1st labour. Are they always long drawn out and traumatic?

[bippitybopityboo]

I haven't heard any positive stories about 1st time labours. All of my friends have had traumatic births ending in forceps delivery, emcs or 3 day labours. I know all of this can happen I just haven't heard any positive stories and I'm a total wreck due in just over 3 weeks!

No, mine was 12 hours from very earliest twinges to baby in my arms, gas and air, no tearing and just 7 hours in hospital. Hoping for as good a time with number two in a couple of months time.

I have a positive story!! :) induced at 10 days over, 3pm. 2:30am I was 2cms, DS born at 3:10am (so 40 mins later). Yes it was forceps with no pain relief (not by choice, no time!) but it was brilliant.

First twinges at 8pm. Was already in hospital to be induced the next day. Hospital staff gave me 2 paracetamol & 2 sleeping tablets. Woke at midnight-ish feeling fairly uncomfortable. Baby was born at 1am. Husband didn't get to the hospital in time! No time for gas and air. No tearing or stitches. At one point, I was touching my baby's head and saying 'they're (husband & mother) missing it! I'll have to have another one for them to see!!

I wish everyone had such lovely births. No skill on my behalf. Just very very lucky.

I've been 'lucky' in having 3 fast and textbook births. But I credit my NCT class and learning about how important oxytocin is during the birth process (love hormone stimulates contractions). As well as being advised not to give birth lying on my back. If o hadn't done the course I would have been totally clueless. I felt like I knew what was happening, and truly although parts of labour can be painful (but not that painful IMO) I never felt out of control nor completely overwhelmed with pain.

I recommend reading up on birth and knowing what to expect.

Like bendy I alsohave a positive first labour story. Overdue 10 days - induced with some gel, first contractions I could feel at 18:30, DD arrived 3 hours later. No time to administer pain relief but it was over so quickly it was manageable and I was lucky with a fabulous midwife. I had local anesthetic to be stitched up after 2nd degree tear so it didn't hurt and healed well. Good luck - I wish you a good and safe birth for you and your baby.

I had a horrific first (and only ) labour. But every one else I know had fine, reasonably short ones or planned sections.

Mine was great and straightforward and I hadn't had any preparation other than someone telling me if you keep calm it can go much more smoothly and less painful. I definitely stayed extremely calm and didn't need pain relief although it was almost too much just as the baby arrived; having calm and encouraging midwives was really helpful too

I much preferred labour to pregnancy! My first was 17 hours from show until she was in my arms. No interventions and minimal pain relief.
I definitely recommend an active birth. I was flat on my back for my first and spent a couple of hours pushing. My second I got in the birthing pool and crouched down - DS was born in 2 pushes!

Less than 5 hours all in and only a wee graze - good job she was early or she'd have been born at home! It went from nothing to something a lot quicker than I thought Nd the wee bugger had the cheek to look cross when she came out... I told her she should have waited for her due date like a normal firstborn...

My first and only was 3.5 hours from the very first twinge to giving birth. I had unreal pain in my legs and contractions were lasting 15 seconds for about an hour, but they were every 3 minutes. I was told to stay home. I thought my legs were going to explode so I just turned up at the hospital. Good job I did because I was 6 cm after 1.5 hours of labour.

It was too late for an epidural and I refused pethidine on the basis my labour was progressing so quickly I didn't want to be out of it when the baby arrived, plus I didn't want things to slow down.

Her heart beat dropped to 40 before I had chance to push, but then went back up. I had given 2 pushes and her heart rate dipped again. Room filled with doctors, was told baby was in danger and she needs to come out in the next couple of pushes. I had help with a ventouse.

She was perfectly happy and healthy on arrival. 10 months later she still is perfect.

So quick labour that progressed brilliantly, but with a scary twist to it.

I don't think I would leave the house next time I am pregnant because I'd probably give birth in a supermarket!!

Another easy one, woke up to contractions at 4.30am, born at 11.10am on his due day. Water birth, gas and air and one codiene. Small tear which they gave me move gas to stitch up with. Both my DSis and DSIL had two challenging births but didn't put them off!

I wouldn't say easy, but straightforward! Contractions started at 2am, didn't get bad till 5am (I watched a film & ate chocolate!), went off to hosp at 10 ish, baby born at 1 pm. No stitches either. Had g&a, with an injection of something - maybe pethedine?

My first labour was a surprisingly pleasant induction!
The whole process took 3 hours from first contraction to baby being born. Gas and air, perfectly normal, straightforward delivery. 5 stitches from a very small internal tear.
I'm weirdly looking forward to doing it again in November

My phone just crashed and deleted my longer post but in summary....was fine super positive experience.

Mine was very long (106 hours) but I managed all but the last 2.5 hours at home. Gas and air from 3am and she arrived at 5am. Meconium in waters (which went 15 mins before birth) meant midwife wanted me on my back and told me to get her out asap. But no damage and she took the gas and air away for pushing to make sure I was focusing on getting her out. It was a great experience despite not being quick or straightforward. Midwife was awesome, managing to turn her from back to back on the way out to help her come quickly while managing to avoid any tearing. I'm hoping #2 is similar in the last stages!

Definitely not, I was induced and had my waters broken at 1.30pm, drip placed at 2pm and gave birth without intervention at 6.51pm. It all happened very quickly!

Mine was perfect. 5 hours total, no meds at all (home birth), no tears. Don't panic!

What I would say is, do your homework. Go to antenatal classes, learn about what happens to your body during labour, what you can do to manage the pain (breathing, moving around, different positions). You need to not panic when the time comes. A mate of mine had a nightmare birth as she didn't know what to do, couldn't work out how to push and ended in EMCS.

Latent phase was long but bearable - the worst thing for me was lack of sleep rather than pain. The level of pain for a long time (24+ hours) was not 'ouch' pain but enough to stop me sleeping. And I become a monster without sleep. So by the time I gave birth I hadn't slept for 48hrs. But had a great, and quick, active labour with no intervention needed. Certainly not traumatic and I really, really enjoyed the gas and air!

And same as MyBreadIsEggy I'm weirdly looking forward to doing it again in November!

I had a very positive experience. About 24 hours from first twinges to birth, but I wasn't in severe pain all that time. Gave birth with no pain relief other than birthing pool. Good luck!