cerebral palsy we don't know what has caused it - not a birth injury we think probably antenatal but still...

However I still think my safest option if I am contracting is to stay at home, and everything your midwife has said makes sense. Not much else I can do other than take it as it comes, am still in awe of your 15 mins!!

Wow, thanks for all your replies, it's really good to hear of others who have gone through a similar thing, and whose DCs have been OK. I guess my biggest thing was that I felt so out of control (I am a control freak at the best of times!) and the worry that my baby could have been adversely affected. And the panic that next time it could be mega quick, and even more out of control.
I may be wrong, but I feel convinced that the speed at which I dilated MUST have made the contractions more intense than 'normal' ones - I don't know if this is right, but the pain I felt was unbelievably excruciating, I am amazed I didn't pass out, I was crippled on the floor, it really was horrendous. The pushing was a doddle in comparison!

Verycherry it is lovely to hear of your experiences, thank you for sharing them. I really hope you get your homebirth in 3 or so weeks, and would love to hear how it goes. I will have my fingers crossed.

I think I will probably plan a homebirth for next time (I am determined there WILL be a next time, however scared I might feel!) and hope all goes to plan.

Thanks again for all sharing your experiences, and anyone else who would like to add theirs would be much appreciated.

PS - I also can't stop talking about my labour, to anyone and everyone who will listen!!!

itsallsoscary - I think you are probably right re: intensity of contractions as my labour with ds3 which was only started by syntocinon felt exactly the same as the other two.

I have read loads of threads where people have felt syntocinon induced labour is much more intense/painful and difficult to manage which seems to bear out your theory!

I go from nothing to contracting for 90 seconds with about a minutes break between so no build up at all, BUT with your second you will feel much more in control and happier because you will know whats happening this will make it much easier to deal with.

Thanks for your thoughts and finger crossing, will let you know how it goes.... eeekkk!!!