Labour times . . . .

[libb]

Hi everyone,

Just curious really, how long did labour take with your first baby?

Cheers,

Libb xx

Yeah - how did you know when you wer 3-4 cms dilated????
When I got to the hospital the very 1st thing they did was examine and I was the full 10 and went straight into pushing within a few minutes of being in my room and being able to remeber at what point the contractions were 5 minutes apart - don't think I can! All I can remember is getting to the point where there were no gaps between contractions and thinking, ohh, bloody hell I think I'd like to be with a midwife now!

Thomcat,

I knew I was 3-4 cms dilated because that's when I presented to hospital and they examined me and confirmed this (and that I was in established labour). Obviously you are more stoical than me if you didn't go to hospital into you were the full 10

2 hours 20 mins from first contraction to baby popping out.

40 hours according to my hospital notes. It was an induced labour because of BP problems and a large baby. Thank god for epidurals.

12 hours from onset of contractions - although DH was on his feet for nearly 24 considering we were admitted to hospital due to high BP nearly 22 hours before DS was born.

He always tells dad to be to wear comfy shoes when they go to the hospital....

hmc, it's fine, your comments just got me thinking a bit about the way my labour went. Not much fun but the result is worth it .

And yes, coppertop, thank God for epidurals!

Handlemecarefully - I was genuinelly interested in how you knew, I thought you might have way of telling yourself that you could have shared becasue if I did it again I wouldn't have waited until I was 10 cms to go in, I'd have liked a bit more time there and I could maybe have had the water birth I'd planned, that's all, nothing to do with being more stoical than anyone else. I'd just like to have got there a bit earlier and thought you might have known a secret way of knowing how far dilated you are.

Thomcat,

Honestly - I wasn't being sarcastic when I said you probably were more stoical than me. I meant it - I am a wimp!!!!!

How far spaced were your contractions when you went in out of interest? - were they at shorter intervals than 5 mins?

I was just worried that you might think I was being holier than thou and being all 'oohh look at me holding off so long' etc! I didn't think you were being sarcastic, but I was a tad concerned I'd peed you off and glad I haven't.

At home, before we got in the car there were no gaps and then in the car on the way there, I have no idea to be honest I was just keeping my eyes shut and trying to not actually sit flat down on the seat! They seemed to go all over the place - I might have to ask D, he'll know more than me - I was out of it on a nutural high! i just remember really not wanting to be examined becasue I found being on my back impossible to bear and had to be leaning over ot standing, and also wanting to go to the loo and almost having a fight with the midwife who was telling me I didn't and that I should start pushing! The rest is a blur. So glad I didn't do drugs - I was out of it enough!

33ish hours from first contractions 18ish from the time I started to lose my sense of humour
(epidural restored it nicely though)

Thomcat,

sounds like you battled on at home for quite a long time if your contractions were virtually continuous by the time you got to hosp.

I simply had to go in when I did (give me that pethidine!) and in fact 4 hours previously had pleaded with them to take me, but they had told me at that point to hang on at home a bit longer. Like I said - wimp!

What was the pethadine actually like HMC? The thought of taking that scares me more than childbirth!! How did it make you feel?

At home I remember D saying 'Thomcat - you have to tell me when they are stopping so i can time the next one' and I looked up at him from where I was on all fours and just managed to say 'it's still the same one now shut up'!

Can you believe it though when I said 'I think we should go now' he looked up from his paper, with me on all fours, bathed in sweat after what felt like a 20 minute no-stop contraction and said 'well we can go if you like but I really think they're just going to send us back again'!!!!! I love reminding him of that while mixing cat food into his shepherds pie!!!

Started having contractions at around midnight, but thought it was bad wind until about 4am, when realised pains were coming regularly, and woke dh up. At 6am, called out midwife (as was on domino scheme)and was 6cm dilated. Went into hospital at around 7.30am. After all sorts of unnecessary intervention, ds1 born at 5.16pm - including nearly 4 hour second stage. So, 17 hours in total.

My advice: Delay going in hospital as long as poss, and don't let them stick you on a monitor if you can help it. All the evidence suggests that intermittent hand-held monitoring is just as effective at detecting any problems. (Sorry, continual fetal monitoring is my absolute bugbear!)

d'you know I was amazed when I went into hospital. After all my NCT classes I thought they'd have me on a monitor like a flash but they were really good - kept it on for minimum time and encouraged me to get moving - even brought me a ball! Of course having sworn that I would not be 'tethered to a bed' I then refused to move for 18 hours!

OK, So, Thursday afternoon till Sunday morning.. I think that's 50 hours...

Wasn't sure how long I pushed for so asked the midwife a week later. She remembered cos it was 4 1/2 hours!! No wonder I was slightly sore the next day!!

BR

Can't count!! 60 hours.

11.00pm saturday night - till 11.27pm mondaynight.

With dd1, First twinge Wed night, show on Thurs am, Sweep Thurs noon at 3cm, induced Fri 5pm, baby born Sat 8am!
About 54hrs, I guess.