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Childbirth

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

Women who had 30h+ first labours, how long was your second labour?

38 replies

ooosabeauta · 20/06/2010 19:16

And if first was back-to-back, was your second as well?

Bit of an unscientific survey, but I'd appreciate your input!

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TheChicOfIt · 20/06/2010 19:58

Bump for you - also marking my place as I had a 31 hour labour!

booge · 20/06/2010 20:02

2 hours - she slipped out.

PiggyPenguin · 20/06/2010 20:03

1st was 31 hours
2nd was 8 hours
3rd was 6 hours

none were back to back, and the first was the only one that needed stitches even though no.2 was 5 oz heavily.

PiggyPenguin · 20/06/2010 20:03

5 oz heavier

thighsmadeofcheddar · 20/06/2010 20:04

oh yes me! I was 29 hours with DD1 (just short of 30) back to back, with a 3 hour pushing out stage (sorry don't know the technical terms. DD2, not back to back, 5 hour labour, out in 3 contractions or 5 mins from full dilation.

TheChicOfIt · 20/06/2010 20:04

Oh I love it when someone says that - not even pregnant yet but just hoping that the next shoots out "like a bullet from a gun" as someone once quoted on here

MrsKitty · 20/06/2010 20:06

1st labour - can't remember exactly, but was 30+ hours, back to back, ventouse & forceps (and prepped for section incase forceps didn't work)

2nd labour - Waters went at 18:30, contractions started at 20:00, baby was in my arms by 23:30

Sariska · 20/06/2010 20:07

First labour was over 30 hrs, some of it the latent phase, all of it painful. Hoped-for waterbirth went awry when baby went back to back.

Second labour also had a long latent phase but not particularly painful. Active phase of only 2 hours. Hoped-for waterbirth went out of the window as arrived at the hospital just in time to push. Baby wasn't back to back!

Hope that makes you feel better!

booge · 20/06/2010 20:08

Oh yes and my 2hr labour was for a 10lb baby, I think gravity came into play.

DanJARMouse · 20/06/2010 20:11

1st - 32hrs - induction and epidural so slept most of it!
2nd - 7hrs 15mins from first twinge to delivery, gas and air only, bliss! (although back to back and face first presentation)
3rd - 12hrs 10mins - hell on earth! Has put me off for life!

Lynli · 20/06/2010 20:31

1st 72 hrs hideous
2nd 4hrs very easy
3rd 12hrs too hell on earth.

roses12 · 20/06/2010 20:44

1st 26 hours (not including the two days of low level stuff which preceeded it)forceps, vontuse drugs salin drip etc. Midwife quote on stitches "we don't discuss numbers" nice

2nd 7hrs definitely the easiest dare i say enjoyable manageable. Stayed at home for most of it, only in hospital for 45 mins.

3rd 2hrs but complicated. induced. midwife notes: "where were the bloody face guards" didnt really follow that one up

all well in the end.

louiespence · 20/06/2010 20:58

1st - around 30 hours, still only 4cm dilated after 20 hours, back to back, 3 hours of pushing, ended with ventouse and episiotomy

2nd - less than 5 hours from first twinge to delivery, arrived at hospital, did ten minutes of pushing, and back home 4 hours later! Happened overnight so DS1 didn't even know we'd been anywhere! He thought Grandma and Grandad had brought DS2 to our house, as all 3 of them were there when he woke up

addictedtofrazzles · 20/06/2010 21:09

Ooooooo - am watching with interest.

First DC was 40 hours from start to finish, back to back, failed epidural, ended up in theatre with a spinal and vontuse.

Tis my due date today with DC2....fingers crossed for a speedy and easy delivery. You ladies have given me hope!

ooosabeauta · 20/06/2010 22:14

Oooh, this is fascinating (and heartening). Thank you for sharing your experiences. I've been away because ds wouldn't go to sleep until now (prompting me to consider next thread to start - if your first dc didn't sleep, did your second?!)

I'm so glad to hear that there doesn't appear to be an inevitability that the next labour would be as long. Interesting to see that some third labours were slower again. I was a bit concerned as I found out last week that a woman at a baby class we go to has had three long back-to-back labours with her three dc. Was beginning to have nightmares about it but your feedback has given me hope too, thanks

Good luck addicted!

OP posts:
Catz · 20/06/2010 22:21

1st - 2+ days, ventouse
2nd - 1 1/4 hrs (well 2 inc the placenta)

Both back to back at start and turned in labour

Catz · 20/06/2010 22:22

Sorry ooosa - 1st a fab sleeper, 2nd awful!

ooosabeauta · 20/06/2010 22:26

Wow catz, that's a massive difference. At least your second bit of evidence supports my hope that not all siblings will have the same sleep patterns... Got to go to bed now to capitalise on the hours before he next gets up...

OP posts:
pinkmagic1 · 20/06/2010 22:31

st labour was about 50 hours, 2nd was 5 1/2 from first niggle to birth.

Reallytired · 20/06/2010 22:32

1st 33 hours
2nd about 3 hours from first twinge to delivery.

I think that first labours are often hideous as you have never experienced anything like it. With the second its less of a shock.

Mystro · 21/06/2010 12:16

1st labour, two weeks late, 30 hours, back to back, induced, failed ventouse, forceps with large episiotomy.

Second labour, two weeks early, first twinge at 6.30am, full blown labour by 9am, baby out by midday - but this time c-section as breech.

happynappies · 21/06/2010 14:22

1st labour, 33 hours, back to back, ventouse delivery, episiotomy.

2nd labour, in slow labour for best part of a week (!), active labour for about 40 hours, back to back as well, but no need for ventouse.

Although both long, viewed second labour very differently. Contractions always about 10 minutes apart right up until baby is born, so always the feeling that there is little progress for me, but instead of thinking it would all be over fairly quickly as I did first time around, was resigned to a longer journey, and when things got more intense I handled it a lot better than first time around.

lifeistooshort · 21/06/2010 22:59

1st labour DD back to back 36 hours

2nd labout DS correct position 10 hours (but only 2 which would be called "active")

3rd...watch this space

Firawla · 22/06/2010 13:33

1st back to back, induced and took 30hrs ish or a bit more
2nd not back to back and very quick, much easier

DomesticG0ddess · 22/06/2010 20:46

Wow, this is heartening - my first labour was long, DS brow presenting and back to back = caesarean. Am now 23 weeks and nervous about the old VBAC option I have been given (and do want really). Do you think people are just not posting their bad examples to be kind??