A few second pregnancy questions?

[LadyFlumpalot]

For those with 2 or more DC - did you find your second labour similar?

Also, did you heal quicker?

If anyone home birthed for the second one and it all kicked off at night, what did you do with DC1? I'm worried about waking him you see.

SPD - did anyone find this really ramped up just before labour?

I'm 39 weeks today and have been worrying myself crazy!

My first labour was a ghastly 37 hours of back labour, augmentation, pethedine, ARM and eventually a ventouse delivery of dd1, 2nd degree tear, lots of stitching and a 9lb12 baby to show for it.

Second time, with ds, was a simple labour, 10 hours, just some gas&air and a tiny tear, he was 10 days early and 9lb3.

Third was induced 3 weeks early as I had a kidney problem, 12 hours from pessary to delivery, just gas again but huge tear needing theatre repair. Dd2 was fine and weighed in at 7lb13 - I thought she was tiny!!

All the best. Subsequent labours are often easier, everything is a bit "looser" and your body has done it before!

Quicker labour, no stiches, episiotome (sp?) with DD1. Actually healed ok both times.

Yes I had a home birth, DD1 slept through the whole thing and wandered in at 6am to meet her 3 minute old little sister.

Totally un-phased by me delivering the placenta.

I had a friend on stand-by to babysit, but it didn't seem worth dragging her 10 miles at midnight when DD1 was fast asleep. She came in the afternoon and took DD1 off to play with her DCs while we got some sleep.

Good luck, if you can get a HB it really is lovely.

Should add DD1 was 3, which is about the perfect age for sleeping through adult noise.

My first labour was a four day drama fest which left me with serious anxiety after.

Second was three hours from first contractions to DS in my arms. It was intense but I feel so much better about it. Was planning a home birth, but ended up in hospital which was fine. It all happened so fast DD was with me for a lot of the labour, there wasn't time to take her to MIL's she was two at the time and very un phased by it all! I was concentrating more on her than the pain but she was fine!

Good luck

Thank you all, very reassuring!

My first was a planned epidural due to me having a high bmi, epidural stopped my labour, I needed full whack on the oxytocin drip to get everything going again and ended up pushing for 2hrs with intense contractions as I wasn't allowed any top ups while pushing.

DS2 I was told I wasn't in established labour spent my time wandering the hospital, no pain relief, got back to the ante-natal ward just in time, was rushed to a private room and pushed for 3 minutes and he was out!

Couldn't have been more different 2hrs of pushing nearly needing forceps vs 3 mins of pushing with no pain relief. This time I'm going to convince them to let me have a home birth!

Good luck hope it goes smoothly for you

Labour 1 and 2 very similar, although I knew what to expect second time around so was less stressed. As dd1 was v straightforward birth had dd2 at home.
Contractions began at 3am ish. Dd1 woke about 7ish and at 8am DH took her to a friend's house for breakfast and a play. Dd2 arrived at 8.50am. Not sure how dd1 would've been if she'd been there but I knew I wanted her elsewhere so I could focus.
Didn't have SPD and only grazed with both deliveries so can't help on the healing question but would say overall second labour was easier (despite bigger baby) as I knew what to expect and I found being at home very relaxing and reassuring, plus got to have own bath & bed afterwards.
Good luck.

DS2 much quicker than DS1 (order of magnitude quicker).

Recovery slightly quicker - balance harder first birth against less chance to rest second time.