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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Difficult 1st labour, easier 2nd labour stories please!

58 replies

PrincessWatermelon · 07/02/2014 14:50

My first labour was 24 hours and ended in forceps. My MW said it's likely my DD was in the wrong position, so labour didn't progress and then she didn't descend and that's why I couldn't push her out.

I'm now pregnant with no 2 and desperately want to hear some positive stories about second labour! Thank you

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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insanelycheerful · 07/02/2014 14:57

My 1st labour was exactly like yours-24 hours, ended in failed ventouse then forceps. He was back to back and deflexed which means head was back, chin up rather than chin to chest. So although labor progressed well to begin with I ended up with a swollen cervix that wouldn't fully dilate, protracted labour etc.

2nd labour was a totally different story!! 2.5hrs start to finish, waters had already broken but once contractions started he was born within 2.5hrs, and was nearly born in the car! Contractions were much more manageable, no pain relief (was fully dilated before I got to hospital) and 16mins pushing

It was only after DS2 I realised how traumatised I'd been by labour 1 and how hard it had been and how much easier it can be!

Middleagedmotheroftwo · 07/02/2014 14:59

My first labour was ventouse, though not particularly difficult other than that.

DD2 absolutely shot out! DH had been sent home because I'd be "ages yet". By the time he got there (5 miles), the phone was ringing to tell him he'd better get back to the hospital if he wanted to see DD2 being born.

motherinferior · 07/02/2014 15:02

I wrote a feature on this a few years back - PM me if you want a copy!

MandMand · 07/02/2014 15:04

DS was an traumatic and upsetting induction which ended up with him being delivered in theatre by forceps. DD on the other hand shot out of her own accord less than an hour after getting to hospital, and we were discharged home 2 hours later - bliss!

DeloresDeSyn · 07/02/2014 15:13

My first was 18 hrs, all available pain relief, forceps, episiotomy, retained placenta.

2nd and 3rd over and done with within 2hrs with only gas and air, home for tea!

Original poster

PrincessWatermelon · 07/02/2014 15:25

Hurrah!! I'm loving these! Please keep 'em coming!

OP posts:

Finabhear · 07/02/2014 15:29

First was like yours

Second wasn't exactly problem free but 100x easier to cope with than the first, with just gas and air and a lot of swearing at DH and midwife

PenguinsDontEatKale · 07/02/2014 15:38

First labour: much like yours, very painful contracts for two days. Into hospital to be told 3cm. Broke waters, drip, epidural, forceps.

Second labour was at home, in the pool. About 9 hours total. Still likely back to back, but I was able to be mobile and relaxed. Finally DD2 turned and things went like lightning from then on.

No.3 - still to be determined!

Twitterqueen · 07/02/2014 15:44

Just be careful you don't do what I nearly did!

48 hour 1st labour - forceps, episiotomy, elpidural - everything...

2nd labour. Thought I had hours. Started to make the spare bed up, make sandwhiches. Ignored everything... Made it to hospital with around 15 mins to spare! no intervention at all. 4 hours in total.

Husband was petrified ha ha

mistermakersgloopyglue · 07/02/2014 18:05

Oh this thread is heartening. My first labour was similar to yours - in labour for ever, ended up with all the pain relief going and induction drip, forceps in theatre. The wrong position so slow progression, impossible to push out.

Am 37 and a half weeks now, and am praying for something, anything, easier this time!

findingherfeet · 07/02/2014 18:20

38 weeks with second baby, enjoying this thread a lot! (Even if I did have a relatively 'easy' time of it with DD...quicker the better please!)

WoodBurnerBabe · 07/02/2014 18:22

First one was a 48 hour, back to back endurance event, with syntocin and an epidural. They were waving the forceps in my face when I finally managed to get her out. Sec

WoodBurnerBabe · 07/02/2014 18:23

ond one was 1hr45min from waters breaking with no warning to delivery :-) and no 3 was an induction, but she was 45min from first contraction to first scream.

Good luck!

Brodicea · 07/02/2014 18:55

My mum's labour with my older brother took 56 hours. He had been trying to get out shoulder first, and his position wasn't spotted until very late on. In the end they had to knock her out, do a mega deep episiotomy and yank him out with forceps. This was in the 1970s mind.

With me, I took an hour and a half and it was a dream - she was so relieved as she had waited seven years due to fear of labour!

MrsRV · 07/02/2014 19:37

love this thread... First labour nearly 2 years ago. 9 hours was all but had to have a drip to ramp up contractions at the end, before they realised DD was stuck, ended in theatre with episiotomy and forceps. Both of us totally bruised and battered for weeks. broke my heart to see her so black & blue.

