Is labour easier the second time?

[Emma1416]

I'm currently 21 weeks and LOVE reading labour stories!! Is it easier the second time around? Post your labour stories below!☺️ I posted this in a different child birth but thought I would post it here too!

Not necessarily. My second birth was drastically quicker than the first (six hours as opposed to 24 hours) and I did handle the pain better but it was equally as traumatic as my first. My third labour was twelve hours so didn’t decline in time from the second weirdly, less traumatic though.

Was for me, probably because I knew what to do and my body coped better. Didn't need pain relief etc, took 6 hours

For me, definitely! Felt much more in control. Everything went more like it is meant to. Ie contractions actually helped rather than just hurt. I knew when to push. Was much shorter.

Not necessarily, my first was a quick delivery had 2 stitches , my second was the longest out of the 3, she was back to back so during the actual delivery I had to wait for her to turn so was pushing for a good 40 minutes but no stitches and only gas and air, the third (8 weeks ago) she's got a fairly big head (which we knew as had a growth scan 3 weeks before) she was harder to get out and she got a little stuck! so i had to be cut and had a lot of stitches, but again only had gas and air.

Not for me. My second was two days long and I had a PPH with both births. No stitches though with either.

It was def quicker but then I started to remember the almighty crowning of the head pain and tried....very badly....to try to get my body to do the reverse of push lol

Was quicker but I felt more out of it as different pain relief second time around.

Yes mine was. Water's broke on my due date and 40mins later having just made it to the hospital dd2 was born.

My Dd's were born with 23years between them. I can hardly remember Dd1's birth😄

For me - absolutely. I think hugely because I knew I could do it, and I knew how bad it might get - so my brain wasn’t constantly dealing with what ifs and panicking. In fact I am very conscious that my second birth was essentially a bit of a ‘dream birth, -very quick (from getting to hospital to baby in arms in 3 hours) brilliant midwife who made me believe I knew what I was doing, so I discovered I did, didnt ever remember pain relief until the baby was born - in fact I remember watching birds circle outside the window and imagining riding the contractions like a bird. Honestly I’m quite normal most of the time...it all just felt weirdly transcendental!

I should say it started badly - with a bleed and being summonded into hospital leaving my planned water pool at home, and having my waters broken even though I didn’t really want it ... so I’m very conscious it could have been a different story, and very thankful for my good luck. Hope your birth goes well too - how was your first?

I don't know if easier is the word I'd use. It was quicker, I understood more when to push/when to rest and I didn't tear as much. It still hurt though and I still got to transition and did the 'I can't do this' thing again.

Contractions started middle of the night, 4 hours later went to hospital- made it just in time as DC2 was born less than 20 minutes after arriving at hospital.
I was too far along for any pain relief and only had time to have a bit of gas and air.

I had a nightmare pregnancy though so sort of felt like I had earnt a quick labour 🤣

Very much quicker. DD1 was induced after a couple of days of waters breaking and not much happening. I had an epidural, and it took 12hours of full labour, no stitches or anything traumatic though. Second, took a bath at 9pm, and noticed a bit of blood, but went to bed. Woke up at midnight with pains and waters breaking, baby born at 1.30am with only gas and air. She was back to back, with her arm extended, came out like superman, but really easy, no trauma or stitches. Good luck with your second.

Mine took about half the time and was definitely easier. My third labour was quicker & easier again.

DramaAlpaca that's encouraging. My first two labours were 5 hrs and 2.5 hrs. Hopefully I'll just sneeze number 3 out.

Sorry to derail the thread, but when you talk about labour being x hours, is that from first symptom or 4cm (I.e. active labour)?

My DD was 19 hours from waters breaking but 1h 45m from 4cm/active labour. I wouldn't know what to expect from a 2nd, wait it out at home or get in asap?

Yes, definitely. First labour textbook 10hrs. Second 5hrs. Had better pain coping tactics too.

Mine was. 1st labour 18 hours, God knows how long pushing. Ended in forceps delivery, a serious bleed, transfusion and surgery. Second was 4 and a half hours start to finish. Same post birth bleed and transfusion again but the labour itself was easier. Still both bloody painful though! The first time I was on my back on the bed the whole labour as it hurt more to stand up but second time I was on the birthing ball until pushing stage then up on my knees over the back of the bed. I definitely think being upright helped things along!

Bobbiepin - I counted from when I realised the contractions were definitely contractions and not just Braxton Hicks. There'd been tightening about an hour before with DD1 and a couple of hours with DD2 but as they weren't painful or frequent I wasn't sure if it was actually labour. So (rightly or not) I counted it from the time I was in pain. That might well have been active labour, I don't know because by the time the midwife got to me each time I was 7/8 cms. (Homebirths).

I would say with a second and a short active labour to call/go pretty quickly once they're regular. Hope that helps.

Sorry OP, I've had 4 and each were worse than the one before! The 1st was an breeze at 40mins and it was downhill from there. Good luck

My first was 38 hours (19 1/2 active) and my second was 50 mins!! It was a shock being so quick and no time for any pain relief at all but with no interventions it was a lot easier to recover from!