if i had a three hour labour with my first born...

[twolittlepenguins]

what should i expect for this pregnancy? is it true that 2nd labours are quicker?? or are they completely different? i'm not sure if this is a wife's tale or not (i'm scared).

My first was just under 2.5 hours. Second (and third) were not quite as fast, 4.5 and 3 hours. Both were planned home births, I would have had a home birth anyway but the speed of labour was definitely another consideration. Third time the midwives made it there with only 10 minutes to spare!
I had researched the best thing to do if you are alone for the birth, just in case and felt well-prepared. My dsis had had an unplanned, unassisted home birth so it was a real possibility.
My DC slept through both home births, btw. Very peaceful and easy.

#1 admitted into hospital at 3 cm, 2 hours later I was 6cm, 15 minutes after that dd was born.

#2 had been warned it may be a quick labour again, first sentence on my birth plan MY LAST LABOUR WAS QUICK, MY MIDWIVES HAVE ADVISED TO ADMIT ME TO BIRTHING UNIT AT FIRST SIGN OF LABOUR. it did the trick, although I was only getting very light twinges and was 1cm they admitted me. I sat around for 5 hours doing nothing eating chocolates and suddenly my contractions took off. I was 5cm, went into birthing pool and 25 minutes later ds was out.

I'd recommend turning up to hospital at the first teeny twinge and staying there

First labour was 2 hours which was a shock as has previously been said I was never prepared for it being so quick. Dc2 was 20 mins from the first twinge and was born in the ambulance, the labour unit wanted to try to get a homebirth midwife to me at home but she was already out on a delivery.

Active labours
#1 4hrs
#2 14hrs
#3 2hrs...

I would prep for a homebirth just in case!

My first - waters broke at 3.30am, told to go into hospital and labour started on the way. Contractions every 3 minutes at 5.30am, not dilated at all - the midwife said that they would settle down, as it was because my waters had broken. 6.30am she declared I was about to have a baby and all hell broke loose. DS born at 7.30am. 3.25hr labour inc placenta, according to notes.

Second twins at 35 wks - started to feel something (non hurty but knew the feeling) recognisable as contractions at 2.30am after going to the loo. Tried to go back to sleep but woke DH at 4.30am when they were definitely every 3 minutes and he rang the hospital who would only speak to me (mid-pre-labour-crap on the loo). I told them I was 35 weeks with twins and having contractions every 3 minutes and they told me to come in at 9am. I told her that I had seen a doctor the day before who had told me to come in on the first contraction (he was the only person to take my worries of a fast labour seriously). I told her that I had been having contractions for 2 hours already so I was coming in now. By the time we had woken a poor Dfriend up to take DS, it was 5.30am when we got in. Put on monitors, given pointless IV line by junior doctor 'in case we need to speed things up' and waters broken on instructions of registrar (in bed). Declared 4cm by JD after much fumbling.

At 7am, I though 'God, this is boring' had some gas and air for fun (missed out on it the first time) then decided to go to the loo and finish what I had started before the phone call. After they had disconnected me (and poor DD1's head) from the equipment, I had a big contraction that turned out to be pretty painless, went to the loo had a wee, then massive huge contraction, got back to the bed, DD1 mostly born on her own, whilst mw getting backup and rubber gloves, DD2 born in stirrups in the delivery room, with a room full of people who should have been there. However, she was an absolute star, turned round and came out head first by herself, so they were not needed. 7.30am again.

I was told afterwards that if you come in in the early hours, they make you comfortable and pass you on to the day staff. Explains a lot.

I think the second was slightly longer than the first (a million times less painful) but it depends on the definition of when labour starts. I don't think I ever fulfilled my hospital's criteria on what is defined as 'in labour', before I gave birth, both times.

My advice, be prepared, and be prepared to be assertive. (Don't expect them to have read your notes from the first time either!)

1st - from waters breaking & contractions starting - 51 hours. Including 12 hours active labour, only that short because they gave me the drip after 8 hours. I was contracting properly, I just wasn't dilating. Got no sleep; by some kind of bloody miracle managed to push him out at the end. So knackered I fell asleep while I was being stitched up!

2nd - I thought (hoped!) would be quicker. Entire thing from 1st contraction - 11 hours. Active labour - 40 mins! So much quicker than I could have imagined, I was in shock for the rest of the day.

Neither time did I get the water birth I'd hoped for - 1st too slow, 2nd too quick!

My First labour was 6 Hours, My Second was 2 hours 50 minutes, my third one was the killer, 20 minutes, It takes longer to brew a decent pot of coffee, My son literally fell out, My DR who asked for 20 minutes notice to get there (because of my previous short labours) arrived just as his shoulders were slipping out, and my 4th, 45 minutes, I can't even guilt my kids by telling them I laboured for hours to bring them into the world, a Total of a little over 10 hours for all 4 of them.

Hehe at him falling out
My first was 7 hours (fairly gentle ramp up, they didn't seem to believe I was in labour and were quite surprised that I was fully dilated when I was checked)

Second was 3 hours from a very clear first contraction. I had a planned homebirth for that one and it was great. Had to go in to hospital afterwards as PPH (not severe). DD1 slept through it.

Now 3 days overdue with DD3 with husband at work an hour and a half away and quite anxious about how it's going to go! Not allowed a homebirth due to prev PPH (and honestly I'd prefer to go to hospital if I can, not quite sure why) but midwife has reassured me that if getting to hospital is not looking likely to just call an ambulance and the labour Ward and they will send someone anyway.

In your shoes OP I'd give serious thought to planning a homebirth. As PP said, you can always just go in to hospital anyway, you are no way committed to it, it just gives you options. Good luck!

Depending on how fast you could get to hospital if the labour did go fast, I agree that having a homebirth kit in your house would be a good idea, and even your dh getting some idea of what he might have to do if it was too fast and no help got to you in time.

I had an unplanned homebirth with my last baby, as the labour was too fast. I do live an hour from the nearest hospital, and if I had got in the car the baby would have been born at the roadside with no assistance other than my dh. Instead we did have an ambulance and midwife arrive to us before pushing the baby out at home, which was much safer.

I would get the homebirth kit from the midwives and still go to hospital at the first twinge if you think you could make it safely. Having the homebirth kit does not mean you have to have a homebirth, only that the things you might need are available if you have no choice but to have an unplanned one!

I thought this was rubbish. My first labour was 14.5 hrs.

My second was 25.....MINUTES!

Took me right by surprise!

My first labour was 6 hours.
Second was 1hr 50
Third was about 4 hours.

So it can vary a bit. I had number 3 at home partly because I was panicking at the thought of being stuck on top of a moor halfway to hospital with no phone signal and the baby coming there and then.

One thought for you OP is that if you plan for a home birth you can at any stage ask to transfer into hospital so you could just see how it goes/you feel on the day. At least you'll have mw lined up to come out to you if necessary.

My mws told me that it's very unusual to have complications in fast labours, it's usually when things slow down that problems arise.