I have high hopes for this time after hearing lots of successful 2nd birth stories. fingers crossed!!!!

ImMarmite · 07/02/2014 21:08

1st labour, induction, masses of pain, vontous (not sure about spelling) battered & very poorly baby

2nd labour, hormone tablets given & that was it, lots of puffing, panting & swearing, gas & air only- it's a brilliant can't wait for the next except I want to have water birth & no gas & air or any pain relief if I can

TheMildManneredMilitant · 07/02/2014 21:12

1st labour 24 hrs, awkward position stopping dilation, pretty shocking

2nd labour - about 2hrs from start to finish, born in the birthing pool with only g&a. Fab!

Thatsnotmyfigure · 07/02/2014 21:16

Wow I needed to read these! Thanks! Does 2nd baby tend to come earlier also, i. e. less chance if being induced because 2 wks over due date??

HolyDrinker · 07/02/2014 21:22

3 days, ventouse.

3 hours, like a cork out a bottle.

Petal7 · 07/02/2014 21:29

My first labour was 41 hrs, back to back, horrible pain, epidural, forceps.
My second was 3 hours all in! And dd2 shot out like a cork from a champagne bottle with no pain relief, so take heart!
My third was about 5 hours from 1st mild contraction to birth, with time for the pain relief I wanted.
Good luck!

CheeseStrawWars · 07/02/2014 21:32

First labour was induced (though my waters half-went in the morning) due to unexplained bleeding. DD was back to back, it was agony, about 17 hours - which I guess isn't that bad compared to some, but I had a very fast first stage labour and the second stage took weirdly long. There was tearing and I had a post-partum haemorrhage. My contractions never settled into a regular pattern, they were always a bit all over the place.

Second labour, had Braxton-Hicks for about 24 hours until it became stronger, conveniently just after DD had been tucked up for the night. Again, not really regular as such, but more frequent and closer together. Went into the hospital, they checked me out and sent me home saying it was "hours if not days" away. I got home (20 mins away) and could barely walk. DH took me back in, and I was 10cm dilated. On the plus side, DS was in a better position and second stage was about 4 hours instead of 10. I was back home in time for DD to not really have noticed I'd gone. No tearing, no bleed, a breeze compared to the first. Though I am still slightly bitter I missed out on the drugs! In retrospect, I wish I had told the midwife who told me to go home that my first labour had a really fast first stage, as the trend was the same, just faster!

staverton · 07/02/2014 21:32

1st labour: back to back, 60 hours, stopped dilating at 5cm despite bonkers contractions, synto drip, agonising OP labour so epidural after 52 hours (oh it was wonderful!), episiotomy, cord round neck, crash call etc etc Ds totally fine after 1 min by the way and now bright 6 year old

2nd labour: 2 hours no pain relief pushing 10 mins
3rd: same as 2nd but waterbirth. Painful contractions but lovely experience!

clareth · 07/02/2014 21:42

Please don't worry 1st labours are a bitch, 2nd labours are so much easier. Every midwife I've ever spoken to says the same.

My first was induced, ridiculously long, epidural, ending in baby born ok but me losing 3l of blood.

Cue terrifying thoughts of second time around!! Although it was still induced, it was super quick, super straightforward and ended really happily (and he was 9lb9oz!!)

Honestly once your body has done it once the second time is so much easier!! Good luck :)

insanelycheerful · 07/02/2014 22:05

In response to Q re when the babies came...

DS1 was born at 40+5
DS2 was born at 36+5

This is not typical in terms of the second being SO early I don't think! But I think that whereas first babies do tend to be overdue, subsequent babies are generally more likely to come earlier, and therefore hopefully before induction becomes an issue.

ASmidgeofMidge · 07/02/2014 22:05

Another one here with a back to back first labour. Latent phase/early labour went on for 4 days - no sleep due to ctx but wasn't dilating due to dd's position. Eventually began to dilate - active phase of labour relatively short but ended up with episiotomy & forceps, I think largely due to my exhaustion by this point. Agonising. Had all the pain relief going incl epidural.

Second labour (ds born 10 days ago ) was a breeze in comparison. Was induced as overdue (dd also v overdue) but strong regular ctx after one pessary. Time from first ctx to ds arriving was 9 hours. Had gas & air and was much more engaged in process / an active participant. Still painful but made progress iykwim. Some grazes but nothing major

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